Why

Oh no, I've started yet another blog! Another site to maintain, more comments to check, more junkmail to get rid of. So why bother?

I've had a dream for a long time. It's one of my very specific ambitions that I have from time to time. It's to visit Portland, Oregon.

Why Portland, Oregon? I first heard about this place when I downloaded The Decemberists song "Red Right Ankle" after hearing about it on a random blog and finding out that they were from Portland. Further research led me to Hush Records and their catalogue. I've been mildly obsessed with Portland ever since as I imagine it to be a place that sweats musicians from the cracks in its pavements.

Since hearing that Decemberists song I've got heavily into music – joining bands; writing and recording my own songs; playing in a carnival band; playing bass... I love it.

So, today, I've decided... I'm not only going to go to Portland, Oregon. I'm going to perform a small gig there. There I've said it.

Now that I've said it I want this blog to be my account of how I go about doing it. I'm not a great musician by any standards... I'm actually a self-employed graphic designer from Brighton, UK. I don't believe in manifest destiny or anything like that. I think I just thrive on having obscure ambitions and this is one that I don't want to let go.