I loved the songwriters café events and welcome their return – promoting the idea of the song in a world where we seem to believe Roger Daltry’s line “It’s the singer not the song, that makes the music move along” The art of song writing is something very much off the agenda when it comes to celebrity hungry Pop Idle’s (intentional before you ask).

From Leiber & Stoller to Boyce & Hart or Chapman & Chinn or even Guy Chambers we need to celebrate the backroom creative force behind an art often overlooked in favour or riffs, production and hype.

In the region we have some great song writers, but not many and, with all the misguided support for the music industry and access to ‘it’ there are two areas consistently missing from the agenda. Songwriting and Visual Branding.

However, my Rip Van Winkle moment came when I saw the line up. I have nothing against any of the artists – but come on! any one living in Moseley during the 90’s as I did, must remember the Daniel Rachel ‘Farewell to Birmingham’ gigs! and, as accomplished as Micky is…move on 10 years please! I know my wrinkles have.

All in all though, nice to see Paul re-launching a much needed antidote for focus on extras from FAME or those cash cows who don’t so much promote the regions music as their C.V.