A new start and new plans

Everyone tells me that today is the first day of the rest of my life so it seemed like a good day to start a new life altogether.

I have been with Magna Carta for 25 years but things will change next year.

We will go our separate ways after a 40 year celebration concert in The Carre Amsterdam in May 2009, but it's not a complete full stop. We have agreed that we can still do things that fit in with our other plans and we are already making arrangements to go back to South Africa in September 2009. I personally will have a month free then and, as I love SA so much, I will be pleased to have an excuse to go back there.

The fact is, I now have to build up a new career to take over in May.

For a long time I have been trying to convince Chris that we should take on a young band and give them the benefit of our own experience. It wasn't an idea that appealed to him, but I am now free to do it myself.

A few days ago I discussed my ideas with Dave Malt. Having been with the Musician's Union (MU) for many years, he has lots of contacts there and he advised me to call and see what the reaction would be.

The MU a very important organisation standing up for musician's rights, giving free advice, fighting for better fees and conditions and fighting legal battles on behalf of those who find themselves in need of legal help.

They actually do much more than that, but I called them because I wanted to know if they could help me to find the musicians I need to carry out my plan. The Manchester office was moving location today (just my luck) so I called the Birmingham office and spoke first to Lindsey and then to Julie Plant. They were a great help and advised, amongst other things, calling Keith Ames who puts the magazine together.

A brief conversation with Keith and he has promised he will try to put a small piece in the magazine for me. I particularly wanted the MU magazine to start the ball rolling as we can then show just how the MU works to help and advise its members.

I already have a comprehensive plan but can't give everything away in one go as it would spoil the impact to be gained by doing things in stages.

I am already calling in favours and making arrangements behind the scenes.

By the time we get to summer next year this whole project will be in full swing and I'm sure you will be amazed at how much can be achieved from a standing start.

The first step is to ask young acoustic musicians to send a copy of a song that they have recorded and I will make a short list once I have heard what they have to offer.
The information aside should appear in the MU magazine shortly.

I'll let you know how it goes.