#30: Busy, busy, busy

Another overdue update

Hello,

I was driving today and scavenging through radio stations when Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 came on. I’ve never been a fan of them and think I probably won’t be one in this lifetime, but hearing the song got me thinking about Sunday. At the time of driving and listening, Sunday was tomorrow. At the time of sending this substack out to you, Sunday is today. Sunday is the perfect substack day. So, whether you’re waiting to pay for your overpriced poached egg-avocado sandwich in a hip brunch bistro or pouring your cinnamon latte into a thermos flask to take on your long autumn walk, stop. Read this first.

Some of you may have already discovered that there is a strong correlation between how many shows I’m playing and how frequently I post on here. It is a bug that we are aware of and are working hard to get fixed by 2026.

In the last two months I’ve found my answer to someone asking me how I’m doing was often “Good! Busy. You?”. After a few repetitions of this I was repulsed by myself, so I changed it to “Busy, busy, busy. You?” This was in reference to Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Cat’s Cradle:

“Busy, busy, busy, is what we Bokononists whisper whenever we think of how complicated and unpredictable the machinery of life really is.”

No one got the reference, so I stopped doing that too. Now I’ve resorted to just blinking my eyes while maintaining eye contact until they feel uncomfortable and ask me a different question. All that to say, it really has been a good kind of busy.

I’ve been playing a lot of shows around the country, as part of the Popronde, a kind of traveling festival for upcoming bands. I’ve played in churches, vintage clothing stores, theaters and mostly bars. Some solo, some with the band. We’re doing it until the end of November, so see if we might be passing by a town near you here. David Gram (who plays steel guitar and guitar) is sitting out this run, but worry not, for we have Teun Putker to fill in for him. Teun is a great guitarist and human. Meet Teun:

Teun Putker, changing guitar strings next to men’s toilet in café Willem Slok. Utrecht, 2025

(He’s single)

I should probably also mention that new music has been released. Last week I released a demo version of Hannah that I recorded at home, and another previously unreleased song called Small Computer. An old cassette demo I found about a pair of weights that I bought and never used. They lived in my hallway for about two years. You can listen to them here. If any of you are on bandcamp, then this is the link you want.

And lastly but not leastly, a new live video:

We played at de Roode Bioscoop last spring, and in case you missed it, you can re-live it now on your little screen, through your little phone speaker. I’m a lucky lad, getting to play my songs with this incredible band.

Up next is more shows in the Netherlands, then two-stops in Belgium on December 3rd and 4th, and the last one of the year in London on the 7th. Then hibernation. Then lock myself in studio and not leave until new album. Busy, busy, busy!

I hope you are all well. Thanks for reading and supporting. See ya out there somewhere!