One day you wake up and your band’s over… shit it.

It’s like waking up in an empty bed after a divorce. Only you were married to five wives and it’s the most draining empty feeling I’ve ever had. The only word that sums it up; lost.
The night before we’d played at the Astoria 2. Not quite the Astoria one or Brixton Academy that we’d filled the two years ago, but a great show none the less. I hugged our managers and the other fellas and went on and played another awesome “A” show.

We’d only ever had 3 bad shows in ten years. No matter how we were feeling, we could always go onstage and pick ourselves up and rock the place.

It was a great night but somehow I knew it would be the last. For a while at least.
We’d just returned from Seattle where we recorded a record with Terry Date (Deftones, White Zombie & Pantera). Then we’d gone to Germany and Japan again and returned expecting some decent radio play.
Times had changed however, and the sound of Blink, 100 Reasons, “A”, Feeder, Sum 41, Lost Prophets and Linkin Park on the airwaves had been replace by a new breed of indie bands and Warners had all but forgotten us. Britain moves quick and two years is a long time between records.

The writing had been on the wall. The kids were looking younger and I was feeling older (36). We had zero money, a decreasing fan base and no new record deal to sign.

Time to call it off for a while. Time to sort out our future. We all had kids and
houses and we were unemployable.
Before I was ever in a band, I wanted to be a record producer. I love studio’s. I love the smell of them and the magic that happens in there while the rest of the world goes about its business. I love all the gear, the desk and the sound of big drums in big rooms. And endless supplies of coffee.
I spent ten years in the worlds best studio’s, from London to LA to Brussels to Germany and I watched how the worlds best producers went about producing us. I learnt from Al Clay, Terry Date, Dave Sardie and Thom Wilson. I wanted to spend my whole life making records.
I went to see Universal about writing songs for them. They put me in touch with England’s biggest pop band at the time; Busted. I hated Busted when they first started but just like their friends McFly, I’d grown into really really liking them. Song after song they got better and better. They weren’t trying to be anything other than a great pop act, with great songs. And they’d just sold out a record 12 Wembley’s. Blimey.
Me, Dan and Adam built a studio, with our own bare hands. I got out the credit cards and bought about £30k of pro tools stuff. We wrote and produced all of Matt’s (Busted) debut album with our friend Julian Emery and we had a ball. Matt’s one of the greats and everyday was a dream for me.
Next I was asked to produce a world cup song for McFly and ended up
doing the whole album. Then we had our first ever number one! Then another one and another one!
I’ve just returned from Sydney where I’ve been producing the new McFly record. Great studio and great guys. Great song writers and players. We recorded it all live with the band all playing in the big room. Wicked.
So that’s it. I’m mixing right now, and then I’m starting an album by a guy called Matt P who’s got the best voice in the world. Bar none.

I work 12-14 hours a day with weekends off. I’m not aloud to get ill. I’m very stressed and very tired, but very lucky.
There’s talk of doing some “A” songs and shows later on in the year. I hope so.

Even though I’m having the time of my life right now, there’s nothing like being in a band.

Nothing.

Nothing.