It’s over. The year that is. A passing. A bygone. let bygones be bygones, as Eddie Izzard said. He also asked what IS a bygone? I don’t know but here comes another one, except it hasn’t gone yet.
Before it becomes a bygone though, it is worth remembering that twelve months ago we were all perched on a similar diving platform above the murky deep end wondering what was in store. Little did we know then and little do we still know. We could not have predicted, for example, that Tony Ashton, Kim Gardner, Leon Wilkeson or George Harrison would not survive the year, or that several thousand others would not return from work one Tuesday in September.
However, there were many good things that we could not have predicted either but the world doesn’t make such a song and dance about the good things – bad news makes good headlines, good news usually doesn’t get printed.
Music is the best good news medium, IMHO, and I hope the coming year will see some more good things, not the least of which will be a new album from the band (a song and dance would be nice), my solo album (likewise), and the touring that keeps us alive. I hope we get to see as many of you as possible.
Being, at heart, an optimist (would that be an internal optimist?) I hope hope doesn’t wither on the vine but grow fat and ripe and worthy of a good wine. And a laugh. We could do with that.

Good luck for the new year,

RG