Dear all I'm currently sat in a relatively quiet office while everyone waits for 12.30, at which time we pop down to the pub for a pint and lunch, then go home for xmas. I thought I'd just write a few words. As we all know, 2015 has ended with good news for Roy, but at what I can only think is at an immense cost, both emotionally and financially. I think we all probably have our own opinions on how well the UK justice system (not to mention the media reporting) has performed during this case so I won't dwell on it. But it's really encouraging to see that Roy seems to have some spark left in him and a desire to do something creative again. I'm sure you will all join me in wishing both Roy and Tracy much love and hope for 2016 and beyond, and may we all meet up again next year with joy and optimism in our hearts. I have no knowledge of any planned gigs but I'm hopeful that I may meet many of you again at the Royal Festival Hall or Barbican or similar. Albert Hall anyone? Let's think big On a personal level I've had a good year. I was made redundant in 2014 and found a new job, thanks to an old friend, as a software engineer at a smart lighting company. It was a return to working a "normal" job in an office. To my surprise I've been really enjoying it, even with the commuting from home in Hertford to near Saffron Walden every day. This year I have somehow become management again (this seems to be a recurring theme - I just can't seem to keep my mouth shut and people here took my mad ideas seriously!). So I am in the middle of designing and building network software and programmer APIs for a radio based smart city platform. I have people working for me and am busy recruiting more as well. It feels like my career has had an unexpected revitalisation, and I'm loving it. I'll be podcasting a bit now that we are back to "normal" though it'll be on an occasional, "when there's something to say" basis. I hope to see you at a gig (be it Roy or Nick) in 2016, or at the rumoured-last-ever SoL Party next July in a lovely field in Kent. I'm sure John will be happy to give more details on that event in due course. Love Paul.
Well, Paul, it has been nice to meet you (through Rob and Hil) on a few occassions, and I would like to add my like to your message! I have had a difficult three year period similar in a completely different way to Roy's (and this forums!), and sadly I lost my darling wife Chrissy on 3rd July this year. So, I'm now back to participating after a considerable absence, and looking forward to Roy's 75th Birthday concert at the Festival Hall soon. Me and my woman are parted for now, but I have such a fantastic family that I have every reason to carry on and discover what life has to offer to a man with a broken wing! I hope that this forum will now flourish again. I have listened to all the recordings I have by Roy over the last few days, and I have reconnected with the reason I have held his words and music in such high regard since the early 1970's. Thank you for giving us this space to occasionally express our thoughts, experiences, spare tickets, or whatever else comes to mind! And I can't finish without repeating an earlier post, that Nix is a beautiful and classic CD, like father, like son! I'm not exactly sure why I have written all this here, I think I just wanted to put myself back into the Harper camp after a while in the wilderness. It's all to play for.....
