Postcards From the Coast - Vol. 1

Hello and happy new year from a blustery stretch of the Southwest Coastline. A couple of weeks in and we’ve had a rather violent storm turn our local BBC introducing show into weather watchers, one of my favourite music venues has sadly closed for good (shout out Coast Beach Bar Bude, it was one hell of a view) and a rather pesky sore throat had left me unable to sing comfortably. In my line of work that is rather problematic but despite this I managed to fulfil my gigging commitments!

I hope you on the other hand have been well and enjoyed, if not a fast start, at least a bright and breezy entry into 2026.

Like many, I spent the last days of December reflecting on 2025, making the customary 2025 highlight reel post, reminiscing the many highs which included, a new EP, lots of great live gigs, even more great people and as always, a lot of laughter!

However, there’s also the awkward reminder of all the goals that weren’t realised, a couple of projects that never got off the ground, plus a few too many interactions that ended with ‘we should definitely catch up sometime’.

When Big Ben strikes and January 1^st arrives, I like to have all my goals for the year set. Goals/resolutions, they can be a funny thing. We set ourselves up to try and change some of our habits at potentially the least appealing time of the year

(I say this from a British perspective, I’m sure my friends and family in SA, Aus & NZ are midway through enjoying a wonderful summer lying on the beach with a cold beer in hand).

We want to get in shape and start running more, yet it’s cold and dark, or restart in the gym but it’s busier than ever or we’re eager to explore warmer climates, but the purse strings are tight.

Oh, and that little goal you set to be more positive about things, well sometimes that can feel like tough sledding (especially if the rumours your favourite band has broken up are true).

Nevertheless, turning to the first page on the new calendar feels like a natural point to reset, refocus and see if we can set ourselves up for something good this year. Yes, I appreciate a lot of it might be out of our control - potentially even in the palms of a power far grander than man - but I believe it’s worth taking a shot at it all anyway.

For me, rather unsurprisingly, this year’s main goals relate to creating and releasing new music. I’ve got an exciting solo music project that I started recording parts for in the studio at the end of 2025, with the aim of finishing it and releasing it out into the world in 2026. I’m currently deliberating whether it should be another EP or a debut Album and as such the timeline is still a little blurry.

As always it would be groovy to continue playing lots of shows, in new places, return to familiar favourites and even head back to the big smoke, London friends and fam I know it’s been far too long!

On top of this I’m also working hard on a separate indie folk project collaborating with my good friend Ollie Dixon. We’ve already made better ground this year than we did in the whole of the second half of last year (we did both release new EPs in the autumn so cut us some slack) recording the first guitar parts of something we hope turns out to be very exciting. The project is currently nameless but I’m sure that won’t be the case for too long.

As for my other 2026 goals they will remain secret for now but maybe they’ll be shared in a postcard down the line…

If you get a moment, drop me a line and let me know about your big goals for 2026? I’d love to hear from you!

Plus, if you made it this far, firstly thank you and secondly what sort of thing would you like to hear about from me on the next postcard? Music or otherwise.

Oh, and if I don’t see you this month, we should definitely catch up sometime…

Until the next Postcard!

Upcoming Gigs:

Feb 6^th, The Cedars, Barnstaple

Postcard No. 1: A windy walk to Bull Point Lighthouse, brisk but managed to catch the last rays of sun before turning back