I've been in the box for what seems like weeks non stop. I'm loving it right now. I've got a few tunes that are good enough for the album. My beard needs trimming though. Susan Boyle in the place. Radio 1 one hopefully in the place. It's all going on. Festivals this summer. I'm getting emotional...

1. I Dreamed A Dream  (Dongin Bank MIx) - Susan Boyle

2. Hold The Line - Major Lazer 

3. See If They Salute - The Streets

4. Amelie - Butch

5. I'm Not Alone (Deadmau5 Rmx) - Calvin Harris

6. I'm Not Alone (Doory Rmx) - Calvin Harris

7. Bonkers (Doory Rmx) - Dizzee Rascal

8. State Of Ghetto Jackin' (TRG Rmx) - Baobinga

9. Cut Above The Rest - Giggs Feat Shola Ama

10. Crank - Noisia

11. Blip On a Screen - The Streets

http://www.zshare.net/audio/59084040b5805770/

It was my job.. I knew those northern clubs inside out.

Skinimix 6 here

New blog & video here:

From The Ladle To The Grave

I think it's because they follow the trains. They pick up the scent at the coast and smell all those cheese and pickle sandwiches all the way up the line....

http://www.skinnermike.com/blog/2009/03/flip-reverse-it.html

MySpace has been a bit butters lately so I've decided to move to my own blog page, www.skinnermike.com. Notice it's not called The Streets because The Streets will finish before I stop blogging. That sounds like a lyric. I'd better write it down...

I am making arrangements to write GO LOW in the sky this summer. Originally my plan was for the Red Arrows in full formation to do a fly-by trailing red white and blue smoke just as we go onstage and then at around the midway marker, to write GO LOW in multi-coloured smoke in the sky behind the stage. There were a few objections to this by my manager who likes to ruin everything. Firstly he said that money would be an issue hiring the RAF plus jet fuel to keep 8 of those things in the sky. Secondly we're mostly playing at night which tends to hinder people's ability to see writing in the sky. We are instead having a banner made with the Streets logo and relevant wording written to be dragged oversite during the day of the performance. It's a childhood dream to have my words written in the sky. I only hope Oasis don't get all aggie and start writing things BIGGER.

Check out my DJ mix here. I'm doing them every Thursday now on my twitter because I think you need to know what good music is.

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I've been reading through my old notes. I have millions of them. Reading through old notes is a very good way of writing new songs. There's often really good bits that got thrown out years ago that make better sense now. I went right back to my first album notes. It had a song called 'Get Out Of My House' which never made it. I have written so much stuff over the years. The corners of the pages are also very interesting. Reminders about meeting people, random thoughts and phone numbers. The notes to myself always seem a bit weird. Motivations for writing the songs are always completely at odds with what the song has achieved. I've said it before, but once the song is done it just becomes something we all know with no idea how it got there. I don't feel like the same person who wrote the early songs. Even though I'm doing the same thing I always did. And writing the same songs.

I tend to imagine things literally. I woke up imagining 10,000 people following me. Like we were on a hill somewhere, maybe a dusty hill. There is definitely something biblical about this, but I'm not getting all Messianistic. I'm not Jesus, I'm just one of the lowly cats. In fact Jesus was pretty lowly at the time, wasn't he? He was just a Jew who wanted a bit of change and it was only Saint Peter who mucked around and called it Christianity.

Anyway 10,000 followers is about as many people as they will be able to fit in our tents at T and V (T in the Park and V Festival). I'm also planning some big dog manoeuvres with things in the sky which which will make history for The Streets. Somehow I'm now imagining Tim Westwood in there with his explosions and sirens. I'd better go back to sleep. I'm having God-like delusions with Tim Westwood. Maybe these festival announcements are not real either.

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You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.

Newquay reminds me of being 14. It reminds me of girls into 19 year olds. It reminds me of cider. It reminds me of Rhythm Is A Dancer. It reminds me of diving in the pool. Of walking miles and miles along rocks with people I'd only known for a few days.

Newquay reminds me of being 21. Of fights with Welsh people. Of some of the most genuine laughing possible to have. It reminds me of limousines with ropey strippers. Of sitting in the same pub from midday till close. It reminds me of walking miles and miles along rocks with people I would know for many years to come.

Newquay reminds me of being 27. Of staying at the Headlands and eating tiger prawn avocado. Hanging out with surfers living the good life. Of staying in the same hotel from midday till close. Of walking along the rocks, alone, amazed at the rocks.

I will be returning to Newquay for the 4th time this summer to play the Boardmasters festival on August 7th. Let's have it.

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Marathon stints on the lapdog have been run by me, completely naked on the sofa without even headphones. like that final scene in the Mozart film with maybe a bit less talent going on. Sweating in a fever of jetlagged all-night creativity combined with fever of slight cold.

I don't have a studio at the moment so my sofa is it. It is actually quite a good studio. It is warm and software can do such a great job these days.

This photo was taken by a VERY FUCKING WEIRD Ted Mayhem. I insisted that he stay at mine after the Brits as he was so completely warped and sweating he was starting to do his Hunter S Thompson danger to himself routine. He doesn't intend on being a danger to himself. I think he said something about Gary Barlow not liking him any more and he kept saying that Duffy is really blonde.

Anyway, the album doesn't sound like Lou Reed's Berlin because I never said Lou Reed, I only said 'Berlin'. Incorporating some kind of post modernist art house bauhaus row with foul mouths. But it's not that at all. It now sounds ravey. It is a ravey album album that bludgeons you over the head with its stick of 1988 Romford, Blackpool and Philadelphia rock. It is an insane album. Mayhem is an insane man.

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I have yet again cheated the English weather by working my stagecraft in the southern hemispere. But do not fret. because in a mere 4 months you will be able to get those terrible Australasians back by enjoying your summer as they sit in relative misery throughout a wintery south pacific period. By purchasing a ticket to the Wireless Festival on July 4th right now you will have the opportunity to see the streets in exactly the same way as those Aussies have been seeing AND in similar weather conditions. Not only will you get all that but we will even throw in a brand new drummer for no extra cost to you. And they won't be able to do a thing about it. Oh the schadenfreude of it all. I can't wait to GO the FUCK LOW in Hyde Park with my friends Basement Jaxx. I might even be onstage with the Jaxx dressed as a gorilla. Click here for the presale, which is live now.

As promised, the Never Give In video is now ready for viewing by all owners of the Streets USB dongle. Put that piece of green joy in your lapdog and hit the browser without delay for exclusive axcess. All other punters will of course be able to see it a week or so later when Mayhem stops posing improper questions about lesbian fellatio on twitter and gets down to some real work.

I've missed you all and will be stepping off the plane in shorts and T-shirt slightly weathered by suntan lotion.

Love and kisses,

Skinnermike