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. 

Why record just one song in a day when you can make two? We're developing some speed in operation as a result of getting accustomed to our "live" setup in the studio with which everyone is now comfortable. Today's song list included "Friends will be friends" and "If I can't love you", both of which are capable of causing a shiver of excitement on listening. These are very melodic, simple tunes with great hooks and excellent chord structures. So, where is the three-chord trick? Well, that's tomorrow and it promises to evolve as a real party track, just so long as we can create the impression of a group of people having a really good time. That shouldn't be too difficult because we are. 

Today's highly enjoyable task was to record "Nothing hurts like a broken heart". It's an easy melody which we have Smokiefied and polished, leaving it with a "live' feel and plenty of atmosphere. Work finished early as some of the band were keen to get home to their families, enjoy Saturday night at home, and have a chance to adapt to the changing of the clocks before waking to another challenge in the morning. 

It was always my wish to record an album as a band rather than individually, which has been the usual method since the 1980s. The groove is so much better and the mood is captured in a way which cannot be pinned down when each player goes alone into a cubicle. Our producer, Lars Pedersen, has been a strong motivator in today's session which has resulted in a very pleasing outcome. I believe that this new album will represent Smokie in a way we have never experienced before and could really give new inspiration to fans old and new. The first track is titled "Take a minute" and it sounds very cool. Tonight's homework is already in our in trays so we may be ready to jam the next song and create a similar feelgood factor tomorrow. The sessions finish at 10.00 p.m. and then we make use of a little free time before preparing for the next day. Recording starts in the morning at 10.00 a.m. after a brief business breakfast and a chance to review the day's work. It's a little like having a real job, but a lot more fun!

It's Ladies' Week on the slopes in Grossarl, which suits Smokie very well since most of our music is about girls and relationships. A packed tent was the venue for a very energetic night in the Spring-filled skiing village. There was still enough snow to ski right to the lowest levels and maybe, straight into a local hostelry. But our focus was more on the show which followed the slope activity, and it was a winner. As night slipped away, so did the band in time for an early flight to Zurich and Manchester and an early meeting with our Producer, Lars, who goes by the nickname "The Chief". Tomorrow we wake to a different tune and the start of our album recording. I shall keep you informed on this website, so carry on logging on if you wish to chart our progress.

A cliffhanger travel day ended with a one-hour delay to our onstage time after a GPS system sent the band on a wild goose chase to find the venue. Amazingly all the other factors, like flight connections and baggage transfers, went like clockwork regardless of the short connection in Zurich. That's all part of travel, as you may know, and melts into insignificance when the show starts and our real reason for being in Neumarkt takes preference. The audience had waited a long time, but soon warmed to the band as the hits started to roll out. It was a short and punchy show which put the emphasis on the most well-known songs, only once departing from that agenda to include Diane Warren's song "And the night stood still", from our "Wild Horses" album of 1997. Almost as quickly as we had arrived we were back on the road again to take up position at Nuremberg Airport where the early flight returns me home for a brief period before taking to the road for a gig in Austria, an album recording and a UK tour. Next time I see my home it will be Summer and it could look significantly different to how it was when I left. 

I saw a sign in a tavern in Temple Bar which said "Celebrate St Patrick's Week". So, it's a week now, is it? Well, why not because, after all, it is the cause of massive celebration and, like Christmas, it can lead to extended holidays and the urge to carry on the party. That's pretty much what Smokie do - carry on the party. Our show at The Olympia follows in the tradition which we have now set, which is to have a really good celebration while in Dublin. It is, as you may know, the world epicentre of revelry, so it would be foolish not to join in. I think I spotted a few folks who could do with a couple of days to let their livers dry out before attacking the next pint of Guinness. But it is always with joy and good humour, rarely an angry word, that the Irish extend the party way past the small hours and into the bigger ones. I have no doubt that we will catch sight of a few such people as we make our way to the airport for another country and another gig. It's another reason to smile in a happy country!

Mullingar was festooned with greenery, as was Munich, New York, Sydney and even Beijing on this Paddy’s Day, as I can see in news reports from around the world. In true Spring form the winds picked up in time to blow all the post parade junk around these streets. It also served the purpose of blowing the audience in through the front door of The Greville Arms and safely into the function room where Smokie were ready to keep the party going. Maybe some folks were not planning on being in that place, but the elements have a way of shaping our lives, as we know from this last icy winter.

A select crowd enjoyed an intimate show and it was a superb ending to an action-packed day. When I closed my eyes after the show all I could see was green! 

The Town Hall was a new venue for Smokie, having usually played The Black Box in the past. It is an intimate theatre which oozed a very welcoming atmosphere on this St Patrick's Eve. For us it began a mini Irish tour which sees us returning to some favourite locations. Tomorrow we will be dodging street parties to gain access to our hotel before the revelry takes over completely and seals off all roads. It's a fun game which we play once a year. 

It's always a pleasure to start a show in the early evening, and makes a great contrast to the usual late beginning. The audience at the Congress Centre in Heidenheim were in need of warming up, but this took no time at all as they appreciated the fresh opener to our set with "Desperate Measures". Time just flew for all of us, and the pace never dampened for a moment. I feel that we demanded quite a bit of energy from this fresh audience and left them with a thoroughly good feeling. It's a two-way affair, this gigging, for it gives and takes energy from everyone in the room and still leaves us with a euphoric afterglow. If only cars ran on this type of energy, there would be no fuel crisis and no inflated prices!

Both Amazon MP3 and iTunes have now released the new intro, "Measures Intro", which is being used as an opener to some of Smokie's live shows. Very few people have heard it at this time, so beat the rush and get online then part with £0.79 for the privilege of owning your own copy. You then have my permission to play it loud and often (but not if you are creating noise pollution or unnecessary CO2 emissions). 

Selling is not my strong point, but I parted with an old friend this week - my red Roland AX1 keyboard, which found its way to America after selling on Ebay. The keyboard in question, also known as a "keytar", is worn round the neck and played like a guitar. The look was popular in the 1980's and is starting to re-emerge, but not for me. I am firmly betrothed to "the beast", also known as the Roland Fantom G8, which is my workstation for all musical projects. We're a fickle lot, we musicians, especially where technology is concerned!

Tomorrow is my 22nd anniversary of being part of Smokie. I am writing this today because I shall be relaxing all day tomorrow, and that will be the last time I shall do that on a Sunday for many months. I still look out on 6 inches of snow, there being only a very slow melt since last weekend. The calendar says it is Spring, but the thermometer says it is still winter. And touring and recording start again next week, with no break until the end of August. New songs are coming thick and fast and the whole project kicks into action on 26th March. I have done some preparation here at Enrick Studio and have offered one new song to the project. With new material and a busy touring year there will be much variety in 2010. 

Atrocious weather conditions yesterday effectively cut off The Highlands of Scotland, closing all road and rail links. The snow continues to fall, reminding me of 1963, and all attempts to shovel are futile as the level keeps rising. This has meant that, for me, the Annette Fox Leukaemia Charity Dinner is impossible to attend. My colleagues have reassured me that they will carry the one-hour show in my absence, but my disappointment is hard to hide. On the positive side I have donated a prize which should help very much to boost the auction takings and have also been asked by the kennel owners, where my dogs are staying over the weekend, to donate all of their income to the charity. It's peoples' big hearts that save the day, not transport links. 

The audience on the Cinderella were the first to hear the new intro to Smokie's live show, beginning with "Desperate Measures". I have uploaded this new intro to iTunes Europe and Amazon MP3 today, and it will go live in 2-4 weeks' time. Known as "Measures Intro", it is 2 minutes and 31 seconds long. That's nearly enough time to make a cup of tea, depending on how quick your water boils. So, look out for it some time in March if you wish to download a copy for your own archives. It's cheaper than a newspaper, and much more inspiring!

The Fun Club, on Deck 8 of Viking Lines' ship "Cinderella", is aptly named, for we always have fun there. Drawing a crowd is easy because members of the public are on board the ship bound for duty free Mariehamn in Finland. With frozen decks and massive ice sheets covering the waterways, the surroundings on route were reminiscent of The North Pole. The low stage overlooking three floor levels of the club is now very familiar to us, as is the wildly enthusiastic response from the audience. It's an easy night in comfortable surroundings and a gig I'm sure we will see again on a regular basis. It's good to be back in Sweden. Next up is our annual charity event which continues to raise money for The Annette Fox Leukaemia appeal, supplying more necessary equipment for the oncology section of Bradford's Royal Infirmary. Any breaks in the schedule are being utlised to choose and routine new songs for the forthcoming album.

You may notice I have been absent from the cyberworld in the last three days, due to long journeys and the need to have clothes rather than a computer in my bag. Even this proved difficult as my suitcase trailed two days behind me after a standard Schipol changeover. All was well eventually and even the hard-nosed security personnel in Moscow, who wanted to question me all day about the contents of my case, had to finally release me to the freedom of the west. 

There is something special about the number 14 for me. With 14 Smokie songs to my name I have now written my 14th Smokie Intro. This one is as an opener for "Desperate Measures", which will occasionally be the new starter for the show. I shall upload it to Amazon MP3 and iTunes eventually, once it has been gigged and approved by the band. In the meantime, you will just have to see Smokie's show to wrap your ears around it. 

If you take a look at the tour dates you will see that Smokie are set for a very busy year. I have not included the days in March and April when we are due to record the new album. If I did, you would see that I will have a real problem getting clean clothes because there is no time to do the laundry. Our fans in Sweden and Denmark will be pleased to see how often we will grace your shores. The Australian Tour is complete, so now is the time to look out for tickets if you are in Oz. They make good early Christmas presents! This year will see our first return to Greenland, after being the first international band to play there in 1998, beating "Blur" by one week. And we are due to headline a major country festival in Nottingham, UK, on 11th July, between Scandinavian gigs. That is a first for us. Even at this stage in our career there are new experiences to be enjoyed. The airlines will love us, for we are due to set a record in number of flights this year. One hundred gigs - here we come, and we hope you will be there with us!

What a shock to the system, going from minus 10 to plus 33 Celsius - from frostbite to sunburn in one easy step! My break in Australia was fantastically relaxing, making up for the difficult travelling conditions on both the outward and return journeys. It is as well that I was not touring during January because the UK has seen a mass of airport and road closures which would have sealed off any route I might have taken to Europe.

The centre of Craiova was resplendent with lights, the town hall dazzling with a glittering array which made the whole building resemble a Christmas tree. The preparations had been carried out on a massive scale to give this proud city a fairytale look of charm. Smokie's backdrop was stunning and the show that followed entirely matched the mood. A break in the performance at five minutes to midnight allowed for a spectacular display of fireworks and a chance to see in the New Year before continuing the show in 2010. The mayor's plan to fashion Craiova on the model of Vienna has worked and the results are impressive.
Now we take a break and a chance to revive flagging energy before starting again in February. I shall visit Australia for a couple of weeks and then make preparations for a new intro to the show and maybe some new album material for a recording which is still in the planning stages. It looks like 2010 will have a fresh set of challenges for Smokie - in other words, business as usual and a lot of countries to visit.
Happy New Year to everybody!

A combination of long journeys, freezing weather and power cuts kept me away from the internet yesterday, hence no report of the gig in Ludwigsburg so far. But I can tell you that there was a very animated crowd at Ludwigsburg Arena on 27th December. There was no sign of Christmas burnout, nor lack of energy after the main event. It was nice to see some green country after the continual whiteness of the frozen north. With just one more gig to go we shall soon say goodbye to 2009, which has been a good year for Smokie, even in the presence of economic downturn. The hearts of the people never fail to spread good cheer. Together the band and the audience make a perfect antidote to the worries of the world. "If music be the food of love.......", as William Shakespeare said, "play on". And so we shall! 

Sala Palatului has never rocked more than it did last night. It was a fully recorded show which is due for transmission on 27th December, and it captured both band and audience on fine form. That was Smokie's last show before the man in the red suit drops down our chimneys. I am hoping he doesn't eat ALL the mince pies this year, otherwise I shall be forced to go out and buy chocolate. 

It turns out that the charity for which we helped to raise money last night was an oncology department, which is a very familiar appeal for us since it is the oncology section of BRI for which we make our appeal once a year at The Annette Fox Dinner. Cancer is so widespread that there are few families who don’t have a cancer story to tell. And it was with some determination that the assembled audience launched themselves onto the dance floor and strutted their stuff, in spite of formal evening wear and restrictive ball gowns. It was an unusual break in the otherwise Christmassy festivities, yet a visit to Brno’s city centre confirmed that the world outside was very much involved in celebrating the run-up to the big day.

It’s interesting to note that, while our leaders have been discussing global warming, the weather has put on an ironic fall of snow across most of Europe, causing widespread chaos. Perhaps we will have the white Christmas of which we were supposedly dreaming! 

It was only a travel day to Brno yesterday. No gig, so a bit of free time. I thought that maybe a bit of carol singing wouldn't go amiss and might raise some extra money for the children's appeal. But this part of Brno is all hotels and car dealers, so that idea went out of the frozen window. Although it was chilly the snow wasn't exactly deep and crisp and even - more thin and crusty and knobbly. But I did manage a "silent night" after an early dinner and a gaze at photos taken by The Hubble Space Telescope. It's not so much the "star in the east" as the crab nebula and spiral galaxies nowadays. I was woken to the "herald angels" who seem to be disagreeing over the subject of global emission cuts while in Copenhagen. I'm sure that they "came, all ye faithful" but are now losing some of their charm as they fight their own corners rather than finding a unified solution. Even others were "away in a manger", guarding their own territory in case some foreign power tells them what to do with their own CO2.

Some of Prague’s finest singers and dancers greeted us at The Congress Centre attached to The Holiday Inn. At least, that’s how it seemed because, once they got started, they were highly animated and enthusiastic about the show. Some timely snow blew from overhead machines as Smokie performed the two Christmas songs which have become part of our repertoire during festivities. Gifts were received and the flavour of Christmas continued to waft in our direction. Let’s hope we don’t peak too early and turn Christmas Day into an anticlimax! 

An amble around the streets of Prague turned into a historic tour as loyal Smokie fans pointed out all the places of interest. This was an opportunity to see parts of the city with which I would not be familiar if I were merely going from hotel to gig. There was a very Christmassy feel in the air as passers-by sipped on the local warm wine and caught some of the first snowflakes. The traditional Christmas tree, which has been photographed so many times and included in brochures for tourism, looked stunning with a fabulous icycle effect amongst the lights. 

As the days roll past and Christmas approaches the partying has become more frenzied and intense, as typified by the audience at The Heritage Hotel and Conference Centre in Portlaoise. The crowd moved in close to the band right from the start of the show, creating a very intimate feel to the event. If we had asked them to do hand stands I believe they would have obliged, such was the connection between band and audience. It was a special night and a long-awaited return to Portlaoise after a 5-year absence. Well, Smokie can’t be absolutely everywhere all the time, but we can make a good attempt at it. Even the Russians amongst the audience were surprised when I told them that we would soon be in Siberia in a town close to theirs. Is there no corner of the earth where we don’t go? Not if we get the invitation. 

There was no doubting whether the audience at Ireland’s National Entertainment Centre in Killarney could sing AND dance, because they did both with extreme ease. This year there was more space on the dance floor, which encouraged most people downstairs to join the party. They were rewarded with an energetic performance from the band, as well as more polished versions of the two Christmas songs, both of which seemed to please them very much. It is easy to entertain people when they are so keen to enjoy themselves, and it is a great pleasure to do so. 

If you haven't yet taken the opportunity to bid for my keyboard scarf, which I wore on the Smokie blue hits album in 1989, there is still time if you catch the auction on Marika's website today. Proceeds go, as usual, to the childrens' charity Sonnenhof in Berlin (the same appeal for which the song "Not far away" was recorded). The auction ends on eBAY today, so have a go and see if you can add this historic piece of knitwear to your wardrobe. Good luck!

An Irish Christmas tour for Smokie has come to always include Castlebar, where the audience give as good as they get. Tonight they were the first to hear two Christmas songs, taken from the album “Light a Candle”, namely “O, Holy Night” and “Winter’s Tale”. These songs have been included to give the Christmas Party Nights a festive slant, and they have been well received. Their inclusion has been an experiment in response to requests for Christmas songs from audiences in the past. Every audience is different, and we will see whether the demand is the same in Killarney. One thing is for sure – there is no way the current economic circumstances are going to stop the Irish from partying. 

In Obertauern the people are gearing up for some big Christmas celebrations. After a brief lull, when hoteliers take a much-needed break, comes the full-on festive season when the streets, bars and ski slopes will be full to bursting. Last night gave us a taster of the atmosphere which will permeate this picturesque village. It makes even the most reluctant winter sports agnostic want to take up skiing. While the audience were wrapped up against the freezing conditions there was a different look on stage, where even the gas heaters failed to raise the temperature enough. But warmth comes in different ways, and I had to rely on the smiles of the crowd to keep me from turning into a keyboard-playing icycle. Outdoor gigs continue even in extreme conditions, for it is part of the deal. And there is no better deal than playing Smokie music to an appreciative crowd, which is exactly what we had last night. 

Well, the Christmas tree is up at home now, so I thought it was the right time to put one on my homepage just to get you in the mood. I doubt that I will see much of my tree at home since I am due to travel a lot in December. It will feel like moments until it is time to take it down again, but that's normal for this pace of life. Nothing lasts, so let's just make the most of it. Who drunk all of my port? Oh, that's right, it was me. 

It is most unusual in Norway to find a place where houses are very close together. This is a land of space, and lots of it. But Brunstad Conference Centre in Melsomvik is a bit different, for it is mostly composed of tightly-packed one-bedroom apartments just waiting to be filled during peak season (and during conferences). It is a holiday park without the holidaymakers, so it is empty at this time of year. But the 6,000 seater auditorium was the venue for last night’s show for Smokie. The celebratory spirit was running free and an ecstatic audience joined us all the way through the gig, even in the quieter moments. Norway has been a very good territory for us throughout our career. The Norwegians are easy to entertain and are very enthusiastic about live music. Now we will shortly fly away from here before the first snow of the winter hits, but probably only to find that it has snowed at home anyway. It’s getting close to Christmas! 

There can be nothing more gratifying for a band than an enthusiastic audience. On a night when X-Factor usually dominates the leisure time of the majority of inhabitants of the UK, and so soon after the massive "Children in Need" appeal, several hundred very keen party-goers braved the apocalyptic conditions to make it to The Futurist Theatre and enjoy a night of Smokie. Entertainment is a big part of seaside fun, as we know, but this crowd did not come in with sand on their shoes, nor did they look windswept after a beach stroll. The night was entirely devoted to the enjoyment of songs both familiar and not so familiar, with an inspiring performance by John Parr as a bonus. The lights twinkled along the marina and another night of pure fun was celebrated by all. 

A few days ago I couldn't even spell Nyzhnyy Novgorod, and now I have been there. If it sounds like a fantasy place from an enchanting novel then there is justification. The whole journey to Nyzhnyy felt like jumping through hoops in order to achieve the ultimate prize at the end of the adventure. In Russia nothing happens quickly. The trains run at a very leisurely pace, as do the planes. The speed of life is less hectic for the main part (except in Moscow traffic). Maybe the West would do well to adopt some of this philosophy in order to escape some of the stress that pervades everyday living. That is on the assumption that this pace is about choice rather than lack of an alternative.
But I am here to entertain and, while here, am not subject to stress or anxiety. I really can observe the world going round and enjoy the ride. Like the audience at Nizhegorodskyy Circus, I am on a journey of discovery. Their discovery was about letting go with a western band and mine was about immersing myself in enjoyment and creating a strong rapport with  the audience. The show had an atmosphere which puts it in a "special" category. The band knew something had happened which put this gig on a higher level than our previous best. As a band Smokie are frequently improving and finding extra inspiration to lift our performance of songs we have played many times. Life is an ever-evolving adventure, and here in Russia the storyline has taken a turn for the better.
There was more of the same at The Palace of Republic in Kazakhstan, where a typically smartly-dressed audience danced vigorously to the music in spite of the attempts by security guards to keep them seated. A looser event took place that same evening at "Club Retro Schlager" where an intimate crowd took every opportunity to take photos with the band.
Finding myself a very long way from home after this short visit I have a 26-hour journey in order to get there. The world may be shrinking, thanks to international travel, but I certainly wouldn't wish to carpet it!

The Classic Rock Nights are a formula which is working very well in Germany because classic songs never lose their appeal. In a rapidly changing world people need to know that there is still something constant to connect them with their memories, and music is one important link. And it is evident that an audience can feel exhausted after being presented with a whole evening of hit melodies. It's rather like having too much fun, laughing until you cry, or eating too much chocolate cake. At Alsfeld Hessenhalle there was an excitable crowd with an appetite for everything that came their way. The show could have continued and those same people would still have been there. But the witching hour arrived and it was wisest to hit the road before the sky became too full of supercharged broomsticks on this Halloween night. Magic was in the air, that's for sure.

The final night of the holiday weekend found people on very good form. And Smokie's return to Enniscorthy was long awaited. My records tell me it is six years since we last played at The Riverside Park Hotel. There were some colourful outfits on show amongst the audience, complete with flashing lights. I wondered if Christmas had come early. Perhaps the afternoon soundcheck with seasonal songs had got people in the mood. There is definitely something in the air, and it's great to be part of it. We leave Ireland for a few weeks and return to Europe, Scandinavia and Russia, to name just a few.

Everywhere I look I see adverts for Christmas, including the very full programme of events which each hotel displays in the weeks leading up to the main event. And it really isn't a long way off now - well, two months from today. In Smokie terms that's a very short time. You might think people would be saving their money, yet the evidence suggests that escapism into entertainment and, particularly, nostalgia is still ruling their decision-making. Judging by the size of the crowd and the intensity of their reaction they were not prepared to wait until Christmas to let their hair down. But we are in Ireland, the home of spontaneous parties and unconditional celebration. And there are only two good reasons for starting a party - because it's raining and because it's NOT raining. Who can argue with that?,

It's a long way to Tipperary - well, it certainly was yesterday as holiday traffic clogged every road in Ireland. But our rewards for patience were waiting in the form of a packed venue at Clonmel's Park Hotel (standing room only). The audience were pumped up before the start of the show, so it was no challenge to lift their spirits a little further. If they overdid it on the celebrations, at least there is an extra hour in bed tonight to restore normality. I do sometimes wonder what that would be like!

I know that you are keen to know the venues for the November tour of these countries, but there are no details as yet. When they do emerge I shall post them on my date sheet. Usually I only get this information a few days before leaving the country. Keep watching for further updates.

I was greatly honoured this week to be asked to judge the annual Songfest Competition at my son's school near Edinburgh. The pool of talent was mighty impressive and every single member of the school was involved in the event. Many very innovative ways of getting 80 people onto a stage were utilised, some of them very humorous, and the range of material was huge with such diversified choices as modified hymns, show songs and beat music. Words cannot adequately describe the atmosphere prevalent on the night of the competition. I was impressed by the enthusiasm and energy which went into this very special event and am so happy I was able to be present to witness the event of the year.

Not far from the River Tay The Whitehall Theatre stands in an area just outside the city centre. This was a repeat gig for Smokie, having played there in December last year. This time there was a slight difference, for we enlisted the aid of an unknown support band from Musselburgh who went by the name of "No Idea" (at least for last night). One member of that band happened to be Luke Bullard, whose voice on the charity song "Not Far Away" was heard some years ago. Now he is sixteen, very tall, and plays the guitar like a well-seasoned pro and also sings very well. Along with Henry Fisher (guitar/bass/vocals) and Johnnie Perriam (drums) he performed a variety of songs by artists including John Mayer and Jason Mraz which delighted the crowd. It was a proud moment for me as I was hearing him perform in a band for the first time. If this is the start of a musical career I think these three guys will go all the way. With the audience in a very good mood Smokie turned the wow factor up to 11 to please our loyal Scottish fans. The night marked the end of an exhausting yet satisfying and memorable weekend. I do love a gig where I can eventually return to my own bed and, believe me, that happens very rarely.

The people of Wick are known as "Wickers", and they know how to party. Of course, Wick is a remote part of Scotland, so it's no surprise that there were many visitors to the area at the time of Smokie's gig, Australians amongst them. The Waterfront is mostly home to tribute bands, so there was a special welcome for the real Smokie. The audience and band made a strong impression on each other and the show went down like the first sip of water after being stranded in the desert. I would hasten to add that the partying continued well into the night and there will be many well-earned hangovers this morning. However, we still have a long way to go to reach Dundee and someone must stay sober to do the driving. I might chance a couple of relaxers when I finally hit home at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning. What an action-charged weekend it has been so far and there's yet more to come. Now I know why it's so much easier to take two planes to work than it is to work in Scotland.

I love a gig that's close to an airport. Well, last night's show was actually in the grounds of Munich Airport at Edeka Messe. It was a massive corporate event which followed an even bigger Oktoberfest celebration in the city of Munich. The September sun shone and spread a joie de vivre over one and all. It's easy enough to be happy playing Smokie music and even better when the audience arrive in ecstatic mood. Now I think I had better go home and sweep up those Autumn leaves before the technicians arrive on their way to a groundbreaking gig in Wick, North of Scotland. This means a night in my own bed!

What am I? -   I am an informative and sometimes amusing source of news, as seen through the eyes of one member of Smokie. I offer you poetry, prose, history, photos, music downloads and YouTube videos. I am, of course, this website and I am two years old today. Thanks for visiting me.

Last night's show delivered everything it promised, for it was packed and hot. With little room to move the audience had to move together, which they did with style. It followed a brief rehearsal of Christmas songs in readiness for one of the December shows. Before we know it the man in the red suit will be here!

I believe I have seen more of Norway than most Norwegians in the past 21 years due to extensive touring with Smokie, yet Forde is one place I am seeing for the first time. Nestled in the mountains on the Western side of this beautiful country, it is home to only 1,000 people. The function room at The Rica Hotel is our venue for two nights, the first of which was nicely crowded, hot and intimate. It set the mood for tomorrow night's sell-out show and begs the question - how will they squeeze more people into that room? It's a pleasure to be back after a break, especially since the reaction was so welcoming. Only another 22 hours and we can do it all again. I hope my clothes are dry!

I have recently discovered, amongst buried loft treasure, a yellowing copy of songs I wrote whilst at Exeter University. These humorous works are worthy of another look and, for that reason, I have taken the opportunity to get to finally know the beast (Roland Fantom G8) whilst committing these songs to some (so far) rough recordings. This means I also have to sing the songs, as I did 32 years ago. I wasn't sure if there was still a voice inside me, but the early results are passable. Because the material is so dated it has a naive charm about it, and that's what is inspiring me to carry on and record songs which are ancient to me yet very new to others. If all goes well I shall eventually upload the mastered results to Amazon and iTunes, and then the cat will really be out of the bag. Just don't expect a Smokie voice!

The sky lit up as Smokie hit the stage at The Gozo Festival. This sounds dramatic but it was absolutely commonplace because fireworks explode all day and for most of the night on this island. The crowd of 6,000 were squeezed into a small area, yet there didn't appear to be any pushing. In fact the whole festival took place with good humour and that typical Maltese attitude that nothing is urgent. Perhaps we could all benefit from slowing down a little and respecting time rather than abusing it. And, on that note, Smokie take a break for a few weeks and disperse to different parts of the globe for a well-earned rest.

I have posted a message from Terry to The Class of '79 on YouTube. It may be found under "Terry Uttley's message to the Class of '79". Happy viewing!

Why do only one gig when you can squeeze two into one day? We strolled into Brande in the afternoon and meandered into Randers for the evening show. No sweat, no pressure. It was a "hallo" as well as a "goodbye" to our Danish friends for this year. Both shows found the audience on fine form.

There is a personal message on YouTube for Henning and the Class of '79 who are celebrating their 30-year re-union. I thank all of those people for being loyal Smokie fans.

School's out for summer, but only just, as the kids will be returning next week in Norway. The end of holiday parties are on and Smokie have been in Etne (no, there's no volcano here). Angry skies will, no doubt, return to cloudless ones once that school bell rings. It happens every year, as reliable as wasps round an open can of Coke. You can also count on the band to serve up an inspiring 90 minutes of entertainment wherever we find ourselves in the world. The audience soon got in the mood to enjoy a highly polished performance. This was our farewell gig for the end of Norway's summer season. All good things come to an end yet, for us, that usually marks the start of something equally good.

I have had enquiries about how to purchase tickets for the Smokie show at Wick Waterfront on 3rd October and am able to confirm that tickets are now available on both www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.ticketweb.co.uk. Will we see any Norwegians, Danes, Icelanders and Faroese there, seeing at it is in your neighbourhood?

Under a canvas roof at the Platzalmarkt the temperature reached 50 degrees - hot enough to melt the zinc off a cricketer's nose. The square was packed to bursting, making conditions perfect for a happy festival night. August in the Alpine district is hot and steamy but the flies are more reminiscent of Melbourne. I forgot my corked hat!

The contrast between our last show at The JFK Dunbrody Festival at New Ross in 2005 and this one could not have been greater. Teeming rain and a low turnout was the outcome four years ago whereas this year the conditions were perfect and there was a record crowd of 16,000. The whole event was an enormous success and the atmosphere matched any of the bigger summer festivals which we routinely play around Europe and Scandinavia. There was a great deal of excitement amongst the organisers as they realised how popular this event had become. It was a great relief to find an Ireland basking in summer sun and ready to party, rather than sheltering, shivering and trying to keep the spirits up. What a joy, and what a great year Smokie are having in Ireland.

As storms raged across Europe the weather in Zurich was apocalyptic, causing the cancellation of the first day at Weingarten Ravensburg. Even on Saturday morning the whole festival was called into question. However, after a few shafts of sunlight and a much improved forecast, the show was back on again. The audience were in joyful mood after such a period of doubt and suspense, and they showed their appreciation with added enthusiasm. It was the last show in Germany until September, so there was a sense of finality to our summer celebrations.

It's not normal for me to be at home on my birthday and this year was no exception, for I was on my way home from holiday in Tunisia on 8th July. I've not usually managed to take holidays, so I had to get used to that feeling that there was actually no work for me to do. Having adjusted to that I soon got into the watersports, archery and parasailing. Now I'm hooked and am looking forward to doing it again. To be with my family at this time of year is a rare privilege and I think we all benefitted equally from the chance to hang out together, rather than communicate by phone. I used to think that holidays were bad for my health - now I think just the opposite!

Flying in small aircraft has never revealed more beautiful scenes than yesterday's view of the glacier on the approach to Mo I Rana. My experience of summer flights in light airplanes over Norwegian mountain ranges has always been good, but this was exceptional. It set the scene perfectly for the gig in Hemnes, where more mountains created the backdrop for the Boat and Fjord Festival. This year's attendance broke the previous record, and the hot weather conditions made the experience even more enjoyable. We "met them at midnight", as promised, but in perfect daylight conditions. Now we bid farewell to summer festivals for a short break. I shall be on the African coast next week, taking a much needed holiday with my family. It's a rare treat and should help to recharge my energy reserves before resuming touring.

The midnight sun never looked brighter than it does now, and I have seen it twice since my arrival yesterday in Skjervoy, Northern Norway. My journey took 14 hours and involved 4 flights and a bus drive. Now I am far inside the Arctic Circle, where cold winds blow even in mid-summer. My hosts took me on a fishing trip, along with some of my Smokie colleagues. The scenery was awe-inspiring and I was lucky enough to see a pair of sea eagles whilst searching for a good place to fish.
The gig was in a marine factory overlooking the harbour. A full crowd occupied the area normally filled with workers and machinery. They joined the party from the first song to the last. I shall take away happy memories of Skjervoy.

Tickets go on sale next week for Smokie's show at Wick Waterfront in Caithness, Scotland. This is unusually far north for the boys from Yorkshire, and demand is likely to be high. The venue's website address is www.wickwaterfront.com and tickets will be on sale at the venue and through www.ticketmaster.co.uk. More details about this show as we get nearer to the date. Maybe our friends from Norway would like to cross the water for a preview before we start our October Norwegian tour and possible recording of the new album in Oslo.

It was the eve of the longest day of the year and Lillestrom was celebrating in the street with its Byfesten. The centre of town was the scene of massive celebration. It was more than a full house, for it was a full town. And the town square was packed to bursting, including the balconies of overlooking office buildings. After the show the band and crowd mingled freely. There was no other way since security would have been hard to arrange in such an open space. Now very many people will have personal photos with the band for their private collections. There can be no better way for a band and crowd to get together and feel close. It was a very special night which will stay with me for a long time to come. The Norwegian Tour continues on Friday in Skjervoy.

A long and protracted journey led us finally to the Dronningfjordfestivalen in Husnes. Typically for this part of Western Norway there were two ferry rides as well as a lengthy bus trip. The festival was on its penultimate evening and the audience were in good spirit. Conditions were very soggy underfoot, yet this did nothing to dampen enthusiasm.

As I consult my calendar I notice that our last appearance in Flekkefjord was on 26th July 2002, and yet it feels as if we were only there last year. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the audience proved that to us at our late night gig in Norway as the sun disappeared briefly. A short time was spent at the hotel before hitting the road again for the red-eye flight from Stavanger to Frankfurt and onwards to Leipzig.
A one-hour turnaround in Frankfurt and a small plane did nothing to help our situation and all luggage went missing - clothes and gear alike. The consignment then reappeared at two separate airports - Dresden and Leipzig, before turning up at the venue 20 minutes before stage time. And what a venue! This was the Einsiedler brewery which was launching a new beer, ably promoted with the help of Smokie's faces. The auditorium area was packed and the atmosphere in a hot and steamy Chemnitz was highly charged. The show was finished by 6.30 p.m., giving the band a chance to make up for the lack of sleep the previous night. The remainder of this month will be spent in Norway.

It seemed too good a chance to miss, so I got out the Lumix and snapped some more video - something which a few of you have been requesting for a while.

I have great respect for an audience who can ignore the heavy rain showers and stay in their place until late into the night to watch a band play. Such an audience were present at the open air show in Rainau-Buch last night. For Smokie it was the completion of four shows in three days with a huge amount of travel inbetween, and for the crowd it was the last band of the night for whom they had been waiting. The large percentage of young people amongst the punters was an indication that there is, yet again, a new generation of Smokie fans. Like the inside of an onion, our career has many layers which keep revealing themselves. This is one big onion!

From 37,000 feet, the height at which our Cessna Citation 3 flew, the world took on a great deal of clarity. What started out as a major challenge became a reasonably straightforward undertaking - if all went well. And there were no complications or delays as we flew into Memingin, Bavaria's fastest growing small airport. They call it Munich West, after a group of Dubliners flew on Ryanair and found the nearest pub, believing they were actually in Munich. Our gig was in Bad Worishofen where we opened the show at the very agreeable hour of 6 o'clock. This was a precondition since it was important that we had the Cessna ready for another 8 o'clock take-off. It was good to see a crowd who were fresh and full of energy. We took the afterglow of a very successful gig with us all the way to the airport.
Landing early at Karup in Denmark, we were on time for the second show of the evening in Silkeborg. The crowd at Indelukket were restless, but happy to see us. The tension broke when the band struck up with no PA. Because we all wear in-ear monitors we were unaware that no sound was being transmitted to the audience and consequently we all looked like we were miming. After a few moments the intro started again and we re-emerged to a lot of smiling faces. And those smiles lasted throughout the gig. Exhaustion kicked in after the show and the prospect of a bed seemed too good to ignore.
And so began another long travel day to return to Germany for the show at Rainau-Buch, where some of the same bands from yesterday are due to appear. Unlike us, they stayed in Germany overnight. Smokie are still, after 35 years of touring, taking all the gigs that are offered, even if the logistics are troublesome.

So, who stopped the rain in Nakskov? Well, for once it was Smokie. This helps to break the old spell under which so many summer festivals experienced the watery stuff when we were on stage. Drought-ridden continents were always deluged after we had landed. The farmers were delighted. Last night we made people happy for a different reason. It's time to relinquish our crowns as great rainmakers and stick to the one thing we do best, which is to put smiles on faces. And that never fails to happen in Denmark, where we are treated as locals.

...."as I was walking over the Cork and Kerry mountains"...I came upon the INEC in Killarney and stayed there long enough to do a Smokie gig. This is "Whiskey in the jar" country, so naturally the audience went crazy once they heard the initial strains. Ireland's National Exhibition Centre is becoming a bit of a Smokie magnet with four appearances in the space of twelve months. And the heat was on for this bank holiday weekend as Ireland sat in a ridge of high pressure which, no doubt, left a lot of fair-skinned people red as lobsters. Not to worry, for that cool air from the north will soon return to take the sting out of the sunburn.

Like chalk and cheese, the difference between the gigs in Passau and Athlone was almost tangible. The Dreilanderhalle show was broadcast in its entirety by Bayerischer Rundfunk 1, and performed to a capacity crowd. At Athlone the show was a little more intimate, ending with a completely unexpected and unprecedented photo session with fans before the band had left the stage. There are still some things which are capable of surprising me, even after so long in this business.

The German Tour continued with two very hot gigs in Balingen and Nierstein, punctuated by the ZDF Mainz TV Show Fernsehgarten, which Smokie hadn't played for many years. The atmosphere in all of these was overwhelmingly friendly and hospitable. It was touring at its very best. A short three-day break should give me a chance to catch up with urgent matters at home before resuming life in the fast lane.

It felt like the end of the beginning at the Sportovni Halle in Ceske Budejovice. There is no doubt that Smokie have started a new and exciting relationship with the Czech Republic. We parted as great friends after the show, leaving our promoter, Peter, happy but exhausted. There was something very special happening on this tour which has laid the foundations for the future. Long may it continue!

The show at Brno's Boby Centrum was characterised by informality and good humour. If there is an "X-factor", then this performance had it. There was extensive filming by MTV after their interview with the band in the run-up to the show. With only one more concert in the Czech Republic it feels like this part of the world tour has flown by too fast. But the future may well be bright for Smokie in this part of the world.

Another night, another Zimni Stadion - this time in Usti nad Labem. The show lasted 12 seconds longer, thanks to a prolonged echo. And the crowd looked ready for more even as the last note died away. We have definitely not outstayed our welcome in this country which is so hungry for Smokie music. And since we don't pass this way so often, maybe we should arrange to come back again soon. I think the audience might agree.

I always thought ice stadia (plural of stadium?) were cold places. This was not the case on the opening night as the sweat poured off the faces of band and audience alike at Zimni Stadion, Mlada Boleslav. This is our first full-scale Czech tour for many years, and the early signs are that it will be a good one. The band and crew spent a few happy hours on the pool tables and in the bowling alley in a bid to use up all that suplus adrenalin after such an energising gig. You see, it's not all hard work on tour!
It was a similar story at the CEZ Arena in Pardubice, where a huge crowd greeted the band. Nostalgia is very much on our side, as is evident from the show of Smokie memorabilia amongst the audience. Sometimes it feels like the fans know more about us than we know ourselves. Whilst in the area we stayed at Hotel Bohdanec, a health spa which treats maladies of the joints and muscles. Massages are available as well as peat baths, swimming in mineral-enriched water and sessions in the salt room. This is a place I didn't wish to leave in a hurry and would gladly return to as a "health tourist".

It all looked very familiar, and so it should, since we were at Hamm's Zentralhallen in January last year. The response from the audience was every bit as warm as on the previous occasion. The main differences are that the country looks a lot greener and the suns rays are much stronger. And that water is so welcome onstage when dehydration threatens to kick in.

Wurzburg Posthalle was a fine place to make a "delivery". Our own "package" consisted of 70 minutes of non-stop hits brought to a conclusion, our "guaranteed delivery", just in time for the midnight curfew. The sound was a little bit "return to sender", but the audience were happy as they "stamped" their feet. The show ticked all "boxes" for entertainment value. That's it - I've run out of suitable puns, so you will have to add some of your own if you so wish.

There was little evidence that the audience had used up their energy on May Day celebrations. Instead they were on fine vocal form at the late concert at Nordseehallen Emden. Fine weather breeds fine spirits, and this was apparent from the smiles we received. The tour resumes next Friday.

Last night began a series of concerts in Germany which span several months. The late night audience at Schmallenberg's Stadthalle were on fine form on the eve of a German public holiday. They stayed with us right until the end after what must have been a tiring evening of entertainment. Today is a restful day in this peaceful area. It's maybe the quiet before the storm.

Mosa Trajectum has changed a little since our last visit in October 2004. The new commercial centre, with its ornamental streams and pools became the venue for Smokie's show, which was timed to start as the golf competition ended. This is Steve's home territory, so golf is an important part of life. The course is said to be the hardest in Spain, as Terry discovered on Sunday. The audience, on the other hand, were one of the easiest, comprising mostly Irish. This was one of those rare occasions when band and audience alike did not have to rush home, since our houses were only yards away from the venue. So a good night was continued in Billy's Bar, where the drink and conversation continued well into the early morning, with not a thought about the events of today. With no pressure and no competitions it might be a good opportunity for me to swing a club myself.

Last night marked Smokie's return to the Cinderella, a ship which travels overnight from Stockholm in Sweden to Mariehamn in Finland and returns the next day. The packed audience filled every square inch of space, a turnout which exceeded that which we witnessed on our first appearance in October 2007. A smooth crossing was perfectly paired with a rapturous crowd, making the whole event a pleasure beyond measure. Now, where was that cask of rum?

It has been great to finally have some time to myself and even, after 21 years of being in the band, to be able to attend a family birthday celebration over Easter. I also took time out to stay at a spiritual retreat last weekend where raw organic food, meditation and healing were on the menu. Now I am ready for the return to full touring. I should also mention that I invested in a new multi-functional keyboard just after the break from touring. The Roland Fantom G8 is now the only tool I need for composition, recording and mastering. Now I just need some time to get to know "the beast".

Hospitality runs in the blood of the Austrians. They are only satisfied when they are certain that you have been thoroughly entertained. As a high pressure system settled over Zell am See, the mercury hit 18 degrees and, even at 2500 metres, it was sunbathing weather. I was completely absorbed as I rode pillion on a speeding snowmobile then tried driving the snow plough, just for entertainment and the making of a good video shoot. I was amazed to find a jacuzzi, a sauna and igloo accomodation at this altitude, where nothing seemed to lack. For some people the mountain is home and contains everything they need to sustain life. I could have stayed here all day, except that I needed to return to ground level for a soundcheck and a return gig at Talstation Areit. This year the area was packed with revellers who had followed a perfect day with a happy night of entertainment. It was a dream come true. Nothing could improve on this perfect day, and there is nothing more I can say that will further embellish the overall impression of how events unfolded on this special day.

Last night Smokie did something which is most unusual, for which there was a very good reason. Because the President needed a 10-minute slot to vacate the stadium before the crowd thronged its exits we were asked, at very short notice, to lengthen our performance. Normally this would not happen, but we do make an exception for a President. The two songs which we added, "Stand by me" and "Whiskey in the jar" were so well received that we are considering adding them to other shows occasionally. We have been very well cared for at Siabry (translated means "friends) and there is talk of an autumn return with an orchestra.

If you are having difficulty finding the downloads on the internet, here are your links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=77197031

http://www.apple.com/uk/search/ipoditunes/?q=martin+bullard

Happy listening!

I discovered parts of Cork I have never seen before, mostly in an attempt to find a new and interesting route to The Opera House, where last night's gig was held. The streets were teeming with people, the restaurants were fully booked and there was an atmosphere of post celebration. I have to say that the Irish recover from a hangover very quickly, as was evident from our audience. Cork was a great place to end this tour, which has seen record audiences attending during this recessionary period. Whatever happens, you cannot dampen the enthusiasm of the Irish for entertainment, whether it be rugby, boxing or a good old Smokie gig.

The Equinox was marked by sunny skies, a Grand Slam win in the 6 Nations Rugby for Ireland and a storming gig by Smokie at The Black Box. It was a thoroughly successful day in so many ways in spite of a doubtful start. My own travel plans went sadly wrong when a technical fault on a FlyBe Embraer meant my connection from Manchester was impossible. A very long trip around England made it possible again, otherwise I would not be writing these words. It has been a remarkable Irish Tour so far and, with only one show to go, it will undoubtedly remain in memory for a long time to come.

You might have expected the audience at The Mount Errigal in Letterkenny to save themselves for Paddy's Night, which is today. Not so, as this crowd were really going for it, as were the band. Conditions were nearly tropical on stage, but the sweat just adds to the impression of effort. Now we travel home briefly, leaving Ireland to enjoy their processions, street parties and general celebrations, returning again on Saturday to perform the last two concerts on this Irish Tour.

Our largest audience to date was in attendance at Belfast's Waterfront. The "craic" was mighty and it was a night to remember, being one of the best shows of 2009 so far. It is our only show in the North and today we move on to Letterkenny which, although geographically north of Belfast, is actually in the south (well, it's in the republic). Regardless of global position within this island we receive an equally warm welcome.

Repeated visits to The TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar cannot dampen the audience's enthusiasm for the music. There were many young people attending the show and a few who admitted that this was their first Smokie concert. I think we might be seeing all of them again before too long.

Bums on seats - that's what it's all about in this industry. And last night we saw a record number of them for The South Court's International Conference Centre. While Red Nose Day broke previous records in donations, the band enjoyed a huge boost in numbers, made all the more extraordinary by the fact that we are all experiencing tight credit conditions. Maybe we are all just getting together so we may forget about the real world. Whatever the explanation, I like it very much.

It was hard to imagine improving on past performances at The Olympia, but that's exactly what happened here in Dublin's fair city. The show had an extra bit of magic, sensed by both band and audience. I realise that I often say this sort of thing in my blogs now, but it is absolutely true. The band I joined slightly over 21 years ago has emerged with a stronger show and a finely honed performance. Even our manager (a hard man to impress) is aware of it, as well as a few die-hard promoters who have seen it all in the past and wouldn't comment unless they had been particularly moved by the experience. It is proof that playing a lot of the same songs over and over again doesn't have to wear down the performer. It is, after all, shared energy on the night which makes each show different from previous ones. We take a short break from touring and return to Ireland on Friday.

Wexford Opera House had never had a band playing before last night and neither had it previously sold every seat in the house. That all changed when Smokie came to town. Last night's concert came immediately off the back of the Annette Fox Charity Dinner in Bradford, which is a notoriously late and boozy occasion due to its mainly fund-raising nature. That makes it all the more impressive that our first time at this venue was such a runaway success. It was made even sweeter for me since it was my 21st anniversary with Smokie, a journey which began in Kilburn on 7th March 1988. The band has gone from strength to strength and there is a notable freshness and vitality to our performance which we can feel and the audience can sense. It's become a very exciting experience to be part of an act which is constantly evolving. And my own journey has been remarkable thanks, in no small part, to the Irish. Tonight we return to Dublin where we have become accustomed to a very lively and welcoming audience. I hope things never change over here on The Emerald Isle unless, of course, they get even better!

The walls of the Tel Aviv Indoor Arena fairly rattled to the sound of an inspired audience comprising mainly Russian citizens. It is no wonder they were crazy for "What can I do?" and "I'll meet you at midnight". Smokie's first appearance in Israel for nearly five years confirmed our popularity here. It's a great pleasure to be back. With no sign of jet lag after the recent return from Australia, the band were on top form. Today we return to The Congress Centre in Haifa.

All 54 tunes from 4 albums are now live on Amazon MP3 - price US$0.89 or 0.69 British Pounds per track. So, if you missed any tracks, or would prefer to download rather than buy whole albums, now is the time to do it. A lot of people have asked about the Smokie incidental music, "Blue Intro" and "Blue Outro" and how to obtain a copy. Just check out all the tracks on Amazon MP3. These same tracks will also appear on iTunes Europe from the second week in March. Happy listening!

Our farewell concert at Ipswich Civic Hall confirmed the overall positive impression of the tour. There has been a consistently great atmosphere and a firm conviction that the next visit to Oz will not be too far in the future. Now we return to The Northern Hemisphere for some engagements a bit closer to home.

After 18 years it can be hard to recall much about a place you visited once. The audience at Seagulls, one of Australia's top venues, had no trouble remembering Smokie and our last visit. And this time some of them brought their sons and daughters. They describe us as rock legends and most have stories about what they were doing when Smokie first burst onto the music scene in the 70's. After the show they just don't want to go home - there are so many nostalgic memories to share. Playing to the Ozzies has been a great pleasure, and one we are likely to repeat before too long. The tour ends today and some of the band will go directly from stage to the airport to start their long journey home.

At the heart of the Aussie RSLs are the people who call a spade a spade. And if they take the trouble to stay behind after the show to tell us how good we were, you can bet they really mean it. Amongst the folks who waited to see the band after this sellout show was a family comprising of three generations (the fourth was being babysat at home). This appearance at Kedron Wavell topped our last visit in October 2006 and laid the foundations for a lasting relationship with Brisbane and its people. Today we cross a time zone to once again thrill the audience at Seagulls in Tweed Heads. This is our first appearance there since 1991. Glad somebody reminded us about the time difference, otherwise we would have missed the soundcheck!

Caloundra RSL rewarded us with a full house and a lively crowd. Not even the humid, intense heat of the day could dampen their reactions on this hot and sweaty night. The best reaction ever at an RSL? -  I certainly thought so.

The afternoon show at Wenties proved that there is no time of the day when a bit of rock and roll doesn't go down well. A vigorous show was followed by a long chat with members of the audience. That show concluded our spell in Sydney and we now find ourselves in hot and sticky Brisbane on Queensland's Gold Coast with a few days to acclimatise before resuming on Thursday.

The love potion must have worked because the audience came out in good numbers at Wyong Rugby League Club, and they were in a partying mood. This time there was plenty of room to dance.

The assembled crowd at North Sydney Leagues in Cammeray looked surprised and delighted at last night's show. With tables pushed right to the front of the stage it was difficult for them to do the dancing bit, but they found a way and the show reached its usual peak. Today we must drive a little further for the ultimate in love performances - the Valentine's Day celebration. There should be quite a few coming tonight!

Sydney has, so far, managed to show us dark clouds and enough rain to put an end to Victoria's misery - except we are in New South Wales. I am placed alongside a pleasant but soaked golf course which could have been the site for an entertaining day prior to tonight's first show in the Sydney area. The baking heat of Perth is a long way behind. So, it's technology to the rescue and a chance to catch up on some movies. I might need to search the hard drive for a romantic one tomorrow as it will be Valentine's Day.

The demand for tickets at The Regal Theatre was such that many people were unable to gain access . This is not normal for a Sunday night but it might be explained by the fact that Smokie don't pass this way too often. Vigorous singing on the part of the audience left a few a little hoarse, though with enough voice to tell us that "it was the best show they had ever seen". These people are so generous with their compliments that it leaves a permanent smile on my face.  I'm amazed at the lengths to which some people go in order to see the band. One audience member last night, for example, walked away from a car accident and came straight to the show instead  of going to hospital. She explained that she could get a medical check later but she couldn't miss the band. That's dedication! We now take a break and enjoy some free time in an increasingly hot Perth, where temperatures are expected to be in the mid 30's. Meanwhile, back at home the snow is piled high and expected to last some time!

Many people tell stories about their first memories of Smokie's music and their resultant associations with our songs over the years. Important events are tagged alongside certain songs which played at the time. These are the  memories which don't fade, even in old age when it might be difficult to remember what you had for lunch yet easy to remember the words of a song which made an impression on you. After the very lively show at Mandurah's Performing Arts Centre many such stories emerged from a variety of people, all of whom had kept playing Smokie's music, even during the years when the band didn't tour Australia. Our 15-year absence from this country has made people even more hungry for the live performance, determined to see us more than once while we are here, and adamant that we should come back as soon as possible.

The opening show of Smokie's Australian Tour, at Bunbury Entertainment Centre, was an unmitigated success. This was the same venue at which the 2006 tour began. A large meet-and-greet after the show put us in touch with some very devoted Smokie fans and the compliments ran thick and fast. It was a great start to our Oz Tour and has set the mood for a very relaxed series of concerts.

The band escaped the wintry conditions in the UK and made it to Perth in the early evening of Wednesday 4th February. We have a whole day to recover before starting the tour in Bunbury tomorrow. This time we are in a hotel right in the city centre, so there is not so far to walk before finding a few places to eat, shop and get on the internet.

I receive a lot of questions from various people wishing to know details of future gigs. I can only repeat what I say to all those who ask, which is that I get the information about venues and hotels about 2 days before I leave the country. This has never changed and probably never will. All the information I have, right or wrong, is posted on this website at the earliest possible convenient time and only when I have internet access. I cannot be an information service for everyone, otherwise I would have no time to play the keyboards. My apologies to those who have badgered me for information, but I hope you understand that I am a band member and not a manager.

The process of getting all music onto Amazon and iTunes takes a little while. Tracks don't go "live" immediately, so there is a projected interval until around 10th March before you will be able to find any tracks. Meanwhile they are suspended in cyberspace with nowhere to go - it's a bit like waiting for a delayed flight!

Go on, who was it out there that made time go faster so that my winter break is nearly over? In just over a week's time I shall be trawling the streets of Perth for internet cafes so I may keep you all in touch with what is happening down under. There's no wireless internet in the hotels, so cafes are the only option. But, don't worry, there will be a blog for each day that I make it into the big city and, no doubt, more of my impressions of the surroundings so that the other part of the world can get a taste of what it's like in Oz.

Sorry there was no video, but I really have been looking very ill with the 'flu. First time in many years, so I guess it was my turn.

Keep an eye out for the iTunes and Amazon MP3 downloads and get yourselves copies of individual tracks for barely the price of a newspaper. Thought I'd better join the 21st Century and make my music mobile and PDA-friendly. Now you can wake up to any style of music you choose!

Well, I've unofficially gone underground. Those of you who know me realise that I rarely take any form of break, so no holidays. It's a busy period from Smokie's financial point of view, and that is my responsibility. On a lighter note I am feverishly programming the new Roland Fantom XR ready for touring in Australia. And it's the feverish bit that is bothering me, for since Tuesday I have been selected by a nasty virus as one of its victims. If I said that the zombies in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" looked healthier than I, you would get the picture. I am of the opinion now it's only breaks in the work schedue which interfere with our immune systems, turning us into dumping grounds for any stray germs which require a host. Hoping to  be recovered by 3rd February, although the prophets of doom tell me this one lasts much longer. At least I can wallow in lush keyboard soundscapes (instead of the sea) and bask in the inspiring rays of quality grand pianos. Anyone got any LemSip?

Like a plane-spotter to the observation deck, a train-spotter to the platform or a twitcher to the hide I present those all-important Smokie statistics for your perusal. Being the official keeper of all Smokie data from room numbers, flight numbers and even backstage sandwiches I can tell you that 2008 yielded the following numbers:

Flights       153

Gigs          100

Countries   16

Any guesses at what next year will bring? Early indications are that it could be fairly similar. We will see, just one year from today.

I have brought the date sheet up-to-date with all the known concerts for next year. As always it is subject to changes and swaps, so please don't panic if you don't yet see any dates for your region. "It's not over 'til the fat lady sings".

It was an honour to be on the guest list for the wedding of John Madsen on Saturday 27th December at Hvedholm Slot in Faaborg. Four members of Smokie interrupted their family Christmases to join John and Kirsten for their special day. And what a day it was! The day's events were magnificently planned with the usual MN Music attention to detail, making for a superbly well rounded and very absorbing extravaganza of musical and culinary delights. The location was perfect, as was every part of the celebration. I wish these two lovely people a lifetime of happiness together!

My final show, Smokie's 100th this year, was everything for which I could possibly have wished. The orchestra, under the skillful guidance of conductor Marius Hristescu, brought a new dynamism to an already improved live performance. The band's manager, John Wagstaff, stated simply that it was the best performance he has ever seen. The audience loved it, the band enjoyed it and the orchestra can look forward to doing it again next year. There could not have been a better way to end an excellent touring year. Now there is a break until February. I wish everyone who views this site a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And, yes, there may well be another YouTube broadcast early in 2009.

Last night's TV show, titled "Happy Hour", was screened in the early evening and has since been repeated several times. The band performed "Alice" and "If you think you know how to love me". Recordings of the performances are posted on www.happyhour.ro. Now there just remains a day of rehearsal with the orchestra followed by a spectacular show with which to end our touring year. And what a special year it has been!

Floating around in a salt water pool at The Apollo Spa in Targu Mures, it is easy to forget the mayhem that is the run-up to Christmas. I am in a land of scenery and celebration. Any more relaxed and I would come to a complete stop. But the tough bit is yet to come as the week's itinerary starts to include things which were never mentioned at the beginning. A new TV show and a punishing journey are just the start. Yes, life on the road is mostly about getting where you are going and being ready when you arrive.
The gig at Sala Sporturlor in Cluj reaffirmed our lasting relationship with Cluj Napoca where we have established lasting ties to this community. Even when gigs in Bucharest were thin on the ground Cluj was there to listen to Smokie's latest offering. Now the whole of Romania is ready to take in the new and revitalised music which the band has to offer. Times change, as does this enigmatic band. To be part of it is to be on a journey of uncertain destination. All that is certain is that another day will bring another performance of mystery and intrigue. Do we ever get any real answers in this industry? I don't think so.

A select gathering was in attendance at Palatul Stirbei in Oras Buftea, Romania. Smokie were a well-guarded secret until showtime, when the surprise was finally sprung.
This was in sharp contrast to the sell-out concert at Casa Sindicatelor in Iasi (pronounced yashy) where the show had been superbly promoted by Radio Iasi. A one-hour press conference in the afternoon helped to set the mood for the evening. We made new friends in this city and all walked away with free bright red Radio Iasi quilted jackets. You can't miss me if you ever see me wearing this jacket, so bright is the colour. Even Santa Claus would be impressed!

A newly refurbished and expanded TF Theatre in Castlebar was the venue for a sell-out Christmas show. The atmosphere could not have been more full of celebration and plain old Irish partying. The band returns to this venue on 14th March next year, a show which is already selling fast.
A select crowd attended Ballinasloe's Carlton Shearwater on Sunday night. They soon warmed to Smokie's love songs, even if they may have been contemplating work on Monday morning. The Irish pork crisis has taken my favourite bacon off the menu, making breakfast a most continental event.

A record-breaking crowd attended Ireland's National Events Centre in Killarney last night, intent on celebrating. It was the start of the festive season and spirits were high, the audience giving us a mighty reception.

A crystal clear sound was the audible result of Smokie using in-ear monitors at The Whitehall Theatre in Dundee. Radio Tay's engineer described it as the best sound he had ever heard, and the audience's reaction bore testimony to this statement. This was the final show in the acoustic/electric series. Now the band start the Irish Christmas shows, where the parties will, no doubt, rage well into the small hours. Not that the band need a special excuse to celebrate!

Smokie bid a fond farewell to Sweden until April next year after a characteristicly good humoured performance at Mariestad's Folk Park. It's quite clear that the fans are counting the days until the next show while the band can be assured that this Swedish tour has cemented an old and valued relationship by demonstrating that even an established band can produce a few new tricks to thrill the audience. With the dawning of each new year there is something different of which to look forward. Time moves quickly in this business. We will be back very soon.

I have seen large crowds before in Kristianstad, but usually out in the park during the summer festivals. This time we were inside Idrottshall, where the voices of the audience seemed even louder than usual. It was a magical evening which was made even more enticing by twinkling Christmas lights and decorations. It was Rock and Roll with plenty of heart. That's what good parties are all about!

Once again the band played the acoustic set to an enthusiastic audience. One song which is emerging as a firm favourite is "Love remains a stranger". The touring party moves on today to Kristianstad.

I finally managed to get that video up on You Tube. For some reason it would not happen last week, but here it is now.

The audience at Siggesta Gard experienced the double set, featuring acoustic songs selected from "Eclipse". Their reaction was overwhelmingingly positive. The venue is an impressive wooden structure with a single-stretch tiered auditorium which, rather like The Corn Exchange in Kings Lynn, looks like a ski slope from the stage. The venue was packed literally to the rafters and it was, without doubt, a night to remember

Smokie are no strangers to Societets Restaurant in Varberg, having played both indoor and outdoor venues in the past. We certainly felt like we were on familiar territory and amongst old friends. The cosy venue was a perfect oasis from plummeting outdoor temperatures as winter started to bite. The show was a single set which kept the audience on a high for a full ninety minutes. As with Highland dancing, it is a very effective way of keeping warm at this time of year.

I tried several times yesterday to upload a new video to You Tube but found that the video was always out of synch with the audio. Next time I get a chance I will try again.

The creative juices are flowing again and there is a new Christmas Verse to be found amongst these pages. Desperate times call for desperate rhyming!

A weekend off from touring means a chance to catch up on other work. This week's task was to hot-tail down to Perth to clear out a spare room in my daughter's recently acquired flat and build a bed so I could also enjoy a night's sleep after a day of labour. It was a very enjoyable task and gave me a chance to catch up with both Stef and Luke, who I haven't seen since early September. It was a total family event, which is very rare nowadays. All chances to spend time together are precious and memorable. C'est la vie!

Last night's recording of The Kandis Show is intended for broadcast on New Year's Eve, subject to the programme planners' agreement. The technical crew were delighted with the results, so it is likely that their plans will go ahead on that day. Smokie performed "Mexican Girl", "O, Carol" and "Living next door to Alice" to an enthusiastic audience.

The DGI Hallerne in Vejle resonated to Smokie's final Danish concert this year. Our show is maturing and improving and has found great support in this country. It's always a pleasure to have something new to offer the audience, and this combination has worked well. We never need to say "goodbye", only "farewell" and once more the band are on our way to another country. But this time it's different because we will be returning briefly on Tuesday to record The Kandis Show for transmission on New Year's Eve.

Smokie will appear on The Kandis Show, recorded on Tuesday 11th November in Viborg.

When 1,600 pairs of lungs bellow "Hasta la vista" at full pelt (rather than whispering it) you know you have a crowd. To calm such a crowd with an acoustic set is no mean feat, but it was equally well received at Odense's Idraetshal last night. The compliments ran thick and fast. The Danes have sampled a fresh format and given it the thumbs up. The fun continues next week with two concerts and a TV show in Denmark, this being the Scandinavian leg of the world tour.

The audience at Viborg's Tinghallen were treated to a newly formatted double set which features some of the songs from the "Eclipse" album. There was an overwhelming feeling that the part acoustic/part electric formula worked very well. It will always be the case, however, that the crowd want to party with the old hits. Whatever the viewpoint, there was something to please everyone, and more than enough to divert attention away from flying witches.

The refreshing thing about Ireland is that opinions are given with complete honesty. The Irish often say things which are the bald truth with no trimmings. It is, therefore, even more meaningful when the compliments flow so generously after Smokie's stage show. That doesn't mean that the insult isn't just about to arrive in the form of "...but I hate the shoes!". What you see is what you get over here on the Emerald Isle, and there is a great deal of fun and laughter. This is the country where there is no such thing as stardom and people say the first thing that comes into their head. I love it because it reminds me of myself as a child (and sometimes an adult) when I so often said the thing that was on other peoples' minds but not on their tongues. This has been a most successful tour. We shall return to Ireland for the Christmas shows in December. Now it's time to brave wind, rain and flooding to get to Derry. Anyone got a boat?

Ice stadia are always cold, unless Smokie are playing. Last night's gig in Frydek-Mistek was relocated to such a venue due to pressure of demand for tickets. You would be mistaken if you believe that the Czech audience were there for only nostalgic reasons, for they were with us all the way through our musical journey covering three decades. The Czech Republic hasn't featured much in our tour schedule of late, but that is about to change. I look forward very much to visiting again.

The atmosphere was electric at Locomotiva Sports Halle in Pilsen. A huge autograph signing session in the afternoon gave us the chance to meet some of the audience, who gave us an enormous round of applause as we approached. It was a hot gig after an unseasonally hot day. Hard to imagine that there are only two months left before the Christmas break. More gigs in The Czech Republic are being planned for next year.

Some people have asked me what the clicking noise is in the background of the September YouTube message. It is the camera strap knocking against the tripod as I try to run quickly round my house. The heavy breathing is simply evidence that I am not very fit at present, having abandoned all exercise in favour of world touring. Maybe I'll keep still in future, unless I make the next broadcast from the Wii Balance Board.

I never say "goodbye", only "farewell". This may seem like the end of the German tour, but really it is the beginning. Next year will find Smokie in Germany a little more often and, going on the reaction of the audience at Scala, Ludwigsburg, that will be very welcome news. Record releases and promotion are planned over the coming months, so those Smokie adverts will be hitting the airwaves once more. It's been an absolute pleasure to play five quite different shows to such enthusiastic audiences. The touring party now moves on to The Czech Republic.

It was as full as an airport shuttle bus and as hot as the Sahara at Pfafflingen's Raiser Tanzzentrum. It's always a pleasure to play a hot sweaty club, especially when the audience are as energetic as they were last night. These early autumn gigs are finding everyone on very good form. Long may it continue, now that Christmas is just round the corner.

Someone put happy juice in the crowd's drink in Eilsleben. They were on fine form and showed continuous good humour. It was like playing to a bunch of our best friends. A large bra was thrown on to the stage (we later signed it) and it was stretched across the front of the drum kit for comical effect. A good night? I think so!

The mood was upbeat at the Paulaner Club in Recklinghausen. With autumn leaves sticking to our shoes we entered the glass building in full view of the audience, who were ready to join the party. Similarly, at Theater-Fabrik-Sachsen in Leipzig there was a warm reception (in a very hot room) waiting for us. We will be in Germany for five days, enjoying a variety of quite different venues. It may be chilly outside, but there is no shortage of heat where Smokie perform. No need for that sauna in the morning!

There is one recurring theme on Smoie tours which is the amount of energy the band still have for the live show. I feel that this is even increasing with time. The show gets better from the band's poiint of view as we each find new inspiration and this, in turn, leads to a more energetic performance. Last night's gig at The Garden Club in Winterthur caused near euphoria as the audience reacted as one to a very intimate and dynamic performance. We have all the energy we need to complete a very gruelling tour schedule for October. Good health to all!

Apologies for the lack of reporting on the South African tour, but there was no internet access in most places and no time to spare for most of the tour. To sum up, it was the most successful SA tour so far and we have forged an excellent relationship with our new promoter, Frans Swart. There is already talk of our return next year.

The concert at Orpheum Graz was a strong start to the autumn tour, with both band and audience on very good form. However, on the way back to the hotel, with only 400 metres to go, our van ploughed into the side of a Seat which then shunted another vehicle. All vehicles were extensively damaged but no occupants were injured. For those people who had been in the 1995 accident it was a chilling reminder. Otherwise it was just another day in a hectic tour schedule which might not have turned out this way after the air traffic control radar in London went down on Thursday, causing massive delays and cancellations and grounding some of the band in Manchester.

We survived to play another show, and were astonished to find that our transport consisted of two Red Cross vans. As it happened this had nothing to do with the events of the previous night and more to do with the fact that the whole event in Prottes was organsied by The Red Cross. At least we were safe in the hands of trained professionals. The audience were very happy to see us after the news of the accident had reached some of them. All in all it was a weekend charged with adrenaline, which should help to prepare us for a very busy tour of South Africa with little time to take a breather. There's nothing like being busy, and I don't think I need any more lessons in how to do that!

Since the sun rose above the mountains this morning it has never stopped shining in this part of The Highlands, which is great because I have had the chance to keep working outdoors on various jobs which need doing before I start touring. Now that night and day are equal in length there is less chance to get out in the open, unless it is to catch a plane. That 4.30 a.m. start on Thursday is going to come as a bit of a shock to the system!

There are usually two main reasons to celebrate - when it's raining and when it's not. However, this site is one year old today, so I thought I'd take the day off and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Can't remember the last time that happened, but I don't think it was in this decade. Thank you to all those who have been regular visitors. May you continue to find information, amusement and alternative views in this location.

It's a full two years since I disconnected all my studio gear and stored it away, waiting for the chance to get it up and running once more. Domestic changes as well as business ones have meant that there was no time or place for Enrick Studio, which remained cocooned in its place of rest. Now it has re-emerged in a new desktop guise and is sleeker and more manageable. But time is running out again, and I think I won't get a chance to use it until next year. But at least it is ready, even if I am not!

That's a sound I am used to hearing. However, in this case I am the housekeeper and I have dusted the site and polished the presentation. I didn't quite dare go to autumnal colours, mainly because I am very attached to blue. Anyway, here is the site for your perusal and enjoyment. I shall endeavour to keep the reports up-to-date, especially if Nokia return my internet tablet, which has crashed and faded to black screen. Technology is so good if you can lay your hands on it. Otherwise, I shall just carry on reading my book and waiting for a chance to get on the internet.

Some of you have found it already, which is the action-packed You Tube video for 8th September. This is what touring could be all about!

Where possible I place the correct tour dates on this website, but sometimes there are inaccuracies because my source of information is incorrect. Dates change regularly and I don't always get to know about it. If you have bought a ticket for a show and it is not listed on my website it is  more likely that you have the correct information while I only have a broad outline of possible tour dates. This happens a lot in Germany and Sweden where dates are swapped at the last moment. I thank those of you who bring this to my notice and allow me to correct any inaccuracies.

My counter tells me that, after 11 months, there have been over 10,000 visits to this site helped, no doubt, by the unshrinking loyalty of all the Smokie fans. Thank you for being regular visitors and joining me in some of the hilarity that characterizes my career. The music business is still a lot of fun and gives good raw material for unique reporting. Not all gigs are the same, otherwise there would be nothing new to say. I always find new experiences and try to find novel ways of putting these across to the readers of these blogs. Take a look at some of the previous reports - they are a fly-through of all that has happened during this period. It's rather like looking at photographs. They stir memories and remind me of the special circumstances which surround each and every occasion. Thanks again for your support. I shall continue to write for those who enjoy reading.

Is it my imagination, or does every break from work start with wind and rain? It is certainly blowing up a gale outside and sending summer flowers into a whirl. My usual expectation is that September will be a good month, and it mostly is. Plans to take to the golf course have been superceded by Wii and indoor bowling, both of which make you ache a lot. Come on, September, bring me some of that healing Autumn sunshine which I first experienced in my early visits to Scotland many years ago. The Beijing Olympics are over, but I would still like to ride my bike!

All good things must come to an end, and a busy and enjoyable summer of touring ended in Hjorring, Denmark, where the crowd were in very high spirits. Smokie has appeared many times in Denmark this summer, and are due to return in October. Meanwhile it is back to The Highlands for me and a chance to catch up on some of the work which has been waiting for me since January. I might also occasionally swing a golf club and take a bike ride. Whatever happens, there will be no flying for me for a while. It's nice to get my feet back on solid ground.

There was more boat travel as Smokie headed, at a luxurious pace, for the Fjordfestivalen at Hernestangen i Royken. The venue may be reached much quicker by road but that would be no fun. The assembled crowd were in good vocal form, as were the inhabitants of the fleet of boats at the harbour who listened from a distance. It is the end of the summer for the Norwegians so there is a good reason to make the most of the final celebrations before mooring their boats, returning to their main residences and sending the children back to school. It all seemed too short, as do all of the things that we enjoy most. But it has been so very enjoyable during the festival season and we haven't quite finished yet. Just one more to go!

I noticed, for the first time, that there are no trees at all on The Faroe Islands. It has a wild beauty and is a little reminiscent of North Yorkshire with rolling hills and long rock escarpments. This was Smokie's first summer visit, having not been here since January 1995. The crowd of around 8,000 greeted us with deafening cheers. On the plane journey from Copenhagen some of the passengers had told us that Smokie are one of the most popular bands on these islands. The audience bore testimony to that claim and their enthusiasm lasted right until the end when darkness finally fell. Whereas Denmark is a land of bridges The Faroe Islands are now joined by tunnels, which makes travelling a lot easier than it was on our last visit. It was a pleasure to be back, and it will be an equal pleasure to return.

I am wondering why I stagger around this morning, as if drunk. Then I remember that Saturday was a very long day, starting at Grindsted Stadion in Denmark, where Smokie kicked off the festival with a flourish. For normal people it would be enough to go to work once a day and then go home contented. Not for us, though, as we boarded a plane bound for Norway and then a three and a half hour drive to Engerdal, where we were making a repeat appearance at a venue we had played just two years ago. This time the audience was larger and the reaction was mighty. It helps to remember such great times, especially if the body screams at me that I am overdoing things!

The Langelands Festival is a massive event which lasts a whole week. That's a long time by festival standards. Smokie hit the stage at 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday. That's a great time to entertain because the crowd is fresh and energetic. The very high temperatures of the last few days subsided for a while, whch also helped to energise everybody. The show received a massive euphoric reaction. Now the band are tucked away in a secret location until tomorrow when we will be performing in both Denmazrk and Norway. Bring on teleportation!

This last week has seen a welcome heatwave in this part of the UK with Inverness the hottest part of Britain on more than one occasion. It was lucky, then, that Smokie took a short break. With no need to board any planes this week I have been able to enjoy unbroken sunshine and a chance to really work in the grounds in preparation for the "gathering" which took place here over the weekend. It was an Aussie-style, cook-your-own-meat type of occasion where the drink flowed freely for the best part of 10 hours. What a pleasure, and what a great chance to catch up with people I may only see once a year, due to heavy work committments. So, excuse me if I look unusually tanned, but I can tell you that I have definitely not been on holiday. Who needs a holiday when conditions at home are so agreeable?

Rowlit in the City has changed venue a few times - sometimes it's even in the quarry, but that has been discontinued for safety reasons. This year the show was placed right next to the firemen's quarters, which houses a fascinating array of artifacts, photos, souvenirs and even framed axes. The audience were patient for Smokie, as we finally hit the stage at 12.50 in the morning, yet had plenty of energy reserves for singing with us right until the end. There just aren't enough gigs in Finland. More are being planned and, hopefully, booked before the diary becomes too full for next year. Smokie, like The Scarlet Pimpernel, are being sought here, there and everywhere.

To be far away from civilization is to take the ferry to Samso and lose track of time. It's a small island with a small population which swells greatly during the summer months as festival revellers and owners of holiday homes get away from it all. The crowd needed entertaining and Smokie delivered. There ensued a party afterwards where some of the band took to the stage for an unusual rendition of "Stand by me".

The familiar red scene in Hadsund was waiting for the band on our return from the island life, and an early show saw us finishing before 7.30 p.m. Unusual though that is, it worked out well for us as we had to wake early this morning for a trip to Turku and the resulting show in Pargas. This will be our fourth appearance at this festival. Perhaps this year the mosquitos won't be biting!

Midsund is an island off the west coast of Norway with a population of about 1,900 people, a large number of whom attended the Midsund festival, now in its fourth year. The hospitality was tremendous, with a delicious meal of freshly caught crayfish and other seafood served in the home of one of the island's residents. A boat was laid on for transport between the island and the mainland, and time had no relevance. The crowd were euphoric and there was talk immediately after the show of repeating the event with Smokie as international headline act. I'm sure this will happen in future, dates permitting, since there are already bookings which take us well into the summer of 2009.

There was a very warm reception for Smokie at the Havnefest, where the
temperature was high under canvas. The capacity crowd joined us in every
song, proving their knowledge of three decades of Smokie music. Summer
is still in evidence here in Denmark, which is in sharp contrast to conditions on
Norway's west coast.

The town square was packed, the rain stayed away and the audience were
ready to party. With regular TV spots advertising the acoustic album Smokie
are enjoying high profile in Denmark. The tour moves on to Juelsminde and an
early start for the west coast of Norway tomorrow.

Thanks for all your kind birthday wishes, mostly posted on Marika's website. It's overwhelming to wake up to messages from so many people who have such lovely things to say me. I feel very lucky to be part of such a popular band. My thanks to all of you. I can only repay your generosity of thought by performing some more for you - maybe somewhere close to where you live! Check out the latest You Tube message and see that there is indeed life "off-the-road".

One moment the place is as quiet as a library and then there is a torrent of people emerging
from boats, bars, cafes and camper vans.  Such was the scene at Wrightegaarden in Langesund,
Norway.  Now there are just two washing days before I turn round and do the same again next week.
It's no wonder that some people ask "Why don't you just move to Scandinavia?".

It was a short commute from Haugesund to Skudeneshavn, where
a large crowd were waiting for the start of the Skude Festival
which, incidentally, is twinned with the Scottish Portsoy Festival.
A luxury Fairline transported us speedily to Stavanger for a brief
rest before moving on to Oslo.
The Seljord Festival is the largest gathering of mobile homes
and caravans I have ever seen. It also carries special memories
for me because the 6,000-strong crowd sang Happy 50th Birthday
to me two years ago. Last night there was a similar sized crowd
who were in very good vocal form.

The next shows in Germany will be in October. In the meantime, after a tremendous show in Rehna, I wish them well in tonight's Euro 2008 final. The band will be seeing a lot of Scandinavia in the next few weeks, so plenty of daylight!

The theme was Euro 2008, yet nobody seemed dıstracted by football whıle Smokıe played at Landhausplatz ın Innsbruck. It was a nıght off for footy revellers and a nıght on for musıc lovers. The settıng was perfect, nestlıng ın the centre of the town whıch ıs surrounded by mountaıns.

At the Rıxos Premıum Hotel ın Belek, Antalya, there was an atmosphere of holıdaymakıng and super-tannıng ın extreme temperatures. Not even the Russıa versus Spaın game could deplete the numbers ın the audıence. Wıth the sea breeze behınd us ıt was a pıece of paradıse. The band look healthy and fıt for the last run of Scandınavıan summer shows.

Actually, it was two "Bads" - one Bad Urach and one Bad Langensalza. The longest day of the year gave us a few extra vital seconds of daylight in which to thrill the audience. They responded accordingly. The sauna-like conditions in the tent in Bad Langelsalza caused the audience and band alike to almost breathe in and out simultaneously to maximise oxygen. Probably the hottest gig of the year!
Tonight we perform in picturesque Innsbruck as part of the Euro 2008 celebrations. Since there is no match until tomorrow we have no need to drag supporters away from their TV sets.

The audience waited patiently for the start of a late show. The comment of "So Farso good" went right over their heads as they reached for umbrellas and raincoats. The audience's applause never lost strength as the show continued well into Sunday morning. I bid farewell to Denmark for a few weeks, returning again on 10th July.

Whereas Rod Stewart, at 63, is a "bridge virgin", this was something like Smokie's sixth appearance at "Rock under the Bridge". With only two acts performing at this evening show the audience were energetic and lively. The Danes showed us their best reaction as the show sped towards its conclusion with "Alice". But seventy-five minutes just didn't seem long enough, either for the crowd or the band.

As the temperature soared the final day of Harboore's festival was a steamy event. This was Denmark at its summery best. If the high pressure continues there could well be many vessels floating alongside the stage area on Thursday in Middelfart. Long summer days lead to short and hot summer nights when sleep is just a luxury. That sits well with the musician's lifestyle which is characterised by late nights and early mornings. At least the sun is up before we are at this time of year.

Well, what else can I do on a Thursday morning? Those monthly You Tube videos are putting a smile on someone's face. If you find out who it is, could you please let me know?

Moscow never looked quite like this before. A unique view of St Basil's in Red Square formed the backdrop for Auto Radio's 15th anniversary concert. Smokie were allocated just three songs, but the party at Moscow's finest Paradise Club lasted for hours.

A return visit to the Rock Theatre in Kaliningrad meant a very lively show after a very hot day. This show marked the end of indoor concerts for now and the beginning of open air festivals. Summer came with a vengeance and the temperature on stage was in the high 20's. It was a hot gig in all respects. Our audience in this great venue were with us all the way, making for a special and memorable night. I think we will be back!

From the ramparts Smokie attacked, only to receive equal effort from the audience. Castle Buchlovice held many secrets, and the band unravelled  a few of our own in this historic setting. It was five versus three thousand, and there was nowhere to hide, nothing for it but to let forth a salvo of hits and wait for these offerings to bring on the desired effect. We captured their hearts and called it a draw. A return match is on the cards. Never underestimate the power of the crowd. A great time was had by all, and not a bit of bloodshed. Now the eleven-hour drive takes us back to where we started two days ago. Really, you need the endurance of a pawn and the heart of a king for this caper. 

The Reinach Glashaus afforded the audience a unique view of Smokie, as we watched the final 20 minutes of the Chelsea v Man Utd game from Moscow. The gig itself was intimate, and then followed the opportunity to crowd around a TV where, in full view of the departing audience, we celebrated our own impressions of the closing minutes of the match. Only a few hours later we were on a 12-hour journey which took us to Liberec in The Czech Republic, where a huge crowd were waiting at the Dum Kultury. This marked our return visit to this territory which, like Romania, is starting to call for more Smokie gigs. And when we get the call we start packing a bag. That is what life on the road is all about.

The location was a closely guarded secret, but I can tell you that large disused factories can be very cold. As the final arrangements were made for the first part of the video shoot the heavens opened and dumped a liberal carpet of water over the surroundings, creating drips and leaks everywhere. But somehow the combination of smoke from three cauldrons and the shafts of light which cast an Indiana Jones-style halo over the building's interior gave the whole scene a freshness which will surely translate well into a fine representation of Smokie's day-long shoot. The humour carried over from the Esbjerg weekend and the band found enjoyment in the smallest of matters. Filming can be very boring, with lots of waiting around doing nothing and trying to resist the sweets and biscuits (do you ever wonder why Hollywood stars sudenly put on a lot of weight?). Yesterday's collection of stills and video made the whole process worthwhile. The results will be seen shortly on the 30-second TV advert which screens first in Denmark.

Smokie's association with this west coast Danish town is strong and enduring. As much as we feel special in this charming city we are made to feel at home by our audience. They were treated to some of the more humorous side of the band, as were interviewers who asked simple questions, only to find that there is a truly nutty side to Smokie. Tomorrow's filming will put the lid on final preparations for the album release in June. The title is "Eclipse".

Sorry for this period of cyberspace silence. It's entirely due to the fact that I have been so busy travelling (62 hours in one week) that I have never had an opportunity to reach a computer, let alone eat or sleep. Kings Lynn was a great success, as always, with a hugely appreciative crowd who would wish to see more of Smokie. "But, you're always overseas", said one person. She is right, as the tour dates confirm. A visit to the east found us in Ferdinandshof, Germany, where the open air concert to a capacity crowd started the round of outdoor shows which are typical for this time of year. Similarly, in Deva, Romania, Smokie were welcomed by a crowd who were ready with their umbrellas. Several days of hot weather had helped to breed a thunderstorm which kept the ground moist but did nothing to distract the audience's attention. Romania is still a relatively new territory for us, and the groundwork is being done for the Christmas shows which feature 101 violins. And today we find ourselves in Esbjerg where we are nicely in place for another open air event followed by a bit of filming for the TV advert which promotes the new acoustic album.

It's impossible to make a video in these Highland surroundings without nature's soundtrack, as provided by cows, sheep and birds. That's part of the beauty of living in such an unspoilt part of the United Kingdom. A particularly noisy cow delayed the recording of the latest You Tube video, causing me to drink more wine for the scene than I had planned. So, the result is a slightly sozzled presentation against a backdrop of  tweets, bleats and moos.

Would you be surprised to know that my two dogs now have their own website? This was an experimental site which I built for fun. Anyone can do it, and it is free. Known as a Wiki Website, it can be shared amongst interested groups so that it may be updated by any person in that group. For a truly hairy experience take a look at http://spaniels.wetpaint.com. But, please don't feed the dogs.

Many happy memories have been made in Vienna over the years. Last night reminded me of some of these when Smokie again worked with a very familiar promoter on an equally familiar show. With the River Danube as a backdrop and a wildly enthusiastic audience we could only succeed in pleasing. This was "One night in Vienna" I shall always remember. I wrote an intro, many years ago, titled "Vienna Intro" (see Albums). The associations are many and varied. One thing is for sure, I have always had a successful gig in this special city.

Check the links on this website and take a look at www.smokie-online.de. Marika's very informative Smokie site has taken on a new look. See what you think!

The Robin was rocking on this, our first return to the lively venue in Bilston. Face-to-face contact counts high on my list of priorities, and The Robin has it in spades. Barnsley's Metrodome had a different atmosphere entirely, with a spacious area to fill and plenty of elbow room. A long signing session after the show enabled the band to meet many of the audience who were so happy to see Smokie in Barnsley for the first time in many years. It was a rather special night with many nostalgic memories. For me it was the first time I had played this town with Smokie, although the place looked very familiar from my days with The Ward Brothers. And the "Hi-di-hi" element was reminded as I took my caravan and waited for the 11.30 p.m. stage time at Vauxhall Caravan Park in Great Yarmouth. From the stage I saw some very humorous outfits from punters who had dressed for a 70's party. They certainly weren't disappointed, and neither was the band as the happy atmosphere and absurd wigs formed our backdrop for a cheerful night with that familiar holiday camp appeal. With one more UK show to do in Kings Lynn I am due for some long journeys to far away places, so the UK fuel crisis will be less of a threat after 10th May. In the meantime I am pedestrian in the Highlands, so I may as well cut the grass again!

Mill Rythe Holiday Village describes itself as "The Gateway to the Stars". Indeed, occasionally a particularly talented member of staff makes it to stardom. In my opinion this charming resort is full of stars. They are some of the most likeable people I have ever met working in the leisure industry. Their gutsy and honest approach to entertainment is refreshing, as was the audience's reaction. The night was not only reserved for residents but also attracted a fair few people from outside the grounds, some of whom had travelled a fair distance to see the show. It was a pleasure to be part of a scene which helped to foster so many of Britain's great entertainers and to return to the roots which gave substance to such a long and healthy career for Smokie. Thank you to all who made this a successful night.

I have added another video on You Tube for the sake of those who like to see the lighthearted side of me. Thank you for your comments on these short video blogs. They are fun to make and quick to view, making an ideal way to keep fans in touch. No awards for the acting, of course. Perhaps the out-takes would be worth a look!

In this water-loving nation the best way to reach Haugesund from Bergen is by Sea Cat, which speedily ploughs the waves while all inside are warm and wirelessly connected. An early show found Smokie playing to 4,000 high-spirited people in Vardhallen. It felt like the beginning of a party season which promises to last for many months this year with regular return visits to a country where album sales meant that one in forty people owned a Smokie album. Roll on the midnight sun!

The audience were impatient for the start of the show at Rick's. No wonder, really, because they were jammed in like sardines in a tin. Were it not for the crash barriers they would most likely have spilled on to the stage. Some of them looked like they wished they had. It was as good a night in Bergen as Smokie have ever had, with the usual show of appreciation for all of the songs old and new. Many of this generation grew up with the number one sellers "Whose are these boots?" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and the response showed this to be the case.

Conditions deteriorated in the mountains above Zell Am See just as Smokie reached the summit. The blizzard cut short the proposed filming and fun with snowblowers and skidoos, resulting in a longer break in the restaurant alongside champion skiiers. Eventually an alternative route down the mountain was chosen and we reached ground level before the soundcheck. A large crowd clad in ski gear attended the show in the evening, undeterred as snow and rain continued to fall. This part of the year marks the end of the quality skiing season as temperatures rise and the snow on the lower slopes becomes too wet. But at 2,000 metres it was business as usual, just as it was for Smokie at ground level, where the show was an unqualified success. I think I have seen enough apple cake to last me a while!

The two  Danish gigs were very different in nature. Whereas the spacious Antvorskov Hallen in Slagelse had a largely standing audience, Vejle's Musikteatret was a cosier seated venue, reminiscent of many of the Swedish theatres. This was a newer experience for Smokie in Denmark, and it enabled the band to show its versatility to this appreciative audience. For some people the idea of sitting down was a little unfamiliar, yet Smokie's audience rarely sit for long. They merely own a seat for the night, which they soon abandon.

While I can happily surf the internet and do some website updates on my Nokia Internet Tablet, I cannot update the blog, so I still have to find my way to a computer. This last Irish tour set a new standard. With a sellout show in Letterkenny and a massive audience at The Olympia - no doubt inspired by Smokie's recent appearance on "The late, late show", the tour took on a frenzy of approval from young and old. Being in Ireland for St Patrick's Day also put us in the middle of a huge celebration which gained intensity as the evening progressed. The Irish were at their partygoing best, and Smokie responded accordingly. Meanwhile, up here in the Highlands it is wintery enough to keep the Easter eggs from melting.

Now, what to do with those discarded video messages from this website? You might wish to see them again, so I now upload to YouTube for easy reference. So, just type in my name and you'll be rewarded with a short message. More to follow.

I experienced great problems uploading the video yesterday due to excessively slow broadband speed. Perhaps Nessie was asleep on the cable deep down in Loch Ness. Who can say? Anyway, the blogcast is now operational.

It's been a while since I appeared on RTE's "The Late Late Show", but that's my destination tomorrow and it will be a pleasure to see the familiar faces of Irish television again, prior to the 6-day tour starting on 14th March.

Much as I love Gothenburg, I wouldn't plan to spend 10 hours at the airport. Yet, that's exactly what happened yesterday as severe weather threatened the Amsterdam flight and equipment failure added to the problem. Still, a night at Schipol's Holiday Inn wasn't the worst thing that can happen. But I was concerned about missing Mother's Day. This is my chance to spoil my mother and wife by taking them out to dinner and telling them how important they both are (and how similar). So, I shall make it up to them by postponing the event by one day and doing the dinner thing tomorrow when restaurants are more available and demand isn't running too high. After all, my mother takes a lot of the credit for my development into the person I am today. Take that reasoning to its full logical conclusion and you can see that she really created a member of Smokie, so a few of us should be grateful to her. Anyone wish to help with the bill?

From the small and cozy Flygeln in Norrkoping to the larger, reverberating Malmo Konserthus the Smokie tour continued in earnest. For the fans the tour is progressing too fast, since they won´t see us in Sweden again, after Friday, until November. For the band it is another day and another show. Regardless of perspective it is a fact that the audience and band alike have given everything they had to these shows, raising the temperature a few degrees during this Swedish winter whch is, after all, not as cold as it should be. A three day break allows for some more recording of tracks for the forthcoming acoustic album.

Sodra Berget is a spa hotel in the mountains with breathtaking views overlooking Sundsvall. It's a great place to chill out and spend an evening with Smokie. The audience were on loud form and moved about as much as space would allow. It was a magical night with an amazing scenic backdrop. There are many ways of having a good time, but this had to be one of the best.

Grangesberg is fortunate to have such a beautiful venue as Cassels. The surrounding area is quiet and rural, yet this magnificent theatre, restored after a fire in 1992, stands proud in the middle. With no cameras in our line of sight last night we had a full view of our very attentive and appreciative audience.

Stockholm's finest partygoers witnessed the recording of Smokie's new live DVD in the theatre at this boutique hotel belonging to Benny Andersson of ABBA. The venue allowed for an intimate atmosphere and a lively performance was captured with plenty of personality and fun. The band were on fine form, and this should translate very well into a fine finished piece.

You may have noticed an error in the intro to the most recent video message, in which I mention Monday 10th February. Honestly, I do know that it was 11th, but somehow I slipped through a wormhole. These things happen, and help to make eventual outcomes a little less predictable. The space time continuum often plays tricks, and it's not even April 1st (or is that March 32nd?). Well spotted, if you were one of those who felt the need to clarify the matter so as to be able to feel one day older.

As it approaches my 20th anniversary in Smokie (on 7th March) I have included some historic photos of earlier times in the gallery. Take a look, and see if you can keep the smile off your face!

Even though Spring isn't quite here, I thought I'd do a bit of tidying on the website. How do you like it? And maybe I'll get the video camera out again and do a shoot somewhere near Nessie!

The Cork Opera House has been a favourite venue for many years. The sellout gig just reconfirmed Smokie's love affair with the venue and the people, who rewarded us with a massive show of appreciation. Is this the return of Smokie mania?

It may well be, since the audience who attended The Belfast Waterfront exceeded any previous numbers for that location. They witnessed a slightly altered show which is being honed in time for the making of the live DVD at Rival in Stockholm on 21st February.

The Irish Tour opened at Naas's themed Time Bar, where smartness is the norm. The audience quickly took to the dance floor and stayed there for the rest of the show. The very up-to-date Osprey Hotel played host to Smokie. Pampering was on the menu in the form of a well-equipped leisure centre and excellent a la carte restaurant.

There was no less of a welcome waiting at Clonmel Park Conference Leisure and Spa Hotel, where the show was a sell-out. There has never been a louder chorus to "Carol" and "Alice", as the audience excelled themselves in the singing department. Ticket demand exceeded supply and a return to this venue later this year is definitely on the cards.

The Jolly Joker in Braunschweig left me smiling. From an enormously high and sticky stage the audience looked a long way down. At that altitude the stage smoke hung like a cloud. This was Rock and Rollsville with all the familiar sights and smells. A happening gig and a true reminder of our origins.

Zentralhallen in Hamm resounded (literally) with Smokie music as the sound bounced off walls and the ceiling, giving the audience a second chance to hear what had just gone. But the hall was as full of people as it was of melody and the audience showed their appreciation in large measures. There remains one last show on this German leg of the 2008 tour, but first we take a night off and a chance to revive before moving on to Ireland.

Every tour must start somewhere, and Smokie's tour commenced at Musiktheater Capitol in Paderborn. The audience looked refreshed after the winter break, and the show was filled with new energy in anticipation of a variety-filled year.

If you take one full house, then add a lot more people you  have "full to bursting", which nicely describes the conditions at Uhingen's Uditorium Nicole Schmid. Where there was little room to clap the audience made up for it by cheering twice as loud. There was no doubt that we were made very welcome.

Rosenhof in Osnabruck had an altogether more intimate feel. This was a  warm gig in the sweaty Rock and Roll mode.  Umbrellas accompaned us as we  weaved our way  to the stage, and kebabs awaited us on our return. Good sound, great audience, good food - what more can a  musician want? (Please don't answer that one!)

Check out the new Video Message page. Here I get the opportunity to leave a short message for you, which I shall update occasionally as new events occur. You may need to increase the volume on your computer because I speak very softly! (Shh)

How about a freshly re-mastered version of "Loch Ness Enigmas"? Sounded like a good idea, so that's exactly what I have done. The artwork has also benefitted from a little bit of refreshing, restoring the timeless quality of the Loch, and bringing the text up-to-date. It is,after all, twelve years since I embarked on the project to set the narrative of Loch Ness to music. This has remained my favourite project, outside of Smokie, and one which reminds me every day of my initial inspiration, as I drive past the exhibition's entrance in Drumnadrochit.

Did someone say something about global warming? Why, then, has my environment turned into a Siberian wasteland with two-inch thick ice that just will not go? Not for me the sort of holiday where you lie on a beach. Oh no, I am scraping, breaking and gritting in a sort of merry-go-round daily routine to get the driveway clear so that vehicles may enter and exit without harm. I bet they would laugh at me in Russia! It's an outdoor pursuit that lends itself more to extreme winter sports than casual jogging, and it's helping to shed the Christmas pounds. Maybe it's all for a reason!

For anyone into "tech" I can thoroughly recommend the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, which has only just come on the market. Rather than lugging around a laptop, this little beauty gives full-feature internet browsing, as well as media playing and GPS mapping. I can't praise Nokia enough for finally inventing the machine which has meant that there is no longer any need to carry a laptop anywhere in the world. I shall be making full use of this device for blogging and keeping up-to-date with world matters. Check it out if you are a tekky. I promise you will not be disappointed, unless you have fingers like sausages!

It's time to get back to "normal" (whatever that is) after a fun-filled, drink-soaked, party-filled, family-orientated Christmas and New Year. Yes, it was good, and a great relief after the punishing schedule in the last three months of 2007. But I am looking down the barrel of a busier year in 2008. Smokie are very much in demand, both on the live and the recording front. More work will be done on the acoustic album and there may be a release this year. The touring year is of the "close to home" variety with, so far, no real long haul flights - just the usual Amsterdam commute with connections. To me that is "just down the road", even though the journey still takes 12 hours. I think I had better shake off that winter revelry, ignore those twinkling Christmas lights, and start to get in condition again.

To be able to spend both Christmas and New Year at home is an absolute luxury. It has been so good to finally spend quality time with my family and not to have to sit in an airport in the middle of the night, waiting for a delayed flight to a far flung destination and hoping that the return flight will get me home on New Year's Day (unlikely in Scotland because all transport ceases that day). All of this means that I shall be in the capital of Hogmanay celebrations on 31st December. It's the best place in the world to welcome the New Year. The Highlanders make a big fuss over New Year and then have another party of their own on 12th January. It's a great excuse to fall off the edge of the planet and then re-emerge after a lengthy period of relaxation, drinking and dancing. Sounds a bit like an ordinary night with Smokie!

"It's not over 'til the fat lady sings". Well, there are no fat ladies in sight, but sightings of a certain fat man in a red suit are on the increase. From Brasov in Romania to Arhus in Denmark our own powered sledge has transported us, with some help from Cimber Airlines. Where are we playing? Can't tell you, for it is a secret which will only be revealed tonight. After all, do you really want to know what is inside all your presents before you open them? I like surprises, and I hope that tonight's audience will as well. It's the final gig of the year and then Smokie actually take a break. OK, it will probably be a hard-working break, but I will not need to fly for a month. The furthest I will venture to is Scotland's west coast, where I can see waves crashing, spend some much needed time with my wonderful wife, and try not to contemplate too hard the agenda for next year, which promises to be much busier than this one. Wait a moment, I think I hear bells - he's been, and I think there may be some surprises!

The audience's reaction at Sala Polivalenta was mighty. It is 24 years since the band played this particular venue, and the crowd was hungry for Smokie music. It was a scene of near mass hysteria, with hypnotic cameos where thousands of mobiles lit up like fireflies, providing the backdrop for "If you think you know how to love me". There were many young people in the audience who sang along with songs old and new. This new generation has discovered their parents' music, much the same as the Scandinavians did in the 1980's. The future for Smokie looks bright in Romania where there is a re-emergence of music with melody and meaningful lyrics. New doors are opening for the band all the time. Now all we need is a 28-hour day and a 400-day year to satisfy demand.

The final run-up to Christmas has found Smokie in Castlebar and Killarney in the west of Ireland. There is no difficulty in getting into party mood here as the audience mostly arrive in high spirits. It is certainly starting to feel a little more like Christmas. All that is required now is some cold, crisp weather and some of the white stuff.

"Mlada Boleslav, you were fantastic!", said Steve, and he was so right. This may have been the annual bash for the Skoda company (no free cars, sadly) but the gathering of intrigued punters soon learnt how to behave like a rock and roll audience. The Czech Republic took Smokie to their hearts in the 1970's, and the euphoria is still very evident. This was an exhausting day that ended on a real high.

While the wind howls and the rain lashes across Ireland, The Red Cow is home to three of Smokie's Christmas Shows. No two nights are the same, and the reception each night is equally warm. It may not feel much like Christmas yet, but it certainly feels like a party!

At Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Georgia, the band was given a huge welcome. The audience ignored the persistent rainfall to rock along with us as the near zero temperature froze fingers and feet. The televised show ended with early fireworks which accompanied the strains of "Living Next Door to Alice". The Georgian people with whom I spoke all agreed that Smokie should visit more often. If that's an invitation, I accept.

In Karlsruhe there was an equally enthusiastic welcome from the crowd at The Europahalle. It felt good to play indoors and be warm again. This show marked our last appearance in Germany this year.

I have made available a few copies of the "Sanctuary" album, which may be bought through World Music (see the links page). In time these will also be available through this website.

Notwithstanding the early start from Stockholm and the rush through congested traffic to reach Hull, the City Hall concert was an unqualified success. The audience seemed to be in the mood right from the start, and their enthusiasm, no doubt, helped to carry a slightly weary band and crew through another great night of mutual celebration. This certainly paves the way for future shows in this part of Yorkshire where Smokie haven't appeared too often. Absence does, indeed,  make the heart grow fonder!

It was a rip-roaring end to Smokie's Autumn Tour of Sweden at Gothenburg's Konserthuset. The onstage pranks were running thick and fast and the audience enjoyed the fun. We return to Sweden in February. In the mean time we move on to Stockholm where there may be a surprise in store.

Our first gig at Linkoping's Konsert och Kongress for several years was a great success. The venue is one of the larger ones we have played on this tour, and the audience numbers were impressive. The city of Linkoping is one of Sweden's most beautiful. It is a university city with what appear to be almost as many bicycles as Beijing.

It was more of the same at Uppsala's brand new Konsert & Kongress, a venue which has been open for only two months. The purpose-built auditorium made for a CD-quality sound, which was enjoyed by audience and band alike.

If you can't let your hair down on a Saturday night, when can you? The audience in Norrkoping had no trouble doing just that. The sellout show is responsible for the repeat booking at Flygeln next year, when we will discover whether Sunday is also a day for celebration.

Orebro is a city which we have seen more than any other during our past visits to Sweden. The welcome is as warm as ever and the show was given a great reception. We leave behind a rather cooler scene than the one with which we were greeted, with expected snowfalls, and move at a leisurely pace to Norrkoping - another favourite place for the band and one to which we will be returning on February 24th next year.

Take one excellent venue, a happening band and an audience that's fired up, mix them together and you have the perfect recipe for a good night such as the one at Vasteras Konserthus. I happen to know that yesterday was pea soup and pancake day here in Sweden, and I was lucky enough to partake in this traditional Thursday dish. I wonder if it's important to get the measures right, because pea soup could put extra spring in your step while pancakes could easily slow you down. Any thoughts from you Swedes?

Yes, you did read that correctly, for I have a notorious brother in South Africa. He is not a musician by trade, although he has been known to beat the drums, but he bangs out rather a different tune in the form of a weekly column in The Sunday Times - website www.sundaytimes.co.za. His column is ironically titled "Out to Lunch", and is a weekly comment on South Africa's social and political environment. He has a witty way of putting across serious issues. His columns have now filled three volumes, the sale proceeds of which have all been donated to charity. Some say that their only reason for taking The Sunday Times is to read David's column. I mention this out of family pride because he is my brother, although he ain't heavy (at least, he wasn't last time I threw him in his pool in Johannesburg).

At Vara's very attractive Konserthus Smokie were welcomed with a full house comprising a great cross section of the community's age groups. There is no lower or upper age bracket which precludes anyone from attending and enjoying the show. It is a great complement to the band that our music has transcended generation divides and kept its wide appeal. The band returns to Vara on Monday 29th February 2008.

We are no strangers to Grona Lund, Stockholm's amusement park, but Tyrol, which is part of the same complex, was a new gig for Smokie. With great acoustics and a willing audience it was the perfect night for feeling close to the crowd. There was an atmosphere of good humour, and the excellent sound inspired a performance with extra zest.

The reception at Gavle's Konserthuset was a warm one, prompting memories of our last show there in March 2006. The earlier snow had already melted, so there was no skating on ice at the backstage entrance this time. Whilst Halloween was being celebrated on the streets there was another kind of magic happening at Smokie's concert - the type of magic which can only happen when a band and audience get together and really enjoy themselves. Now we move on to the capital.

Smokie's first visit to Haparanda was warmly welcomed at the Aspenhallen. This was a sports hall with a highly attentive audience. To our surprise we were each presented with the Norrbotten A La Carte, a book which shuold enable us to rustle up any of the popular dishes created by top chefs from this part of Sweden, some of them named after the hotels where they originated. Will we see an Ice Hotel being crafted alongside Loch Ness? Maybe a small serve of Ptarmigan a la Gastis consumed in the vicinity of a log fire! I'll just light the barbecue.

Lulea is a small town just outside the Arctic Circle. It's possible to walk round most of the central streets and harbours in 40 minutes. There is an abundance of kebab houses, burger joints and some Thai and other oriental restaurants. Home style cooking is a distant dream, so it was Thai for me. The spices worked hard to neutralise the effect of the chill wind and keep me warm all the way back to the hotel. It was an early night for me with a copy of Kathy Reichs's "Cross Bones". She is quickly becoming my favourite author.

Smokie enjoyed a strong opening night in Lulea's Kulturens Hus. There was a timely seasonal reminder, in the form of a light snowfall, which heralds the beginning of some very wintery weather for Sweden. However, inside the auditorium it was warm and cosy. The band enjoys some free time today before resuming the concert tour on Friday in Haparanda. Who will be the first to roll a snowball? Now is our best chance to see Santa at home.

At first the band seemed fated as our luggage and equipment didn't make the flight to Arhus, but we were re-united with it in time for the show at Limfjord Kulturcenter in Skive. The packed show wrapped up a hectic weekend during which we had visited all four Scandinavian countries in three days. The extra hour of sleep on this night, as the clocks were turned back for the Autumn, was very welcome. Now we take it a little slower by staying in one country for several days, that country being Sweden.

The Fun Club, aboard the MS Cinderella, was full to bursting when Smokie took the stage. So gentle was the cruising speed that it was hard to tell that the ship was moving at all. The crowd was fired up and they were relentless in their show of appreciation. After waking up in Finland we made our way rather more rapidly back to Sweden where we headed for Norway.

In Kristiansand the Dark Season Festival became literal as the stage was plunged into darkness for part of the set. This did nothing to detract from the enjoyment of the capacity audience since the show continued regardless. There were amusing attempts to keep light on stage by means of torches and cigarette lighters, and a cheer went up as the full rig resumed power.

It's very rarely I have to look forward to the gentle sway of a cruise ship since travel is all about getting there as quickly as possible. However, tonight Smokie join a packed and sold out sailing from Stockholm to Mariehamn on the lovely MS Cinderella. This ship was built in Finland in 1989, the year that "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" went platinum in Norway. A late night is followed, unfortunately, by an early morning and rapid return to Stockholm so we may connect with our flight to Oslo and Kristiansand, and afterwards to Denmark on Saturday, where we will be putting our clocks back for a much needed sleep. Who said a musician's life is easy?

It's only just over four weeks ago that I compiled a list of features that I would like to put on a website. The site was completed in just a few hours and now I see that there have already been over 1,000 visitors. Thanks for calling regularly - I shall continue to make it worth visiting by updating the blog and the dates page, as well as adding new features whenever possible. Leave a message in the guest book, if you wish. I read them all and I keep them all. Best wishes to all, Martin

Not even England's loss of the Rugby World Cup to South Africa could dampen the atmosphere at The Canal Court in Newry. The venue itself hosted a variety of events, some of which ultimately adjourned to The Millers Suite, where Smokie put the lid on a high octane evening. Now the band prepare for a full Scandinavian tour which starts on Thursday.

There was plenty of atmosphere in the packed Market Place Theatre, Armagh, where Smokie made a return appearance. The audience were as comfortable listening intently as they were dancing in the aisles, and they made their approval very apparent with lengthy applause. And now, in the words of a famous Irish melody, "It's a long way to Tipperary" (and that's where we went next).

Playing at OB's in Kilross was like having a shower with your clothes on. It was enjoyably hot and there were no empty spaces, even to the extent that the band had little room to reach the stage. The gig had all the hallmarks of early Smokie country shows in Ireland, and the audience's reaction was every bit as boisterous. What a great night, and what a pleasure to go back to our roots!

For a city that usually takes it easy on a Sunday night Derry had a surprise for Smokie at The Millennium Forum. The audience held nothing back as they danced in the aisles, transforming a theatre gig into a rocking live venue. It's a sight I would happily welcome again and, after talking to the management, it seems the band will be back before too long.

The Carrick Court Hotel, Carrickmacross, looked unfamiliar until I realised that, many years ago, it used to be called The Oasis. It was a venue which Smokie played many times in the late 80's and early 90's. Regardless of its new manifestation as a sumptious hotel it had a familiarly large audience turnout. The show is earlier these days (10 p.m. rather than midnight), the audience is seated and the PA is crystal clear. Also, Smokie have new songs from the past two decades from which to draw material. So much has changed, and yet so much remains the same.

In the early morning, whenever possible, I start with the 108 moves of the Taoist Tai Chi Set, a routine which requires quite a bit of space. That's OK when I'm at home, where I have extensive paved and decked garden areas, but in a hotel room it's more of a challenge, causing me to more likely tie myself in knots. Couple this with a period of tea-drinking teetotalldom and I really ought to be healthy. Will I miss some good parties? Yes, probably, until December, but there are so many of them in this business that it's possible to skip a few and still feel like you've partied forever. So, no alcohol for me for a couple of months - but I expect I shall make up for lost time!

The venue at Canstatter Wasen, in Stuttgart, was the ideal place for an end-of-tour party, being a Furstenburg beer-swilling, table-dancing, rowdy funfare joint. Our music stirred up nostalgic memories, as well as introducing new material from the last two decades. We move on to Ireland on Saturday, where the tour begins in Carrickmacross.

Our first appearance in The Czech Republic was met with unsurpassed euphoria as the packed Cheb Sportovnie Halla reverberated to the noisy cheers of a wild audience, happy to finally see Smokie in their country. This is the first of two visits this year, and it appears to have set the scene for more engagements in the future.

Another full house and lively audience at The Break Club in Affoltern, Switzerland but, unfortunately, a grafitti artist had gone to work on the tour bus and an urgent departure was delayed while a police report was filed. In spite of time pressure we were able to reach Suhl for our onstage time.

The capacity crowd at Suhl CCS were there for a whole night´s entertainment which gave access to 40 bars, restaurants and other venues for a night of variety and celebration which had a real Oktoberfest feel about it. The reaction from the 3,000-strong crowd was overwhelming, and the opportunity to talk to many of them after the show meant that an all-night party was inevitable. We move on to The Czech Republic now for our first gig in 24 years.

There's nothing like sunshine to raise your spirits. Even a dull city looks better under the warm glow of Autumn sun. But this is no dull city - it is Pirmasens, with its beautiful monuments, impressive waterfall and numerous pavement cafes. A great place to rest and restore before our journey to Affoltern in Switzerland.

Jena's F-House was full by the time Smokie hit the stage. There were many familiar faces in the audience, including some who have followed the band since the 1980's, as well as a few we haven't seen for a while. The city has changed considereably since our last visit, around 12 years ago, with a delicate mix of ancient and modern. It was good to be back again.

Quasimodo in Pirmasens hosted a similarly sweaty scene with an energetic audience. The band are taking a day off and a chance to recharge waning energy before resuming the tour in Switzerland.

A similar audience to last night greeted us at Augsburg's Spectrum Club. It is just one year since we played here, and we were given a big welcome on our return. There was a small change in the set which allowed us to re-introduce "She rides wild horses" from The Nashville Album, which was very well received. The tour moves on to Jena, a city we haven't visited for well over a decade.

If only every touring day was as good as this, our experience of life on-the-road would be just about perfect. The journey to Nuremberg was short, the scenery in parklands alongside the Silbersee Lake on a sunny Sunday afternoon was stunning and there was a full house waiting for us at Nuremberg's Hirsch. Our promoter from Cheb, in the Czech Republic, happened to be in the audience. He promised us a large audience on Sunday, after which press photos were taken for advance publicity.

The first night of the tour started on a high note in a packed house at Krefeld's Kulturfabrik. It was obvious, from the audience's reaction, that they were prepared to give all their energy to the event. It was a morale-boosting first night which sets the tour up very well. Tonight we move on to Regensburg, after a 580 km road trip, to join Slade and Sweet at the Donau-Arena before continuing on our own tour.

I am just making final preparations for the Smokie Tour of Germany and the Czech Republic. Because I am travelling from The Highlands my tour effectively starts today when I journey to Aberdeen. Tomorrow I meet up with the rest of the travelling party in Amsterdam before flying to Dusseldorf and joining the tour bus.

The albums listed on this website will be on sale later this year. For practical purposes I am delaying the sales because of touring commitments. If you would be interested in buying any of these albums please post a comment in the guest book or email me and I shall respond when I return from touring. Thank you

It's barely 6 hours since I started gathering material for this website, and now it is looking pretty full. It has been a very easy website to create, thanks to Mr Site. I look forward to further enhancing the features and hearing comments from some of my visitors. You may have to be patient for a reply because, as you can see from the Tour Dates, I shall be busy over the next few weeks.