My son’s birthday tomorrow and in the nick of time, his present turned up today; imported from the US a Roland V Tour drum kit; a very nice set. He’s been getting into drumming for the last few months and currently shares a kit with several other kids at the school who all had a 10 minute lesson each; not enough really and his teacher has declared him a natural so we decided to go for it. My neighbours needn’t worry, the kit is electronic and comes with headphones – phew….

There is a musical background in our family and I hoped that it would continue with my boys in some way. It’s a tough business to be in; I know as I spent some time as a professional singer and I still get up and do a number every now and then; the photos are of me singing in a concert at Sea Horse Ranch, Sosua a year ago.

I do enjoy singing and I’m not bad at it, but I always suffered very badly from stage fright, so performing live was a bit of a trial for me as it would actually make me feel sick, normally last into the first two or three numbers before I could relax.  Once, when I was about 8 years old, I sat on a stage at a christmas show in front of a big audience of musical people with my guitar and promptly forgot the words of Jonny Mathis, When a Child is Born, half way into the second verse – I have never forgotten that awful experience.