On reflection...I think a seperate thread is pointless...so, in summary...
I've loved being part of the forum...in its heyday, it was amazing. Sadly, it's nothing like the place it used to be.
I've got some real friends here who I really admire and appreciate. They've helped me so much over the years...they've spurred me on to write songs when I didn't think I could, and I loved the help and support, the friendship, the Zoom chats, the songwriting challenges and the songs they've written. Many of my proudest moments here were collaborations with some of those friends. The kindness shown to me and so many lovely comments have been genuinely touching.
I've tried to help and encourage people whenever I could...and refrained from being needlessly callous or unpleasant when things have really got on my tits. There are some people here who are terribly selfish and thoughtless...and one or two who seem completely deluded...and there are some who clearly couldn't give a fuck about any idea of a community.
Furthermore, I don't have enough belief in what I write to bother much lately. I don't mind...I've managed to knock out about 100 songs over the years, most of which I'm not ashamed of or embarrassed by. In that time, I sent maybe a dozen to my local BBC Introducing...they listened to them all and decided that, with the exception of one novelty song, they didn't think them worthy of inclusion in their programme. I listened through the show that that one song did appear on, and I honestly thought most of the other songs were pretty poor...which goes to show that either I'm also delusional...or I don't know a good song from a horses ass.
It's got to the stage where I don't feel like I have anything much to contribute...and I feel a little embarrassed at how we - as a community - have fallen apart.
I'm sorry I haven't been more support to my friends here of late...I have honestly tried...I suppose my heart just isn't quite in it anymore...and I couldn't fake it to save my life.
So I won't be around much for the foreseeable either... I have a few collabs on the horizon and I'll still be writing and rambling...and playing live for as long as we can...the band diary is filling up nicely all through next year and I find I'm enjoying that much more than I'm enjoying this.
It probably won't matter soon anyway...at this rate, we'll be chopping our guitars up for firewood and only be able to turn the computer on for half an hour per day, as long as the guy next door isn't boiling the kettle...assuming that we have been good boys and girls and haven't rolled our eyes upon seeing the Prime Minister broadcasting their nightly team-talk in matching combat trousers and flak jacket. I'll likely wind up in An English Country Gulag for daring to contemplate unacceptable thoughts in the pursuit of rhyme in the dystopian nightmare that's about to finally reveal itself, throw off its finery, bare its teeth and rip our pissy little dreams into shreds.
I had a feeling that the last song I posted would be my swan song here...though I wasn't quite sure of it at the time...so, if you'll indulge me one last time, and excuse me for repeating myself...
"The darkest winter approaches
A pale horse travels the land
A sorry attempt at Utopia
Sinks back into the sand"
See you