My 2008

But first, to anyone reading who bought a CD, downloaded a song or came to a gig and particularly those who said 'hello' – thanks!

And to those who gave performance space to me, the Roadworks band, the Wright Brothers, Ms Fi and WaveForms – thanks!

And to the musicians I've played with this year – thanks!

2008, then:

• Guitar Craft with Robert Fripp in Barcelona
• Leonard Cohen at Edinburgh Castle and the O2
• Tom Waits and Tinariwen gigs
• Roadblock – the recording, rearranging, editing, postponement, changing song list, photoshoot, design, more editing, mastering, rehearsals, launch and reviews
• Bespoke worked hard and got a name
• My new home office
• Plague had a difficult year
• Pest had a good year
• Now neither of them are teenagers
• Madame and I had our 25th anniversary and returned to our old haunts in Egypt
• At work I felt like I contributed more than just ideas, and started a blog relating to my work
• New songs – The Last Man, Green Lights, When I Came Home from Egypt
• Gigging with the Wright Brothers and Ms Fi

Others sometimes pick an album of the year and stuff like that. I can't really think of much new stuff I listened to that stayed with me. Probably only one track Feel My Stuff from the David Byrne/Brian Eno album. Robert Fripp's soundscape album At the End of Time. And Tinariwen's album, although that came out in 2007, is probably the thing I've played most.

I've continued to have a pretty lucky life, with the financial situation not affecting me drastically (so far), and not having to attend any funerals. My wishes for you in 2009 – joy, protection, and an open heart.