Saturday April 28th, 2018 I first Saw Christian McNeill singing at HMV record store on Patrick street in Cork city. I think I was 15. He was frontman for Derry band Schtum. I later skipped the opportunity to see Pavement to go see them at Sir. Henry’s instead. That was the compromise I made […]
World Leader Pretend – Brooklyn, April 11th, 2018 I had this R.E.M single on a 45 rpm. I was 13. It was a birthday gift from my friends and later my first bandmates Justin and Dave. Most 13 year olds are sound. Other 13- year olds sometimes feel the need to prove that they are […]
Monday March 26th, 2018 Well, that was a weekend of weekends. I bussed up to Boston on Friday, did a song with Glen Hansard’s band to 2,500 hundred people. Played a sold out show Saturday night at Toad and bussed back to New York. Prison Phone Call Greyhound Bus Blues On Friday’s Greyhound […]
March 19th, 2018 – The kitchen, Brooklyn Four night light candles encircle the body of a starling. A grown sober woman is sitting on one of those 25 cent horsey things. And she’s invested the quarter. The horse is moving and singing like a sick ice-cream van. The fulling grown seemingly sober and sane […]
March 17th, 2018 – Brooklyn Today is my grandmother Philomena’s anniversary. She was the kindest person I’ve known. She had ten children. I have first cousins in Ireland, UK, Australia and US. I have an uncle who lives in Zambia. We’ve been welcomed all over the world. We’ve worked, found friends, family and community. I […]
“I mean, who the fuck drugs a therapy dog?” – Overheard in Brooklyn A reasonable question from the woman walking behind me to her phone. Who the fuck? Who indeed? I casually, ever so discretely slowed my walk to gather some further information for you. A volunteer? An intern? Nobody likes them anyway whoever […]
Tuesday February 27th, 2018 Yesterday I was walking through the park as I’m prone to do. A young man approached me. He looked like a 6 foot 6 “ seven year old. He looked like a cartoon drawing of a Coloradan troubadour, Peter Pan, Robin Hood and yer man out of Twilight rolled into […]
Monday February 26th, 2018 Waiting for the kettle to whistle and drown out the radio. The radio is talking about the historical appeal of conspiracy theories and the nation’s refusal to address the gun problem. Long division in the United states. It’s no way to start the day. And “Off”.. It […]
Rhode Island – February 19th, 2018 Here ta me, whist, listen, shhh, an old friend will be passing through New York town this week. I’m looking forward to having him around. He’s a world class songwriter. We’ve shared the stage in Ireland, US , Newfoundland and Germany. He’ll be doing a secret set at […]
Brooklyn, January 29th, 2018 “Where was my tour blog?” On BA flight 176 from New York to London Heathrow. Yes, in a relapse of the shambles, I left my iPad in the seat pocket in front of me. Then in an extension of the madness, there were no steps for us to disembark the plane, […]