There are a few other things I enjoy in life the way I religiously enjoy hunting for classic Vinyls, watching musicians play live and exploring the great outdoors. The fact that I got to do all three this weekend, is something extraordinarily serendipitous! 

I shared a drink with Colin Aitchison, band leader and friend down at Ned Kellys on Friday night. I was there visiting with my friend Vuyo and I have to admit, the aura of Ned Kellys thrives even when the band is not up on stage! It was Mr Brown’s birthday you see, so the band crew was out in full force! Neville Sarony joined us! Neville is in the legal industry and more than anything, I enjoy watching him perform, if not speak! I’ll take both any day! On Friday he spoke of his father’s legends, Leslie Sarony and how he enlisted for the army and fought in WW1 (1914) before bursting into fame for his great compositions and stage shows! Neville is an author too you see! You’d enjoy his book Devlin’s Chakra! I took down a few that night, I remember getting home, then waking up the next morning! 

Saturday late afternoon I was in central and google let me down. I looked up vinyl stores in the city and there was supposed to be a grande HMV store over at Manning House. After going round the building and even using the bathroom, the receptionist informed me that HMV had been closed for years! Take that offgoogle maps! So while waiting for my friend Robi I went up to Walls of Sound, the vinyl store above Lush or what’s left of it, close to Iyara and Nature’s Village. This store is small and cozy. The sound system has been perfectly positioned to give that stereo experience when you stand in the sweet spot of the store! My dream is to own a thriving store like that but bigger; vinyls from top to bottom, books, potted plants, coffee, snacks, tea, conversations! I can literally see it! Universe? Mgoi? 

That evening, Robi and I met the rest of our friends down at another cozy private music spot! Dan was playing that night together with Heidi! Man, you have to hear Heidi sing! As for Dan, don’t get me started! Heidi has been living in Italy for 10yrs, studying and making jazz music. That’s like someone studying philosophy in Greece! Ofcause she’s amazing! She sang one of my fav tunes, Twisted by Annies Ross and she did justice to it! On short notice I asked if I could join in for a jam and that took things to a whole new level! If you were there, you know what I mean! If you weren’t, well you can always drop your email or phone number on my website and I’ll let you know where else wind leads me! Dan is groovy and soulful! I jammed Ntyilo Ntyilo with him, a famous South African pop song which he rearranged many years ago for South African singer Talie Monin. I also enjoyed his arrangement of Fragile by Sting but nothing beats his interpretation of my original song, COLORS, which you can hear early next year when I release the 20WHAT? EP. 

I wrapped up the weekend with a hike up Lantau Peak joined by two friends Courtney and Linda. We got to meditate at the top during the only 20min that murder hornets and other bugs weren’t bothering Courtney! Haha. At the bottom of the hike we went separate ways; I went to Mui Wo for one last vinyl hunt and a catch up with Becky, Iddy, Adam and Nick. It’s been two years since I last went down there! I picked Luis Armstrong, Glen Miller, George Benson vinyls out at VIBE in Mui Wo, but I made the mistake of picking a laser disk from the Sister Act film. I wont be playing that, if anybody wants to take it off my

hands for free? 

 

 

 

 

Times are hard for many of us. Some days are harder for me honestly. But I take one day at a time now. 2020 has shown me nothing is certain and though I want to be sentimental and pursue security and longevity, that’s the worst idea in a world this fragile. The best we can do is dream, write our goals down and let it all go, believing that everything that happens, is in our favour. It’s like eating greens and believing they are good for your body. You have to believe. Sending love to everybody that needs it right now, a huge hug that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside!