It’s been a while since the last installment, mainly because I’ve been getting my head down trying to finish the record I’m making with guest singers, mixing the follow–up EP to Honeytrap and sorting out the artwork for Scene Memory, my next full album. The newest addition to the vocal record is Ed Harcourt, and the song he’s on also features an utterly foul–mouthed rant from an old man pestered by a BT cold–caller. Not sure how it will sit alongside the string–drenched instrumentals but that’s a problem for another day.

I did a solo gig in a West London bar sandwiched in between two noisy indie bands. I actually enjoy the adversity of those situations, and even if some people talk all the way through anything without a drum kit, there are always others who get really into it. Even so, this was a tough one and I think I might have lost my rag at one point had Brian Eno not turned up to watch from the wings and calmed me with his benevolent presence.

On the session front, I went to Dublin for a live tv show with Iarla O’Lionaird. Usually live tv makes me sweat a bit, as I keep imagining all the people at the other end of the tubes, by which time either I’ve forgotten what I’m meant to be doing, or I get so tense that my hand forms the dreaded claw. This time was very civilised though, with wine provided on set and not too much makeup applied. And a few days ago I did a fantastic session for a Norwegian pop star called Bertine Zetlitz, which entailed everything from funky acoustic to laptop textural meltdown. It’s so great when you’ve made someone happy by playing on their songs, almost like giving a present. And then getting paid! I remember thinking how much I love my job, for all its insecurity and bullshit, which is about as much as I can ask for.