Therapy For Me

W/C 11th May 2026 A thought struck me as I was walking through Charles de Gaulle airport last week. I wondered how far I was standing (at that precise moment, in that exact spot) from somebody that I knew, but was unaware of. And not just that moment, maybe the last time I was in London or in Leeds, or on holiday or on the train, etc, etc. Clearly with the tech we have at our disposal we can (to a...

W/C 4th May 2026 There are so few opportunities to use this particular song as an episode title (this is certainly the first since I started TFM) that I snatched at it, without hesitation. As a guitar player as was well aware of Gary Moore, and whilst not a card-carrying devotee, I was certainly more than aware of the range and depth of his work. I got to see him play live once, at the Montreux Ja...

W/C 27th April 2026 It will become obvious when you listen to my week why I have picked this particular song as the title track. As you will hear I had considered A Legacy by Marillion, or In A Lifetime by Clannad, both of which would have captured the spirit of what I was talking about. But instead I went for the Jason Isbell one, because to me it talks more to the journey from the initial concep...

W/C 20th April 2026 I think I might be going through the summer with a red nose, for a number of reasons. a) I have now spent a couple of days at Headingley for the cricket, and on both occasions the sun has been shining. b) spending a lot of time reading around the pool in Gran Canaria. c) the design of my sunglasses and a definite-sized nose The result is that my nose always catches the sun (irr...

W/C 13th April 2026 Nothing fancy in the notes this week, just an explanation as to the track I have chosen for the title. It's a Paddy McAloon song, recorded by Jimmy Nail as part of the Crocodile Shoes project, which was a TV show about a songwriter in the North East. Had I not mentioned it as part of a discussion about Prefab Sprout it may never have come up in conversation, but that would also...

W/C 6th April 2026 As we were driving to Manchester Airport last week we realised we had left the newly-purchased suncream at home. Even though we had only been travelling a few minutes we decided not to turn back, but risk picking some up at the departure lounge, irrespective of the fact it would probably be at an eye-watering supplement. As it turned out it was pretty much the same as buying fro...

W/C 30th March 2026 I am hoping you will forgive me if the edit is a little off compared with normal. The good news is that I have managed to assemble and export this week’s TFM on the iPad for the second week on the spin, and the first where I didn’t have a fallback option. The not-so-good news is that I can’t work out how to fine-tune the episode length (I like the episodes to end in a double di...

W/C 23rd March 2026 I appreciate I have said this before, but one of the challenges of TFM is that some weeks what goes through my head just isn't that interesting. Take this week, twenty odd minutes of stuff but honestly, nothing that is going to give you any deeper insight or philosophical clarity. You could summarise it as something I have taken a shine to, and something I haven't, something I...

W/C 16th March 2026 On the back of using a Cliff track for a recent TFM I went back and listened to 'those' albums all over again, which is why it was easy to join the dots and get to this track whilst trying to come up with something for this week, specifically the on-location recording bit. Of course that then took to me back to that very 'of it's time' video, that has the man himself roller-ska...

W/C 9th March 2025 I am now in two minds. Having mentioned this tune toward the end of this week's TFM I am not sure it is in fact the right choice because equally I could be the problem in the integrity of this figurative dam. But you have got to pick a side and I do like this track so I am sticking with it (don't worry it will all make sense as you listen, or at least it should...). I don't know...

W/C 2nd March 2026 As you are about to hear I went somewhere a bit special this week, and it took me right back to early 1983, as I approached my twelfth birthday. At that stage I was desperately waiting for the day to arrive, because I was hoping to get a ZX Spectrum (16KB) and join the cyber-generation. In preparation, and as a way of increasing my sense of anticipation and excitement, I had bee...

W/C 23rd February 2026 It's been a long time since I have watched Pulp Fiction, but it came up in conversation when I was asked by my eldest if I could suggest something for him to watch. At the beginning of lockdown I began the process of ripping my DVD collection and having everything available as easy playback and sharing, and having got about 80% of the way through it before getting bored, it...

W/C 16th February 2026 I am bringing you a bit of a story this time, so here isn't much I can really say about it in advance...I need to just let it all unfold, so to speak. What I can say is that the track that gives the episode its title is by Dave Lee Roth, and is from an album called A Little Ain't Enough released in 1991. It is memorable for me because I went to see DLR on that tour, and it r...

W/C 9th February 2026 In between recording and note-writing Wikipedia has provided one of the answers; St Andrew's Church is a redundant Anglican church standing in an isolated position, in fields about 2 kilometres to the north of the village of Woodwalton. The isolated position of the church is thought to be due to its central location between Woodwalton Castle, a motte and bailey castle to the...

Time disappears for me on a Saturday morning. I like to be out for a run around the seven thirty mark, which means that the alarm is usually set for between six and six thirty, so I can start the process of recording the weeks TFM. In theory that should be enough time to record a c.20 minute podcast, make a brew, write the notes and get myself ready. It's currently 07:38 and I have got this far. I...

W/C 26th January 2026 OK so this is a very particular phenomena to mention, but there is something about that first blast of UK air when you get off a plane that is really quite reinvigorating. It is probably down to nothing more than the welcome release from the stale air of the aircraft, but when I was met by what was comparatively fresh and chilly air as I stepped into the air bridge, it didn't...

W/C 19th January 2026 Friday Night. I have just collected some take-out food and returned to my hotel room on the top floor of the Sheraton Park Resort, to eat Spaghetti and watch The West Wing. After three days of meet and greet I am spent, I just want be quiet for a while. The Friday 'night-in' has become a regular feature of this trip over the last few years, and it is neccesitous if I am going...

W/C 12th January 2026 As an addition to the bit about things that we just pass-by all the time without really noticing, I went to Milton Keynes this week (go with me on this) because I had been asked to speak as part of a panel discussion on Music Education. Anyway, I stayed at the Hilton hotel which is incorporated into the Stadium MK complex, the homes of the MK Dons football team. Because of th...

W/C 5th January 2026 Two things to quickly mention before you listen to this week's TFM. Firstly I managed to get myself confused by songs, so instead of The Who track that I mentioned you are getting the Robbie & Kylie track that was actually playing in my head. I think the confusion comes from the final line of the chorus which does actually say 'the kids are alright', even though the song t...

W/C 29th December 2025 I have got a little bit reflective and a little bit sentimental this week, but I guess that is only to be expected as the old year finally turned. And even though I only finished recording a few minutes ago, I am already thinking of the things that I missed out of my 'off the cuff' countdown of the best, and most memorable bits of 2025. Now normally I would be kicking myself...

W/C 22nd December 2025 I am going to split Christmas 2025 into three categories, the more, the less and the same. In the more bucket we have family cultural experiences, with the triple whammy of the cinema, the theatre and the panto in a five day period bookending the big day. I would also throw into the more pot, jigsaw-time, food-prep and possibly running. The consistent category is food and dr...

W/C 15th December 2025 Technically speaking the actual song title for this is Thea Gilmore's Midwinter Toast, but I have taken a little artistic license for the episode naming just because it's my podcast, and I can. I make no apology for banging on about this incredible songwriter, or indeed for reminding you that her winter album Strange Communion is the only thing you should be listening to for...

W/C 8th December 2025 I was somewhat taken aback this evening, just at the point when I was about to enjoy one of the traditional kick-offs to the festive season. Our local Lidl has recently had a facelift, and as part of that process the magazine stand has been placed in the entrance. As such, and as we were walking out, I happened to notice a cardboard display freshly stacked with copies of the...

W/C 1st December 2025 The eldest has asked for a first pair of running trainers for Christmas, and after taking him to Up & Running for some cheeky gait analysis, we settled on a pair of Hoka Clifton 10s in a light green finish (I think the decision has been based on the aesthetics of the shoe in question, but they do also provide the required support). Unfortunately it's a range that Up &...

W/C 24th November 2025 I heard this song for the first time in ages, and I have been humming it most of the week. So when I found myself knee deep in blue icons looking at the London Remembers website, then I closed the loop and accepted it was going to be the episode title. Of course what that has done has (somewhat) inevitably led me to an hour of listening to some of my favourite Bob choons, an...