Back To Writing The Book

The sole benefit of this intolerable delay on the book front is that I'm now writing a new final chapter. Somehow it didn't sit well with me that the Radio City gig was the book's finale, and with all the nonsense that's been going on, that would have made the last chapter over a year out of date. So I was on the phone with Mike Portnoy and James LaBrie last week, going over the details of the upcoming 'Systematic Chaos' album that's out in June. Jordan Rudess is lined up for later this week, which just leaves John P and John "Gripper" Myung to go. Shake Mr Myung's hand once, and you'll know why his middle name is Gripper by the way.

Wilson In Not Dead Shocker

Yes, it's true. I can confirm that I am not dead. So thanks to Paulo somewhere near Milan (apparently) and Steve from Yarmouth for your concerned e-mails. It is good to know that someone actually takes the time to check if I've updated this drivel. So what's new? Well, you'll never guess what. I still haven't signed that contract with the publishers I was wittering about back in 2001. Well, OK, it was probably Janaury, but it feels like years. I tell you, all of this book writing lark was at some point in the increasingly dim past good fun. Then the industry gets involved and sucks all life and enthusiasm from you. Hopefully, this will get signed off sometime soon, but then I've been saying that for weeks and cock all happens . . .

Apart from that, was in Preston last night for a Porcupine Tree gig. Stunning stuff really, with the ever-so-slightly-disturbing backdrop movie adding to the general ambience. Which reminds me, I need to put together a review of last night for Classic Rock. I guess I'd better get to it . . .

Nuggets

As with all DT releases, the hardcore fans are already searching for "nuggets" - those hidden images on sleeves, or sounds on songs that once discovered will mean something. Something to search for between albums. So someone has done a piss-take out of the "nugget culture" by posting the above pic over at DT's MySpace site. The question is, can YOU see find the nugget?

Scrabbling Around

Well, as you might have predicted given the intolerably slow pace of progress on the book release date, I am still negotiating the contract with the publishers. So no news to report - hence the lack of posts. All of which is of course what is technically known as "bollocks", but I do hope to get this sorted in the next week (bangs head on wall . . .)

But at least it has given me time to try and work out what my next project will be, as I'm chomping at the bit. There are a couple of rock-irons in the flames, but as always with these things, they are best left roasting before I reveal all, as nothing is certain in this business.

Still, all this inactivity has given me chance to pop over to the mighty Sifters Records on Fog Lane in Manchester. Stocked up yesterday with a fine selection of Dio, Genesis, Ratt, Gary Moore, Anvil and Whitesnake albums to see me through the long weekend.

More to follow as and when.