the right notes, necessarily in the right order
Most of my music is available on Bandcamp, or you can listen to my latest EP through this mini player.
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Exhibiting Trains
I have a deep and abiding affection for railways. Since my first train set (when I was quite little) I’ve fancied having a layout and running trains. I also discovered last year that I enjoy modelling a little, and I’m taking the opportunity this summer to exhibit some of my trains at my local transport…
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The Trinity Song
I’ve finally got around to properly “publishing” The Trinity Song, eight years after the Trinity Sunday service that I wrote it for. It’s live now on Unified Praise, and you can watch a lyric video on my YouTube channel too. https://unifiedpraise.com/songs/579-the-trinity-song The song is registered with CCLI for use in church and you can download…
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12 Song Challenge
The 2025/26 season of 12 Song Challenge is drawing to a close. Every month since April I’ve been given a new challenge, along with 280 fellow writers, to bring a new song to life that is suitable for a church congregation. It’s a discipline I have found tricky to balance with the ebb and flow…
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Wagging Stick
Today was the first 2026 gig for Great Barr Brass, the remarkable community brass band I have the privilege to conduct. Once more we found ourselves at Aldridge Transport Museum for the afternoon, celebrating their running day by providing live music in their exhibition hall, and earning some lovely applause from the various transport enthusiasts…
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A far-off Whistle
Our railway is in the off season. A whistle in the distance is more likely a P-way kettle, fresh-brewed tea, a volunteer’s hard-earned salary. and if we dare risk it, a biscuit. We’re all tea rooms and no traction. But even so we have the miracle of steam, the regular metal clink as spoon stirs…
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Epiphany
I’m delighted to announce that after some positive field testing (my poor congregation!) I’ve decided to release the Wise Men Boogie. It’s a lovely variation on the 12-bar blues, and those irritating little songs where you add another line each time you go around from the top. And since it is the season, and it…
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Locomotive Heart
A check of the glass, a nod from the Fireman, and I eased the regulator wide open. Power flowed in perfect synchrony and we accelerated with a howl. A protest. Defiance against the night, against the rain that lashed the windows and ran rivulets across our flank, against every priest whose God never designed us to…
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Chasewater Railway
The new year dawns on fresh creativity. I have joined up to support my local preservation railway. Chasewater is a lovely line – a couple of miles of standard gauge colliery railway that runs regular services at weekends and midweek. There’s two brilliant little tea rooms, a G-scale layout and a shop, and some wonderful…
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So that was Christmas
What a rush! My Christmas season started early this year, with a stint at Chasewater Railway supporting their Hospital Santa Trains. A solid day of standing around freezing while singing carols, before retiring to the tea rooms to warm by the real fire! Then onwards to The Nativity, a wonderful production repeated from our premier…
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Father in Heaven
There’s new music in the air again, but this time it’s old music. I was away this week with the leaders of United Adoration UK for a quiet day. A song I wrote in 2010 came rushing back to me, and I shared it with them. So I thought it was time I made it…
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New EP – Triptych
I have new music to share. Three songs with a common theme, hence the name of the EP, and related artwork. It has been fun to go through the process of recording, and assembling the lyrics and art; and the songs are now available on Bandcamp: notejuste.bandcamp.com/album/triptych Do go and enjoy them. They’re free to…
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A Headline Gig
Although I’m not afraid of making noise, I generally do it in conjunction with others. Most of my musical career has been spent hiding at the back or off to the side behind a piano. This month I shall be performing for the first time as a headliner at St John’s Church, Walsall Wood. Of…
let’s talk. I’ll buy the coffees.