Online abuse. The de rigeur occupational hazard for journalists and broadcasters.

It affects those in such professions in different ways. Some respond to such abuse with direct confrontation that can dangerously escalate, some attempt reasoned argument with their tormentor, others feign indifference all the while compounding their insecurities, and a few simply wither on the vine. Many just plough on regardless.

In this past week, two 3-piece rock acts have been touring the enormo-domes of the UK to great critical acclaim.

Thing is, I wonder whether Muse will still be touring such venues 40 years into their career as Rush are doing now. If they aren’t, it probably won’t even be their fault or under their control, given the gradual disintegration of the music business to a mere short-term popularity phone and text in contest.

I really should be asleep rather than typing this, I’m so tired – but I have to put my thoughts onto hard drive as it were.

I have a hell of a lot to be grateful for in my life. First, I’m healthy…actually a little healthier over the last month or so, since I realised I was nearly 13 stone and needed to do more than trim the puppy fat (that’s not a euphemism).

Well, it’s out. I’ve only gone and done it and released an album.

When I first plink-plonked around the piano in our house as a small child, I had no pretensions of making a record. Of course I didn’t – at such a tender age, the perspective needed to map out your career path simply wasn’t there in your mind. You weren’t thinking beyond your next quarter of Strawberry bonbons from Lavells round the corner.

I think I can safely say that this past Christmas and New Year has been the busiest and most productive in my entire working life.

To be fair, I’m used to grafting over the festive period whilst others are sinking into the sofa debating which Quality Street are which and how many variations on a theme you can get out of the remains of the turkey.

As my upcoming debut album is all mixed and ready to be mastered and then released in early 2013, I thought I'd give you a flavour of where these 15 tracks come from and what they mean to me.

Enjoy!! :o)

SOULMATE

My Twitter timeline flashed up some news yesterday that wouldn’t have had too much significance for too many in the football world – namely that Walsall manager Dean Smith has been given a new 2 ½ year deal to manage the Saddlers after a highly pleasing start to their League 1 campaign. The season before, Smith had worked brilliantly to help Walsall beat the drop despite the usual restrictive budget that managers in that part of the Midlands have always had to deal with.