October 2026 - Little Steps And Keep Going

Well, here we are again. Another month gone, and another update on what I've been up to.

Things are still a bit difficult at the moment, and I'm not doing as much musically as I'd like, but there are still a few things going on. So let's have a look at October.

Getting out and discovering new music

I started the month by going along to a gig to see Jo Harrop playing at a local church. I actually found out about it completely by chance, which just goes to show that sometimes it's worth keeping your eyes open for things happening locally.

It was a small venue, and the music was quite different to what I'd normally go along to. More of a jazzy, folky sort of sound, but I really enjoyed it.

It's always good to get out to an actual gig, see some live music and discover artists you might not otherwise come across.

And, of course, I made sure I bought a couple of CDs while I was there. If we're going to encourage local artists to keep making music, it's important to support them where we can.

One thing I've noticed is that more churches seem to be putting on musical events. I imagine some of them are probably trying to raise a bit of money for things like leaky roofs and general upkeep, but it creates a great opportunity for musicians and audiences alike.

So my recommendation is to keep an eye on what's happening at your local churches. You might discover somebody new, find a great little venue and have an enjoyable evening without spending a fortune.

I've already booked up for a couple more gigs, so hopefully there'll be more new music to discover over the coming months.

Keeping the websites moving forward

I've continued working on MWMusic.uk this month, making a few changes to the website. I think it's reading a lot better now, and hopefully it's becoming a more useful and approachable place for people to visit.

I've also been working on my other website, www.mmmfs.uk, which stands for My Magical Musical Friends.

For anyone who hasn't come across it before, it's a place where I can bring together information about my musical friends and what they're up to. That includes new releases, upcoming gigs, news they'd like to share and details of people who are available for session work.

The idea is really quite simple: to help promote the people I know and give them another way of getting their music and services out there.

There's so much going on in the music world, and it's easy to miss what people are doing. If I can help spread the word and get a few more people listening, going to gigs or making connections, then that's a good thing.

I'm still working on both websites, but I'm pleased with how they're coming along. There's always something else that could be improved, of course, but at least things are moving in the right direction.

If you haven't visited MMMFS yet, please do have a look and see what my musical friends are up to.

Life outside music

As I mentioned last month, looking after my mum, who has dementia, is still taking up most of my time.

It's not an easy situation, and it's something I have to deal with every day. Unfortunately, it means that music and some of the other things I'd like to be doing have to take a back seat.

It's one of those things where you just have to get on with it, even when you'd rather be doing something else.

I'm still trying to find ways to look after myself as well, though, and one of those is continuing with the running.

Parkrun is still going well, and it's become a useful way of getting out of the house, clearing my head and relieving some of the stress. I've also lost some weight along the way, which is an added bonus!

Having signed up for the London 10K next September, I'm now contemplating whether I should have a go at a few more events before then. I seem to have got myself into this running thing now, so I might as well see where it takes me!

The important thing is that it gives me something positive to work towards, and sometimes that's exactly what you need.

A few musical things to look forward to

Although I'm not doing loads of writing at the moment, there are a couple of things on the horizon.

One of my artist friends has now recorded a song we wrote together in Spain back in June. Hopefully that'll be released in the not-too-distant future, which will be great to see.

It's always exciting when something you've worked on moves forward, even if you've not been directly involved in every stage of the process. You put the work in when you're writing the song, and then you get to look forward to hearing the finished recording and seeing what happens with it.

I've also got a writing camp booked for January. I've been to this one twice before, and it's always great fun.

The writing is obviously a big part of it, but I'm going to be honest here: the food is amazing, which is probably the most important part of the whole thing!

Seriously, though, it's something I'm looking forward to. It'll be good to get back in a room with other writers, work on some new ideas and spend some time doing what I enjoy.

Getting back into the studio, one step at a time

Something else I've been trying to do is have a general tidy-up and make my little studio more accessible.

It's amazing how much easier it is to get on with things when you can actually get to the equipment without having to move a load of other stuff first!

The idea is to make it easier to sit down and spend some time working on music whenever I get the opportunity.

At the moment, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself. Life is difficult, and I can't always dedicate the time I'd like to my music. But that doesn't mean I have to stop completely.

Sometimes it's just about doing a little bit.

You might only have a couple of minutes to spare, but you can still think of a song title, jot down a phrase, write a line or make a note of an idea. It might not seem like much at the time, but you're still keeping that connection with what you want to be doing.

And you never know when one of those little ideas might turn into something bigger.

I'm hoping that by gradually getting things tidied up and making the studio easier to work in, I'll find it easier to get back into things when time allows.

It's all about taking little steps at the moment.

Looking ahead to November

So that's October, really.

I'm still juggling things at home, trying to look after myself, keeping the websites updated and doing what I can to stay connected with music and the people around me.

It's not necessarily the most productive period of my musical life, but there are still things happening, and I'm trying to make the most of the opportunities I have.

Sometimes you have to accept that you can't do everything you want to do, and just concentrate on what you can do.

Hopefully, with a bit of time, I'll be able to spend more time in the studio and get back to writing more regularly. In the meantime, I'll keep taking those little steps and see where they lead.

Next month, we'll be heading towards Christmas, so who knows what December's update will bring!

Until next time, take care, and keep supporting your fellow musicians wherever you can.