I remember an interview I heard some years ago with the director George Lucas. He was talking about when he was a young man, feeling the pressure of having to go out into the world and make a living for himself. He was unsure of what kind of career he wanted to pursue and he asked his father's advice on what was his best option. He father asked him when was the last time he had been so involved in something that a whole day had gone past without his noticing. Whatever that activity was, he said, THAT'S what you should pursue as your career. I can think of no more sound advice to anybody remotely creative! Lucas loved making home movies and he went on to make Star Wars, of course, and become one of the world's most successful film makers.

Why am I recounting this? Well, I just spent a whole day -several actually -composing and recording in my home studio, completely unaware of the time passing. It's such a joy and a privilege to be able to do this in the comfort of my own home. Years ago I had a little Fostex analogue 4-track recorder but these days musicians have almost unlimited options to lose themselves recording music using technologies we could only have dreamed of just a short while ago.

Anyhow, if you've joined the mailing list, you'll have downloaded one of my recent tunes. It's an instrumental and I'm really thrilled with it. It's based on a few ukulele lines in 7/8 time signature but it's also the first time I've used my little blow-pipe keyboard on anything. It made my wife think of ice melting and following the journey of the water as it collects into streams and rivers. Perhaps one day I'll go to town on this piece and extend it but for now I'm really satisfied with the feeling of this recording. Please do join the mailing list and download "Meltwater" for free. I hope you lose yourself in the music as I did when making it.