Sheep No More's No1 influence.

The weekend just gone was the annual Larmer Tree Festival, a music and cultural event I have attended most years since 2000. At my first visit thirteen years ago, I sat on the grass on a glorious Sunday afternoon as a band called Show of Hands came on stage and started to play. Two guys, Phil Beer and Steve Knightly and I have to say the songs blew me away because of the power of the lyrics. The words of one in particular seeded itself into my own consciousness and has been there ever since. 'Cutthroats Crooks and Conmen' is about schools that have to fund raise not to buy luxuries but basics and the chorus runs... thieves and crooks and conmen running this jail, is there anything left in England that's not for sale. After the gig I pretty much ran to the merchandise tent and bought a cd titled 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall'. Over the years since, the band has released a good many cd's and all they ever seem to do is get better with each and every one. The records are loaded with political and socially aware songs carried along by great melodies and musicianship, and are not left-wing as might be assumed, but purely based upon rationality and common sense.

If required to account for how, what, where and when the idea for Sheep No More first got seeded, I would say it was on that particular day whilst sitting in the sunshine with my family. Steve Knightly writes the songs, so therefore he has to rate as the single most influential force to have steered my own thinking in the right direction. On Sunday last, Steve played a solo gig at this years festival and afterwards I had the privilege of meeting him and presented him with a copy of Sheep No More. He was pleased to accept it and we had a bit of a chin wag.

I worked incredibly hard on my book just as he works to craft his amazing songs and get the words spot-on. It was good to meet a kindred spirit, especially one so important to this project and I really hope he enjoys my book. Actually there's plenty of material within it that could inspire a new song or two, and who knows, maybe will at some point.

It was rewarding to meet this great lyricist and shake him by the hand, and as usual his performance inspired a prolonged and well deserved standing ovation. Good man!