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Hospital - Scotland -
John Scofield
Mon 1st March
What a beautiful day! I’m
going to try and get some recording done…
We now have wireless internet which should liberate
the writing muse. I can write this diary while in bed even. I might do that tonight,
before reading a chapter of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest. It’s about time I read it again. Have a nice day – as they in
All the
Best - Jonsk
Sat 13th Feb
I just want to say a
heartfelt thanks to everyone who came on Thursday night and helped to make it
so special. It’s not entirely sunk in yet just what happened but it‘s been
giving me a really good uplifting feeling as I remember different moments. And
it’s always great to see old friends too…
Yesterday afternoon I did some entertaining
in a different kind of venue - a care home. It was actually just as rewarding
as Thursday nights’concert – and that’s saying
something… I’ll be doing a few more care homes and I wouldn’t be surprised if
tales of some of the things I get up to find their way into this diary….
Till soon – All the Best - Jon
Tues 2nd Feb
Evening
all. A very strange thing happened in January. I lost use of the part of
my brain that does diary updates… how weird is that. It went on the blink
exclusively for January. Now it’s working again as if nothing had happened….
January was none stop. And that’s unusual
for that month. I can’t remember anything about it. That probably ties in with
the technical brain problem I had. Everything is just white when I try to
remember…
Anyway I was at an open mic
tonight at the Black Horse in Limbrick nr.
I’m off to bed though now so, till the next
time…
All the very best
Jon x
Christmas day
Wishing
you all a great Christmas time. There’s nothing I could possibly add to the
queen’s speech….
(actually I’ve
managed to avoid it up to now)
Jon xx
Tues 1st
December
In a Match of
the Day 2 style I’m going to do a two good two bad
Good. 1 – I’ve recorded some great stuff
for my album After the Carnival with James Budden who
is a master of the lower frequencies
Good. 2 – I’m involved in a group with
old friend Stephen McNally, Rab and Tim and I’m
enjoying it a lot
Bad. 1 – I did
a load of great work on my Gallery with some smashing new pictures and then
forgot to save it and lost it all
Bad. 2 – My
album won’t be ready for Christmas {although after all this time the end is in
sight…)
See you soon + All the Best
Jon
Thurs 12th
November
Well, I’ve
been doing a bit of work on the Gallery on this website. There’s more to be
done and there’s no writing just pictures, but I feel
that’s quite poignant… I think there’ll probably end up being two or three
galleries. Gosh, they could even be themed, I just brainstormed! How exciting
would that be?! There’s quite a few little snapshots I took with my mobile and
it tells it’s own story…
See you soon
Jon
Sun 1st
November
Hello there
folks. I’m just back after a trip to Shipston on Stour and
Anyway there’s a lot to be done to finish
off my album but I’m back on track with it, having lost the thread for a while.
It’s going to be called After the Carnival and will be all my own songs with
probably an instrumental on there too. Most of the main performances are down
and there’s instrumentation to go on it too now………. Excuse me, I just had to leave the room as
Ron Moody was singing Reviewing the Situation next
door, and you can’t really miss that can you. Anyway, so once again, I’m
excited about getting this CD out and I think you’re going to like it.
Well I must go now as I’m in Hindley tonight. I must pull out all the stops.
So I’ll catch you later
All
the Best - Jon
Mon 14th
September
Hello there.
There’s loads to tell you so where can I start. Well me
and my son went camping in
Well, on Saturday some other people had been
doing some travelling.
I was setting up my gear at the Hunter’s Lodge in Charnock
Richard when two friends of mine from
Also I just have to say yesterday at the
Boar’s Head was the best one so far. It’s so relaxed I can do what I want and
it’s all the better for it. Looking forward to the next, which I’ll post in the
gig dates very soon when I know when it is.
Anyway you know you must have had a good
time when you’re sunburnt to the shape of a vest.
This was one
place by the side of the road where we cooked our dinner.
Catch you soon
Jon
Sat 22nd
August
Hello people. I just
need to tell you that I swam in Wast
Water last week. In my underpants. Shadows and late
evening sunlight hung over the screes. It was one of
the finest things ever.
Oh yeah and on Thurs I played at a crayfish
party in Ikea. I kept a leaflet as a memento. It’s entitled ‘Songs for Crayfish
Party’s’. It was a brand new experience for me and one I thoroughly enjoyed, and I had no idea they’d be soooo
tasty. (Incidently the oooo
in soooo is intended simply to prolong the o sound
you hear in so. Pronounced wrongly it would sound daft!)
So I’ll catch you later…
All the Best
Jon
Tues 11th
August
Yo there! I just want to tell you a few of the things I’ve
been up to. First, I had another trip to Yorkshire and I started in
Next day I walked around the city and the
whole
That night I was at Elloughton
in
Anyway when I got home I’d got an email from
Maria so I sent one back saying come over to our house if you want to and play
a few songs. Well, she took me up on the offer and we spent the night singing
and she gave me some much needed Spanish elocution tuition! Also a little bit
of flamenco technique. It was amazing… Me gusta mucho
hablar espanol y tocar la rumba! Check out Maria's Myspace
songs.
D’you know there’s
loads more to tell but I’m off to bed cos we’re going
camping tomorrow and it’s a bit late…
See you soon
Jon
PS and sorry if anybody
turned up at the gigs I couldn’t do because of swine flu. Thanks for your
support.
Tues 23rd
June
hello reader. I just got back from Beverley festival
yesterday then I was playing at The
At Beverley the concerts I was asked to play
at went well though I feel I've much more to give at these festivals. The
experience has given me focus. I very much enjoyed meeting people that I don't
always get the chance to meet and that's been very stimulating. The atmosphere
was very amicable though I did feel it missed having sessions in the pubs. Not
that I did too much about it myself, until late Saturday night with I got my
fiddle out with two lads from Driffield singing songs
and playing guitar. It had to be done.Also I got my
guitar out in the campsite before I went home and my nice next tent neighbours thoroughly appreciated it.
It's a little while now since I was on the
Well the feeling that I had whilst standing
there was so close to the enchanted feelings I had whilst my feet actually
walked upon that distant shore that I feel no dissapointment
at all. What I mean is that I
will still look out in that direction with wonder and longing,
and the
sea
there really was that same terribly inviting colour
that I saw from eighty odd miles away. My dream is still intact.
All the Best - Jon
Thurs 30th April
Well, we’ve now
moved house and have a new addition to the family. We have a daughter and we’re
over the moon. Also I’m more organized here than I’ve been before so it’s
onwards and upwards…
Love Jon
Mon 9th
March
I just thought I’d
try and relate to you a tale about something that happened at the weekend. We
were driving through the Lancashire
Now get this. Mary, a woman, says Uncle
Joe’s Mint Ball’s ice cream is better than chocolate.
What more can I say.
See you soon -
Jon
Sun 8th
March
Hello. I’ve no idea
what I’m going to write but I just wanted to give it a go. Probably so I might remember
what I’ve been doing and subsequently, possibly, who I am! We’re on the verge
of moving house here all being well. Having said that, I’ve
had interesting emails recently from Staffordshire and
I need a rest after even just saying those
things.
Oh my god!
We enjoyed very much seeing Will Watson this
evening at The Boar’s Head.
See you soon
luv Jon
Wed 26thFeb
We just watched the film
‘From Hell’ about Jack the Ripper. I’m needing
cheering up. Very good film though I thought.
Check out this link to
Now that’s cheered me up. I can go to bed
now….
Till soon
Jon x
Saturday 31st
Jan
I’m back awake
after being in bed for four hours. I was tired because last night I was up till
seven finishing my tax return.
Anyway I want to tell you about my new bike.
I’ve been riding like it’s been going out of fashion. Actually, bikes did go a
little bit out of fashion but I think more people are going to get riding them.
It makes a load of sense, especially when you get one of the modern ones like
I’ve got. It’s like riding a Rolls Royce and having all those gears you can
flick through so easily it’s seldom hard. I rode to my Dad’s in Wigan from
Well, I best try and get some sleep as I’ve
a task to fulfill tomorrow night – at The
It’s Zed time for me
G’night Jon
Saturday 17th
Jan
Just want to say
thanks Dom, Chris, Mary and Christina and all those who came last night and
made the concert such a supercalifragilous
affair. We’re completely alidocious about it!
Luv Jon xx
What day is it –
Tuesday now.
All right there,
I just have to first
point out that the album I’m making will not be called Greetings from next to
the radiator. I’ve been with Dom today getting ready for the concert next
Friday and I have to say I’m excited about it. Also I’m looking for something
to record it and eventually make a live album with. It’s now doing my head in
there are so many mind blowingly clever choices and
I’ve been reading online reviews. The plot has thickened so much that I’ll
probably just get something I like the colour of…
I’m glad for the respite from the cold
we’re having and I’m currently a good two and a half meters away from the
radiator which tells it’s own story.
One song me and Dom were playing today was
Simple Twist of Fate by Dylan. I think he only heard the album Blood on the
Tracks a year or so ago and liked that I know most of the songs all the way
through. We were eulogizing like nobody’s business about it, saying things so
amazing that they could only be spoken once. Using words like eulogizing. Not
that word but ones similarly big and thought provoking, our thoughts having
already been provoked into it.
It’s time for bed though now…
I’ll be back soon – Jon xx
Thursday 1st
January
Happy New
Year and I hope that 2009 brings wonderful times for you.
Also, important progress has been made on
the album…..
Greetings from next
to the radiator.
Jon xx
Thurs 18th
Dec
Hello everyone. I’m
now sat in our living room and it’s warm this time. I just want to say that I
was very touched during the Chorley FM interview by all the emails I got – I got
a text after from my friend Stan in
Anyway, unfortunately I can’t write for long
as we’re going swimming and I’ve got to get myself ready for the trip to Dorset
and
Well in that case I’ll tell you about
something that I omitted to mention on this page. When I played at the concert
in
Anyway last night I gave it another go, and
after a while the magic returned. That guitar makes me feel like the best
player / performer I can be, and since that concert I was simply missing a
piece of me, until last night. So I’m going to ring Eddy when we get back from
swimming….
There just one swig of tea left in the mug
now so I’ve just got to say I wish you all a good and happy Christmas.
Take care
folks
Luv Jon xx
Tues 2nd Dec
Hello all. I’m just sat
here in our cold living room having watched The Wright Stuff on Channel 5.
Heather Small was on and I’m a big fan of hers though I don’t know a massive
amount about her, I find her performance mesmerizing. Also she’s an eloquent lady while her compassion most of us will have
felt through her singing. I will go and see her in concert someday hopefully…
Well I must get on with things. I should get
to write some more very soon though morning’s not the time really – I can only
have one thought in the morning, then I dry up. That’s why
it’s usually evening or late at night when I write…
See you soon
Jon
Fri 7th Nov
I was wondering if you’ve
noticed there’s quite a few new photos (well most of them are old but will
probably be new to you) in the gallery. Also I’ve linked up a couple more my
tubes.
I’m lying in bed again. Let me think now about
what’s been happening…
For one the recording didn’t go to plan
though I did spend some very creative time with James. He knows a shed load of
songs and I’ve forgotten a shed load, which I remember on nights like the last
one I spent in
There’s been two
tremendous fundraising concerts that I’ve been involved in recently. Both have
given me an incredible lift and put the capital F back in ‘Faith in Humankind’.
You can’t beat the feeling of people pulling together.
That’s it for now
Till soon - luv Jon x
Thurs 6th
Nov
Hello. I’m just lying down to give my back
a chance after carrying my son at the bonfire last night. We went to
(this entry was
abandoned after I was commandeered to perform menial tasks… even with bad back)
Thurs 16th
Oct
Hello there again.
Just to say that if you were thinking about going to the
Catch you soon - Jon
Wed 15th
Hello there. Just to let
you know I’ll be recording next week with James Budden.
It’s to be an album all of my own songs, one of which I finished writng a couple of days ago. I had thought that it was
finished for some time yet it hadn’t been, which is
probably why I didn’t feel inclined to perform it, if that makes sense. Well I
know it does anyway…
Also, if you’re fancying going to the
fundraiser for Wigan and Leigh Hospice at Madisen Hall in Hindley on
Saturday more details will be appearing very soon on Gig dates.
Hopefully catch you soon -
Jon
Fri 5th Sept
Good evenin’.
Something happened yesterday that made Mary and me laugh, and probably will for
a long time yet. This tall African fellow knocked on the door and when Mary
answered he asked her ‘Is mummy or daddy in?........!!!!!!!!
It really has provided us with entertainment. He wasn’t from specsavers.
Also yesterday, my son and I had our first
guitar jam together. It felt so good!
We’re just back a couple of days ago from a
little holiday which included a couple of nights camping in
I’m looking forward to all the gigs I have
coming up. Hopefully see you soon
Jon
Sat 23rd Aug
Hello there,
after
performing at Tommyfest last night with Chris Howard
it seemed
ridiculous to be coming home, what with all those friends of mine having such a
splendid time, and also to be missing all those bands, if Friday nights line up
sets the standard. It’s great to be there with all the effusive, uninhibitedly
enthusiastic people making certain that everyone has a great time.
I love
you all.
Looking forward to tomorrow night at The Boulevard.
Hopefully see you there….
Jon xx
Fri 25th
July
Hola
We’ve just been to
the beach and watched the sun go down. Before that the clouds seemed to form
compartments of sunlight which didn’t reach the ground. There were nine…
Thanks to everyone who gave me their
support at
I’ve
seen some really great artists this last while and I’d say the one which will
have the more lasting impression was in
D’you know, I
thought I’d have more to write about than this, I thought I might not be able
to stop once I got going but no, I think it’ll be quite easy.
Oh well, guess I’ll just say nighty night then.
Good night G’ bless
PS – oh yes I mustn’t
forget, I’ve put a few links to some interesting youtubes
in my links
Tues 24th
June
I was just looking at
some Jacques Brel footage on youtube.
Absolutely amazing.
I’m only just coming round again after the
weekend. As I had hoped it would be, Friday night at
Speak soon -
Jon
Tues 17th
June
After an incredibly
eventful weekend the feet are slowly arriving back on planet earth. The
highlight of this busy time was the cowboys and Indians party that my son had.
The sight of the excitement on those kids faces will
stay with me…
D’you know, I’ve been too busy watching football to write my
diary. Isn’t that terrible. I’ve not suffered too many
dull moments recently anyway, not done a lot of thumb twiddling.
I’m very much looking forward to the
Got to go now though – it’s two o’clock in the morning don’t you know!
Night, night.
Jon
Wed 22nd May
Hello there, well since
I last wrote in here the concert at the Gregson was a
great big success. Not bursting at the seams though well enough represented, but
in terms of the music we definitely hit the mark. After having mixed feelings
about the Billinge performance this confirmed to us
that we’re on the right track and we all enjoyed it very, very much…Enough for
James to want to keep making the long drive from
As you may be able to imagine, I’m on cloud
nine after the United European Cup win last night. You couldn’t get a Rizzla paper between them in the end. I do feel for John
Terry though… Congratulations to all you United
players, I know you all read this regularly, I love your football. One day I’ll
have enough money to go to one of your matches. You didn’t let yourselves down.
It means a lot to me that you hang on to my every word… Just mention to Alex
that if he ever needs any help with his teams talks… Keep it up.
Anyway I’m quite busy this weekend,
including a gig at the Raikes in
All he Best --
Jon
Wed 7th May
We went on a little trip
up to
I’m going about it differently from the
previous one in Billinge, for a start there’s no
support, though there’ll be variations of the lineup, including songs from Ed and
Rory. Also If my friend Christoph
comes along I hope he’ll sing a song or two… We’ll make sure it starts at the
right time too. I felt last time that we struggled quite a lot and didn’t end
up doing my own songs that we’d planned to do. I aim to make sure we do those
especially seeing as I feel quite a lot of my material can really use a band. I
plan also to do some stuff with just James on double bass, and just Chris on
piano, and probably a few with just me. I’m excited about it anyway as I don’t
think you’d get a much better venue.
Anyway this weather has well cheered me up.
I’m glad the sun’s not forgotten us, we’re not that
bad are we.
I enjoyed the open mic
last week, and it was great to sing Joan Blackburn’s ‘
Take care and see you soon -
Jon xx
Tues 29th
April
Hello. After an
eventful last couple of weeks I find a bit of time to tell you about them. Well
we went down to Devon for Crediton Festival and
included a visit to James’ flat in Dorset and an open mic
he runs in Somerset. As the open mic was in a bistro
and as he was on holiday our young lad came along and joined in on the bongos,
he’s always up for a session. James brought his double bass to the first of two
concerts I played in at the festival, at a small church, and it sounded so warm
and felt brilliant to playing our organic music so … …organically. No I wasn’t
playing the organ. The main concert on Saturday night was a very joyous affair
at which I even got the audience panting along on The Dogs of Kilkee and shouting No Never No
More to my blues/rock version of the Wild Rover. I actually got fairly nervous
before that performance…
This weekend gone I played at a
guitar/internet convention in Derbyshire where I thought I’d died and gone to
Heaven. There were some heads gathered in that place! Also I was brilliantly
well looked after and the free ale aspect of it was not unappreciated…
It seemed unfortunate that I had to leave
there to go to Blackpool as I was asked to stay the
whole weekend, but Saturday night in The Raikes was
absolutely fabulous, so no complaints there at all.
Now I’ve got to go into town so I’ll bid
you a fond farewell ‘till next time.
Bye Bye
Jon
Wed 16th
April
Well I just went down
to the open mic night tonight at the cherry Gardens.
It’s the first time I’ve been to it in any other capacity than running it. It
was a brilliant night. What always gets me about
Something else I must tell you about that’s well good is a little tapas bar/restaurant that’s
opened up in
Anyway I’ll be off now as we’re drivng to Somerset tomorrow. By the way though we were
checking out Bob Seegar on myspace
and lovin’ him to bits. Oh and we have a scanner now
so expect some more photies imminently.
Take care now
Jon
Sun 30th
March
Hello there and
thanks to everyone who came along to Billinge and
helped us to make it a very special night. And that goes especially to all the
artists, and helpers. There were some hitches that caused a late start and
subsequently a backlog, and this will definitely be
learned from! So I must say sorry for that, especially to those who couldn’t
stay too late, and to the artists. But thankfully most people could, and did
stay late. Quite a lot of people came fairly large distances too – like from Wilmslow and Abbey Village, Blackpool,
Astley Village, Stretford,
Liverpool, Wirral, Southport, Coppull,
Bolton, Darwen, Chorley, Billinge
(OK that’s not all that far), Warrington, Scholes, Gidlow, Norley Hall, Poolstock, Swinley, Whitley, The Ribble Valley, Leeds and last, but not least, Dorset!
I loved catching up with people I hadn’t
seen in a good long while, albeit quite fleetingly. It’s great to see your
faces. Friends from school, family + relatives, music lovers, locals, groovers…
I’d like to pay tribute to Rory, Ed, Chris
and James who played, backed me up and performed magnificently. Let’s do it
again lads.
I’ll be very much looking forward to next
years repeat prescription…
Take care and see you
soon
Jon xxxxxx
Wed 26th
March
Gosh, I’ve just
realized it’s my brother’s birthday! Anyway, how’s it going? For me this month
has been one of the busiest ever and I’m feeling perky now though the last two
days I wasn’t much use for anything. I’ve just managed to get back online after
our computer had a crash about a week ago. I was in a state of shock at first –
suddenly remembering all the things I’d not backed up! Back your stuff up….
Things are shaping up nicely for Fridays
concert and it’s great that people are wanting to
perform at it with me. There’s not really words for
that sort of thing.
By the way I’ve got to tell you Tonights open mic at The Cherries
is cancelled due to football .
Anyway I’ve a heck of a lot to do before
Friday so I best go now, but with computer’s being much more accessible I
should be speaking to you again very soon.
All the Best -
Jon
Wed 5th
March
Hello. I’ve just
realized I may have been wrong about The Indian Spring, perhaps that would mean
a Springtime that lasted into Summer. Perhaps what we
had in February, when I last wrote, was a Cowboy Spring. I reckon it was…
Anyway things are hotting
up for this concert I’m putting on in Billinge, today
I’m going to run through some stuff with Chris Howard (the pianist who played
with me at The Mill at the Pier), and me and Ed will be running through some
rhythms very soon… The talent I have the good fortune to bring together is
frightening!
I’ve been on a couple of trips to the
northern Pennines recently, the first of which was
supposed to be just a trip to Lancaster with the little fellow, but which was
extended a couple of times. I wrote a little poem…
Where did we go
Onwards
And all was shared
In our smiles and voices
The sun upon the rising land
The trust I held in your little hand
Us with time
Time with us
Following a notion
And then another
‘till far
off the beaten path
Knowing adventure
Having a laugh
Onwards
Like a rolling river
Onwards
We’ve bought this new
camping stove which makes the whole idea of buying a cup tea in a service
station more or less ridiculous. So I ought to be a little bit richer from now
on…
Drinks all round!
See you soon
Jon
Fri 15th Feb
Well, I’ve been enjoying
the Indian Spring these last few days. In fact the weather has put me in mind
very much of last years trip to
Last Friday I was in
Also I’ve been playing a bit with an old
friend Tony Gibbons. It’s made me feel really good I’ve been playing my fiddle
quite a bit too. Oh, I never told you I’d lost it did I. well I’d only left it
at
In fact, thinking about it I’d best be
heading out there so I’ll be catching you soon. First, though, I need to go and
sing a song to a little boy…. Any ideas?
See ya soon -
Jon
What day is it?
I had to think about
that one. It’s now Thursday early hours so I think it’s
the31st January. I hope you readers are all feeling good. I must have been
feeling good last night in Maghull (
As you may have gathered I’m spending this
period, which is lean for gigs, getting out and about to as many folk clubs,
open mic night as I can and have a few up my sleeve
the next few nights.
The concert that I’ve organized at St.
Mary’s Club in Billinge looks set to be a stormer. It’s superb room which ought to hold about 150
cabaret style and there’ll be collaboration with the likes of James Budden (double bass), Ed and Rory from Boomin
and I’m pretty sure there’ll be others. Also the Billinge
Hillbillies are going to do support as well as a fellow called Paul from
So how cool is that?
Catch you soon -
Jon
Wed 23rd
January
All right there.
I finally feel like I’ve got something to write about again now after been burnt
out after new year and struggling to find any proper
rhythm. One thing that’s helped get the ball rolling was my visit to Carlisle
Folk and Blues Club last Friday where the audience response made everything
make a lot of sense again… Then on Sunday in
I’m going to pick up my lad from school now
but maybe I’ll see you tonight at the
All the Best -
Jon
Tues 9th
January
Hello everyone
and I’d like to officially wish you all the best for this more or less brand
new year. After trips to
I’ll be speaking to you again soon, and
hopefully when it’s not quite so late, I need some beauty sleep.
Take care - Jon
xxx
Thursday all day 27th
December
I hope you all
had a fine Christmas. We all did here, thanks. Here, have a glass of
Jameson’s….
I hope to see you soon
Jon