Guitar Emporium

The first song from Can't Stop in 2008 condensed into a folk tune with a simple guitar accompaniment in 2015. Support the show

An acoustic version once again from 2015 . Support the show

The original acoustic version of Make do and Mend. it was intended as an affectionate look back in 2015 - it sounds a really harsh judgement and that was not intended. Support the show

A song - that has no words. A tune from a time of listening to American guitarists Earl Klugh and George Benson. It doesn't have their lightness of touch - but that was the intention. Support the show

A take on the Your time will Come theme from 2015 - a collection of tunes called Shouting at the Telly. A friend of mine mentioned that he was horrified to see he'd started shouting at the telly - I hadn't even realised I was doing it !! Support the show

The recording including Rob on percussion - taken from 2015 . Dominic Millers guitar playing was the starting point for this tune . Support the show

from the work in 2015 - an acoustic version of the song Sometimes  Support the show

It is such a thing- a smile can do so much - much more than words on so many occasions. It open doors ( metaphorically ) makes friends, breaks the ice, re-assures loved ones, gives an indication of intent - and many others .. Support the show

The acoustic version of a heartfelt bit of injustice about how an old Roundsman - a Postman - was treated as he got towards the end of his working life.  Support the show

Taken from a set of recordings from 2015 - Shouting at the Telly . Just a collection of tunes really kept as a diary of what was going on at the time . Support the show

This tune has always been called Slow Dance - its not really a slow dance - maybe the Last Dance would be better. It was that teenage thing of trying to get the last dance with the partner you hoped you could walk ( ! )  home at the end of the evening. That shows how old the tune is .  Support the show

This is from the collected folk song recording completed in 2015. Talents is about how so many people bury theirs rather than developing them. My Church of England school background re-visiting me in later life.  Support the show

From 2015 - more acoustic based music aimed at the folk club circuit.  Support the show

Some easy listening from a long time ago - written originally in about 1974/75 . For two guitars . I've added the drums and bass. Support the show

The final track from the CD The Setting Sun. Its the title track and having listened to all of the tracks there is a pervading lack of optimism in the whole CD becoming rather characteristic of much of my work .  I'm coming up to the end of a years podcast and I'll put the whole album up at some point before I finish the year. I haven't decided whether I'll extend beyond a year...

The Lindisfarne song - Meet me on the Corner is the starting point for this song. Although if you listen to it it bears absolutely no relation to the Lindisfarne song - one of their very best . Support the show

I never saw the Who at their very best - but they were the best 3 piece band ( I know Daltrey sang ) but I''m thinking 3 piece instrumental band.  for me the two other great 3 piece bands were the Jam and the Police ( although I think they sometimes used a second guitarist ).  This piece is based around Bruce Foxton's tremendous bass playing for the Jam - on  " Down in the Tube...

The second to last track from the nearly finished CD The Setting Sun. A song to re-assure us oldies never to forget childish things. I remember sometimes as a child looking up at the clouds for hours imagining shapes out of the clouds, and what it would be to be up there amongst the pigs, hands, faces ... and so on Support the show

 : any face of a building given special architectural treatment  : a false, superficial , or artificial appearance or effect two dictionary definitions - I was dealing with the building version at work recently . Its the other definition which is of more interest - we all put up a facade of some sort. Support the show

The finished version of a track from The Setting Sun which I started last summer. I'll pitch it at the folk clubs once again.. The complete CD should be finished by the end of April Support the show

A bit of late Saturday  night doodling with the piano - with a clarinet thrown in for support. Nobody's Business. Support the show

Lots of these flying around this week. The 25 year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in the UK - which is looking a little fragile ,,,,,,,,, and of considerably lesser importance our Assured Shorthold Tenancy comes up for renewal . On the subject of our tenancy I couldn't find too many clauses giving us as tenants too many rights. Maybe there are more parallels with the Good Friday Agr...

One of the lovely things about the flute is it sounds so good in the upper range - the guitar ( and in particular the classical guitar ) sits beautifully in the middle range . The range of the two instruments makes for a rewarding combination Support the show

I was watching a documentary about the band Queen and how Brian May used to build up his guitar solos - generally by singing - he thought the fingers were a little predictable . That accounts for his unique sound ( and of course his amazing ability ).  No logic  Support the show

I don't think I am alone in having a regular waking time in the middle of the night. This is mine. When I was young I used to think it was the lowest of times - now I almost look forward to it - a reassurance that nothing has changed. Support the show