4 more years for Obama… phew at least the world escaped the the ‘bumkin cousin’ of a George Bush style President with Romney!

Oh and yesterday was the 125th birthday of Glasgow Celtic football club 🙂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE HOOPS x

There I was on this afternoon (Tue 6th Nov) beavering away on my PC when I got a text then a phone call from a familiar Geordie voice telling me to get my ‘scrawny ass over to his show in Solihull and bring my harmonicas’! So I did what I was told cos Martin Stephenson was in town and jumped a couple of trains and turned up at Solihull Arts Centre and played a couple of songs (Crocodile Cryer and In The Greenhouse – My Grandfather and Me)  with Martin. Great gig…and a wonderful crowd…and does Mr Stephenson just get better and better? Wonderful – what a treat 🙂

Hit the link for a great piece about PC Ian Northcotts ‘Sock n Chocs for the Homeless’ campaign on the Hand In Glove web site  http://handinglove.co.uk/socks-and-chocs-for-the-homeless-2012/

Gary takes part in a recording of the Ian’s song ‘Pleasure’ on Thursday at Robannas Studios in Birmingham on Thursday afternoon.

ALSO don’t forget  – Thursday 8th Nov: Gary O’Dea solo – LIVE @ David Murphy’s Pub & Cafe Bar, Worcester St, Stourbridge, DY8 1AT. Tel: 01384 376152. Free admission – and it’s curry night with curry’s at £4:95. Gary will be performing 2 sets 8:30 to 9:15 ish then another from 9:45 to 10:30 in the lovely intimate atmosphere of David Murphy’s.  http://www.davidmurphys.co.uk/ .

Just want to say a big thanks to all at the gig at The Anvil in Mansfield Woodhouse (Notts) on Friday night and to promoter Pete Shields and pub gaffer Dave for the night. Lovely little acoustic gig – roll on Dec 14th when I’m back again.

ALSO – Thursday 8th Nov: Gary O’Dea solo – LIVE @ David Murphy’s Pub & Cafe Bar, Worcester St, Stourbridge, DY8 1AT. Tel: 01384 376152. Free admission – and it’s curry night with curry’s at £4:95. Gary will be performing 2 sets 8:30 to 9:15 ish then another from 9:45 to 10:30 in the lovely intimate atmosphere of David Murphy’s.  http://www.davidmurphys.co.uk/ .

Busking for 'spare coppers' in Brum 🙂 Sat 27th Oct 2012

The busking copper who joined me yesterday in Centenary Square in Brum is PC Ian Northcott…and amazingly he’s a bit of a songwriter himself in his spare time…but more so he does great charity work and has a special support thing he does every Christmas for the homeless of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry called Chocs n Socks. He has a song called ‘Pleasure’ on You Tube and requests that other musicians have a look / listen and do a version of it and re-post it to his You Tube site to raise the profile and awareness of his charity. What a great idea – have a look – visit here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xOd8mzL2x8&feature=plcp

Ian said ‘I would like for musicians to cover my song “Pleasure” to hopefully help promote my Socks and Chocs event which myself and four colleagues do each Christmas Day. 
In 2011 we donated about 1800 pairs of socks, over 2000 bars of chocolate, 150 sleeping bags and 400 blankets. I helped the homeless in Coventry, Birmingham, and Wolverhampton. I really want musicians to cover the song in as many different styles as you can. Forward it to your friends so they can cover it and let’s see if we can get it the most covered song on You Tube.I know most of you can do a better job than I can so go for it and put me to shame. Play it in any key just keep the lyrics intact and place the same chord numberings in any key. Please call it “Pleasure” and refer to Socks and Chocs For The Homeless. Thank you.

During the past 24 hours it’s developed that Ian is going into Ribanna Studios in Brum in early Nov with a few musos (your’s truly included) to record a version of the song :-)…lol rock n roll …you couldn’t make it up :-).

Also…pics from the gig with Slim Chance added – visit https://www.gojo-music.co.uk/pictures/solo-support-to-slim-chance-the-hare-hounds-kings-heath-brum-251012/

And don’t forget the up and coming solo gigs…hope to see you at one – details here https://www.gojo-music.co.uk/live-dates/

Great laugh this afternoon busking in Brum…as cold as it was…when you busk in Brum for ‘spare coppers’ you get the real thing lol…:-) class.

I was wearing Southern grey…

Lovely gig…lovely crowd…lovely jubbly :-)…massive thanks to you all for the support and response…and Slim Chance…well…just magical X

God bless Ronnie Lane X

Reviews and previews coming in – visit https://www.gojo-music.co.uk/cd-reviews/looking-forward-by-thinking-back-limited-edition-cdalbum-2012/

Plus some tickets are still on sale and CD deal still available for Gary’s support to Slim Chance on Thursday 25th Oct @ The Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Gig tickets are £10 – CD retails for £10 – or combine the two for £15. Contact  gaza@gojo-music.co.uk

God Bless Ronnie Lane…he watcheth over me…it’s in the blood, and heart and soul.

Martin Stephenson (and Robert Cray) live on Bob Harris Show – Radio 2 from midnight to 3am tonight …nice one me old Geordie mucka…and about time too…let’s hope for Jools Holland Show next. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ncgfv