When the inspiration comes we just have to go with the flow. That's what I did yesterday and ended up writing and mastering the new track "Merkabah" inside 24 hours. Usually it's not good practice to master on the same day as recording, but I completed most of the music yesterday and just added a few parts today before listening with critical ears. I am happy with the results and look forward to writing another one before uploading the whole album in April. It's been a pleasure to have all the time I needed to create some new pieces. I am back to work with Smokie next week, so things could start to get hectic from now on. 

At the beginning of the project I planned to divide the artwork into nine parts and upload a track at a time. However, single uploads are not cost effective so I now intend to provide the whole picture along with the next upload which will include "Cosmic Field", "Light Beings", "Mantras" (new) and "Merkabah" (new and not yet started). The plan is that each year I shall refresh the track listing and keep adding tracks as I have the opportunity. The album will simply grow in time and may well have over nine tracks when finished. That's the plan - let's see what happens. 

There's decorating to be done on two properties, so I am turning my hand to brushes and rollers this week to give these places a fresher look. I am greatly aided by the lovely mild weather we are enjoying, which makes it much easier to get around than if I was wading through a foot of snow. In between times I am adding the finishing touches to "Mantras", which was sounding great last time I switched on the Fantom. Holiday? Not for me, thanks. 

In some ways tonight's show at The Kremlin Palace was very similar to our appearance there at the end of 2004, yet in other ways it was quite different. The stage set up was far better and the sound was good and rocky. The assembled dignitaries were well into our music and they were at the "letting their hair down" stage of the evening. It is a sobering thought that the most senior of political leaders enjoy boogying along to "Who the fuck is Alice?" Even the security guards seemed to be a lot more relaxed and friendly than in previous times. I think that Russia is learning to hang loose. I can well imagine Smokie getting a third invitation to play at The Kremlin one day. We seem to tick all the right boxes here. 

That was the best example of "shaking their asses" I have seen during "And the night stood still" at Apollo Club in Tallinn. The audience were positively rowdy before Smokie hit the stage, which is exactly the right mood for the occasion. This was our final gig before Christmas and what better a place to be than The European Capital of Culture 2011? It will be a great pleasure to be home for Christmas and the New Year. Now I'm looking forward to the big day. Only seven sleeps to go and there will be wild tearing of paper from presents. Last minute arrangements are being made in haste for The Kremlin gig and then I have the whole month of January to build up the energy for another busy touring year. There could be a lot of snow shovelling if last year is any guide.

The introduction music to Smokie's live show, "Blue Intro", has been running for some five years now. I have uploaded the song to You Tube, accompanied by some suitable photos from around the world. Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTAxddJ_N6g

"O Carol" never sounded better than last night at The Belfast Waterfront where Smokie were joined again by Pat McManus on violin as well as Alex Harris on mandolin. The crowd were keyed up before we hit the stage and they were frenetic by the end of the show. That was our most enthusiastic Christmas celebration to date and it seems likely that any others will seem like an anticlimax after such an energetically charged evening. The Waterfront is an old friend of ours and the people of Belfast make us extremely welcome. I noticed very many faces amongst the audience from other parts of the world as well as other parts of the UK. Belfast has a lot going for it from a tourist's point of view as well as having one of the best venues in Ireland. Smokie could well make this evening a regular fixture in future, date sheet permitting. 

"Whiskey in the jar" was never better received than here in Killarney. It's almost an anthem in these parts. It's like going to Ilkley and singing "On Ilkley Moor bah't 'at" (translated: on Ilkley Moor without a hat). No translations were necessary last night and the audience warmed to Smokie as soon as their Christmas Dinner started to digest. I know what it's like to dance vigorously after a heavy meal for I do it every year at the Bradford Charity. Now we have to travel nearly the length of Ireland for our show at The Belfast Waterfront. No snow this year and a much better chance of leaving the country on our chosen flight tomorrow. 

If it's Christmas it must be The Traveller's Friend Royal Theatre (shortened to TF). This is a well trodden path for Smokie. For my part I had to divert to Gatwick in order to reach Knock after storm winds put planes in the wrong part of the country yesterday. An adventurous travel day ended in a very familiar gig with an audience who were ready to party. This is the first in a series of shows which anticipate the man in the red suit. Can you hear those bells ringing? 

I have never before played in an inflatable hall. There's always a first time, and our venue was one such place. It is set in a water park with tennis courts and other facilities. This is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Moscow and a very pleasant place to finish our mini Russian tour. The reaction has been mighty and there are already discussions being held to bring us back very soon - i.e. some time in December. The year is not over until the final booking is made and, although it looks like we are free after 17th December, the picture could be rather different. Russians wish to see much more of Smokie and we are in a position to make them happy with a 'yes", or a "dah", as it is here. 

In the voluminous area occupied by Luzhniki Stadium and its associated halls we played to a capacity house of extremely enthusiastic Muscovites. It was commented that we hadn’t been in Moscow for over three years and the Russians in this area needed their Smokie fix. There was ample opportunity after the show to extend the enjoyment in the form of an after party to which many of the VIP’s and guests were invited. A massive photo session ensued and every combination of guests and band was captured. The music was pumping in true Moscow style and the room was a symphony of fashionistas. What else would you expect in this image conscious city? 

Still in the Komi Republic, we moved on to the oil producing town of Ukhta. It was a drive through unspoiled country with very few houses or settlements. The roads were completely covered in snow, but that doesn’t slow traffic at all over here. I spotted the train with the snow plough on the front while on route today. That’s something that we could make good use of in snowy conditions in the UK. Our audience showed their great appreciation at Ukhta’s Palace of Culture. Our Russian adventure takes us back to Syktyvkar before boarding an early flight on Tuesday morning for Moscow and a TV show. 

Palace Hotel has an imposing view over the snowy streets of Syktyvkar. It was all rock and roll on the 15^th floor where we entertained a select crowd in a room usually associated with cabaret. Rock and roll is, after all, an attitude and not necessarily an image or a place. Just as long as Smokie has its communication with the audience we are happy. It was great to see people being so ecstatic that we made it to their city. With yesterday’s tight connection in Moscow that was quite an achievement. 

The inside roof of the Stadthalle in Zwickau resembles an alien craft, as seen in Hollywood’s depiction. However, there was little time to look upwards as we entertained the crowd in this great venue. Germany is one of the last countries on the tour schedule for the “Take a minute” tour that has taken us to 19 countries over a period of 15 months. The new songs were accepted with relish yet the big reaction was still reserved for the classic ‘70s hits. From here we move further east again to Russia after a short break in our homes. 

The Christmas kiosks were out in the streets of Cottbus today in readiness for the big run on Gluhwein and hot drinks. Santa is just round the corner – in fact, I think I saw him practising eating mince pies just to get in the mood. The department stores are bulging with fluffy gifts, gadgets and toys, and Smokie are in town. They sort of go together. Well, every day is like Christmas for me, so I never really lose the spirit of celebration that goes with that great event. However, The Stadthalle was home to a multi line-up that included some of our old friends. The audience were on fine form, looking like they were shifting up a gear for the festivities. We have seen less of Germany lately and it’s good to be back here during this season when the streets are so beautifully adorned. When the fog clears there should be a very pretty autumn scene to behold. 

It feels like Smokie mania is back in Sweden after the rapturous response at Hotell Sodra Berget in Sundsvall. The audience were with us from the first note to the last, showing their enthusiasm freely. All this comes on a day when we received our new tour schedule for next year (it’s filling up rapidly) that shows that we have a Swedish tour planned for next March as well as a repeat appearance on MS Cinderella in April. It’s great to be back, especially when the crowd give so much back to us. Somehow the show seemed to end too soon, but that’s what happens when everyone is enjoying themselves so much. It’s not our first time at Hotell Sodra Berget and, I expect, it’s probably not our last after receiving the news that we have broken the previous record for ticket sales at this venue. That’s as good as it can possibly be. Farewell Sweden, for now. We’ll be back soon. 

Everything was jolly at Merry Can in Ornkoldsvik. The audience were close enough to reach out and help play our instruments and they were packed in so tight that there wasn’t room for even one more. The sound was pumping and, above all, it was hot – just the way we like it. Who needs the gym and the sauna when the gig is so steamy? Everyone likes this sort of gig. There’s only one way in and one way out of the venue and that’s through the audience, and they seem to enjoy the very personal touch this gives the event. If we only ever pass this way once at least we have left a strong footprint in Ornkoldsvik. 

Addahallen echoed to the sound of Smokie music and the audience were with us every step of the way. It was a rare honour to find ourselves in Skelleftea and there were some charming remarks from members of the audience after the show. We continue on the “silver highway” on our southerly route which will eventually take us back to Stockholm on Sunday. 

A bright sunny day set the mood for a fabulous gig at Lulea’s Kulturens Hus, a place we last visited on 31^st October 2007. I remember thinking then, just four years ago, that it’s much too mild here for the building of the ice hotel that is around 30 kilometres from here. The same thought occurred yesterday. We have been blessed with mild weather and an appreciative audience in this very northerly part of Sweden. This mini Swedish tour finds us gradually moving south on what is called “the E4 tour”, for that is the main highway in this part of the world. What a pleasure it is that there are no long journeys and the roads are just perfect. 

There are always lots of flowers presented at our shows in The Ukraine. Last night was a little different, however, in as much as flowers kept on being offered at all sorts of times in an ad hoc type of way. Our fans at The Jubilee Cinema in Kherson were overwhelmed and some of them managed to get a chance to tell us after the show. This was Smokie’s first time in this part of The Ukraine and it was a total success. It was a magical end to a very satisfying tour. The journeys have been very long, but that’s how we reach our fans in all corners of this country. Smoother roads would be appreciated, but that could be a long time in coming. I think Smokie will be back many times before the roads are fixed. 

The evening began with the customary press conference during which we were asked how it happens that Smokie are in Gorlivka. We replied that firstly we were invited and that it is satisfying to take our music to the remote country locations where there is less chance for people to see an international band. Furthermore we are treated so well when we have these experiences that it would also be a pleasure to return. It’s exactly this reason why our diary fills up so readily each year, making us the busiest touring band on the world circuit. One look at our very eager audience last night at the Cultural Entertainment Centre was enough to reassure us that this situation is in no danger of changing as long as we continue to thrill audiences everywhere we go. I will always cherish the fact that I get a round of applause and lots of lovely comments at the end of my day’s work. Is this good luck at its best? I think so. 

We travelled across country on some of the worst roads I have seen. They make the British potholes look like scratches and more accurately resemble earthquake-torn roads. The journey was through extensive agricultural areas which suggest that The Ukraine has the capacity to not only feed itself but also a large portion of Europe. Regardless of this they apparently import much agricultural produce. A day off was very welcome at this stage of the tour, there being some very long journeys yet to cover before we finish here.

The venue in Poltava looked sparkling and fresh. Architecture in The Ukraine is magnificent. The newer structures are built to match the existing ones. The auditorium was full to capacity and the Sunday night audience were there to enjoy themselves. There has been a large proportion of young people in our audiences on this tour, which shows that our music is being passed down through the generations here as it is in Europe and Scandinavia. That bodes well for our future for we can rely on a new generation of fans to keep the fire burning. It’s always the enthusiasm of our fans and promoters that guarantees work for next year and beyond. The truth is that they just don’t want us to stop, or even slow down, and that’s fine with me. 

Lights filled the arena at Palace Ukraine as hundreds of mobile phones lit up to the tune of “If you think you know how to love me”. That is one enduring memory of last night’s show here in Kiev. The atmosphere was highly charged. I had the feeling that we could all go the extra mile since we knew that we were going to get an additional hour’s sleep. The night ended with some very energetic dancing at a Georgian restaurant. Now we set off for more distant parts of The Ukraine on this fabulous tour. Wherever we go adventure goes with us. 

A longer than anticipated travel day left us under time pressure to prepare for the gig in Odessa. However, a late start is not an unusual thing on this tour of The Ukraine. The audience were thunderous in their applause and strong in voice. When we asked if we could come back there was a unanimous affirmative. I love these sports palaces. With plenty of people inside even the echoes start to fade. 

After a very shaky start, which included half the touring party being delayed and missing baggage, we were forced to spend the night in Kiev and drive the following day to Moldova once all luggage had been reclaimed. The 500 km drive included 80 km’s of seriously potholed road on the approach to Pridnestrove, which is a tiny country that has fought for independence from both Moldova and Ukraine. There was no way we would ever be on time for the show in Moldova but we were determined to arrive at some time and put on a show. Better late than never. Crossing borders slowed things down a little. Our audience at The National Palace of Culture were informed that the show would start later than scheduled. We finally hit the stage at 8.15 p.m., back again on familiar ground. Our last appearance at this venue was on 22^nd December last year. Some of the band will remember their adventurous journey home for Christmas.

Last night the crowd were on top form, their voices increasing in volume as the show progressed. They gave us a huge welcome as well as a return invitation. It will be good to return, and perhaps we can fly in directly to Moldova next time.

I asked a Norwegian last night if there was any truth in the statistic which was quoted to me in the 1980's about Bergen, namely that there are seven women for every man in this city. Apparently that is not the case; however, glancing around the Askoy Forum during our gig, I could easily have been convinced that there were seven times as many women in the room as there were men. I suppose if you are mostly known for singing love songs you will attract the romantics who are mostly female. That makes our view from the stage very pleasant indeed. It was great to be back in this beautiful part of the world. 

For me it's been a day of mystery and intrigue. What started as a routine flight to Manchester from Aberdeen soon became a challenge. Since BMI had only one plane in Aberdeen, and that was crippled by a non specified technical fault, there were few options out of the airport. My old favourite, KLM, was never mentioned, of course because this was a rival airline. Eventually my route was mapped out for me with good connections (on paper) via Heathrow and Munich. But fog and Angela Merkel opening a new runway at Frankfurt caused a backlog of delayed flights and my deadline came closer and closer while I still sat in Munich wondering whether the band would start without me. Luckily the audience at Christian Bucher Halle were in good spirits and well aware of the delay. In the end Smokie were about 25 minutes late in hitting the stage. I arrived ready to go on because my luggage was still in Munich, so there was no changing for me. The night ended well. Days like this happen sometimes when you travel as much as we do. We always make the gig and it's always a great relief to end a challenging travel day with a successful gig. A good rest tonight would be welcome but we must leave early in the morning to get to Bergen. It's the show that counts, not the hours of sleep, for every town we visit is holding a party to which we are invited. Nice to be popular. Anyone got some matchsticks to hold my eyes open?

In the 1970's the gigs were mostly clubs, like The Regency Room in Vauxhall Caravan Park. Smokie cut our teeth on club gigs. People sat at tables with their arms folded, waiting to be entertained. That was the best apprenticeship we could have had for it prepared us for everything that came after. Sunday night was a little different. We were given a huge introduction by the master of ceremonies who explained how busy we had been and worked the crowd up to an excited state. The venue mostly plays host to tribute bands, so an original band is a welcome departure from the norm. Every song was received with enthusiasm - not just the old ones which are more familiar to most. Some people had travelled a long way to see the show. I met people from Denmark who were there just to see Smokie. For some Great Yarmouth is an easy destination. For me it is a 590-mile, 11-hour drive which I embarked on immediately after the gig with great anticipation. It was nice to get home without the need to book yet another hotel. Now we take our show a little further afield, as you can see from the tour dates. Thank you to everyone for your support on this English tour. There are more UK dates in the planning and I shall post these shortly on this website.

It was everything beginning with “s” today – sun, sea, sand and Smokie in Scarborough. The wave of high pressure brought people to the seaside resort for a last chance to catch some rays before the return of the big chill. Very many familiar faces graced our audience as well as a lot of less familiar ones. The crowd gave an impressive Saturday night response to Smokie’s final two-set show this year. The theatre tour is over and there only remains one club gig at Vauxhall Caravan Park before the UK leg of the tour is completed. It makes a change to drive all the way to the gigs instead of just to the airport. Normality returns next week with a persistent round of overseas gigs in a great variety of places. It’s said that variety is the spice of life – well, we must be dining on jalapenos. 

I should be careful what I promise in future. The projector was again shy to make an appearance at The Victoria Theatre, Halifax due to a faulty bulb. Well, it has been in storage for some years, so it probably needs a good dust and a service. Not having the projector took nothing away from the show that went down like a chip butty in a soup kitchen. Our Yorkshire audience did us proud and joined in nice and loud. It was like playing to all our friends and all their friends as well. I love to see the looks on peoples’ faces when the band gives the audience a round of applause. It’s a quirky thing that we do to thank everyone for making the night a good one. It reverses our roles for a bit and makes the punters realise that a performance is a two-way event. Without the crowd there would be no gig. We realise that and like to show our appreciation. Thank you to all who were there in Halifax for giving us a night to remember. I feel very sure we will return. 

The audience at Hull City Hall loved the acoustic set. There was a standing ovation from some of them and enthusiastic applause from the rest. Regardless of a power interruption the show ran smoothly with an excellent sound, as confirmed by three generations of Smokie sound engineers who happened to be there at the time. Hull City Hall can be a little echoey, yet there was no evidence of it last night. The band agreed that this was our best performance at this venue and comments from the audience confirmed this. Tonight we can add one extra feature, which is the projector. It was not possible to hang the screen last night, but it will be seen at The Victoria Theatre in Halifax. The show doesn’t rely on the projector being present but it enhances the presentation. 

There’s one very good way to launch the opening of a new football arena and that is to invite a couple of rock bands to christen the turf. Those two bands were The Scorpions (8th October) and Smokie (9th October). There was a tremendous football-size crowd in attendance as we hit the stage at Cluj Municipal Arena. The voices of the audience sounded as loud as the PA as they welcomed us to the stage. From beginning to end it was a magnificent show with stunning lighting. The evening consolidated our very close relationship with the Romanian people. Today the arena gets used for the first time for its primary purpose – football. 

Playing in Randers is like coming home. Our association goes back a long way through several Smokie albums. The memories are very precious. We have seen a whole generation grow up since the beginning of this line-up. The new faces are as enthusiastic as the old ones. The band continues to thrill on many levels. Nostalgia plays a part, of course, but there are just as many fans who are starting their Smokie journey afresh. At Randers Hallen there was no distinction between young and old. There was a strong spirit of unity amongst all of those present as both the band and the audience threw ourselves wholeheartedly into having a great evening. It felt like the end of term at school when a long awaited project comes to an end. There was both the feeling of great achievement coupled with the sadness that this was the last one for a while. Smokie move on, as always, and extremely early after this show. Sleeping time is again greatly limited as we troll the world’s airports at unsociable hours so we may take the thrills to another location. It’s all in a day’s work, as well as evenings and night time. Just as there is a city that never sleeps, it seems there is a band with a similar claim. We are Smokie, and we never let the grass grow under our feet. 

It may have cooled down a little outside yesterday, but that certainly wasn’t the case in Vendiahallen in Hjorring, where the heat was intense in the packed hall. It reminded me of the sweaty gigs Smokie used to do in Ireland in the 1980’s. Everyone was competing for oxygen. Hot gigs are very satisfying because there is a feeling that we all worked hard. The result was tremendous and one of our best performances in Denmark. The crowd loved the double set. They listened enthusiastically to the acoustic set and went wild in the electric one. That’s pretty much the sort of reaction we were hoping for. It’s great when a plan comes together. Looking at the weather forecast for the next two days I would say that our best chance of keeping warm is inside the venues. Bring it on!

Check out the latest updates to the schedule in November if you are in Germany or Sweden. The details are becoming clearer as we get nearer to the dates. More information will be available soon and you can be sure it will be on this website if it is available anywhere. 

It's getting very exciting at CERN in Geneva where the physicists are conducting A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) to determine the existence of even smaller particles than previously known. What's this got to do with Smokie? It's a tenuous connection, but anything to do with Alice has got to arouse our interest. Check it out on Google. It may just change your universe!

The Faroese people don’t go out until late. Our concert at Hollin a Halsi was originally scheduled for 2.00 a.m., but was brought forward to 1.00 a.m. to help us to prepare for an early flight to Copenhagen. The venue is well known to us, our relationship with The Faroe Islands having originated around twenty years ago when we used to appear in January. Many people remember those first visits and some of those same people were at the show. The energy of the audience remained high for the whole ninety minutes, making this our best reaction from a crowd in the small hours. Next time I might just turn up in my pyjamas. 

Vienna was basking in the autumn sun and looking splendid. Smokie's concert was for the Almdudler company, makers of the famous Austrian soft drink. No expense was spared and the venue was the magnificent Rathaus in Lichtenfelsgasse - a venue I remember playing 23 years ago on the "Don't worry be happy tour" of 1988. The crowd looked smart in their national costume - lederhosen for the gents and long dresses for the ladies. They were on the right wavelength for Smokie, turning a dressy occasion into a viable rock gig. Maybe that delicious soft drink will make it to the UK. There are plans to do so. 

Take a quick journey round the world with Smokie. It will only take a minute (or more).

To view the latest video of "Light Beings", from the project "The Code Within", follow the link:

Smokie’s final show for the summer was for the company Protektiv, and held in Rodmyr, near Skien in Norway. It was a large corporate event that attracted 3,500 people from 200 different companies. Apparently the tickets for this show sold out in three days last December. The result was magnificent, and the best way to end summer on a high note. The band separated after the KLM lounge in Schipol and flew home to their respective airports. It’s holiday time now and a chance to catch up at home. The next stop is very likely to be South Korea. I shall be able to confirm this by the end of next week. Now I am watching the weather in Rome and noticing that it could be quite hot down there in 11 days’ time. Bring it on!

The show in Boras is the last in a season of Thursday night concerts during the summer. A 20,000-strong crowd filled the town square. They sounded in good voice and looked to be in very good spirits. There is one very unusual aspect of this show in Boras, which is that the band who play on the main stage always play a short set in the hotel nightclub afterwards. There was a huge crowd outside the hotel as we returned in our stretch limo. The nightclub was packed to bursting and the heat was intense, causing the air conditioning to interfere with electrical equipment. Our short set was received with great enthusiasm. The people of Boras have celebrated their final show of the summer in style. 

As the clouds lifted and made way for some brilliant sunny weather there were very many people out in the parks and gardens around Jessheim, where we were staying. The auditorium at Arnes was full to capacity with an audience who were well prepared for a Smokie concert. It was such a contrast to play to a crowd who were not dripping with rainwater, and with faces covered by rain hoods. Last night was very special. There is just one more Norwegian gig before the end of summer festivals. Something tells me that the crowd in Skien will be just as willing as the one in Arnes – such is our long term connection with the Norwegian people. 

Although summer is nearly over some of us are still waiting for it to start. Smokie’s final show in Denmark for this season was in Odder. Shortly after we arrived at the venue the rain began, prompting the opening of umbrellas and rain ponchos. Yet nothing could detract from this final celebration and the audience rose to the occasion with great aplomb. The set was a little longer than usual, featuring the two ballads “Home is anywhere you are” and “Will you still love me tomorrow?”, both of which were received with enormous enthusiasm. We don’t have to wait too long for our return to Denmark for we will be back at the end of next month, after we have taken some time for a holiday. We have been booked solid since the beginning of February and, even though the shows are still very energetic, it is time to recharge ourselves before facing a very hectic last three months of the year. Before I know it I will be putting up that Christmas tree again. 

I feel that I have come to know Judenburg very well in the last 28 hours. I checked out the venue yesterday morning while walking around the town and was impressed with the organization that has been put into this special event. I wonder how the 20 inmates, whose cells overlooked the courtyard, enjoyed the show. The audience made it very clear that they were having a great time. It’s too soon to plan another event like this in Judenburg, although the promoters are giving us clear signals that they would like to do so.  

Last night Smokie and Sweet were invited to the mayor's reception, held in the 75-metre tower in the centre of Judenburg. We were treated to a performance by two Austrian musicians - one playing accordian and one double bass, as well as a show in the planetarium. As well as seeing the alignment of stars in the heavens we watched a couple of Pink Floyd music videos, which looked stunning on a surround screen. 

New video footage has been taken in Lithuania which heralds the start of a new Smokie YouTube channel. The plan is to update the channel regularly with official footage. Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDudVOoL4p0

The town of Klaipeda was in celebratory mood. Not only is it their annual Sea Festival, but last night a new venue opened, known as the Svyturio Arena, and Smokie were the first band to perform there. We had the extra privilege of being backed by The Vilnius Symphony Orchestra, led by our old friend Vitas, the conductor who led the series of concerts last December with The Kaunas Symphony Orchestra. The audience were supercharged with energy and sprung to their feet very early in the show, creating a wonderful atmosphere and making this show one of the best any of us can remember from all our years of performing. As we all commented after the gig, “It doesn’t get any better than this”. It was a sell-out gig in an impressive new arena and it entertained us as much as it entertained the crowd. More events like this are in the planning and it seems that Smokie are beginning to make a reputation for ourselves for putting on symphonic productions. If we can do it in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland perhaps we could do it in other countries too. Our date sheet indicates that there are some orchestral shows planned in Sweden in December. Keep a lookout on this website for confirmation of these shows. I can promise you a really excellent night.

Norwegians had more than a little reason to feel shocked and sad today, after the terrible events that led to the untimely and pointless deaths of 93 people. Yet I sensed in our audience at Dokka Camping a strong spirit and sense of unity in the face of adversity. I was relieved that the National Day of Mourning had not resulted in the cancellation of all live events for I would have missed being part of a truly heartening experience as masses of Norwegians showed their courage on this sad day. There is more than one way to deal with grief and ours was to celebrate together and remain cheerful while, at the same time, being very aware of those who had lost their lives. The evening was intensely emotional yet it had all the hallmarks of a great Smokie gig. A special bond between the band and the audience was forged last night and the patriotism and strength of feeling was evident as Steve raised the Norwegian flag at the end of the show. Humans are remarkable beings and the proof of that fact was on show in Dokka. 

A similar experience was waiting for us at The Koppang Festival in Norway where the water levels rose to above the ankles. Luckily the crowd were also on good form for the celebration of their village’s summer festival. 

There’s something about last nights of the tour in Sweden and thunderstorms that go together, as we experienced in 2006. The rain pelted down for the first half of the show at Ahus Strand, soaking the audience and the front of the stage. Instead of a sea of faces we looked at a sea of rain hoods and concealed faces, which is an unusual sight at a Smokie gig and makes eye contact difficult. However, the crowd were fantastic in their support and remained upbeat and cheerful throughout the set. It’s almost as if it had never rained at all as everyone was intent on having a good time. That’s what Smokie are all about. 

The night club “Skagerak” is situated alongside the harbour in Stromstad. During the afternoon and evening the whole area was packed with people enjoying the sun and eating and drinking outdoors. As the evening cooled a little (not much) the revellers came inside to enjoy Smokie’s show. The heat built up inside the club, making the gig a wet one for all – good conditions for a performance. Clearly the audience were very familiar with all our material. It was good to have such close contact with such an enthusiastic crowd. 

The stage at Vallarna has a unique look for there are four brightly coloured huts in view. This gives it a sort of Hansel and Gretel charm and, at the same time, creates a backdrop against which it is impossible to be completely serious. It's just as well we are Smokie because taking ourselves seriously has never been our aim. The audience, who sat in tiered seating, amphitheatre-style, were on very good form. A hot day had helped to cheer everybody up. Not even the invading mosquitos could dampen their enthusiasm. This was the first gig in a run of shows in Sweden which see us returning after several years of absence (apart from occasional gigs on the ship "Cinderella"). We enjoyed the warmest of welcomes. It really is great to be back. Now we are planning our shows with the orchestra which are scheduled for later in the year. 

There is much to tweet about if you travel as much as I do, so I decided to use some of those wasted hours in foreign airports to write short messages to those who would like to view them. Life on the road can be unpredictable and amusing. 

It doesn’t seem long since we were last in Juelsminde, but my records tell me it was three years ago. That’s how quickly time flies in this business. The heavy rain from earlier in the week had cleared and the sky was showing a beautiful sunset against a massive moon. The harbour never looked better. The audience filled the tented area, leaving little space to spare. Their reaction was mighty as we hit the stage, and their energy never waned for a moment as we took them through all the familiar hits as well as some of the songs that have recently become popular in Denmark. What a great night and what a terrific crowd!

It took three airplanes and a ferry to reach Vanylsvraak in Norway, but it was well worth it for the fantastic audience reaction we received. The crowd contained some very young people who looked like they were seeing a live band for the first time. It seems that the tradition for playing Smokie music continues in this wonderful country and yet another generation of listeners are becoming attached to our songs. The mountainous backdrop was a welcome view from the stage, as was the sea of eager faces in the audience. It was truly a special night and one that we may be repeating again in the future if the invitation comes our way. 

Another birthday? It seems like only one year since the last one! Well, it's a round number so it keeps things neat. What a shame I am not gigging today - just travelling to Norway. I remember well my 50th when 6,000 people in Norway sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I shall spoil myself today and have an extra egg for breakfast. 

I was invited recently to enter KLM's competition to create inspiring words to print on to the side of one of their airplanes. My words were accepted, along with the accompanying photograph, and printed on to one of KLM's fleet of aircraft, along with around 4.000 other entries. The final result may be seen by following this link:

What do you do if you’ve only had two hours sleep? If you are Smokie you take two flights to Denmark and get back to work – not once but twice. How do we do it? (people keep asking me the secret). It’s not hard when the audiences are so full of energy, for they transfer all their energy to the band. With several thousand people present at both Give and Karup, that’s a lot of energy to share. At both gigs we felt a special warmth towards the band and an eagerness for the new songs which were featured on Denmark’s hit album “Take a minute”. A combination of our own adrenalin and the crowd’s enthusiasm keeps us on a high for the entire show. It’s always when we stop that we feel the fatigue starting to take effect.

For me it was a continuation as I also flew very early the next morning, arriving at 08.30 in Edinburgh after two flights. I was attending Luke’s final Loretto Day celebration. It meant meeting lots of people, attending a chapel service, viewing artwork and watching a cricket match. This all sounds challenging to a tired musician, yet it was also exhilarating for Luke featured largely at his final celebration – as solo guitarist in the marquee, as bass drummer with The Loretto Pipe Band, as sound engineer for the Junior School Hip Hop Show and as Head Boy of Loretto, with all the responsibility that goes with the position. Every few moments a teacher or a parent approached me to tell me how wonderful my son was and how much he will be missed when he leaves. It was a proud day to be the father of such a talented and nice guy. 

Friday night’s show was in the grounds of a construction company who were celebrating their centenary. The audience were dressed in their finery and seated around dinner tables. It was a night of speeches for those who were gathered, but it ended on a high note with Austria’s Pop Idol winner performing a short set before Smokie hit the stage. There was no need for hard hats or donkey jackets, and the audience were on fine form for this landmark celebration of their company’s longevity. 

It’s not often I have the chance to shoot an arrow at a polystyrene pig, but yesterday was one such opportunity. It was a competition between Smokie, Sweet and The Rubettes. I managed to put an arrow into my target, as did Pete Lincoln (Sweet) and Alan Williams (Rubettes). Alan’s arrow was closest to the marker on the animal and he walked away with a large side of bacon as a prize.

It was all fun and games in Kufstein, where we joined the mayor for an impromptu version of “Alice” and the official opening of the three-day festival. Starting this year there will be a statue to commemorate the bands that have had the greatest impact on music in this area. Smokie’s statue is the first to be put on display, which is a great honour.

The show was under cover in an impressive arena in the shadow of a beautiful Austrian castle. The surrounding mountains completed the fairytale ambience. A late afternoon thunderstorm helped to clear the sultry air. Our audience were on great form and rewarded us with an energetic rendition of “Alice” at the end of the show. I hope that we might be part of this event again in the future. It is a great festival in a beautiful town with lovely people. What more could I wish for? 

For photos from Greenland click the link below:

You may remember that my son, Luke, was the voice behind "Not Far Away" when he was a little boy. Now he is 18, very tall, and plays the guitar and sings. He is currently finishing his final term at school before attending university to read Physics in October. He starts gigging locally in July at The Lodge in Drumnadrochit. I expect he will set up a MySpace page which I will link to when I have the details. If you wish to hear him he can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfM8ruxQDUM where he sings "Get Back" and "Mull of Kintyre" as well as playing the piano for "Hey Jude".  

I managed to secure an igloo for my accommodation in Ilulissat for my final night in Greenland at the Hotel Arctic once more, there being little in the way of hotel choices in Aasiaat. The journey back to Ilulissat was a dramatic 5-hour boat ride through dense iceberg fields, sometimes at very low speed to avoid collisions with large pieces of floating ice. It was a huge contrast to the 17-minute plane ride that allowed us to reach Ilulissat in the first place. It seemed a waste of time to sleep too much in this land of midnight sun, especially as I had a stunning sea view, so I dozed and stayed awake for a 12 a.m. walk around the coast so I could take in more of the stunning scenery in this icy land. Opportunity sometimes only presents itself once, and this was my chance to grab it just in case I don’t get a future chance to be in an igloo overlooking the sea at the 69 degree latitude. How lucky I am that touring places me in so many varied parts of the globe and tempts me into an adventure of discovery. After waking in my small round cocoon I noticed that there had been a major change in the landscape with many more icebergs appearing in the bay. It’s as if there is a play being set on a huge stage and the scenery has been wheeled in between acts. 

Smokie’s adventure in Ilulissat began with a strangely familiar story – a flight delay which was erroneously reported as two and a half hours but was, in fact, thirty five minutes. We had to get to Ilulissat, having travelled so far to reach our final destination. We were on a mission to complete a task that we began on 11^th February this year. Fate had to be on our side this time.

In fact it was and we reached Ilulissat in good time to allow our technicians time to prepare for the 11 p.m. show. In the meantime I had a chance to take a good look at the Ice Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the very space-age looking metal igloos which are provided as accommodation for some of the residents of Hotel Arctic. We were 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle – that is the furthest north Smokie have ever been on tour since starting in 1974.

The crowd were completely ecstatic at our presence in their local Sports Hall. They, like us, felt the relief that we had kept our promise to return and give a great show to the inhabitants of Ilulissat. It was a very happy occasion and one to mark in our memories. Even the forecast snow came to nothing.

After flying west for seventeen minutes we reached Aasiaat and another eager audience at a sports hall. When Steve split the skin on his snare drum we needed to fill the time whilst it was being repaired, so the Greenlanders were treated to two unscheduled songs – “Will you still love me tomorrow?” and “Home is anywhere you are”, both of which were met with wild enthusiasm. Even though the set was longer than planned time seemed to fly by. The raw energy of the crowd pulled us through as we felt the aftermath of the late nights and early mornings catching up.

Now we can enjoy a day to ourselves before starting the long trip home via Copenhagen, arriving home on Tuesday. I said it was an adventure and that is exactly how it felt. I believe we have left behind many happy Greenlanders who are eager to see Smokie again. If their wishes come true we could be embarking on this adventure again. 

Summer was suddenly upon us today, both at home and in Denmark where we played the very popular Open Air Festival in Korso. The change in the mood of the people was almost tangible as the sun beat down on the happy crowd. This was our first chance to perform songs in Denmark from the hit album “Take a minute”, and the new songs were received with passion. That wonderful light in the sky brought energy to all who were gathered. Perhaps it will do the same to our gardens, where a bit of raw sunlight is much needed. This is the first time I have come off stage and gone almost immediately to a golf driving range to take advantage of the long light days. I hope that time will not pass too quickly now before the end of the Summer festivals because this Is my favourite time of year. 

As Sokndalhallen started to fill the party atmosphere grew until everyone was totally involved in Smokie's show last night. This was a country venue with all the warmth and welcome that we might expect when we hit the more remote parts of Norway. Our reputation was made by visiting every corner of this beautiful country and we are still enjoying the benefits of our groundwork today. 

Last night’s street party outside Jekyl & Hyde in Lillestrom was full of atmosphere. As the crowd moved closer to the stage there was an intimate connection with the band. I had the feeling that we were playing to a group of friends. They made it very clear that they were enjoying what Smokie had to offer. This show heralded the start of the outdoor Scandinavian shows this year of which there will be many more. Let the summer begin, which it will do, hopefully next week. 

I have put the track "Cosmic Field" from the album "The Code Within" on YouTube, suitably accompanied by stunning images from outer space. For a look at the results go to: 

If you can’t have a party in a brewery where can you have one? Last night our hosts were the Hartwall Brewery of Lahti and their hall was well decked out for the Finnish celebrations. It’s been a little while since we last played in Finland (19^th July 2008) and it was good to be back. Some of the audience were well acquainted with the lyrics to songs from “Take a minute”. Terry enlightened the audience with the fact that Smokie’s first show in Finland was in Lahti in 1974. On that night the band sharing the stage had also been The Hurricanes, as it was last night. History does repeat itself and with happy memories attached. 

We faced a sea of cameras as Smokie took to the stage at The Veltins Arena. The overhead cube displayed the current camera shot to the audience, some of whom were very far from the stage. The auditorium, with its roof partly open on this occasion, holds 60,000 people. There was a good number of people in and around the venue last night to witness a show that featured 20 acts. Our short set comprised of twenty five minutes - just long enough to thrill a crowd and leave them wanting more. It was good to catch up with so many of the bands who have become our friends over the years. It felt like an old school re-union.

The town of Sf.Gheorghe was celebrating its 550^th anniversary with a 640 kg cake that was due to be entered in The Guinness Book of Records after being photographed with Smokie, ceremonially sliced with a Samurai sword and shared amongst band members. Yesterday marked the eighth and final day of a festival that has now run for the past twenty years. A crowd of 35,000 people gathered in the town square for a night of celebration. The air temperature was an unseasonal 3 degrees and threatened snow, as it had the previous evening. Luckily this never happened and the audience created all the warmth we required to carry a full show to its conclusion. The crowd were rapturous in their reaction. 

The magnificently decorated Baltic Queen was a fitting venue for a multi-cultural night at sea. As the ship slowly lilted and swayed Smokie put the audience through their paces to see how good they were at partying. They passed with flying colours. There were many words of congratulations after the gig as well as talk of more likely future dates in Sweden – namely Malmo and Gothenburg. This will be a relief to our Swedish fans who have not seen us so much recently. Our sound engineer made it onboard with two minutes to spare after being delayed in Paris, otherwise he would be making his own way to Bucharest to meet with us for the weekend show in Sf. Gheorghe. Our travels take us via Helsinki, arriving in time to do a quick TV show before settling briefly in Bucharest and moving onwards on Saturday. Let’s not let the grass grow under our feet. A rolling stone gathers no moss, and all that stuff. 

I feel a tinge of sadness as I leave The Highlands today after five days of blazing hot sunshine. It’s been like the Summer we have been waiting for, except it’s only Spring. I heard the first cuckoo today as I said my farewell to the gardens in which I have laboured so hard during my spare time. But there are fans waiting and they take precedence over all other matters. I look forward to seeing how The Baltic Queen differs from The Cinderella and finding out how the audience react to Smokie on the trip to Tallinn. 

It might have been wedding fever, although it was more likely Smokie fever, but the audience were in a supercharged mood at Tips Arena in Linz. I couldn't have hoped for a better reaction in these circumstances in which we are working with new technicians. The sound must have inspired the crowd, based on how they reacted to the show. Now I shall be at home for a couple of days before resuming with the gig on The Baltic Queen. I think there will be a few garden jobs to do whilst the weather remains hot and dry up in The Highlands. 

The INEC in Killarney is now Smokie's most regular gig. The venue would have us back several times a year quite happily. In fact we will be back in December to do one of their Christmas gigs. This time was a little different to all others in as much as we had an entirely new crew with us. They are all professionals and did a great job of making us sound as good as we possibly can. The audience were happy, which is the most important aspect of the show. Our new crew move on with us to Linz tomorrow, after which time we will be seeing more new faces yet again. They say a change is as good as a rest, and keeps us on our toes. At least the five faces on stage will be the usual recognisable ones. 

A new date sheet has just arrived in my inbox and it contains some real goodies like, for example, a possible return to South Korea in June and July, another appearance with The Lithuanian Orchestra in July and also possible dates in The Czech Republic and Slovakia in November. Also the year is likely to end in Austria, which will give us a scenic and picturesque backdrop to the end of 2011. Let's not think about that yet since I have only just finished giving the grass its first cut of the year. I'd like a long hot summer. 

Where in the world can you have a wild party on a Sunday afternoon? Carnival City in South Africa is an easy choice. The audience did us proud at our final show in this venue. Memories of our amazing ten days in this remarkable country come flooding back of how much we squeezed into that short time - eight gigs, one tv show, a visit to the Cango Wildlife Park, a tour of The Meerendal Wine Estate and some very picturesque travel in the Smokie Beechcraft. We have played to a very large number of people in this short time, made new friends and consolidated our position as one of South Africa's best loved international acts. And "Take a minute" is in the top 20. Not a bad bit of work for ten days. Now we return to the Northern Hemisphere and resume our regular weekend gigs in and around Europe. If variety is the spice of life I think ours is a jalapeno. 

Did I say “you can’t get better”? Well, we did last night in what was a frenzied reaction from the audience with many references to Smokie being legends in South Africa. It’s a great compliment for a bunch of honest English boys whose music only sets out to entertain and make people happy. It seems we do much more. 

You can’t get better than a full house and you can’t get a better reaction than Smokie had last night on stage at Carnival City, the location where we recorded our live DVD in 2008. The audience appear to have adopted us and our music lock, stock and barrel. It’s heart warming to walk on to a stage and feel that every note will be appreciated and given a thorough listening. It may be the “Take a minute” Tour, yet “Alice” is still as strong as ever, creating a musical backdrop for many a South African braai. Every night finishes with a party for media and private guests, featuring lengthy photo shoots and opportunities to hear what the audience have to say about the show. Their remarks are overwhelmingly positive and it’s a great pleasure to hear what they have to say. 

A capacity Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein was filled with eager punters. I walked on to a stage that was thick with smoke – a spectacle which added drama to the opening of the show and throughout the whole event. It was a Smokie night as well as a smokey night. The filling of a theatre on this tour has delighted our promoter and pointed to the fact that we can play any venue in South Africa and make a success of the night.

We finally arrived at our destination at 3.00 a.m. after a delayed take-off from Bloemfontein. Now it’s the easy part of the tour with just three shows to go here in Carnival City. Unfortunately we have left the good weather behind, so there may be little opportunity to top up the tan which so effortlessly arrived in the baking hot conditions south of Johannesburg. 

From Cape Town we followed the stunning coastline of South Africa towards Port Elizabeth in clear and sunny conditions, arriving in very hot weather. The crowd at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University were keyed up before we hit the stage. The noise they made would have been surprising for an audience twice the size. Many remembered our previous appearance at this venue on 4^th March 2004. Today we fly in to Bloemfontein and straight out again after the gig to our final destination on this tour – Carnival City in Brakpan. 

It was an early start to the day with a 5.00 a.m. make-up call for SABC 3’s “Expresso”. Terry and I chatted and larked around for the whole two hours on this informal show. It was national barefoot day, so Terry removed both shoes while I only removed one, in keeping with my trademark image for individual foot fashion. The exercise spot featured zoomba during which Terry decided to dance across the floor in a comical way to add levity to the moment. The presenters all agreed that they had had the most fun on this show and thanked us for keeping them entertained.

Later in the morning our sponsors kindly gave us the full tour of The Meerendal Wine Estate today, explaining every aspect involved in the making of all the wines that originate from this impressive farm. It was our pleasure later to return the compliment and meet them backstage at The Grand West Casino after witnessing an ecstatic reaction from a capacity crowd.

Cape Town rocks, that’s for sure. The last two days have been a continuous celebration of the best that this area has to offer. I feel that we have really consolidated our position as South Africa’s favourite international band. The tour moves on to Port Elizabeth that, in a Beechcraft B1900, is a mere hour and a half away. 

The KKND Festival at Oudtshoorn (pronounced Oatswarren) has traditionally been an Afrikaaner only event until this year when Smokie became the first international band to appear. The setting was on an Ostrich Farm set amongst beautiful scenery with the mountains as a backdrop. Even as we took to the stage there was a 2 km tailback of traffic on the approach road. The response to our presence in this remote part of South Africa was overwhelming. Even the ostriches appeared to be waiting patiently for this overseas phenomenon.

Our afternoon was spent at The Cango Wildlife Park, where we stroked young tigers and cheetahs and witnessed Steve and Mick being lowered into the water in a cage to watch crocodiles feeding at close range. It was a rare opportunity to mix with wild animals and learn more about their behaviour.

The hospitality here is second to none and everwhere we go there is food prepared. We left Cango feeling full after a braai (barbecue) and then found more food laid out for us at the venue. Today our only appointment is at the beach tonight where we will be treated to another braai at Die Strandkombuis. Staying slim in Africa is a challenge, as well as staying off alcohol.

Time is fairly immaterial here and all events happen late and take longer than planned on the schedule. We missed our flight slot by an hour and a half last night, yet this didn’t seem to matter as we landed in Cape Town at 2.00 a.m. This so-called “Africa Time” is a permanent part of life on this lovely continent and the way to deal with it is to relax and go with the flow.

Tomorrow is an early start when I rise at 4.30. a.m. to appear, with Terry, on SABC’s breakfast show “Expresso”. This is closely followed by a half-day trip to Meerendal Wine Estate, one of the tour’s sponsors. It’s a busy schedule until we reach Johannesburg, made easier by our travel arrangements on the Smokie/Lefra plane.

Playing at The Silverstar Casino in Gauteng was no gamble. Smokie were greeted by a full house with a party atmosphere to equal Christmas. The temperature in the room rose as we took our audience through four decades of material, most of which they knew very well. News came through during the evening that we have now entered the South African charts at number 20. No doubt this tour will help to spread the good will and help to push the album higher. Today we start our travels on the private charter around the country. It gives us great flexibility and enables us to move on straight after tonight’s gig and put ourselves in place for the show in Cape Town with the least amount of effort. No waiting and no queuing – that’s worth a lot to international travellers.

I have my eye on that imaginary line that stretches around the middle of the Earth, known as The Equator. As luck would have it I am due to cross it early tomorrow morning to head for Johannesburg and be in place for the first gig on The South African Tour. A bit more sunshine (after Lanzarote) will not go amiss and the tour looks to be in good shape. Smokie's private plane is adorned with our logo and the name of the promotion company, Lefra Productions, as well as the local website address www.smokie.co.za. All I need to do now is book ahead for that ostrich ride! (see YouTube if it happens).

We were in the capable hands of ZDF Television as they filmed various episodes of their "Fruhlingsshow" at Marina Rubicon in Lanzarote. There were numerous harbour shots, several trips on boats and general good humour as Smokie took the audience through "Alice" and "Sally", both of which were received like we were all best friends. It was an intimate show in beautiful surroundings and set a great mood. Great weather helped, only occasionally interrupted by strong winds. The broadcast is due for the second week in April, after which the second track from "Take a minute", "Nothing hurts like a broken heart" is due for release as a radio single. 

The DK Inwest venue in Plzen was what you might call rather full. It looked like the crowd had been inserted with the aid of a shoehorn. There was barely space to breathe, yet enough to wiggle and call it a dance. This created a great impression from the stage for it looked like the audience were all joined as one. It’s not hard to create a good atmosphere under these conditions, and that is exactly what happened. It was a rip-roaring end to our Czech experience and a fitting farewell to a country that has taken Smokie to its hearts. 

As the extra large moon rose above the horizon I felt the chill in the air begin to disappear. Maybe those daffodils in The Highlands, which started poking their heads through a couple of weeks ago, will now get the chance to flourish. Whatever happens, I think now could be a good time to leave that winter coat at home for a few months. That’s easy for me to say, for I am off to Lanzarote to do some filming for ZDF television. It’s a tough life!

Ice stadiums can be cold places to gig, but not last night in Pardubice’s Mala Hala Zimni Stadion. The audience warmed up the place nicely – both in temperature and from the emotional point of view. It was another great night in The Czech Republic. Tonight is the final night of this mini tour, which has been a great success both in audience figures and their reaction to Smokie. I shall be looking for new dates in our diary in this wonderful country. 

Can a stadium gig be as good as a club gig? The answer is an undeniable “yes”, as was proven at Pavilon G1 in Brno last night. Sure enough the audience are a little further away and there are many more of them, yet there seemed to be an intimacy that belied the size of the venue. I felt like I just wanted to draw everybody in closer so they could get as much contact with the band as possible. There was no need, as it happened, because the whole audience seemed totally immersed in the show and the atmosphere that prevailed. It was a night to remember and number amongst the special gigs of 2011. May there be many more like it and I hope I can remember them all. 

The atmosphere at The Kofola Music Club in Krnow was electric. With a full house the heat onstage was intense, and there was the sort of ambience most loved by musicians. And we had very much eye contact with the audience, which makes the whole experience so much richer. I had the feeling that we were playing in a very large house to a group of people we know very well. By the end of the evening nobody felt like a stranger. That's the sort of start to a tour which keeps people smiling for days. If that translates well into the stadiums we can expect a very satisfying tour of The Czech Republic. 

I woke up to a very deep fall of snow this morning. Not quite what I had expected on March 13th after all this lovely dry and sunny weather we have had. There was no choice but to start shovelling and digging the cars out of their temporary igloos. Three hours later the drive was clear enough for me to drive out of tomorrow and, of course, on Tuesday when I have to get to The Czech Republic. The upside is that I went sledging in the field opposite with my wife, Roz. There were no children in sight; in fact we were the only ones game enough to go and play in the snow. I always knew that, once the children had left home, we would go back to doing those young and crazy things we started all those years ago. Second childhood? I think it might be!

Last night’s venue in Moscow was The International Concert Hall Svetlana, a beautiful new and fresh venue with more than a hint of The Belfast Waterfront about it. It was a dressy affair with several dignitaries present and a dinner held in Smokie’s honour afterwards. The concept of “East meets West” was fully exploited with the band Mirros representing the east and Smokie representing the west. It’s a formula which we agreed to develop in future. The audience were on fine form and were on their feet for the last climactic sector of the show. To get this response in Moscow is a great achievement and it points to a more permanent relationship with this venue and our promoters who wish to repeat the experience. Something special happened with this performance and I had a very strong feeling that Smokie have just made some new friends as well as leaving our Moscow audience wanting more. They can always invite us back. I shall be here again, that’s for sure. 

Set amongst some of the most attractive buildings in Russia, The Municipal House of Culture in Obninsk looked inviting. The audience that filled the theatre were well prepared for singing and dancing. There was delight that Smokie were in town and many of the audience tried to grab autographs while we were performing, just in case they missed an opportunity. The old favourites were received with passionate enthusiasm while the new songs, with their easy hooks, went down extremely well. There was warmth in the venue, which contrasted with the outside where the temperature had reached minus 6. We moved on to a chillier Moscow during the evening to be in place for a special event with a rather important guest. 

This is my anniversary of my first gig with Smokie. The year was 1988, the day was Monday, like today, and the venue was the Irish Centre in Kilburn, North London. The band sounded very different to how we do today and there wasn't a great variety of overseas work in those days, the main territories being Germany, Ireland and Scandinavia. Everything was in embryonic state, finally bursting into life with a record deal in Norway, which led to a number one album with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". The rest, as they say, is history. 

About seven years ago, in 2004, I put the finishing touches to my album "World of Music". The music takes you on a journey around the world, which is what I do pretty much all of the time. As I set off for Moscow I think of the track "Moscow Night". My Australian tour was soundtracked by "Uluru". Whilst in Germany I think of "Oktoberfest" and whilst in Korea "Korean Fantasy". And my forthcoming tour of South Africa is aptly accompanied by the Unisong award winning track "Kenyan Sunrise". On my way I pass through Paris, which prompts "Paris Stroll". If you haven't already listened to these tracks try them out in iTunes, Amazon MP3, or wherever you browse your music, and perhaps buy a copy for yourself and join me on my round-the-world tour with appropriate moods for each territory. It really is a world of music. 

It was just twenty three years ago today that I had a call from Terry asking if I wanted to do a “few gigs with Smokie”. Little did I know to what that would lead. One thing it led to was an excellent tour of Poland in March 2011, finishing up in Torwar, Warsaw. The crowd reaction last night was mighty and the band struck the last note in perfect time for the assigned curfew. It’s just wonderful how things can turn out so much for the best. Now I work my way back to The Highlands before continuing on to Russia on Sunday. One thing I didn’t know twenty three years ago is that I would end up doing more flights than the pilots!

Hala Arena cuts an impressive outline, as do a lot of the sports arenas in Poland, resembling the mother ship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. These halls provide excellent facilities for activities of all kinds and help to create opportunities for developing sporting prowess. The hall also allows for a good quality sound during concerts - a feature which is sometimes absent in sports halls. A large crowd warmed to Smokie and were clearly enjoying a quality sound wrapped up in a punchy 75-minute show. Our reception in Poland has been overwhelming and paves the way for our future return. 

The crowd's reaction last night was magnificent. Hundreds of mobile phones, lit up like fireflies, were waved during "If you think you know how to love me", creating a hypnotic lattice of lighting. Our first gig in Poland on this mini tour was a great success. We move on to Poznan early tomorrow. We are back to road touring, which makes a change from running to catch airplanes all the time, which will resume at the end of the week. Got to keep those air miles up!

For details of the forthcoming South African tour and album release take a look at http://www.smokie.co.za.

What a beautiful town is Zofingen! The cobbled streets and impressive architecture make it a must see for anyone who is visiting the area. At the Merzweckhalle we had a big audience on our side as we brought some fresh songs as well as the classic hits to the show they labelled “Magic Night”. It was good to be back in Switzerland, which is a country we visit, on average, once a year. More shows are being discussed at the moment and I shall be happy to return whenever the invitation is out.

I have added a couple of pictures to the Gallery, particularly because my Greenland adventure provided a valuable photo opportunity. Also there is evidence that my musical career started young. 

Enrick Studio has been the nerve centre for the creation of all music since I first arrived in The Highlands nearly 17 years ago. It has taken on a few different looks and has now emerged in its most high-tech evolutionary form. Gone are all the racks of outboard gear and in its place is the now well-established Roland Fantom G8, the Roland JD 990 and the Oberheim OB 3 squared organ module. The G8 is the big daddy and houses the MIDI sequencer and 24-track audio recorder. All necessary effects are built in which removes the need for any outboard equipment. In line with the trend towards smaller and more powerful electronic gear the studio takes advantage of current technology to create space. And Enrick Studio now has a lot of floor space, which I share with my son, Luke, whose guitar equipment needs a lot more room than my keyboard equipment. If you take a look at Smokie's stage setup you will see that the same is true between Mick's guitars and my keyboards. It makes me wonder just how far miniaturisation can go before there is virtually no equipment visible yet lots of sound emerging from somewhere out of sight. 

The latest tour schedule has brought many changes to the date sheet, so check out the updated Tour Dates with Smokie to see where we will be playing this year. 

Check out Marika's website (see my links page) for photos from Greenland. Did you ever wonder what the band would look like dressed in furs? It's a once only opportunity to see our ruddy faces sticking out from behind fluffy headgear, and Vernon in long trousers. Thanks, Marika, for posting those pictures.

The life of a Husky doesn’t look too comfortable, for they sleep outside in temperatures up to minus fifty degrees and are expected to run for up to twenty four hours with occasional ten minute breaks. My dogsled was pulled by thirteen Huskies of differing sizes and temperaments. The dogs get very excited when they know that they are going to run and even get into vicious fights as they anticipate the journey. The ride is at a very gentle pace with occasional faster runs downhill. Uphill can be more of a struggle when it is necessary to get off the sledge and push from the back. It sounds easy enough except for the fact that I was dressed in very heavy seal skins from head to toe and also wore big snow boots. The whole gear seemed to weigh me down and make running, or even walking, a very tiresome effort. The scenery, as expected, is breathtaking and I soon adapted to the very low temperature and started to feel very cosy inside my animal furs. At the halfway mark I had the opportunity to try dried whale, dried cod and seal blubber, the latter one melting into oil as I took it into my mouth. Seal blubber is a great cholesterol buster and enables locals to keep a higher body temperature while wearing less restrictive clothing. The twenty kilometre journey was a great experience and one I shall treasure amongst my many happy memories of special opportunities in far off lands while on tour with Smokie. 

A crowd of around 1,000 people - one in five of the local population, assembled at The Sports Hall in the centre of Sisimiut. They turned a cold hall into a steamy one with frequent drops of condensation from the high ceiling. The noise as we entered the stage was louder than the PA. The people had come to party and nothing, even the meagre guide ropes, could hold them back. It was a night to remember for so many reasons. Just being here is an achievement. People have waited a long time to see Smokie in their home town, and we have waited a long time to visit. Future plans are already being discussed for our return to this fascinating country. Greenland rocks - that's for sure, and the people are big hearted music lovers. 

The winds were against us in Greenland and all flights were grounded, meaning that we were unable to get to Illulisat and the planned gig on Friday. It was looking like a night off at Kangerlussuaq Airport Hotel, along with all the other stranded travellers. However, an offer came from a local resident to join him for a few drinks and play a few songs on the musical equipment that he had assembled. It was a night of fun and frolics which delighted the local crowd who hadn't expected to see Smokie in their home village. Today we have been luckier and have managed to catch the only flight out of Kangerlussuaq so far and land, with a few big dipper moments, safely in Sisimiut ready for tonight's gig. As I sit composing this blog I can hear the howling of many Huskies outside my window. Perhaps they are also Smokie fans, or maybe they are just warming up for our excursion tomorrow. Watch out for You Tube clips of the band tearing across the snow behind 8 eager dogs!

I have been asked about the shipping line on May 5th. It is not The Cinderella, but a different shipping line to Estonia. There is a plan, but nothing definite, to play in Estonia the day afterwards. Also there may be a promoter interested in offering Smokie some dates in Sweden this year. Again, nothing is definite yet but I shall post dates on this website as they are confirmed. Thank you all for your patience. 

I have put the final touches to "Light Beings" and it is now ready to be linked with the second piece of artwork, which will happen once my artistic director returns to The Highlands. In the meantime I am set to travel to Glasgow to see "We will rock you" tonight. That's a show I am really looking forward to. Will I be mistaken for Bryan May? Not tonight, for I have just had my hair cut a lot shorter ready for the new tours. 

This short break has given me the opportunity to get back into the studio and start creating the second track to the album "The Code Within". The new track is titled "Light Beings" and is taking shape nicely, the inspiration being a set of wind chimes which hang outside my bedroom window. I should be ready to upload to iTunes and all the others some time in February. In the meantime I shall keep refining the music until it is ready for your ears. 

The final show of this Lithuanian Tour had as much energy as the first one. It also had a certain quirkiness as our conductor, Vitas, varied his antics to include some manic dancing and ad hoc percussion playing as the mood took him. The excitement has permeated through the whole orchestra who gave a spirited last night performance for our audience in Siauliu (pronounced show-lay). We had to reason with the security guards to prevent them from stopping people from getting on their feet so they may enjoy themselves. When the message finally got through there was a mass wave of people surging forwards to the front of the hall in defiance of the guards. Finally everything looked normal for a Smokie concert and the night ended on a huge high.

As we take a break there is an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction over the success of these symphonic shows. There is already talk of a return next year. But there will be plenty of time to arrange that. In the meantime we all return to our families and homes and a chance to see those Christmas lights which were so briefly in our sights before the start of this tour. I don’t think there is any turkey left at home but I do know there is some Christmas cake waiting for me. 

The show gets better and better. A matinee performance at The Sports Hall in Kaunas, home to our orchestra, seemed to hit the high spot yet there was better to come with the evening show. It’s hard to describe, in words, just how impressive was the reaction to our last concert of the year, but it was the perfect way to end 2010. The orchestra have become so well acquainted with the band that we look like we belong together. The sight of hundreds of mobile phones lit up like candles during “If you think you know how to love me” resembled a Festival of Light. The whole stadium seemed to buzz with activity as the whole audience swayed together. The orchestra repeatedly did the Mexican wave and the conductor performed some of his own fancy footwork in the style of Irish dancing as well as using a variety of unusual objects (like Steve’s broken drum stick) as batons with which to keep time. It was the party to end all parties, and it was over well before midnight.

We returned to our hotel to eat a quick dinner before seeing in the New Year with an impressive firework display. Text messages pinged through the night and I kept contact with relatives and friends around the world as we eased gently into 1^st January 2011. It’s an easy date because it is 1/1/11. But it’s not over ‘til the fat lady sings, for we are back in the bus tomorrow for our final show before leaving Lithuania and heading home for a break. It’s been a wonderful year with many happy memories. Thank you to everyone who has been in Smokie’s life this year. You are all an important part of our life stories. We will meet again, that’s for sure. In the meantime I wish you all:

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The atmosphere is building as New Year approaches, both on and offstage. The Kaunas Symphony Orchestra are definitely loosening up and showing real enjoyment of the show, as displayed at The CIDO Arena in Panevezeys last night. Their enthusiasm is contagious and the audience are picking up the party mood and giving us a real promenade-style reaction to this classical/rock hybrid concert. I wonder whether it is possible for the show to get any better a reaction. I shall know very soon for there are two shows today – one at 4.00 p.m. and one at 8.00 p.m., which leaves a comfortable gap in which to see in the New Year twice – once for Lithuania and once (two hours later) for the UK. There are benefits to being a time traveller! 

The atmosphere was electric last night in The Siemens Arena in Vilnius. Our second night with The Kaunas Symphony Orchestra felt like we had been playing together for a week, for the whole performance knitted seamlessly together and provided a rapturous ambience to which the audience reacted with some animation. The whole seemed greater than the sum of the parts and the enthusiasm built exponentially as the evening wore on. The crowd were on their feet early and thronged the stage for the last quarter of the show. Working with an orchestra has really added another dimension to a show that had already been thrilling audiences around the world. The combination of band and orchestra has really worked wonders and looks like a winning formula for ending 2010 with a bang. You may find a clip of the Riga concert on YouTube titled “Smokie Concert in Arena Riga, Latvia: Living Next Door to Alice”.

Our first night with The Kaunas Symphony Orchestra in Riga, Latvia was a huge success. This orchestra is fully loaded with brass and woodwind, as well as the tympani, and the musical scoring is busier than we have experienced before. The overall effect obviously pleased the audience who had more than one place to focus their attention. It felt like more than just a concert – it was really an event, and one which pulled at the heartstrings of all who witnessed it. I feel a great pride at presenting such an evening of entertainment. If I was sitting in the audience I would enjoy the spectacle of band and orchestra together. I feel lucky to be part of this spectacular event. Tomorrow we move on to Lithuania for the remaining four shows this year and one on Ist January. 

If Mohammed won’t go to the mountain, the mountain will just have to go to Mohammed. And that’s what happened yesterday when my family came to join me in an Aberdeen Airport hotel last night so we could spend Christmas Day together. We did this so I could be in the right place this morning for my flight to Lithuania, just in case Boxing Day weather reports of heavy snow turned out to be correct, which they weren’t.

These are the last 6 concerts this year and all of them are with the accompaniment of an orchestra, which is something I enjoy immensely.

I have noticed that it is much easier to buy a sledge this year than last year, when Arctic conditions took us all by surprise. Now it seems that sub-zero temperatures are a continuing feature of UK winters so it should come as no surprise next Christmas if the icicles are as long as our winter fuel bills. Now, where’s that holiday brochure?

Our hosts in Moldova have treated us like royalty, making the most of our first appearance in this country. We played a packed house at The Town Hall in Chisinau, where a lively audience greeted us with much applause. It has been a very heartwarming introduction to this small and hospitable nation. Now it’s time to negotiate a safe passage across Europe for a short Christmas celebration with our families before hitting the skies again on Sunday. We bade each other a fond farewell, much as we would do when we are taking a longer break.

However, fog in Moldova caused us each to re-route on our homeward journey. As I write I am in  Munich, where the other guys should be (I should have been in Amsterdam), and they are on their way to an alternative airport in Romania to fly home via Rome (maybe). We will see how the wheel of fortune turns.

And finally I have been issued a boarding pass for my fourth flight today – to Inverness, but my replacement luggage (since Belarus and Belgium) is now lost somewhere between four airports. No chance of seeing that now until the Smokie holidays in January. Never mind, for here comes Santa!

When I hear how some of our fans were stranded in Dublin, while we made it to Warsaw and Chisinau, I realise how blessed we are to be in the right places. As we approached the airport in Chisinau (pronounced kee-shee-now) the sun shone brightly on the snowy ground. It was several degrees warmer than the UK and traffic flowed freely. We were treated to the most amazing display of musical dexterity from a four-piece band in a restaurant last night which quite humbled me in the face of enormous talent. The band comprised of violin, accordian, pan pipes and an instrument which partly resembled a piano except the strings were open and were played from above with two percussion sticks. The speed at which these guys played their songs left us breathless with admiration. I shall never again think of the pan pipes as a ballad instrument. We were totally entertained and utterly stunned by their talent.

After the Castlebar cancellation it seemed best to transfer directly to Belfast and put ourselves right next to The Waterfront in readiness for the show on Sunday. There was a surprise in store on the night, for we were joined by Pat McManus on violin for a once only performance of “Celtic Days”. Along with the new songs, this went down extremely well and the final party night in Ireland was a huge success. It remained for us to drive through freezing fog to make an early flight from Dublin to Warsaw, a flight which negotiated extreme cross winds to make two attempts at landing.

Back on terra firma we arrived just in time to run through some songs with a 25-piece orchestra in readiness for our show at The Warsaw Congress Hall. The orchestra could not have been prepared for the vocal reaction we received from our audience last night for they are more accustomed to people listening quietly and clapping at the end of a classical performance. What they experienced last night is unbridled euphoria and loud cheering which gave them a taste of what it is like to perform a rock concert. For me the best part was the beautiful arrangement in “Home is anywhere you are” which lifted the song to another level completely. There were no recordings, unfortunately, so I shall just have to store that one in my own memory. It was a very special night. We now leave Poland for our very final show before Christmas in a country we have, so far, never visited – Moldova. 

The TLT Theatre is nestled in a most unlikely place - a retail park. It was the dream of one man to build a theatre and that's what he did. And what a lovely theatre it is too. After extended journeys from Manchester, where some of the band were waiting for their flight to take off, we finally made it to the theatre in time for a very brief sound check. The audience were relieved that we had overcome travel difficulties to be with them and rewarded us with a very keen response to our show. 

Watching the weather report has become as essential to a frequent flyer as packing toiletries into a tiny plastic bag. As Arctic winds swept in from the North the roads around Inverness became impassable. However, I managed to escape just before the A9 closed its snow gates and Inverness and Aberdeen closed their airports. I followed my instincts to Edinburgh where the airport is currently open, allowing me to get to Dublin in readiness for a trip to Drogheda. Anyone who still believes the saying that "To travel is better than to arrive" hasn't experienced the mixed pleasures of flying 150 times a year. I believe our audience at The TLT Theatre would rather we arrive than that we still travel. The party continues and the show must go on. 

For some years now the promoter has been trying to book Smokie to play at The Golden Years Show at Sportpaleis Antwerpen. Well, now we have done it and it was a tremendous success. The format is very similar to the German Oldies Shows with each band being allocated just 5 songs. The cheers of the crowd between songs were as loud as a football crowd. The programme represented some of the best of the melodies from the 60's and 70's. It has been some 17 years since Smokie's last appearance in Belgium and it made a refreshing change to venture into this part of Europe. 

There could not have been a better final concert in this Belarussian series as the one which we just performed at The Sport Palace in Minsk. The crowd welcomed us vociferously right from the start and cheered between songs, attentive all the way to the end. The show perfectly rounded off four very successful performances in this country and indicated very strongly that there will be more work for us here next year. I believe we made a very good impression with fans, press and promoters and that the result of that will be more regular work in this territory. Some people have very long memories here and vividly recall Smokie's early introduction to Belarus. It's interesting to hear what they have to say about the band today and the changes which they have fully accepted and to which they are now accustomed. 

It was a pleasure to feel the warmth of The Public Concert Hall in Gomel and see the audience so clearly from the stage. It felt like being in one of the theatres in Australia with a perfect sound and a massive crowd reaction. The contrast with the freezing conditions and echoing sound of the Ice Palace last night was huge. This was more like Smokie in Concert – similar conditions to those we have enjoyed for the past few weeks. A TV special has recently been aired here in Belarus and that has put a lot of bums on seats for the promoters, who are delighted with the response. These few shows have really put us in touch with a good number of people, and their reactions have been overwhelming. 

A long and exhausting travel day with delayed flights finally ended in our arrival in Grodno at 4.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the day of the gig. As we each set out from our respective airports the news that Heathrow flights had been delayed up to 5 hours did nothing to raise our expectations of arriving in Belarus on the appointed day. However, the gods of travel and luggage handling worked miracles and we were deposited safely in Minsk, all luggage intact, where the camera crew were waiting patiently to record our every word and impression.

Belarus is seeing more of Smokie nowadays, thanks to our promoters, and we saw plenty of Belarussians last night in the packed Sports Palace in Grodno. They were ecstatic and noisy, as I had hoped they would be.

I learned that the humble potato is the main ingredient of vodka and that the word for potato is also shared in the description of people from Belarus. They are literally “the potato people”. So I thank the potato people for their rousing reaction and look forward to more spud-like encounters.

On a closing note, this is the only place in the world where I have been served strudel and ice cream for breakfast. I think someone is trying to fatten me up!

Sub-zero temperatures are usually associated with outdoors. That was not the case at The Ice Palace in Brest where the ice still lay in the stadium, covered only by thin carpet. I sacrificed stage image for practicality as I kept my winter coat on for the entire show with a high collar pulled up to my chin to avoid any cold air leaks. It was seriously freezing. One advantage is that there was no warm beer in the dressing room. On stage there were two kettles boiling permanently so we could warm our hands as required. At least the audience helped to raise the room temperature a couple of degrees with their body heat. I soon forgot about being chilly as the show unfolded. It seems a long time since I was able to wander around in shorts, yet it was really only 9 days ago in Sri Lanka. 

After announcements on KLM yesterday that none of us in Smokie would make our onward connection we turned rebel and ignored all calls, making straight for our gates in Amsterdam and making it on to our flights, sometimes with a bit of argument. Now I have been united with a fresh case of clothes for this interesting journey to Minsk via Heathrow and Vienna. The skies are sunny in Aberdeen and all flights are taking off, but the picture in the south of England is a little different. I am, as always, in the hands of fate and happy with whatever outcome is offered to me. My suitcase is still untraced from last Friday, but I expect that will turn up at home within a few days. The mantra of the frequent flyer is "Remain calm at all times", and I shall endeavour to stick to that through thick and thin. Keep those Christmas carols playing, for I'm just getting warmed up!

Once more I stepped out in my comfortable travel clothes on to the stage at Sparkassen Arena. These boots were made for walking although they did a decent job of stomping on my keyboard pedals. Now that the lost baggage department have taken to ignoring all phone calls I can assume that my clothes will not be coming to Belarus. However, I have a backup plan because my wife, Roz, has been shopping last night and packed an alternative case for my next trip and is due to link up with me in Aberdeen today, if planes and trains allow.

The audience in Kiel gave tumultuous applause as we ended our mini set. We even managed to squeeze in one new song from “Take a minute”, which was “If I can’t love you”. The Christmas Market in Kiel looked resplendent with its snowy sidewalks. The big day is now less than three weeks away. I hope I’ve been good because there are a couple of things I would like for Christmas and I know that Santa is very keen to find out who behaved themselves during the year. Well, I did my best. I just hope it was good enough!

To reach the gig in time was miraculous considering the weather conditions at both ends of the journey. However, the huge pile of delayed baggage in Hannover did nothing to help the situation regarding my own lost baggage and I face the prospect of a third, or even a fourth day in the same clothes I wore as I left home on Thursday afternoon. It's an entirely different image for onstage and very strange for me to wear two shoes the same colour. But the show must go on and there are numerous offers of clean socks and T-shirts from colleagues. Aren't people wonderful? Tonight we play the same 40-minute set at another Sparkassen Arena, this time in Kiel. 

From the balmy heat of Sri Lanka to the Arctic conditions of The Scottish Highlands I take my well-packed suitcase on a new 11-day journey into the unknown. The roads posed their own challenge last night with huge clumps of uncleared snow on main highways. However, I am here in Aberdeen and ready to fly onwards for the two German gigs. I hope my colleagues are as fortunate for I understand that transport is coming to a standstill in parts of England. A team of reindeer and a flying sledge would be most welcome at the moment. How much adventure can one person expect? Life is never dull in Smokie. 

After twenty years in the planning the band finally played its first concert in this beautiful country. The Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel provided a perfect rest and recuperation resort for the few hours we had to enjoy after travelling from Sydney via Singapore. The venue was the largest function room in the neighbourhood, known as Waters Edge, and was filled with eager Smokie fans who had waited so long to see us perform in their country. The show had a very different feel to it, being a single set version as opposed to the double set we have performed in Australia for the last month. Also, Sri Lankan people are more conservative and are less suited to getting out of their seats, unlike some of the Australians we have had the pleasure to entertain. However, the end of the show found most of the crowd on their feet and yelling for "Alice" just like anywhere else in the world. It was great to experience yet another new country and take this rare opportunity to visit a corner of The Earth where people have been waiting to see the band perform live. 

The last night of any tour always has a special feel to it. The audience were made aware that Smokie were finishing our Australian tour in Sydney and responded accordingly by giving us a great party atmosphere. The Enmore Theatre may well have been called The Encore Theatre, for there was reluctance to strike the last chord as that meant that the tour was really over. All good things come to an end yet the beginning is just around the corner. Smokie have reached new heights with this tour, raising the bar yet again and creating a show which entertains on different levels. The final feeling is euphoria after the amazing reaction we have received over these last 18 shows. Thank you to all our Australian audiences. We promise to come back and keep the Smokie party going. At least we have left you with a great collection of current recordings just in case you have worn out your old records. Keep an eye out for "Take a minute" when it reaches the shops. You appear to have enjoyed the new songs in the live performance as much as we have enjoyed performing them. We will return. 

I learned after last night’s gig that The Regent Theatre in Collins Street had been due for demolition at one time. That would have been a shame for live performances as it was a great venue with plenty of room in the aisles and between the seats for a typical Smokie audience to get up and dance. Once the security guards relaxed and stopped trying to push everyone to the sides, that’s exactly what happened. To prevent it would have been like trying to halt a tsunami with a sheet of A4 paper. The evening erupted into an all out sing-song and a party atmosphere to make Christmas look like a visit to the dentist’s. Thank you, Melbourne, you were great. And the crowd more than made up for the fact that we had all been thoroughly soaked after walking around this beautiful city. As we move on to Melbourne we are contemplating the final night of the Smokie Australian tour, a night when traditionally all the tricks get played. It also gives us a chance to catch up with our publicist without whom the whole tour would just have been a theoretical notion. 

As water levels rose and thunderstorms crashed over parts of Victoria I prepared for the worst while hoping for the best. From the outside Bendigo Stadium looks like a huge tin shed, a perception which doesn’t change when on the inside listening to heavy rain pelting down on the roof, competing with the PA system for attention. However, the audience were the most animated of any on the tour so far and they were on their feet from early on in the second set. The last minute TV adverts had pulled in one of the biggest crowds seen so far at this venue. The public continued to flow through the doors during the acoustic set, presumably thinking that they were only missing the support band. But Smokie support ourselves on this tour and the latecomers found, to their surprise, that they were entering the stadium during our acoustic set. We left a delighted crowd at the end of the night, full of praise for the show. Bendigo rocks, and they will rock again if we give them the chance. Now I must find my way back to Melbourne via several flooded roads with water levels of 300mm and more. It’s all part of the experience of touring Australia in the late Spring. Bring it on!

The land of the Golden Guitar gave us a huge Tamworth welcome, loving every minute of the show and particularly enjoying the country aspect. Once more we were invited back "as soon as possible" to an area which hasn't seen Smokie since 1991 - as I remember just a few days before I got married here. My epic journey started immediately after the show with a 1,200 kilometre drive to a remote part of Victoria where I link up with my in-laws before the show in Bendigo tomorrow. At present I am only 350 kilometres down the road, so there's a long way to go, and a very good reason to get there as soon as possible.

Are you ready to read that Smokie had another fantastic gig? Is there any other type of gig we could have had? In Toowoomba (which we dubbed Chumbawumba) there was a big crowd in the beautiful Empire Theatre. Apparently we passed this way in 1991, a special year for me because I married my Ozzie girl in December that year in a remote part of Victoria. Since then I have visited Australia regularly whereas Smokie have been out of Oz for most of the time. That situation has changed in the last few weeks and Australia is now as much a part of our touring circuit as Europe and Scandinavia. Expect to see us back and we will be here for sure. 

Smokie's hit records in the 1970's were all penned by the boy from Brisbane, Mike Chapman. Last night we played the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, a beautiful concert hall with an impressively clear sound. The compliments regarding the CD quality of the sound were given generously as we signed autographs at the end of the show. On this tour we are seeing good audience numbers in the cities as well as out in the country. Word is spreading rapidly that Smokie are planning a return visit and everybody wants us back. 

A search for Maryborough on the Tom Tom GPS comes up with about 8 results. Luckily the particular Maryborough we wanted was in a straight line down The Bruce Highway on the way to Brisbane. The audience had no trouble finding us or in enjoying a rip-roaring Saturday night with Smokie at the impressive Brolga Theatre. Heavy rain is washing us down country like a spider down the plughole, but nothing can dampen the spirits on this inspiring Ozzie Tour. I am making a list of all the places where people said we should have played whilst here. There could be a long tour next year if we go everywhere people have suggested. 

It was Prom Night across Australia today with street celebrations around the country, roads closed for processions and a multitude of ball gowns visible. Regardless of this, Smokie played at The Entertainment Centre in Gladstone and drew a big and enthusiastic crowd. There was much surprise that we had made it to a location where few bands tour, especially international ones. We are known for taking our show in to country locations and meeting the people there. It is part of what we do and it gives us pleasure to feel the appreciation of people we socialise with after the show. Tomorrow we move further down the coast to Maryborough. 

Another full house greeted us at The Pilbeam Theatre in Rockhampton. Our last gig here was four years ago when we played at a Rodeo stadium. Last night was more intimate and connected us magnificently with our fans both new and established. The 3-CD collection continues to be extremely popular and many people are now waiting for news of the release of “Take a minute” so they may catch up with all the Smokie material which has been recorded to date. There is a general feeling amongst the band that the tour is slipping by very fast now. Last night we spent time together over a barbecue - our last chance to relax on this tour. Things get very hectic from now on. The next break is from 13^th to 16^th December when I plan to make Christmas preparations for the family. It’s been an exciting year and there’s plenty more of it to go yet. 

A crowd of around 1,300 thronged The Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, taking their time to be seated before the scheduled 8.00 p.m. start. It was all very relaxed, yet it heralded the start of the best of the Australian shows to date. The magnificent venue housed two large screens to help the audience at the back of the hall get a good view of the band. Before going onstage we were treated to the news that we are now at Number 5 in The Australian Country Charts and that the record company are now going to indulge in a priority promotion to push the sales a little further. This will be good news for when “Take a minute” gets released, which could be within a couple of months of our departure from Australia. Also the album’s release will help us to set up the next Australian tour, which is planned for November next year.  The Ozzies have shown us that they are really happy to have Smokie back, and they want us here more regularly. Apparently last night’s turnout was the best that Mackay has seen for a very long time. A long signing session followed after the gig and the complements ran thick and fast. How much better can things get? 

A full house greeted us at The Civic Theatre in Cairns on this Sunday night. I wondered how a Cairns audience would react with the prospect of a new working week looming. The show was at 7.30 to allow for an earlier finish. The theatre greatly resembled The Corn Exchange in Kings Lynn with its constantly tiered seating, giving the impression of looking up a ski slope full of people. I made a bad choice of how to get on stage, causing me to crawl around wires and through dark areas to reach the keyboard - all of this in view of the audience. The show starts with a blackout during which I walk on to play the first strains of "I'll meet you at midnight" - acoustic version. Having not really absorbed the layout I took a wrong turn and, instead of walking directly to the keyboard, I took a circuitous route, crablike, as I approached. There were chuckles in the audience and I wondered whether I might use this technique again to add humour to the event. Maybe not, but the crowd were certainly able to enjoy the lighthearted moments, of which there were many. 

I have spent so much of my time here in Darwin just looking and marvelling at my surroundings. The smells are just wonderful in this tropical paradise. Of course, I had to see some crocodiles whilst here, and they were admirably showcased at Crocosaurus on Mitchell Street, just a few yards from the hotel. I saw adult and baby crocs being fed as well as some intriguing fish which spit a ball of water in the air with pinpoint accuracy. In the wild this technique is used to catch insects which then fall to the water's surface to be eaten by the fish, while in captivity there is a more amusing side-effect to this talent which is that the fish spits at shiny objects like jewellery and eyes. Just looking down at the water can earn you the privilege of being spat at by one of these amazing creatures. There were also rays, sawfish (very dangerous) and barracudas. Meanwhile in the reptile house some of the snakes and lizards were putting on a show for the camera. One crocodile, named Burt, was a bit of a filmstar and lady lover, notably in Crocodile Dundee when he grabs hold of Linda Kowolski's water bottle and tries to drag her in the river. 

I have walked my feet off today, visiting just about every street in Darwin as well as the harbour and Cullen Bay and Fannie Bay. The place is teeming with bird life and the parks are vividly green and fragrant. There was an impressive thunderstorm at 5.00 a.m. today and I expect there will be another one at a similar time tomorrow to clear the air and keep the lush gardens well watered. It really is a tropical paradise. 

Picture a white sandy beach, blazing hot sunshine and a clear blue sea. It would make the perfect holiday destination. However, Smokie were here to fill the Queens Park Theatre, something we could easily have done twice over. The standing ovation at the end of the show is something rarely seen at this venue, so we are told. They want us back and soon. Perhaps we should start to plan next year's tour now. I think the Ozzies have been starved of Smokie music for long enough and now is the time to start cementing our relationship with these wonderful people. We move on to Darwin, this being our first visit to that enchanting part of Australia. Tomorrow is a day off, so I shall see what I can find and maybe take a camera with me to capture some of those precious moments. 

Free time - what a pleasure. And there's no shortage of things to do in Perth, especially when it's baking hot. I've done a few of the tourist things the last couple of times here so I settled for just ambling around, eating and drinking when I felt the urge and flying a kite on the green next to Riverside Drive. I just happen to have a model which fits into the pocket. I didn't expect much from the kite and was pleasantly surprised when it caught the breeze and went sailing upwards and hung there. Just so it didn't blow away I tied it to my bag and left it for a while. It was effortless and fun and a total contrast to what happens on a touring day. That's what days off are all about. 

If something is worth doing it's worth doing twice, so we returned to The Regal Theatre in Subiaco for a second night, as did some of the audience. No two performances are exactly the same and no two audiences behave the same as on the previous night. One thing is for sure - the live performance is growing and maturing as the tour progresses. A small adjustment has been made in that we no longer play the electric version of "I'll meet you at midnight", having opened with the acoustic version. Although these two versions are completely different they are, after all, an interpretation of the same song. Having no support band has really paid off and the audience feel they are getting a really good airing of Smokie songs old and new, established and unfamiliar, in a set which keeps the highs to the maximum. 

In the last couple of days I have really got to know Mandurah very well. I have walked the length and breadth of it and become acquainted to its restaurants and shops and to all the great people who I have met, some of whom have come running after me for autographs. I have even booked my breakfast this morning - an appointment which I think I had better keep. 

Bunbury has often been the starting point for a Western Australia tour and last night proved that there is no better place to break the ice. This time a few things are different. For a start we played to a full house in an area where people were well aware of the gig. We've had proper advertising on this tour and it is translating into very good sales figures. Also our appearance on "Sunrise" has raised the awareness of our presence in this fabulous country. There's a lot to be said for doing it ourselves. 

After two days of nearly non-stop talking to all the radio stations, including broadcasts during The Melbourne Cup, and an early-morning appearance on "Sunrise", we are ready to put on a show for the Australian public. The reaction from everyone we have met and talked to so far is so enthusiastic that we can draw great encouragement from our very positive responses. It remains to transfer from Sydney to Perth and put ourselves in position for the first show in Bunbury. Thanks to Vodafone we are fully equipped with 3G broadband so we may stay in touch wherever we are and keep you informed of how things are going. No need to rely on expensive hotel WiFi networks. This is real freedom to roam. Or is it walkabout?

It's only 10 days since I last passed through Dubai on my way to The Equator, yet here I go again. There is a very hectic promotional schedule awaiting Smokie once we land in Sydney which will keep us fully occupied up until we board the flight for Perth and the start of the Ozzie Tour. At least it keeps us from wondering how to fill our time. I know which films I shall watch on Emirates because I chose them last week. And I very much look forward to my hour and a half sleep on the way to the Antipodes. 

The festival tent at Zachariasbryggen was full to bursting, the temperature inside being around 25 degrees warmer than the icy outside after Bergen's first snowfall of Autumn. It was a typically young and mostly female audience, as we have come to expect in Norway. Fresh from our appearance on national TV, we received a great reception to all new material from "Take a minute". The afternoon rehearsal put the finishing touches to the planned Wild Horses Medley for Australia. Now we are fully prepared for a schedule which sees us on the road for most days between now and Christmas. It only remains to prepare "Celtic Days" for the three Irish gigs in December. It's a joy to have new material, especially when it goes down so well. 

After an early start we joined TV2 for the breakfast show, performing "Sally" and "Lay back in the arms of someone". Later in the day there was a full rehearsal for the acoustic part of the Australian tour just to brush up some of the songs we had performed on previous UK tours. There will indeed be an expose of some of the Nashville songs in our first set as well as a taster of the album which is yet to be released in Oz, i.e. "Take a minute". 

We just dropped down to Singapore for two days and a quick gig for a Russian corporation. When we asked "Why did you hold it in Singapore?" the reply came "Why not?". So, it was a night of dinner and entertainment, dancers and music. It's a good job we weren't asked to dance as I think we might have lost our appeal. However, we were on to a sure-fire success with a house full of Russians. Needless to say the photos were plentiful after the show, as well as during. Maybe the next Russian invitation could be in Las Vegas, or am I just using my imagination? 

I have it on good authority (thanks to Bev) that Sanity Music released the above album on 8th October and I can confirm this because I took a look at their website. The track listing is as previously mentioned. It's good to have "Wild Horses" - the Nashville collection, included as one of the 3 CDs on offer since Australia is so well geared to country music. Perhaps there might be a little taster of this album in the tour set list, which has yet to be finalised. Our main priority is to give the audience the songs they know and love so well. 

Central Station release the 3-CD hits album on Monday 18th October. Some people asked what the track listing would be, and here it is: 

A select audience filled the newly created Zwick in Hamburg from floor to ceiling. The venue has a similar ethos to Hard Rock Cafes and is adorned with rock memorabilia, guitars and character photos. It has only been open for two weeks. Last night was an opportunity to create a special event and put live music into the “rocking pub” at the same time.

“Take a minute” is due for release in Germany on Friday 15^th October. The early indications are that the album will be very popular in this country. Our 90-second commercial was available to watch and it shows the band in the finest way, doing what we do best with good humour. It’s good to have such a positive response towards the album and it was particularly rewarding to experience such a warm reception at our promotional gig. We have live gigs to look forward to in Germany at the beginning of December. In the meantime I shall watch with interest to see how the album is doing while working on the other side of the planet. 

October is largely reserved for promotion and time is precious before I take the trip to Australia. Consequently I am unable to add another track to "The Code Within" at this stage. I had hoped to finish two tracks before the end of the year. However, the time limit is not set in stone and it is only pure inspiration which will result in the completion of another piece of music. It will be worth the wait, that much I can promise. 

I can confirm that Smokie will play a short promotional gig in Hamburg on Tuesday 12th October. The set will feature 3 or 4 songs from "Take a minute" scattered amongst other classic songs. The venue is Rockin' Restaurant Zwick, Mittelweg 121b, D-20148 Hamburg, ph: 040 44 32 67. Come along if you would like to be there for the first airing of songs like "Sally" and "If I can't love you". 

The 4th October rings bells for me in a very significant way, for it was on that date in 1986 that I ventured to The Batley Frontier to watch a band called Smokie. Less than two years later I became part of the outfit. And the rest, as they say, is history. 

It was in a studio in Leeds where Smokie met our camera crew and record company executive to set about making a 90-second commercial for German television. The reaction in Germany has been overwhelming and "Take a minute" looks like being the album everybody has waited for. There is talk of a promotional gig in Hamburg, on 14th October, to advertise the album's release one day later. One thing is for sure, the Germans love Sally and all the other commercial songs from the new album. 

Our audience at The Palace of Culture Oficerov treated us like old friends. They were so much into the gig that they clapped relentlessly at the end of each song. We had to wait for the applause to die down before we could continue. That is unusual in Russia where crowds are more noted for their restraint. It made our final gig in Russia a big pleasure and leaves us with a warm glow at the end of our grueling tour. It is testimony to the determination of my colleagues that we have kept all the gigs to a very high standard regardless of illness and exhaustion. “The show must go on” is our motto, and we live it every day. There’s no time to let the grass grow under our feet as we have urgent business in the Leeds area on Wednesday. For me that means a very brief visit home to pick up fresh clothing before flying, once again, in a southerly direction. I shall keep you posted. 

Somebody had to be first, and this time it was the Russians who were the first to hear new material. At an intimate venue known as “Fires of Ufa” we treated the audience to the live version of “Take a minute” and it made a big impression. After the show we adjourned to a Scottlish theme pub known as McHighlander. I managed to find an item called “Loch Ness Monster” on the menu, so that’s what I had. Apologies to Nessie, of course.

Rehearsals are going well for other songs in the new set. The band are due to record a video of “Sally” for German TV on Wednesday 29^th September in Yorkshire. Promotion runs through October until our visit to Singapore on 19^th. That’s a long way to go for one gig, but it’s what we have been doing for the past week, so it is nothing unusual. Our final leg of the Russian tour starts tomorrow with a massive journey to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy followed by an even more massive journey home on Monday. And somewhere in the middle of all the travel is a gig. I knew there was a reason why I will be going so far!

After a gruelling 21-hour journey to Vladivostok from St Petersburg via Moscow we hit the stage at 8.30 this evening. A sizeable crowd was awaiting us and they were hungry for Smokie music. Radio interviews for the Australia tour came in during the afternoon, mostly as we drove through heavy traffic to reach the hotel. It is useful that we are currently in a similar time zone to Oz - in fact, slightly ahead as we are now 10 hours ahead of BST. 

DK Lensoveta, the venue in St Petersburg, blends in with its surroundings perfectly. It is hard to imagine that behind the main street there is an 1,800-seater venue. However, it is there and it was full last night. Our crowd in St Petersburg gave us a rapturous welcome and were reluctant to let us go. We moved to the Rock Club afterwards to meet some of our most ardent fans. It was a heartwarming start to a very arduous tour which will see us criss-crossing Russia in the usual time-consuming way, passing through many time zones in a way that confuses the biorhythms until we don’t know which way is up. We really get to see this country when we visit. From west to east we travel, back again, then back twice more in 6 days. It’s far quicker to just fly to Australia, which we will be doing very soon. Keep it warm for us, you Aussies. 

October is not as busy as it had been planned. The majority of it is now reserved for promotion of "Take a minute", leaving little room for live gigs. This is a disappointment to many in Scandinavia, I realise, but I believe the long term effect will be more gigs in this region. Fans have always requested new material. Now we have it and we need to promote it so that others are aware of the new songs. As usual I ask for your patience and be assured that Smokie will come your way in good time. 

A few years ago I started writing a book which was to be called "Who is Alice anyway?". Having sketched out all the chapters and started to fill in some of the details, my computer failed completely and all the data was irretrievable. 

I have had the great pleasure of going on a skid control course at Knockhill Racing Circuit in Kinross last week. The skidding part is easy as the cars feature nearly bald tyres which are pumped up to 100 psi and the course is continually hosed down to keep it wet. The tricky part is keeping control, but it is a great deal of fun. Having mastered both the front and rear wheel drive cars I had a go at emergency stops with and without ABS and also with an obstacle on the course (imagined to be a pedestrian who I had to avoid killing in the process). The real climax of the day was when my course instructor tried one final demonstration and ended up crashing, at high speed, into the barriers at the end of the runway. The car could not be rescued without a tow truck. It was a "big finish" (a bit like Smokie's encore) and I wondered whether my instructor was going to ask me to have a go at "crashing". 

The roar from the crowd was mighty as Smokie hit the stage last night. Our general absence from the Danish festivals for a short period coupled with the latest news that we have reached No 1 in the TDC download chart together contributed to creating a potent mix of anticipation and excitement. It was a big finish to the summer season and we went out on a high. Now we take a break during which time there will be rehearsals for the new set in the autumn. Thank you to everyone who has made "Take a minute" so successful. Smokie will be back soon. Just keep an eye on those tour dates. 

I walked, at speed, along a sunny Ebeltoft Strand as I contemplated another piece of good news which is that "Take a minute" has been chosen as Radio 2's album of the week for next week. One good feeling leads to another and our gig at Grena's camping ground had a special feel-good factor. Smokie were the only band playing, there being no support last night, so we had the undivided attention of a happy crowd who seemed to savour every moment of this final summer weekend performance. Several copies of the album were flashed in front of us and we received the undisputed "thumbs up" from everyone who had heard tracks. The whole day felt lucky and inspirational, a fact which cheerily contradicted the superstitious belief about Friday 13th. Long may the good luck continue. 

Not only was "Take a minute" released one week early, on 9th August, but it has already reached No 3 in the iTunes download chart as well as being No 10 in the physical sales chart. This is staggering news considering the fact that this type of accolade is usually reserved for younger, trendier bands than Smokie. Clearly the strong songs have made an impression over here in Denmark and radio play listings include not just the release track "Sally" but also other ones as well such as "Take a minute" and "If I can't love you". In Germany a favourite track for release and promotion is "Nothing hurts like a broken heart" which is due to be the band's next rehearsal song. We are on schedule to perform three songs from the album during our October Scandinavian promotion. Other tracks may follow, depending on each country's choices for radio play. 

I am inside the Arctic Circle again for the final Norwegian summer event in Tromso, the Olfestivalen (Ale Festival). Tromso has been dubbed "the Paris of the North". Until this afternoon it was shrouded in thick cloud which has now lifted, giving rise to a possible opportunity to witness the Aurora Borealis. Smokie have created some special effects of our own tonight, particularly amongst this very animated crowd who seemed to give everything they had for this final summer celebration. The gig was right on the harbour in the middle of town, a beautiful location with its backdrop of mountains. It's a familiar sight for we were here just four years ago. Next year's diary is likely to include more Norwegian dates than this year. I never tire of looking at stunning scenery, so I shall be more than happy to oblige. Enjoy the last few days of summer, Norway, and we will return in October. 

While there is still plenty of daylight and the holidays are drawing to a close the Norwegians are making the most of the festival days. The Gressvik Summer Party was packed to bursting and the crowd were in the best mood for partying. That's lucky for Smokie as it is what we do best. With just one week to go before the break we have some more celebrating to do before we hang up our gig pants. With so many great gigs behind us this year it might take a little while to slow down. The end of the year, as the tour dates show, is set to be very busy. How lucky we are to still fill our diary each year with such varied locations. 

The little village of Treungen in Norway (population 700) hosted the Treungenfestivalen, an event which has been repeated every year since 2002 and has grown steadily since its inception. Smokie last played it in 2007 and I have noticed a difference in the scale of the event since our last appearance. A perfect sound was witnessed by a record-breaking crowd who were totally immersed in everything we had to offer. It corresponded to the exact formula which constitutes the ideal festival night. Even the stars in the sky played along to help create a memorable evening. If only summer would last another three months!

From the stage some of the audience looked like tiny specks on the horizon. I expect the band must have looked the same from their perspective. The bulk of the audience occupied relatively flat ground around Grundlsee but many more were strewn around the side of the mountain and amongst the trees high above the stage. It was the annual festival held by the Austrian band Seer, and Smokie were special guests. A day of very fine weather was followed by a great evening of entertainment of which it was our pleasure to be a part. This had to be one of the most stunning backdrops to a gig ever performed by ourselves, and we have surely had many contenders in our career. For beauty alone Austria is worth a visit and, when you throw in a gig of this calibre, it is an evening as rare as platinum.

For those of you out there with iPods and other associated products you might wish to know that there is now a dedicated "Smokie App" online from today. It features a jukebox, videos, news and band information. Now you can carry us around in your pocket as a sort of Smokie Lite. If you don't already own an iPod this is a good reason to acquire one. 

There is nothing more gratifying for a band than the sight of an enthusiastic and large festival crowd. Their energy helps to drive the band and encourages us to reach a peak which would otherwise be hard to achieve. The feeling grows as the show progresses and reaches a climax near to the end of the performance. Such a feeling was prevalent last night in Emmendingen where Smokie bade our farewells to our German fans until the end of the year. It’s always a little sad to leave except for the fact that our experiences will be similar in other territories so that, for us, it is an ongoing situation of “hallo’s” and “goodbye’s”. It’s not a good notion to become too attached as an entertainer yet it is hard not to do so. That is the quandary we all face. In an uncertain world it is good to know that one thing is always there to compensate us, and that is the pleasure that is derived from entertaining others. 

It was a massive relief to go on stage last night and play a full set as well as take the opportunity to introduce "Take a minute" to the audience. The setting at Brombachsee was beautiful and the audience were with us all the way. The sky has now cleared and the thunderstorms of recent days have stopped raging and venting their fury. All is quiet and peaceful in the pretty village of Herrieden from where we begin our journey for the last of these German shows of the summer of 2010. 

Flying into Berlin Tegel is a familiar experience for I have done it very many times before, but I have never had the pleasure of playing a gig at Berlin Templehof, the old city airport, before last night. Templehof holds many dear memories and it felt strange to see it in these circumstances. An audience of 11,000 people filled the inside of Hangar 4 and much of the outside as well. They were treated to a show which featured a huge line-up of bands; so huge, in fact, that each band's playing time was short and Smokie ended up playing for 20 minutes towards the end of the night. Of course, a short show can be a very succinct statement of the band's repertoire yet it is merely a warming-up period during which the players settle in. However, the crowd were well into what we had to offer and seemed to accept the format. It was unusual to drive away from this massive monument to the past without a boarding pass or suitcase in sight. How things change!

The town of Burghausen, near the Austrian border in the south, is one of the most charming in Germany. Described by Wilhelm Hausenstein as "beautiful like a fairytale", it is home to Europe's longest castle. The high temperature yesterday also made it the perfect holiday destination. A holiday would be nice, but I was here to entertain. As the evening approached so did the storm clouds and an impressive thunderstorm heralded Smokie's departure for the gig in Neuotting. If you have ever seen the Hammer House of Horror Dracula films you will know that the lightning effects were so frequent that it seemed like the lighting man was being paid for each strike. Lightning is just not like that in reality - or is it? It certainly was last night and had five grown men looking starry-eyed at the amazing spectacle. Everything else was forgotten temporarily as we ploughed through newly-formed rivers in the road while keenly watching the sky. 

With less than one month to go before the Scandinavian release of "Take a minute" there is much excitement about this new album. If you haven't already caught the trailer here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir36N7OD96c

OK, that's a corny title, but the thunderstorms brought havoc to Seewen in Switzerland, the location for last night's gig. The rain deluged and invaded the stage in a way which echoes the dripping scenes from Scotland's recent T in the Park. But who needs good weather? As long as the band are up for it (we were) and the audience are still present and enthusiastic (they were) there is no problem. It was, in fact, an excellent night in a beautiful setting. It was good to be back in Switzerland again and get a chance to catch up with some of the fans who see us more occasionally than others. In reality every night is a good night and each one has its own unique story. There may be much to tell this week as we embark on a 4-day German tour. Just watch this space.

We may as well have been in Nashville, Tennessee. However, we were actually in Newark amongst the most devoted of country music fans. The atmosphere was mellow and the mood was laid back. There was no need to book the best seats as everyone brought their own which they were encouraged to abandon in favour of standing up. I think we brought a party element to this festival. It was clear we had made a good impression as we were invited back to this and other country festivals next year. How can we refuse such a sincere offer? The way to book Smokie is to confirm a date for next year as soon as possible before someone else does. The warm dry day ended perfectly with a smile on all faces. We are sure to see more of England in these circumstances particularly because it was the promoter's idea to book us many times before. This was surely his year and it was a pleasure to bring realisation to his plan. Thank you to all our fans old and new. We will be back. Now, where's my stetson!

When the Irish are really getting into a gig they stand on chairs, tables, the bar and even each other. Last night's crowd at The Abbey Hotel were in full climbing mode and more than adequately displayed their vocal abilities. It was possibly a relief to come in from the driving rain for a while and get wet on the inside for contrast. One party leads to another and nobody wishes to leave once they have reached the point of no return. The building was still trembling from the disco well into the small hours and the last to leave could well have stayed for breakfast (a well-known hangover cure if there is sufficient fat). Time has no relevance here so it is best to just go with the flow. And what a flow it is. Fun from beginning to end. 

When we are having a really good time we just don’t want it to end. Since there is no end to the daylight in Northern Norway at this time of year it is quite possible to keep the party going. It’s hard to leave but we must always move on. We arrived at Sjovegan by boat and departed in the same way, waving to a massive crowd of happy people. I must have said “goodbye” a hundred times yet there were still more folks who emerged from somewhere to have that last photo taken. Happiness breeds more happiness until the mood more accurately reflects ecstasy. This was a night to rank amongst the favourites for 2010. Every gig is different and each one has some defining feature which makes it memorable. As I look out on sun-drenched snowy mountains I fix that image in my mind. It’s a happy memory. We shall return as sure as the sun will rise and set. Even if good things must come to an end there is nothing to stop them starting again some time in the future. Such is the cyclical nature of music on tour. 

It's not suitable for children, but we filmed the landing in the Citation 3 at Stuttgart last Saturday. The video clip may be found by going to www.youtube.com and typing in psollitt and selecting the Citation 3 movie. It's good for a giggle!

How to give maximum value to your fans - just appear in two countries in one day. Now imagine a time when this is possible not just between countries but between planets and we are really ready to rock. Smokie kicked off the afternoon at the festival which changed its name from Glam Rock to Oldies in Esbjerg, Denmark. The audience were fresh and lively and ready for a long evening of entertainment. Our own visit was necessarily short as we took the call from our pilot, Michael of North Flying, that he was ready to go if we were. Our chartered Cessna Citation 3 made hast to Stuttgart Airport where our driver was waiting on the tarmac. A short drive later we had a couple of hours to freshen up before hitting the open air stage in Mossingen where the audience had already been thoroughly entertained by various bands. Another keen crowd made the whole day seem effortless and fun. A hot summer's day helped to keep the mood mellow yet the cooler evening brought on a new surge of energy from our listeners. I just wish that summer could last a bit longer.

The setting was unusual, being placed adjacent to a gas station. When it comes to creating a magical atmosphere there are no rules as to where to place a gig for it is the people who make the night special. I shouldn’t be surprised by anything that happens in this business after so many years but sometimes I still am. As I looked out to the audience I saw very many young people showing their absolute enjoyment and familiarity with Smokie music. As the final notes faded the sky exploded with fireworks, a sight which caused very much surprise considering our proximity to all that fuel. It was in all ways an explosive night which continued into the small hours with a very long signing session. When do we return to The Czech Republic? We can never be sure to answer this question from avid fans who will surely count the days until our return, but there may yet be answers nobody anticipated. I think we need more than 365 days in a year. 

It was a hot and sultry evening in Vyrava where the gig was tented from above for cover and open at the sides for fresh air. Predicted thunderstorms have not yet occurred but they are on the menu today. The audience were with us every step of the way and the show seemed to pass in a flash. Time has a curious way of speeding up when we enjoy ourselves but then it is, as I recently pointed out, an illusory parameter. I would love to be able to bottle some of this fantastic energy we all create by performing music to a happy crowd. For sure there would no longer be any energy crisis on Earth. 

Various titles for Smokie's forthcoming album were put forward, one of which, "Take a minute" has been chosen. "Take a minute" is one of the twelve tracks and it has been picked because it aptly summarises the mood of the album, for it is very informal. The album is due for a staggered release, beginning with the Scandinavian territories at the end of August. Australia, in the meantime, has scheduled a greatest hits collection before the release of the new album. A proposed tour of South Africa early next year will most likely follow the release of "Take a minute". European territories will see a release in combination with the band's tour schedule. With the right focus from distributors you could well see copies of this album in your local store, and that would be a welcome change. 

A veritable flotilla of boats from Nuuq arrived in Maniitsoq Harbour in readiness for the Smokie gig. Crowds thronged the streets and filled the Sports Hall. There is no time relevance in this little place due to the prolonged daylight hours so that whole families are still outside in their gardens after midnight. The meager PA system struggled to fill the hall with sound yet the noise from the audience more than made up for any decibel deficit. All the excitement of Nuuq in 1997 came flooding back as fans requested multiple signatures on items of clothing, body parts and any scraps of paper they could find. Smokie do not pass this way often so every photo opportunity had to be taken. It has been a hugely memorable excursion to Greenland and one I would love to repeat in future for very many reasons. 

The air in Maniitsoq is very clean and pure and the light quality is the best to be found anywhere on Earth. This makes good photography an easy task. I am just outside the Arctic Circle at around 65 degrees and 20 minutes. I was awoken early by sunlight which beckoned me to get up and get moving, which I did at 5 o'clock. That's not an unusual time in this business since I am often at an airport at that time but today was different for I didn't need to go anywhere, so it was a pleasure to do so voluntarily. I met several Greenlanders in the early hours, all of whom were friendly and some of whom are due to attend tonight's concert. I feel already that there is going to be a very vocal and enthusiastic support for the band since everyone I have met has registered their excitement at our appearance here in Maniitsoq. The audience will mostly arrive by boat because that is the main mode of transport here. I think the harbour will be rather full. I feel that I know this village and its boating community rather well after the whale-watching excursion last night. The whales were happy to come out to play and be photographed as well as seals and bird colonies. The boat trip was a very beautiful experience in so many ways and set an ecstatic mood for today with all its adventure and variety. Greenland is a great place to stay awake as long as possible for I don't wish to miss a moment that this intriguing country has to offer. 

Although Maniitsoq is not the easiest place to get to, it's not the hardest either, and what a great view I had on the way. A night in Copenhagen was followed by the only flight in to Greenland this morning. I remember Kangerlussuaq well and it hasn't changed a bit in the last 13 years. There is no security, for it is possible to walk off the street and straight on to the tarmac without being challenged. All passengers wait patiently in the same general area which is open to the public in a very informal way. The DASH 7 still has an area at the front of the plane without seats and in which it is possible to store all manner of merchandise, making it a sort of scheduled flight with cargo included. The mood here is very laid back and the only hotel in town is constantly besieged by autograph-hunting youngsters with big smiles on their faces. 

A full house greeted Smokie at Waldbuhne Schwarzenberg and the crowd were on top form. It takes a good 12,000 bodies to fill this venue and the view from the stage was terrific. It was good to catch up with Nazareth again. They also have a very hectic tour schedule and we tend to meet up in the most surprising parts of the globe. Our own tour schedule starts to expand as we approach the summer months and take on the more ambitious of our travel agendas. No corner of the earth is out-of-bounds to us, so expect to see us in a big variety of places this year. 

If Freddie Cream was alive today he would probably be a rock and roller. Otherwise known as Bedrich Smetana, he was one of The Czech Republic’s most well-known composers. I have played some of his melodies during my training as a classical pianist. Today I was very kindly given a copy of his work “Ma vlast”, or “My Country” with the comment that some of my “Loch Ness Enigmas” is in a similar style. That is praise indeed. Then I was asked, in an interview, about my new project “The Code Within” which is so hot off the press that I am amazed that it is already known of in this far-off land. Such is the power of the internet.

But last night’s icing on the cake came in the form of a full house in the voluminous Zimni Stadion in Trebic. It has to rank as the hottest gig Smokie have ever played in an ice hockey arena. It marks the end of this mini tour yet it was the only show we performed in The Czech Republic this month. We will return in June, as you can see from the tour dates. Good news came to us as we heard that our flights are due to depart much earlier on Sunday, which gives me a chance to get home on the same day that I shall depart, albeit 18 hours later. So it’s another early start for Smokie but a welcome return home after a hectic few weeks. Perhaps there will be some more final mixes of album tracks waiting for us. I do believe our Producer has been hard at work in our absence. 

In a state of stress you can achieve a few things and be partially fulfilled, while in a state of relaxation you can achieve more than you imagined and be totally satisfied. You have the choice.

It shouldn't be hard to find the Garmin Arena since Garmin was the originator of Satellite Navigation. However, GPS wasn't needed last night as my hotel was next door to the venue. I am getting a very real impression of just how popular ice hockey is over here because most of the venues are ice hockey stadiums (or is it "stadia", a Latin plural). Also I was woken recently by a message on my television which invited me to the lobby to watch an ice hockey game. It was a really nice invitation, but sometimes a little rest can go a long way to reviving flagging energy, especially after recent journeys. I hardly need to tell you that the audience last night gave Smokie a welcome which was many degrees warmer than the ambient temperature. It has been a very successful and rewarding three-day mini tour of Slovakia which has created many new and happy memories. I hope we will soon return this way.

A sizeable and enthusiastic crowd helped to mop up some of the enormous reverb which permeated the Mestska Sportova Hala in Nitra. The venue is mostly suited to sporting activities and has no facilities to muffle the strains of loud music when it hosts an evening of musical entertainment. However, this did nothing to dampen the spirits of those who had turned up to see the band who are responsible for some of the most enduring tunes from Slovakia's past. It was a great night and it left many of us in party mood long after the echos finally faded. 

Our records show that Smokie's last appearance in Slovakia was in 1983. This is quite some period of absence and has created a hunger for live performances by the band, which translated to a very well received show at Sportova Hala Pasiensky in Bratislava last night. It was a great pleasure to finally bring our music to this country and find such a warm welcome from its people. It's my wish that there will be more shows in Slovakia as a result of these three events and perhaps that will happen. I can certainly say that we are pushing all the right buttons. 

I was aware that journeys could get pretty interesting in these volcanic times and yesterday certainly gave me the opportunity to visit parts of the UK which surprised me. As I left Inverness I thought I was on my way to Aberdeen, but it was not to be. My new routing took me 600 miles south to Stansted Airport where Smokie's last chance to reach Bratislava awaited in the form of a 06:30 Ryanair departure this morning. As luck would have it the flight made its destination and everyone is in place for tonight's show. The return journey is equally interesting for me and takes me back via Yorkshire, where my car is now parked. It's reassuring to find that there are now more lenient restrictions on flying through ash and also the news that the cloud is disappearing over the UK. Still, these are exciting times and serve to remind us that the Earth will have the final say when it comes to planning excursions. We are only visitors to this wonderful planet and, as such, should be prepared for all it has to offer. 

The setting for last night's gig was the glittering Bamboo Mamaia, where Florin was celebrating his 50th birthday, along with several invited guests. It was hot and steamy under the big top but that didn't prevent the audience from getting on their feet and showing us that they were there to enjoy themselves. The room was adorned with variously designed sofas on raised flooring and there was a long catwalk which came in handy for wireless guitar solos and general meandering. My next stop is Slovakia, after a very brief call at home to do some laundry and keep the dogs company. You see, there is normality in my life - it's not all rock and roll!

Time is merely an illusion, the variables of which are entirely created by the individual

There is a certain mystery to the whole travel experience now and this brings uncertainty into the equation as well as turning tour schedules upside down. I can say that the band was lucky enough to all be in Spain for a tremendous gig at Sohail Castle, Fuengirola last night. Because the whole evening was organised by Danish promoters there was a very Scandinavian feel to the evening. The castle was beautifully floodlit, creating a stunning backdrop to a perfect evening. The tricky bit came on the homeward journey when the ash cloud again made its move, causing us to be delayed several hours and eventually take a circuitous route via Portugal to give a wide berth to the obstacle. I have noticed that my fellow travellers (some of them) have developed a fatalistic view of travel and, like me, greatly lowered their expectations regarding where they will finally land. Anywhere on the mainland will now do, as long as it can be reached. As I write I am a long way from home but I have a good chance of arriving there today. The fun starts again, of course, on Thursday when it's my turn to take a trip to Bucharest. I shall keep smiling and stay happy and hope that the fire god looks kindly on me. On a final note, I did meet a young lady from Iceland last night who seemed apologetic at what the volcano from her country is doing to the travel world. I should add that we are only on the receiving end of the remnants rather than being in the direct path of the lava flow and full force of the blasts, so we are surely the lucky ones. It's all in a day's travel for the likes of Smokie and I expect there will be more to say on the subject before too long.

Today marks the real start of the project titled "The Code Within". The first track, titled "Cosmic Field" is now uploaded to tune stores globally, not just iTunes Europe and Amazon MP3. But the real puzzle is the artwork, which represents one-ninth of the overall picture. The whole picture will be apparent once all 9 tracks have been downloaded and, as a special service to those who have followed the series, I plan to make available a limited number of complete pieces of signed artwork. 

I have just embarked on an exciting new project titled "The Code Within". This will be an album of 9 tracks, recorded over possibly a 2-year period (ending in 2012) and uploaded individually with 9 pieces of artwork. When all 9 are placed together the whole picture will emerge. This puzzle will create one beautiful finished image. The music is meditational and the first track, "Cosmic Field" will soon be uploaded for your enjoyment. The creation of such music takes me on a very different journey to that which I experience from within Smokie. It's an individual undertaking yet it speaks to very many people on different levels. As new ideas arise in connection with this project I shall keep you informed. 

For a different viewpoint on the recent Icelandic volcanic eruption take a look at the following link and click on "Iceland's dreadful revenge on the world". It's written by David Bullard who ain't heavy, but he is my brother.

Soaking up the reverb - that's what it's all about. If you get a big enough audience into the old and echoey City Hall you have the recipe for a good sound. Well, we had exactly that on Saturday night, our last night of the tour. It was, without doubt, our best appearance at this venue and was driven along by a very keen audience. The tour has been a feast of 7 excellent shows delivered to wildly enthusiastic audiences. Next time we pass this way we can be sure that there will be plenty of people waiting for our return. More regular visits to UK venues - that's what we need. Perhaps we will see lots more in future, especially if the volcano seals off all airports. We are, after all, a touring band and it doesn't have to necessarily be by aeroplane. 

The Corn Exchange is an old friend of ours. Several great gigs have taken place there and we always seem to arrive when the sun is shining. A peaceful afternoon is spent taking in the Norfolk air and watching ships and barges pass close by the venue and then we wander to the stage for a relaxed but energetic show. It would look good in a Constable painting. I think the odd haywain on stage would add to the local attraction. I always leave with the feeling that time doesn't matter. That was exactly how I felt when I lived in Suffolk many years ago with its tiny rural communities. We all need a bit of that same attitude from time to time, just to help us draw back from the crazy world and examine what we truly are. Driving away from Kings Lynn is like taking a fast train to the future. Let's go back again - after so great a gig, I'm sure we will!

Not even a blanket of volcanic ash in the ionosphere could smother the enthusiasm of our Halifax audience at The Victoria Theatre. This Yorkshire crowd loved its Yorkshire band and appreciated the comments from stage about our "home county". There was no need to ask "Does anyone speak English here?'. It makes a change for us to be in a place where English is the first language and our humour is totally understood. It was a packed house full of people in party mood. We've not yet been regular visitors to Halifax but I feel that, after this hugely successful night, we could become regulars. Now I hope the ash will settle and allow some of our overseas visitors the opportunity to fly home. We are all in the hands of the elements yet again. 

The overall viewpoint in Rhyl last night was that Smokie need to visit more often because every four years is not enough. I have to say that there was the most stunning sunset out at sea just before we hit the stage, which set a very mellow mood. The audience quickly warmed to us and showed their appreciation. Our future in this part of North Wales is assured, so we only need to pick a suitable date and we will be sure to see many of the same people returning for another happy night with the band. 

You'll not find a warmer reception to Smokie than in England's North East. Darlington's finest turned out to see the band, leaving an unsatisfied demand for tickets which could easily have seen a second night sold out. It was Tuesday (also now known as Micro Friday) yet the reaction was similar to that found at weekends. The Civic Theatre is an old friend of ours because not only does it sound great but it also attracts people with big hearts. Leaving the North East is like temporarily packing away your favourite teddy bear - it's an emotional moment, yet it promises a return to your comfort zone at some time in the near future. Touring is the name of our game, and we are looking towards North Wales as the sun heralds a new day. Is there no end to the variety which colours our fascinating career?

If you are a Facebook user I can fully recommend Holly Uttley's campaign to put Smokie back in the charts. As well as spreading the good will amongst some young Facebook members (my two children included) she has also taken recent photos of the band and producer in The Chairworks Studio, in the process of creating the new album. So just log in and find out just what type of working environment became our home for 12 days. The pool table didn't get much use, of course, but it still needed to be photographed (do you actually believe that?)

The audience brought with them a Spring-like mood which lifted the show from the first note to the last. This was helped, of course, by the magnificent acoustics and layout of The Southport Theatre and Convention Centre. Our regular Smokie fans stated "You guys just get better and better, like a fine wine". Perhaps, like wine, you can't tell when you've had enough. If "less is more" should we be giving less? I don't think so. In our business it is a case of "the more the merrier". I shall stay merry and I hope you will join me (for some more). 

Try reading this with a smile on your face:

A very full auditorium at The Winding Wheel greeted Smokie on our first UK date this year. Fresh from the studio, we were ready to convert some of that recording energy into live action. The result was tremendous and the comments from the audience after the show confirmed their delight. It was a strong start to this mini tour and a confirmation that there is plenty of support for the band in our home country. 

Because there are often twelve tracks on an album I call them the "dirty dozen". Our twelfth and final track is Mike's "This is wot I did", a song which is familiar to all of us. During the recording process today there will be still photos which will be used for the album sleeve. The project is nearly completed and Chief can return to his reservation behind the third teepee on the left. Meanwhile I shall battle gale force winds to put the Land Rover on a north-westerly heading for The Highlands. 

What a strange headline. What can it possibly mean? In a nutshell, we have devoted part of our Easter Sunday to recording Mick's very lovely ballad "'til the grass grows over me", which is also sung by Mick. It has a lightweight guitar and piano backing with no drumbeat but with lyrics which just melt your heart. It's one beautiful song and provides a refreshing contrast to other tracks on the album which concentrate on creating a celebratory mood. There is variety in this new Smokie work and some surprise melodies. All in all, I would say it's very much an album for the fans and for anyone who likes to look on the bright side of life. I look forward to touring some of the songs and finding out what the audience think of our new offering. 

My luck is in, for we have worked so rapidly that I am free to return for a couple of days to Scotland on Monday. This is great news for me and will give me a chance to see my family before turning round again and returning to England on Thursday. Any time spent at home is very precious, so it is very great opportunity at this time. And I think my chocolate supplies will still be waiting for me. Happy Easter to all!

Today felt nothing like the holiday it promised to be for the nation for we again recorded two songs, which were "I don't wanna lose you, baby" and "Unring a bell". With ten songs now in the can we have an Easter weekend of guitar and keyboard overdubs as well as a ballad to record on Sunday, which is only for myself and Mick to create, allowing a weekend off for the remainder of the band. Then Monday sees us recording our final track before reviewing everything on Tuesday and then finally closing the shutters on this most inspiring project. 

Only Mick could bring the real flavour of Ireland to this album and his song "My Celtic Days" is testament to his effort at bringing a very organic taste of the shamrock isle. You can almost smell the Guinness as the beat conjures up memories of music nights in Irish pubs with tables strewn with beer. Smokie has a long and happy association with Ireland and its people, having already collaborated with one of Ireland's best known characters, Tommy Swarbrigg. If you don't feel the urge to sing along with this one, and perhaps try a bit of Riverdance, you are most likely already asleep. 

Could this be the sequel to "Living next door to Alice'? We always wondered what happened to Sally and now we have the chance to find out after recording "Sally" today. The ending is strictly secret until the album release, but I can tell you that she has gone somewhere other than where she lived before. Maybe she caught up with Alice, but we don't know because she didn't say. Are you keen to find out? Watch out for Smokie's new album in your country, the title of which is under discussion at present. Such is the creative process that we cannot be sure of anything until the final pressing. All I can tell you is that there is a great deal of thought going into this recording which, I believe, will be the biggest fan pleaser for many years. 

No, because it's called "The biggest lie". Written by Terry, this song has been given the laid back ballad treatment and has emerged as a very chilled out backing to a fine set of lyrics. Our day begins with a team meeting with Chief in which he lays out his plan for the day's song, then progresses to an acoustic only rehearsal until the format is established. Thereafter the band jam the song until everyone has their part firmly fixed in their head, after which the record button comes into play and a version of the song is committed to hard drive before we break for lunch. The afternoon is devoted to instrument overdubs and backing vocals, while the evening is reserved for any other bits which can enhance the track, e.g. percussion. It's a rapid way to make an album and the recording is well on schedule. In keeping with record company policy no unfinished tracks leave the studio, so there are no monitor mixes available to hear before the album is released. 

Chief has dubbed Monday "Micro Friday" because it is a long way from the weekend, but the idea to party on Friday is not far away. As the week progresses it becomes "Mini Friday" and then finally Friday arrives. If lots of people around the world get that same feeling we could have a real winner with "Let's do it again" which we recorded today. If our world revolves around the weekend and a chance to celebrate we are aligned with a huge number of people in many nations. Making a drinking song on a Monday was like recording the Christmas Album in July - strange but totally possible. I hope all who hear this become totally infatuated with the atmosphere because it is like bottling the essence of a party and letting others share in the result.