Hey there,

I hope you all had a deadly Christmas and that Santa came and all is good! I want to wish you all a Happy 2009 and I hope its a new start and full of change and good fortune!

Take care,

All the best,

Maurice.x

Hey ho,

Hope you are all keeping warm this chilly season! Christmas is nearly upon us, the turkey is getting fat and tins of roses are on the shelves in abundance!

Next Wednesday I'll be making my debut at the Tall Poppy Club in the Spirit Store in Dundalk. The Spirit Store has been home to many fun nights in the past so heres hoping that this gig will be as enjoyable! ;) Also playing on the night are The Candides and C O Neill. Come on down for a hot whiskey or two and some good tunes.

Keep an eye out for my Balcony T.V. performance! I hit the Balcony a couple of weeks ago so it should be going live very soon :) It was great fun to get the chance to play some blues so high up over Dame Street. Thanks again to Pauline and Stephen for having me.

Thats it for now, stay tuned for more. Have a nice Christmas and I hope to see you soon!

Maurice.x

Hey all,

Unfortunately next weeks 'Halloween Extravanganza' in Kenny's Lahinch has been cancelled due to a mistake made in the bar! Not to worry though as another date will be scheduled and I will keep you posted on it. So, for now, have a great Bank Holiday weekend and have a frightfully exciting Halloween weekend while you're at it ;)

All the best,

Take care,

Maurice

New York (you might have guessed from the subject ;)) is pretty damn amazing! Claire and I have always heard the hype from different people about their experiences over here but WOW :)

Yesterday we touched down in JFK around lunchtime and were instantly hit with the impact of the city and how crazy it is, the impact almost coming from a Lincoln Town Car at 60mph on the freeway exit!! The taxi cab drivers are INSANE here.

The variety in food, drink, clothes and people is incomparable even on a first impression basis. Times Square, all lit up at night has a different kind of buzz about it that I havent got from anywhere before. Every corner lies an on the beat Police Officer ensuring everyone is safe. Just up the road on 6th there's CBS studios with some of the coolest histories when it comes to the last 40 years of music!

We're not sure where to start today but I'm sure we will be every bit as impressed if not even more impressed with the city, hail rain or snow.

More soon,

Much love.xx

Its been nearly a week and its only sinking in now how much fun that gig was. I mean a brand new song and ye sung to your hearts content! Cant wait to record it, I’m tracking it at home right now!!

Jack AKA Moses Moorhouse played a cracker of a set. I can’t seem to get Kiss My Head out of my head :) Great song, mad picking style dude well done :)

So its back to the multi-tracker to get these ideas down. Also, I have a new toy coming from Germany and it should be here any day now. Ooooh I’m getting excited!

Its been a long time coming I know, but the pre-production stages are in place for my first E.P. release! Its probably going to take 1000 years as these things do. Working full time is an option I have no choice but to take at the moment so its gotta be done.

I managed to score some recording time as a favour and in turn I’m doing the engineer a favour as its to do with college work so expect to see multiple uses of his name. This will be the base for me to get an idea as to how I sound in the studio, what needs "producing". I’m looking forward to doing it, once I get it right!!! I’ m my own worst critic and Claire knows I have to start doing myself favours if I want to get anywhere! The whole deal with the E.P. is that I want it to be good enough to release independantly. Lets hope!

Hearing Marketa’s speech at the Oscars was a serious moral boost for me, and probably for a lot of struggling musicians out there so here’s to Glen and Marketa for being so inspriring and for showing us not to be afraid of achieving our Goals and Dreams!!

Is there a term musical diarrohea? Not a pleasant one I tell you but only to the ears. I've been on a roll with new songs, 3 more that I wont be entirely happy with until I construct, de-construct and reconstruct them a couple of times over.

I'm not going to be afraid to say what I want to say anymore. No holding back for 2008 but I promise I'll be nice :) If anyone is reading this they're prolly thinking I've lost it or something? Maybe I have, or maybe I haven't lost anything! Maybe I've gained something valuable in the last couple of weeks. Thats January for you!

There's something about the months between October-January thats really refreshing for the soul. Renewal, creation and recreation. When I get this ball rolling I hope it snowballs into something good.

That is all

I am frazzled, I'll be counting in my sleep....thats retail for you!

Peace and love to all.x

 Between trains, taxi's and buses, venues and homes, it was one of the most eventful for me in a while. Friday night brought us to The Stables @ Mullingar. After much wandering around in the rain for food, Claire and I both had a ridiculously oversized chunk of a burger and have been suffering ever since!!

Anyway to the venue, Roisin played a great set to a nice crowd, well done Roisin. I had fun up there, it was nice to get back to The Stables after such a long time. Jenny Lindfors played a fantastic set, her fellow group of compadré musicians really gel together and know each other musically. I love that! Check her out @ www.myspace.com/jennylindfors

See Roisin at www.myspace.com/roisinnileathlobhair

Last night, after a rather dodgy train ride home, I hit The Sugar Club with The Rubes. Out of the gigs I've played in Dublin so far, this is definitely in my top three for sound quality and nice crowds. What a sound system!! I had so much fun on that stage and I cannot wait to do it again. Thanks to Mic, Hollocaine, Obi-Jim, Rob&Shelley, SeanC, Carrie and Jill and Robert &Deirdre for coming along and making last night a very special one.xxx

The Rubes rocked the Sugar Club last night with their tribute to one of the most beautiful composers, songwriters and human beings we've ever had, and lost so tragically: Jeff Buckley. I've always been a lover of Jeff's music an these guys did it justice! If you're reading this lads, I love what you're doing, its fantastic and thanks for having me along last night. Ye sounded great!

www.therubes.ie

Until the next one,

Be good

Peace love and take care,

Maur