I'm in the studio for around twelve hours every day. It’s more or less all work save for when Phil Freeborn and I and whoever else is here grab a bite. Drummer Danny Hole, guitarist Darrell Bath, bassist John Barry, Hammond / piano player Einar Stenseng and me have spent most of the past fortnight working on tracks for the next Nikki Sudden album. I get home at midnight or later. Make a pot of tea, drink a glass of wine, maybe grab a bite to eat and have a smoke… listen to the days’ mixes for a few or more hours. Eventually I find time to grab s few hour’s sleep then it’s up again for the same palaver. Tomorrow I have a day off from the studio so I’ll have time to work on lyrics during the daytime. Well I’m playing two gigs. The first is at the Artliner bar in Freidrichshain, the second a Wallywoods' event at Kaffee Burger on Tor Strasse. Apart from that the day is mine. Friday I’m in the studio again. Working on some mandola, banjo and slide guitar parts from Mark Mulholland and putting down some vocals. When that finishes Phil and me will head off to Tine Neumann's birthday party at Troedler on Dresdener Strasse in Kreuzberg. She wants me and other friends, including Bruno Adams, to play some songs for her and the assembled multitude. On Saturday I’m in the studio again and then I play another gig. This one is at Café Kreuzberg on Ohlauer Strasse, a six or seven minute walk from my place. On Sunday my agent, Simone Weikelt, has invited me to Erfurt to play on a studio session by some friends of hers. Simone wrote, “Here is a fantastic studio, where the new Al Deloner album is recorded. Adamski, and Joseph Parsons are also on it. It will be released in Norway first in Feb. On the other hand all those musicians have good contacts – just like u. The circle closes – Terri Lee Hale, Chris Eckman etc.” I’ve no idea what to expect but I’m happy to add vocals, piano, guitar or whatever as the need arises. I’ll stay in Erfurt on Sunday night then catch the 8.40 train back to Berlin for Monday’s session. I’ll lay down a couple of harmonium parts, finish off the backing vocals and, if I have the rest of the words done I’ll be able to record the relevant songs. Tuesday I fly to Greece. I play a gig at the Play Cafe in Agia Paraskevi in Athens two hours after I arrive! It’s always like this… nothing for months then it all happens at once. It’s good that I like being busy. All I have to do this weekend, or in Greece, is get the lyrics finished so I can sing them when I get back! Now I’m off to record a Moroccan drum part on The Last Flash Of The Cavalier Nation. Danny put down a dabouka part but that didn’t really work so we dumped it. Phil is just setting up the microphones. Darrell Bath - http://darrellbath.com Einar Stenseng - http://einarstenseng.com Claustrophobia Sound Studios - http://equus-rex.com