Happy Anniversary

Yes it's gone 10pm, but at least I remembered

Hi, salut, olá and wassup dudes. Happy new year¹. You well?

Longtime readers will know that I’m something of a sucker for New Year Energy. For example, exactly one year ago today I launched this very newsletter project. I didn’t see a present from you in the post yet but I trust it’s on its way.

This year I’m noticing a smidge of loss in there too. Something familiar has gone. I’m not yet sure what will take its place.

The song Weight On My Eyes from The Manual album was about this. Late at night, once all the promise of the day has collapsed into one form or another, I often feel a wave of peace come over me. I’m an expert on the day. I know where I stand. Things make a kind of sense. The idea of giving all that up to be a beginner again sometimes feels more disconcerting than exciting.

I’m king of the day tonight and seeing it clearly
But I’m the fool of tomorrow’s light
To come all this way to just throw it away
Oh I can’t let go

Other people thrive on the opposite, hurriedly getting rid of a dead day so they can start mining the potential of the next. I’m strangely jealous of these people. It’s like they’re guided by hope and new possibilities and I’m stuck craving for things to resolve. I suppose it bodes well for old age.

That said, each minute that passes, each new word written on the page, I feel that bit better, that bit less foolish. Perhaps that’s why I like writing?

Speaking of which, here are some hopes for the year ahead in the order they come to me:

1. Being a passable good great dad and husband

2. Paying the bills

3. Writing new songs

4. Writing the kind of email newsletters that you are not unhappy to see in your inbox

5. Something extra each month for paid subscribers

6. Playing the below list of UK shows

7. I’d love to play Cambridge Folk Festival

8. The Dead Fathers Club single project

But who the hell knows? I didn’t get into this to follow through on plans. Speaking of which…

Tour dates

Some of these dates are rearranged from the Autumn, so if you already have tickets please don't forget to show up. I'll still have your money but having your actual presence in the room too would be a huge plus for me and everyone else too.

Thursday 23rd February 2023 - London Green Note. *SOLD OUT*
Wednesday 29th March 2023 - Windermere Old Laundry Theatre. Tickets.
Thursday 30th March 2023 - Manchester The Castle. Tickets.
Saturday 1st April 2023 - Isle of Bute Butesong Festival. Tickets.
Sunday 2nd April 2023 - Nottingham, Running Horse. Tickets.
Wednesday 19th April 2023 - Suffolk Riverside Theatre. Tickets.
Thursday 20th April 2023 - Cambridge Tall Trees. Tickets.
Sunday 23rd April 2023 - Winchester Railway Inn. Tickets.
Friday 28th April 2023 - Leamington Spa Temperance. Tickets.
Sunday 21st May 2023 - Bristol Louisiana. Tickets.
Friday 22nd September 2023 - Lintrathen Lodge at Lochside Wee Bear Cafe. Tickets.
Saturday 23rd September 2023 - Dundee Masonic Hall. Tickets.
Saturday 7th October 2023 - Purley On Thames St Mary’s Church. Tickets. *NEW*

Explore all confirmed dates on a map here: https://share.jakemorley.com/livemap

Here are the dates below a picture of my face.

Look at that ridiculous 2018 guy. What did he know? Nothing. Certainly not that he'd still be used to hawk tickets to a tour five years later. Thanks to Curious Rose for taking this one, hopefully we get to do more photos together sometime.

Jeff Beck died. Here’s a live video of him with unbelievable touch. He plays like other people sing. It makes me want to play and play and play, which alas I can’t do right now because it’s 10pm in a small house and if I do one thing this year it’s follow through on #1 on that list.

Love Jake

1. This one’s for you HNY moaners