Newsletter 10

Hey, hi. Dear friend/foe,

I just got back 4 days ago. Things are starting to settle down again and I remember who I am. Not that idiot shuffling uncomfortably around the stage looking shifty and mean. Thanks to everyone that came along to the gigs, it means a lot. And especially to Jenny, Michael, Scott and Stevie for bringing the songs to life again and being good people. I really don't know if I'm cut out for this malarky sometimes. Or maybe I just shouldn't write newsletters when I'm tired and blue.

Blah blah blah, who cares. Can you believe I'm actually downloading my own songs off of itunes because I can't be bothered moving 2 metres to get the cd? And right now it seems really important that I change the songs on my myspace page. Speaking of which, even myspace is spamming me now, it's only a matter of time before I start spamming myself.

Actually, now the myspace player won't take the songs because they're copy-protected. Worse and worse. And a lesson is learned, again.

Red wine.

I didn't think I'd be into it but the new Willy Mason album is now a part of me until I die. Well, that's a bit O.T.T., but yes.

News then

The next single is Fight Like The Night featuring the remarkable Jenny Reeve on vocals. Summer feel-good tune or what? What? I think it's released on the 2nd July, b-sides tbc. Once again the artwork is drawn by David Shrigley and designed by Kim McKinney and looks Good.

I did a photoshoot with photographer Wolfgang Tillmans. He'll be editing an issue of the German newspaper Die Zeit and I guess he wanted someone pale and freckly. Should be out at around the end of May (31st I think).

Still haven't thought of a good place to have an unusual gig yet....

My webshop's been updated and has all 3 albums, the Ryanair 7" (limited to 1000 copies but funnily enough still available after 4 years...), and a couple of T-shirts that someone called Aidan Moffat designed for me.

Some festival dates have been added to the Live section. And I'll be supporting Mogwai at their Somerset House gig on the 12th July which should be a laugh.

Also, A Brighter Beat has just been released in Australia through Inertia and will be released in the U.S. through Revolver on the 22nd July. Brilliant. Um, I think that's it, I'm going to send this before I edit the life out of it. M.