Anthony came round with his A.B. stamp of approval. We signed 50 FEEL FREE LIVE GOOD posters, ate pasta pesto and opened the inevitable bottle of Nero D’Avola. This is simple. art. living.

For the album launch party for the Mavis album, Ashley Beedle’s new project coming out on K7 records, featuring Kurt Wagner, Candi Staton, Ed Harcourt, Danielle Moore from Crazy P and Chris Coco. I provide the spoken vocal on a track called Dreamers. It’s based on a blog I did here about a day trip to Manchester when I was making a documentary about acid house for BBC Radio 2. Last night I DJed and recited lyrics from the album. Also watched wonderful performances of songs from the album by John Turrell, Danielle, Ed Harcourt and Edwyn Collins. The last time I saw him perform was many years ago when I was a kid and he was the lead singer of Orange Juice. Despite his problems, a major stroke, he still has a lovely presence, a great voice and a wonderful simple way with words. I’m actually really proud to be involved with this project, to be on an album with so many artists I admire. Nice.

Today we went to Brighton to escape the city and the constant rain. The incessant city. No rest. No sympathy. The winter city. No break. Unbreakable. Relentless. Resilient. Seeming endless. And though I still cannot imagine flowers in bloom and leaves on trees. We did find some sun. Some space. To breathe. To be.

Today for the first time I can feel that winter’s brutal back is broken. There is hope. There is light. Flashing on the page on the train home. Flooding the sky. Filling our eyes. Today. We went to Brighton to escape the city.