So much for the collected thoughts of chairman Wilf on a weekly basis.

You’ll have gathered that I’m a little late with this current, no doubt thrilling installment. No good reason. There just seemed to be other things to do.

I’ve just finished mixing ‘SOOMA’ and am suffering the usual deflated insecurities as to whether it sounds any good or not. If I start tweaking it now, I’ll go round in circles and screw it up completely so I’m determined to let it be….(watch this space)

I was back in the UK last week to see my old chums Armstrong & Miller record material at the BBC for their new series, which should be on BBC1 in the autumn. I wrote music for three of their previous Channel 4 series. However, I guess I’ll miss it since we don’t get British TV over here in France, so if anyone’s near a DVD recorder when it goes on air I’d be grateful for a copy.

I co-wrote one of the songs on the new album with Ben Miller. It’s called ‘Heimlich’s Manoeuvres’ and at this moment in time it’s one of my favourites.

Actually, there are quite a few co-writes on ‘Bipolar Diversions’. There are a couple with John Steel – with a few extra lyrical tidbits thrown in by Kate Stevenson – ‘My Little Gangsta’ and ‘Jesus Wants My Soul Back’, and a song I wrote with Tim Arnold (Honeycrack fans will remember him as the singer/songwriter from Jocasta) called ‘The End Of The Party’.

I saw the album artwork the other week, and it’s looking pretty good, the Jackdaw4 website is currently being updated, so as ever, I’m the one holding things up by taking so long on the mixing front. So many knobs to twiddle and so few fingers.

I’ve had to take long breaks recently due to repetitive wrist/elbow strain. I’m currently strapped up to the gills, with acupuncture needles stuck in to my elbow. It’s been a recurring problem for the last couple of years, and is evidently nothing to do with my nocturnal hobbies, just a creak in the machine caused by the computer mouse. I’ve tried gripping less hard but you get stuck in your ways don’t you find?

On a less ‘Kenneth Williams’ note, we’re discussing doing a gig somewhere in London to officially launch the album sometime in late May/early June. I’d say ‘book now to avoid disappointment’ but since I haven’t got a clue where or when, we’ll have to keep you posted.

Finally, by way of answering a couple of questions that have come up:

Working with Steve Coogan on ‘I Am Not An Animal’ and ‘Dr Terrible’s House Of Horrible’ was very interesting. He’s actually got a very good singing voice and knows his musical onions.

Armstrong & Miller used the song ‘Anyway’ as their title music for the last two of the three series I did with them. We re-recorded it and they sang it. Incidentally, we may put the original SugarPlumFairies version up on the Jackdaw4.com website as a free download over the next couple of months.

I’ve no idea where Tony Hawks lives in France. Since we finished his last album/TV series we’ve only spoken a few times.

If you haven’t seen it yet, download or buy ‘Loose Change – Second Edition’. Essential viewing. We’ll discuss it another time.