Updates

As I write rain is falling on the roof like a rusty nailgun.
A thousand rusty nailguns.
Summer rain: the best kind of rain.

The birds sing right through the metallic din.

I've started writing a new novel. Since I finished writing Richard two years ago I've worked on two new works of fiction. As mentioned, it looks like one of them will be out in 2012. I have one of two titles in mind for it but can't decide which to go with. The other novel is currently hanging in that strange limbo - it is finished but it is not very good and therefore cannot see the light of day for a long time, if ever.

So I'm ignoring it and working no something new. For the first time in my life I have it planned out from beginning to end. Normally I just start writing blindly and am surprised as anyone as to what happens next. This one - this one I know how it ends. But it's early days and talking about such things is usually a curse.

Aside from that I've been doing some freelance writing. Some of the work has entailed writing words for  the official programmes of a couple of the big music festivals this summer.

I've also just done a small piece on Tyler, The Creator for Mojo, plus reviews a bunch of bands including Pete and The Pirates and Holly Golightly. Also look for an interview I did with former pornographer and writer Robert Rosen about his new book Beaver Street for Bizarre magazine's forthcoming Porn Issue. Oh, and I have written a big feature on the career of Kate Bush for Classic Rock's spin-off magazine Prog. That's on sale any day now. I did somrthing on her for NME too, but I think I mentioned that,

I've been playing/reviewing the new Wiley album (new single below) which I highly recommend and last night went to see Wild Beasts - probably my favourite British band right now (and certainly influenced by Kate Bush) - play in Leeds. Their new album Smother is out today.

I just watched the film The Arbor (below) - amazing, harrowing, moving, depressing and immaculately delivered. Apologies for all the film clips of late. Bare laziness.