emmoworld

I came across this today, probably one of the earliest videos of U2 - and positively scary seeing Bono wearing white silk trousers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQRyeFwXP5g

Just sitting in the study catching up on blogs and realising how often people comment about travelling on trains. It's nice to know that blog land is helping to pay towards my wages - thank you!

Main purpose for logging on though is to here news of the 1st of 2 gigs Michael McDermott is playing in Chicago this week. Last night was an acoustic set, and tonight is electric. Reports back have been amazing with die-hard McDermott fans proclaiming last night was his best ever show. A lot of work had gone into the preparation and it would seem has paid off.

For those unable to get to the shows (including myself as I had planned to go but something important cropped up at home making it impossible to get away) I have just uploaded the Borderline gig last year and will be playing online at mcdermottfan.blogspot.com for the next 24 hours.

This man could bring back GB mainstage atmosphere

This man could bring back GB mainstage atmosphere

Great soul from an American soul singer

Great soul from an American soul singer

I seem to have a half finished internet explorer 7 at the moment so web browsing not too brilliant. Highlight of the week has been a reunion with former Eurotunnel colleagues. Nice to see faces I haven't seen for many years. Many are now retired whilst others seem to have a series of non-executive director posts. I seem to have taken a wrong turning somewhere in life. Anyway, it was good to spend an evening nattering away and drinking pints of Old Wallop in pewter mugs.

Very briefly, last weekend brought a bumper post to our front door. Advance copy of the new Hey Gravity album - polished version is excelent and I'm sure will spawn some great radio play. I also got a package from the States from Stewart Francke, the soul singer from Detroit. First chance to really listen to his music, and boy is he good. Not all to my taste but some real classics. I can understand why he is so highly respected by the great and good. I will try and put a couple of songs on here for you to listen to when I get time. For some reason he has no Myspace account so will have to try and sort that.

And for those who watch the BBC1 10 o'clock news this week you will have seen the special reports produced by my brother in Afghanistan - the first Emmerson to get mentioned on the news - and for all the right reasons!

I recently attended a meeting of the Greenbelt music group for a workshop session. We were all asked which artist at the festival made biggest impression. Having been going now for 29 years this was quite hard as seen so many great artists. In the end I opted for Randy Stonehill from 1979 as he played one the best main stage performances I've ever seen at GB - pure rock & roll.

He also played in 2006, but as these pictures show, he had a bit more hair back then

Final part of the BBC's time in Afghanistan can be found here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6131630.stm

Includes this picture of Peter (in the middle)











Only a few months ago he looked more like this











and Rob on the left looked like this
















Guess these BBC employees scrub up well.

Watch out for future Panorama based on their trip.

I will be blogging soon - honest. In the meatime you can follow what my brother is up to with the BBC on the frontline in Afghanistan http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6109076.stm