Diary - 4th Jan 2010

Came down, made espresso, turned on TV, Celebrity Brother on the airwaves. I watch it for two minutes and realise I don't recognise one person on there, apart from Ronnnie Wood's girlfriend. Ah dear Ronnie, one of my first hero's, back in my schooldays when I fell in Love with the Faces. I loved that guitar sound he got, I loved his clothes. In fact when i met him about a million years ago I told him how much I loved the red suit he wore on the inside sleeve of Rod's solo album, Smiler. He said to me, 'did you get yourself one?' I replied, 'your joking aren't you? I lived in Woking at the time. Wear a red suit into town on a Friday night there and they would rip you to pieces.' I wasn't joking, either. tried to get a book about The Faces off the ground last year. Despite my Marriott and SF books selling ten thousand copies each, couldn't get a deal. Then I discovered Andy Neil got one for Ominbus, should be out this year and I am sure will be great. Dr Robert e mailed back from Spain. he and his family have finally moved into their dream house which they have been building forever and the Blow Monkeys are recording a new album in February. I am so pleased for him. If anyone deserves great success it is that man. Since moving to Spain, he has been building up a catalogue of really good solo albums for years now, quietly knocking on that door. Now it is opening up for him and I couldn't be happier. Back to Big brother. It does amuse me how Ronnie Wood - and others - get so much stick over the age of their girlfriends. Generally speaking, (and not at all speaking about Ronnie) I agree with my man Pete B in Australia. If it is not hurting anyone what's the problem? Once you reach a certain age are you not allowed to have fun? You get too many people in newspapers and magazines lecturing you about what you should be doing, what you shouldn't be doing. I remember in the mid 90s all the people who I used to see in clubs, suddenly writing page after page about how middle age people should behave and should not not be seen in clubs etc. I always felt it was because they were now married etc and if they couldn't have a good time no one else could. Today, I have two meetings, one with Mark Baxter to discuss a fashion book idea for a company we are seeing on Thursday and one with a TV guy to discuss an idea of mine. Hope you have a great day as well. And bless you. Paolo