August was a quiet month in terms of the gigs, but behind the scenes it was all about rehearsing the new album ahead of the studio.

I had made the decision to switch from releasing an album every year to one every two instead; I just felt after Lockdown Solidarity I had bombarded you all with music and merch to keep Pauline, and WSO community outreach alive, and that it was time to back off a little with the constant releases.

I also decided to record away from T’Shed for the first time in more than 20 years, so a session was booked at The Cellar, Milnsbridge, and with that looming over the horizon, August was all about being prepared for one-take recordings and zero time wasting.

While over in France, my comrade-in-crayons Kevin Pearson was working on a hand-made print for the album cover. Which is spectacular.

This time round, there will be vinyl, CD, tea towels, and the first few orders will come with a limited edition print of the sleeve art. There’s still work to do, but the songs are coming together nicely, and ‘Sledgehammer Songs’ will be released next Spring.

The other event dominating the work behind the scenes was Lithium Joe returning to the stage for our first gig since the pre-Covid reform shows at the end of 2019.

We spent a fantastic afternoon in rehearsals in Doncaster before storming over to Wroot to drive the rain away from GIAF5. It was gig we absolutely LOVED, and it means we are even more excited about those dates at the end of November for WSO.

Elsewhere, I played the Peterloo March & Rally in Manchester…..

Joined my friends and comrades from Unison at Scunthorpe Pride, handing out the last few copies of our book, which is now at the end of its first run of 10,000, a staggering achievement by the incredible folks at Grimsby, Goole and Scunthorpe branch…..

…..And spent many an hour wishing hard work would do itself so that I could be out on the road making mischief.

Alas, it doesn’t, but the groundwork put in this month will form the foundations of the next two years, and the hard yards simply have to be done if we as writers and musicians want to actually be any good.

It’s frustrating, it’s invisible, and it’s unsung, but we are rubbish without it.

September called…..