It felt deeply satisfying to return home and travel the length and breadth of the country this week. From Brighton and the south coast we went up to Glasgow and back down to London as we tried to squeeze in as many regional radio stations as possible. As we drove passed the distant snow-capped hills of the Lake District and across the border into Scotland I started thinking about how important radio still is in a song writer's career.
Almost a century since the first commercial broadcast and in an era of astounding technological advancement, the simple truth is that radio is still king. Some debut artists manage to break through and achieve chart success without airplay but they are in the minority. Okay, its heyday is probably over and its fighting a losing battle against the internet and the billion TV channels we seem to get, but I like the fact that we still connect with a purely audio experience. Every morning across the country kettles are filled, toasters are loaded and dials are tuned in (hopefully to hear one of my tunes).
After being chatted up, interrogated, laughed at, flattered and insulted in literally hundreds of interviews over the years, and especially in the last several months, I thought I'd say a few words about them.
Depending on the presenter, journalist or DJ, interview styles can range from the mundane to the outright combative. After plying my trade in Europe for so long, its been interesting to return to the UK and chat to folks in our first language. One has to be that little bit more attentive as the slightest slip of the tongue can land you in hot water, especially live on air. I started this morning by blurting out to an unsuspecting presenter: "Sting was in my hotel room this morning... I mean hotel LOBBY! Damn it..." Absolutely golden (fields?)...
I have realised that an interviewer with the right vibe can ask pretty much anything without causing offence. Its a little bit to do with the environment you're in but mostly just old fashioned chemistry.
I'm the last person on earth to try and defend a politician, but this week's news that we've lost our Energy Secretary, because his jilted ex missus has grassed him up over a driving offence from 2003, just seems a bit unnecessary.
The Lib Dems need all the fire power they can lay their hands on at the moment and to lose an outspoken cabinet minister, and also a key player in the government's attempts to tackle climate change, must be a body blow.
Okay yeah, I get those ethical/responsible/role-model/whiter than white arguments, but surely we can just tell him off and fine him a few weeks wages like we do in football's premier league? We already know the country is not run by saints and it is very tempting to pass those annoying driving penalties on to the wife's licence (uhhh or so I've been told). Now that he's resigned however, he can now appear on Top Gear and we can see how he gets on in a reasonably priced car.