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Following a busy musical first half to 2008, I ended August playing at a cracking tribute gig to the late Mick Fox at The Louis Armstrong, Dover. I knew Mick from 1971, when he sat in regularly on harmonica with the Bill Barnacle Quartet. Delighted to link up again with Bill and Steve Barnacle at this bash. In 1978, I was able to get Mick to play on my sessions for Pye Records. He will be much missed.

Enjoyed the annual August reunion with the Phatts at Broadstairs Festival. The gigs just seem to get more enjoyable. I was saddened to learn that drummer Les Mighall, a Broadstairs stalwart, had died. Had some memorable afternoon plays with his band over the years.

In July, I recorded three blues tracks, with Les Barker words, for Clive Lever for his 4th Guide cats for the blind CD, for launch early in 2009. This gave me the welcome opportunity to record again at the Wash House Studio with Steve Hedges.

Monthly meetings of the Coda Club are always a treat

In June, I finished putting lyrics to 5 John Parker tunes and recorded them with him. Also learned the sad news that Mick Fox had died (see above).

The gig calendar with The Old Hat Band, as well as with Reelstrings, included a May concert at The Hawth, Crawley. Also in May, I played at Ruskin House, Croydon. The concert was to launch a CD The Ruskin House album for Jail Guitar Doors of Ron Trueman-Border songs sung by chums, as part of Ron's work for Billy Bragg's charity. The chums included George Wilson from The Phatt B'stards and it was good to meet up again. For the CD, I'd recorded 3 of Ron's songs in April, after returning from Poland with my wife's choir, where I enjoyed their concerts in Krakow and Tarnow.

We spent most of March in Victoria, Canada and sampled some of its thriving music scene, including an enjoyable sing with The Push at their Blues Jam at Bart's Bar. On return, played a lively concert at the London Welsh Centre, with old mate John Edwards, and we're doing it again in October.

February highlights included a visit to Dover with a sit in at The Louis Armstrong with Bill Barnacle's Band - he's blowing better than ever. January began more sublimely, going to a recital at St James's Piccadilly of a new Cecilia McDowall work and I enjoyed another at Nuthurst in July. Other concerts included the excellent Dave Swarbrick and Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts celebrating 40 years together. Unfortunately, a temporary inability to walk meant I missed legendary bluesman Dave Honeyboy Edwards, still gigging at 93 years of age, but I gave my tickets to 2 of our offspring and received full reports from them on their historic encounter. I ought to mention another superb event "Afrika, Afrika" at the Millenium Dome. The music, which blended a variety of African styles, provided a superb accompaniment to a most sepctacular show.

2007: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer again received featured seasonal radio plays and mention in several web discussion threads about favourite Christmas songs and ringtones. Thanks to you and to those who email throughout the year asking where Rudolph can be downloaded. A Google search retrieves several sites which have posted MP3s of Rudolph, including a Chinese site offering a karaoke version of it, plus other tracks.

"New" PODCAST uploaded - a recording of my appearance on 'Richard Digance & Friends', Capital Radio, 6 January 1980. It's been a long story. In 2000, I posted an online request for a clean recording of a most enjoyable appearance on Richard's show, which was broadcast from the foyer of Capital Radio - you can hear the traffic. Subsequently, I tried with little success to clean up a hissy off-air home recording. Seven years later, in 2007, from out of the blue, Pete Long has kindly sent me a copy, which is now posted at Podcasts. Tracks include I'm going to bring a watermelon to my girl tonight; I'm lumbered with you; Ancient French love song; Flamenco; My wife has gone and left me; Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and I hope you enjoy them. Many thanks to Pete, Richard, and John Hirst at Capital.

Summer Music Festivals shock - Phatt B'stards (Phatts) played not ONE but TWO. We now have Broadstairs and Harwich under our very large belts. Both were splendid with lots of highlights but the abiding memory is of the Hertford Holly ladies Morris, in full costume, boogying on down, in impromptu formation, to the Phatts. Geoff reckoned that Cecil Sharp would be turning in his grave but I thought he was still knocking out the Hi-Fi music centres. We Phatts spent time girding loins in preparation. With each Phatt living in such distant geographical locations (Southampton, near Barcelona; Horley and Stockport - Nil), you've probably wondered where we rehearse, or even why? Well, my wife keeps telling me to come away from the window. Most recently, we've been rehearsing down the phone. It's tricky. We have to keep putting the phone down, otherwise the chord gets tangled in the guitar; then we can't hear what the others are doing. Someone recently told the Phatts that their live gigs really demonstrate that rehearsal pays dividends (I theenk).

As well as a trip to the Coda Club to enjoy the musical reminiscences of legendary senior musicians, a happy July included the 4th birthday of the Spice of Life Jazz Club, in London's Charing Cross Road. Here I was delighted to be asked to sit in with Allan Bailey's Soho Leg-Ends to do the old Jess Fuller number "San Francisco Bay Blues". Singing with a skiffle group brought things full circle for me and I had the double pleasure of playing for the first time in a club which has brought me many life-affirming sessions as a listener. It was great to sit in with old chum Allan, whose band included 6-5 Special survivor Derek Mason on washboard, plus John Hill on guitar and John Ferguson sitting in admirably on bass. Floods kept away several musicans that day, and unfortunately, old mate Mick Platt, with whom I've played and recorded for many years, and who normally sings this number, missed it through illness. Get well soon Mick.

May offered a variety of gigs etc. Began with a visit to Rochester Sweeps Festival. Caught up with old mates Nigel Fiest and Open Harp Surgery, Harwich Morris Men and finished with an enjoyable sit-in with the always wonderful Ron Trueman-Border.

Followed this at short notice by putting together a band for a friend at the Russell Hotel, London. It was a reception for the Campbell Colloquium - an international (mainly US) conference of social researchers. Band was son Joe - pipes, whistles, mandolin, bodhran, Eddie Hurdman - fiddle, Mick Platt - bass, aka Reelstrings from the monthly Brambles sessions, to play music from the British Isles. Compiled a CD quickly (Reelstrings with John Scott Cree - Flams FCD 009) from various things we've done. Jim Ward kindly and quickly turned round the art work and manufacturing and it's gone down very well.

Played Elsie's, Cowden Pound with John Parker's French cafe-type band, Les Onions. It's nearly 30 years since I was in unique pub (The Queen's Head) in its unique location right on the borders of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. It was run for many years by Elsie on her own selling one beer, no lager and "no foreign muck". Everyone sings. We did 4 or 5 of my songs too as well as the Piaf etc. It was a most enjoyable night.

The varied schedule continued with John Parker's Old Hat Band at a beer festival at the Surrey Oaks, Newdigate. Next day, an open air gig with Reelstrings (transferred hastily indoors, with the rain, to the aircraft hangar which most school halls are. We'd like to thank Victoria Station for the loan of the PA system). Ending the month with the regular Brambles sessions. Geoff also rang with a Phatts gig for October in Rochester. Folk and Roll. Did I tell you that Geoff once had a Number 1 in Australia? It's a long way to go with your legs crossed.

Have enjoyed teaming up again with John Parker while his regular partner, Bob Wilkinson, was Tom & Dick. It's an ill wind ... get well soon Bob. It's been an eye-opener to play day centres for retired folk and find that their idea of oldies is 50's rock'n'roll.

The Damned's official website gives a nice plug to my Podcast with Tommy Vance and asks what Christmas compilation is complete without JSC's Rudolph...? Thanks Stoofer. Well, Rudolph does appear, in a strangely out-of-place kind of way, on Various - A Golden Hour of Comedy. Described by NME as "Guffawful" when it was released, it features Max Miller, Tommy Cooper, Morecambe and Wise, Spike Milligan, George Formby, Benny Hill, Roy Hudd, Max Wall, Mike Reid, Frankie Howerd and June Whitfield and other stars - I'm the only one I've never heard of.

Professor Andrew Watson at North Eastern University, Boston gives Rudolph and the Podcast the academic seal of approval and describes Rudolph as one of his favourite Christmas covers - a "contribution to Christmas cheer of the non-cloying kind."

Thanks to Gruts and Nite Owl (on the day shift) for writing that 'Rudolph ...' was "a classic in anybody's book!"

Through the kind auspices of BFBS Radio and Sanctuary, I've now been able to post this PODCAST of an archive interview I did with legendary DJ Tommy Vance in 1978. It lasts about 16 minutes (16Mb) and includes plays of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, His greatest hit, and The original Flamenco. I hope you enjoy it.

Had a most enjoyable jam with Richard Digance at a friend's wedding in September. It was a good to feel that the years just rolled away and we could still bounce off each other.

Don Campau mailed to say he's playing His greatest hit on his No pigeonholes radio show out of Cupertino, California

Spent much of the Summer getting to grips with DVD editing software. Result is an exciting DVD of The Phatt B'stards - We ate all the pies. Featuring The pie song and 5 other most requested songs, highlights of the infamous early morning 2002 interview, plus insights by learned academics on the history and significance of the Phatts phenomenon.

"It's a madhouse, it's an outhouse, it's a sh...ame these blokes aren't locked up".

The DVD was launched to critical acclaim at the 2006 Broadstairs Festival. Fredo and Finn were delighted that Juan's parole came through so that we could be 3 Phatts again this year. We did 8 most enjoyable gigs in 5 days.

Good to see a higher Web profile for some venues which contributed so much to live music over the years. The Glasgow Apollo tribute site RSS feed (On this day) shows 10 February as the date in 1979 when I had the privilege of playing there. Thanks to them for showing this and for posting some of my memories of that night. Thanks too to the famous Half Moon, Putney website, for posting my name on the Walls of Fame. I spent a happy six months or so as resident there in 1980. Martin-Kingsbury - Terry & Tony's site recalls happy days at The Blacksmith's, Epping and includes the official Noel Murphy website

International news

Thanks to Claude Gagne for news of visitors to John's page from France, Poland, Japan, Portugal, Ireland, Germany, Malaysia, USA, Finland, as well as the home turf of the United Kingdom. Thanks to all of you for visiting.

Radio stations in USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Italy and Croatia are playing the CD "A superfluous man". On Peoplesound.com there are free MP3 downloads from "A superfluous man" and you can read reviews and put up your own.

You can now find eZines using extracts from "A superfluous man - the eBook" plus more of John's pieces if you put "John Scott Cree" in the Search box of your search engine.

For pre-2006 notes of JSC's musical activities, click on Biographical note

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