I'd promised myself a complete break from music for a week or so after all the hard work and stress involved in putting on the Phoenix theatre shows. But I should have known that it doesn't work like that - for the muse can be merciless. 

I've had the title of my second album in my head for a while now. It was originally to be called "Ups and Downs" but I discovered Stephen "Tintin" Duffy had beaten me to it back in 1985. 

So I changed it slightly to "Up on the Downs" and I like the multiple layers of ambiguity which that title brings. It could refer to my love of being literally "up there" on the South Downs; it could mean that I get a high from being there; it could mean that I get high on writing songs about being "down". Take your pick, I'm sure there are other meanings. 

Well, last Sunday, the day after the final show, I unwisely picked up my guitar and with "I Wish I Was" still fresh in my mind I started playing a similar finger-style chord pattern... and "Up on the Downs" emerged as a fully fledged song. 

During the course of this last week I've put together the backing track and to my surprise it's turned into a carnival samba! The last minute or so has a samba marching band complete with agogo bells, whistles, repiniques and surdos. About 20 years ago I went on a samba music course. Sadly, I can't remember the name of the guy who ran it but he was inspirational and the proof is here in this track. 

So now I need to record the vocals. Watch this space.