More than a few people have commiserated and asked my opinion since the results of the American election were announced. Obviously the outcome was a shock in every way for people not in thrall to the profoundly ignorant bigoted narcissistic con-man who was elected.

Clearly the shit-storm is just starting and we should all shudder at – amongst other things - the distinct possibility of a crisis in the Middle East caused by whatever stupid attempts are made to tear up the nuclear deal with Iran. The outcome of combined actions by right-wing military hawks in America and Israel is too alarming to contemplate. And it's likely to impact on us more immediately than the ecological disaster of promised unfettered climate change. That's just a couple of potential nightmares for the world (but of course America have it far worse).

So, no, I'm not feeling too optimistic. And, much as I hate to quote one racist while talking about another, at times like this there's always the acerbic vitriol of H. L. Mencken (that's him in the pic) to turn to, a man who nailed the scepticism that the democratic process can sometimes inspire.

This quote of his pretty much sums it up for me:

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

And, while we're doubting the basic tenets of democracy in an era where a despicably amoral candidate can lie with impunity and those social media-promulgated lies are ignored and believed, I guess this is similarly apposite:

“Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.”

Good luck everyone...

Yes, as a few people have begun to mention, it's been a bit quiet round here recently. And a lot of that is, admittedly, my fault. But not all.
 
We have been taking a little time off playing live, and aren't planning to play again until after Christmas. Next up I think is the Katikati Avocado Festival on January 14th. A big fun outdoor festival, just the way to get rolling again!
 
So, in the meantime, we were planning to record. I've written a few new songs, a couple of which I'm really quite pleased with. Some good stuff I think. There's a particular one we've been working on as a “Christmas” single. By that I mean we wanted to send it out to everyone as a surprise gift for for Christmas, not that it has reindeer in it. It's called “Holed Up In Karamea”.
 
But – disaster! Just as we were getting somewhere and things were starting to sound quite promising, the beautiful Boatshed Studio, home of so many high wild nights and moments of musical magic, killed itself.
 
Well, not the studio itself. The main computer. The one that does all that fiddly recording and mixing stuff. It just up and died. One day, fine, the next day, gone. No little flashing lights, no sound, no more recording for this old dog.
 
So Nigel has been forced to abandoned his usual cocktail regimen and has been plunged down an eternal rabbit hole to confront that technological nightmare known as Apple computers. Because of course this is an Apple system and of course half the other gear is now no longer compatible with this new “we've upgraded it because the power socket wasn't the right colour” version.
 
And that looks like it's knackered the “Christmas” single idea. Because the other reason Kokomo has been so quiet is just kicking in...
 
…and, I think we'll leave that for the next post. Once again – particularly with an activity gap – I'm going to have a crack at updating this blog regularly. And the next one will follow on from this. Actually, it's quite exciting. We don't have a huge amount of time to record because Nigel and I are heading off overseas shortly to perform in foreign climes. Going to play the blues in convict territory.
 
That's enough for now, full details any day.   

I can't begin to express how sad this makes me. Guy Clark was simply one of the very best, a songwriter and singer of immense talent and rare honesty and humanity. 

Only last week I was filling in a Songwriter's Questionnaire for Graham Reid's Elsewhere website and there was this: If you could co-write with anyone it would be...  I wrote Guy Clark. I guess that's not going to happen now.
 
Nigel and I sing a whole bunch of Guy's songs and he's been a huge influence on my writing, specifically in the incredible ability he has to write in completely naturalistic language, just like real folk talk, and to make it simultaneously sound like poetry.
 
“I wish I was in Austin in the Chilli Parlour Bar
Drinking Mad Dog Margaritas and not caring where you are”
 
All I can suggest is that we all get out the CDs, or dial up Spotify, and listen to Guy Clark. The Dublin Blues album is a fine place to start, though there's nothing less than wonderful in his catalogue.
 
So long Mr Clark. Thanks for the music.

We're in a little downtime again, next gig in July, a bit quiet being winter, so we've started on a new video, this time for “Plastic Jesus” from our It All Comes Round album. It's a tune I always wanted to make a video for but we've never quite worked out what to do with it.  

This problem was partly solved by Richard O'Brien – yes, that Richard, a lovely man and a good friend – who gave me a plastic Jesus for Christmas. Yep. A real dashboard-ready plastic Jesus, which has been bobbing up and down quite happily in my car ever since.  

So now that Grant has recovered from the severe obstructions we put in the way of his “World's Most Jealous Girl” video, we thought we'd set him loose on another song. And, since it's been on the list for so long, this seemed the obvious choice.  

To that end we've just been out in the car driving up and down country roads, figurine on the dash, singing “Plastic Jesus” while Grant filmed me and I tried not to accidentally maim any civilians. Now he's taken the little fella and will video him in various vehicles with the other members of the band. Then who knows?  

That's the second shoot so far for the new vid. The first was round my dining room table last weekend with a very flash camera and a bunch of small plastic and cardboard figures (including, of course, Plastic JC). That was our first initiation into the joys of stop-motion photography. Two lessons: it's fantastic fun! And it takes bloody forever.  

Anyway, we do try and keep busy so tonight Mike (Kirk) is in the Boatshed Studio putting electric guitar on a top secret Kokomo song to be unveiled in August. Grant and Sonia will be coming in on Saturday to add horns.  

We're very excited about this but it's extremely hush-hush and I can't tell you any more except that while Grant is filming the “Plastic Jesus” video Colin (Lunt – band manager/photographer) is working on a video for the new one. It'll be his first video for the band – can't wait!   

Have a good Matariki. 

Derek