We got back at the start of November from a long trip abroad, which took in a visit to relatives in Brisbane, Australia, followed by two and a bit weeks in New Zealand and a few days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It’s taken me a while to sort out the photos, of which we took over 300, so here are a few highlights from the trip.
I loved driving in New Zealand – in one day you can go from green Scottish hills to dusty desert and back. The roads wind up and down steep slopes, clinging to conical volcanic mountainsides. The best of it – hardly any traffic and no cyclists! (I know this may offend some of my cyclist friends but I’m writing as a driver.)
Christchurch was one of the calmest places I’ve ever stayed and going from there to Kuala Lumpur was quite a shock . That old adage about you never being more than ten feet from a rat – in KL it would be a motorway! We met an Australian architect who had settled there, and I can see the fascination of the architecture. The tower blocks aren’t just functional monoliths, there’s an amazing amount of creativity in them. The highlight of KL for me was the Batu caves with their Hindu temples.
Brisbane Walk
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Sudden thunderstorm. The faraway guy just stood, revolving in the rain, for 20 minutes.
Gonna have a Christmas Revolution
In the last post I shared the video for Christmas Revolution. As well as hearing it on Spotify and all those places, you can buy the single on Bandcamp. Whatever you choose to pay for it will be passed on to the Edinburgh NE Food Bank. Speaking of which we’ll be playing live at the Bowler’s Rest on Dec 12th where, again, the proceed will go to the Food Bank. Please come along and bring either some cash or some long-lasting food.
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Stepping out
As well as the above gig with the Heaven Sent I’ll be playing a solo spot supporting my friend Rosie Nimmo with the launch of her new EP at the Roxy Arthouse on February 26th.
Recording
A few things coming to fruition – I’ve completed one track for a new solo single, coming out at late January or early February. It’s a fun little rockabilly number called Move On You. I may double it up with another more esoteric one if I get it finished in time, more in the vein of Miller’s Lake.
I’m also in early days of working on another song featuring Tricia Thom. Here’s the last song we worked on together two years ago with musicians in the US and India.
Only The Sea is a beautiful track Norman