Hi Folks, Happy New Year to you all! Thank you for your support throughout 2008, which turned out to be another fun and successful year of music making. 2009 promises to be a significant year, as I’ll be back in the studio next month to start work on what will ultimately be my next album. Whenever there is a new album, there is inevitably a new impetus and a fresh approach, which makes for increased creativity and enjoyment, and this will hopefully translate to you, the listeners! The really great news about 2009 is that for the first time in my career, I have management. My affairs are now being handled by, Ralph Baker of Equator Music. Over the years, this leading management company have been responsible for the careers of such luminaries as Jeff Beck and Tony Iommi amongst others. I am very honoured to have been taken on by Ralph, and I think there are exciting times ahead. I’ve been gently experimenting with my sound over the last few months, trying different ideas along the way. The acoustic tour in The Netherlands in December proved to be particularly rewarding for myself, and the band. I’ve always considered my song-writing to be the most important element of who I am as a musician, and the acoustic shows enabled us to present my songs in a pure form, without distractions. It was very satisfying to get such a warm and enthusiastic response to the songs in that format. That said I have no intention of selling my electric guitars! My music is eclectic by nature, something which has always landed me in trouble with the industry men over the years, but I’m more determined than ever to be myself and express all aspects of my musical persona, in fact I’ll make it my new year’s resolution to be 100% true to myself at all times!! The result of this new attitude and approach will be more variation in my live shows, and I’m confident that all of the most popular elements of my music will still be in place. I’ve always centred myself artistically around roots music styles, be it the blues, soul, gospel, country, or even reggae on occasion, and nothing has changed in that respect. I’ve experienced a continuation of the satisfaction of December’s acoustic tour with the duo gigs I’ve done so far this year as part of the ‘Up Close and Intimate’ series. The last of the duo shows featuring Morg Morgan is this Thursday in my home town of Stourbridge, and then I’ll be playing with Steve Amadeo on double bass, and Chris Eaton on slide guitar, which will be something completely new for me, and I’m very much looking forward to it. I’ll be back in mainland Europe a lot again in the coming months too, playing new and old songs alike in my latest show. I certainly haven’t forgotten you guys across the pond either, fingers crossed I’ll get back over to see you before long too! All my best, IP