Thursday 8 April 2021

by | Apr 9, 2021 | Dave's diary

IT’S wet, windy and horrible outside! By chance I brought the laptop from the studio when I shut up shop last night so I don;t even venture outside to get started with today’s work! As well as the routine stuff, I work on some merch ideas and a future...

Wednesday 7 April 2021

by | Apr 8, 2021 | Dave's diary

I spot some new-borns on the ride home… I’M on a bit of a mission to find a way of controlling the iPhone camera from another device. The Apple Watch camera remote is a bit of fun but doesn’t allow any proper set up of the pic. I draw a blank – all...

Tuesday 6 April 2021

by | Apr 7, 2021 | Dave's diary

I can control my phone camera shutter from my watch…but I need to find a more fully featured way of controlling the camera remotely… AFTER a bit of a tidy-up in the studio I get busy with some admin then start looking at my accounts. I’m a little...

Monday 5 April 2021

by | Apr 6, 2021 | Dave's diary

A still from episode two in my Tools of the Trade livestream… FIRST job of the day is to promote this evening’s Tools of the Trade livestream..then get set up for a guitar session with a student in the borders. After the session I get busy with some...

Sunday 4 April 2021

by | Apr 5, 2021 | Dave's diary

40-odd km bike. ride to Aberfoyle with Martyn… HAVING not come to bed ’til 3.30am and being full of beer, wine and whisky I’m not my brightest this morning…and I need to get my shot together to go and meet Martyn for a bike ride. I rush down...

Saturday 3 April 2021

by | Apr 4, 2021 | Dave's diary

Antje (left), Julie and I make a start clearing the embankment at the the village hall I’M on a ‘digging’ shift at the village hall from 11am to 1pm a group of locals has undertaken to clear the place up and start making it all more like a community...

Friday 2 April 2021

by | Apr 3, 2021 | Dave's diary

The view from the stage at the Blue Arrow as I perform a short set for Tom Russell and The Max…all carried out under strict adherence to lockdown rules… THERE’S a bunch off shipping updates to be made in my online store. Once they’re done I...

Thursday 1 April 2021

by | Apr 2, 2021 | Dave's diary

The new packaging not only looks a lot better – it’ll ensure the earrings arrive in one piece! A FAN in the ‘States ordered earrings from my merch store and one was broken when they arrived…so I had to re-think packaging. Margaret ordered some boxes...

Wednesday 31 March 2021

by | Apr 1, 2021 | Dave's diary

Next livestream concert…click the pic for info/bookings I’D undertaken to draw up a plan for the community project I met some folks about last night and realise I need some photos. Once I’ve dealt with the morning’s emails and stuff I gather...

Tuesday 30 March 2021

by | Mar 31, 2021 | Dave's diary

AN email came in overnight from the producer in LA with a coupla suggested tweaks for the vocal on the Bon Jovi song for Deadliest Catch. Once I get the decks cleared of routine stuff I get set up in the studio and get busy recording. The guidelines aren’t...

Monday 29 March 2021

by | Mar 30, 2021 | Dave's diary

A still from episode one of my Tools of the Trade livestream – join my Facebook group to watch this and future episodes… RIGHT after breakfast I create all the graphics and content I need to promote tonight’s first livestream episode of Tools of the Trade....

Sunday 28 March 2021

by | Mar 29, 2021 | Dave's diary

I DUNNO if it’s ‘cos the clock went forward – or because we had a late one – but we’re both knackered and have an extremely long lie! There’s a lot of work to be done today – specifically the version of Wanted (Dead or Alive) I’ve to...

Saturday 27 March 2021

by | Mar 28, 2021 | Dave's diary

I have a good hour off-road and stop at the derelict metal bridge over the Endrick for a selfie.. CATRIONA and the kids Arte coming at lunchtime, so I need to finish the wee present I’ve made for Freya – the jigsaw is finished, but for some reason the...

Friday 27 March 2021

by | Mar 28, 2021 | Dave's diary

The graphic idea for my Tools of the Trade livestream series,,,. THE day gets off to a good start – the music supervisor in LA has sent an email saying she thinks I’ve got the gig to do the vocals for a Scottish sea shanty version of Bon Jovi’s Wanted...

Thursday 25 March 2021

by | Mar 26, 2021 | Dave's diary

THE morning is spend planning my new livestream series – Dave Arcari’s Tools of the Trade: An instrument, a story & a song. It’ll kick off on Monday coming (29 March, 8pm UK time) and be exclusively available in my Facebook group, Dave Arcari’s...

Wednesday 24 March 2021

by | Mar 25, 2021 | Dave's diary

MARGARET’S away onto Glasgow before I get a chance to make a meal plan and shopping list, so as soon as I’ve finished breakfast I get on the case with that. In the studio I tick the main things off the admin to-do list then re-set the place –...

Tuesday 23 March 2021

by | Mar 24, 2021 | Dave's diary

Shoulda done this in the studio ages ago… I’M off into Glasgow first thing to drop the car at the garage in Maryhill. The front suspension/springs needs replaced. They need the car for half a day, which is a pain in the arse, not least as nothing’s...

Monday 22 March 2021

by | Mar 23, 2021 | Dave's diary

Margaret at control centre for the livestream… I MANAGE to get through a load of stuff and a run to the postbox with some merch orders before a Zoom guitar session with a student in the borders. Once I’m done with the Zoom session I do some ‘day of...

Sunday 21 March 2021

by | Mar 22, 2021 | Dave's diary

Great views on our bike ride up into he Kilpatrick hills AS soon as I’ve had breakfast I get the bike ready to go and meet Martyn for our planned bike ride. We’re going to search for the falls of Ishneich. I’ve plotted out a route on Strava which...

Saturday 20 March 2021

by | Mar 21, 2021 | Dave's diary

Shitfur is very patient with Freya and Aaron! WE’RE just finishing breakfast when Catriona, Freya and Aaron arrive. I sit outside with them while Margaret makes some mac’n’cheese for the kids then go to the studio to tidy up some work stuff. For...

Friday 19 March 2021

by | Mar 20, 2021 | Dave's diary

Out today…the new single featuring my lockdown recording collective, the Faultlines…. WHEN I wake up I feel like I have a pretty stinkin’ hangover. I did enjoy a few beers and a glass or two of red last night. But when I get up for a piss I’m...

Thursday 18 March 2021

by | Mar 19, 2021 | Dave's diary

MY NEW version of Cherry Wine recorded with the Faultlines is released tomorrow so there’s a load of prep work to be done. As well as preparing today pre-release social media content and posts, I need to prepare ‘out now’ content for updating after...

Wednesday 17 March 2021

by | Mar 18, 2021 | Dave's diary

Seems like Spring has sprung – lovely day for a bike ride up the lochside to Rowardennan I FINISH editing the video session for Newtone Strings and get it sent off first thing, Quite pleased with the result 🙂 It’s a beautiful day, so after getting some...

Tuesday 16 March 2021

by | Mar 17, 2021 | Dave's diary

The setup for filming the Newtone session takes all morning…but the result is worth the effort 🙂 AN email from the Homesong admin reminds me I’m playing a short livestream set for the this evening. I’d forgotten all about it, although it woulda...

Monday 15 March 2021

by | Mar 16, 2021 | Dave's diary

We plan and announce a livestream concert – with just a week’s lad time! For info/reservations click the image above…or click here. MARGARET’S to go into Glasgow early, so we’re up at a reasonable time. After making up a meal plan and shopping...

Sunday 15 March 2021

by | Mar 15, 2021 | Dave's diary

Pre-ride selfie… UP early (for a Sunday!) to get the bike ready then go and meet my pal Duncan with his new ebike. I get up on the West Highland Way and ride through the forest to meet him beside Moorpark reservoir then we head back down towards Gartmore and...

Saturday 13 March 2021

by | Mar 14, 2021 | Dave's diary

A bike ride up Cashel – then coffee and birthday cake in the garden… IT’S MATTY’S birthday today – he’s 39 – and he’s coming to stay tonight…he’s in our ‘bubble’ as he lives alone. We’re not long up when he...

Friday 12 March 2021

by | Mar 13, 2021 | Dave's diary

Nice interview podcast and feature in the Milwaukee Record 🙂 THERE’S some Merch to be packed and taken to the postbox. When I get back to the house the post’s been and amongst the mail is a wee display dongle from Astropad – sent from our pal Billy in the...

Thursday 11 March 2021

by | Mar 12, 2021 | Dave's diary

A NOTE from the guy receiving my guitar in Estonia is asking why I put a value on the paperwork as he’s getting walloped for customs/import duty or whatever they have over there. I message back explaining that not only is it for insurance purposes and he replies...

Wednesday 10 March 2021

by | Mar 11, 2021 | Dave's diary

I SPEND a good part of the morning sorting, packing and printing postage for merch orders then take a walk to the nearest postbox to send them off before last post pickup at midday. There’s a bunch of ‘tech’ issues to be sorted out and some...

Tuesday 9 March 2021

by | Mar 10, 2021 | Dave's diary

I’M busy in the studio when a new neighbour knocks the door to hand in a bottle of whisky as a thank you for helping sorting some internet issues 🙂 We end up blethering outside for an hour – I’d hoped to have been in Glasgow and halfway through the...

Monday 8 March 2021

by | Mar 9, 2021 | Dave's diary

I take the long route to and from the post office 🙂 I CLEAR the decks of routine stuff then set up for a guitar session with one of my students in the borders. Next task is to sort some merch orders…but too late for the local post box, so after lunch I take a...

Sunday 7 March 2021

by | Mar 8, 2021 | Dave's diary

A nice 20-plus mile Sunday morning cycle – thanks fore the pic Martyn 🙂 UP EARLY and breakfast out the way to go and meet my pal Martyn for a cycle. I have a three-mile cycle to meet up then we do a great 15-mile loop and chat along the way (other than on the two...

Saturday 6 March 2021

by | Mar 7, 2021 | Dave's diary

WE’RE only just up when Matty arrives – because he lives alone, he’s allowed to be part of our lockdown bubble. He drops his bags off and goes out for a run. While Matty’s away, Catriona and the kids come and sit in the garden with Margaret. With...

Friday 5 March 2021

by | Mar 6, 2021 | Dave's diary

A range of resonator guitar earrings are now available in my online merch store here WE SLEEP in a bit and have a late breakfast b before finally getting started on some work. A note from our pal Ted in Nashville tells me the video I filmed and produced for his band...

Thursday 4 March 2021

by | Mar 5, 2021 | Dave's diary

Worth getting up early to have these ready for lunch..and get in a bike ride before breakfast 🙂 THE ALARM goes off just after 6am…I don’t usually see this time fo day unless we have a flight to catch! I set it so I can get the ribs on the smoker so...

Wednesday 3 March 20211

by | Mar 4, 2021 | Dave's diary

LOOKS like it’s gonna be dry all day today, so I blast through a load of work and aim to get get the base down for the bike shed. By coincidence as I write up a report for the PRS Members’ Fund (PRSMF) the phone rings…it’s PRSMF HQ. Seems a...

Tuesday 2 March 2021

by | Mar 3, 2021 | Dave's diary

Swans…any excuse to take a photo of ‘the tree’…! AFTER breakfast I do a quick ‘stock’ check round the fridges, freezers and cupboards then make a meal plan for the coming week and a shopping. list. I have a phone meeting scheduled...

Monday 1 March 2021

by | Mar 2, 2021 | Dave's diary

Halfway up my 1500-foot climb up the hill… THE MARCH eNewsletter goes out as planned then I spend a while posting links around social media etc. There’s a couple of songs to be performed on video for Beatles on the Chippewa – a festival in USA mid-West of...

Sunday 28 February 2021

by | Feb 28, 2021 | Dave's diary

HAVING not gone to bed ’til 4am we’re a bit late rising! Believe it or not, there are still some radio folks that want physical CDs of promo/advance tracks. I’vee had a couple of requests and so need to burn Cherry Wine to CD…problem is, none...

Saturday 27 February 2021

by | Feb 28, 2021 | Dave's diary

The sign of a good ride – 18-miles and a fair amount of mud later 🙂 I’M up early, showered and breakfasted so I can get the studio set up for a guitar session with a student in Australia. The lesson goes well and the student is right on it. I get some work done...

Friday 26 February 2021

by | Feb 27, 2021 | Dave's diary

WE sleep in then drink coffee and chat in bed…I’ve an early start tomorrow (Saturday) for a guitar session with one of any Australian students, so we’re making today a ‘weekend day’! After our late breakfast we have a video call with my...

Thursday 25 February 2021

by | Feb 26, 2021 | Dave's diary

An hour’s bike ride up the lochside before lunch 🙂 AFTER a morning of routine and admin type stuff I go a bike ride up the lochside for an hour. The weather goes from bright to grey, wet to dry, warm to cold and back again but it’s still fun regardless of...

Wednesday 24 February 2021

by | Feb 25, 2021 | Dave's diary

I SPEND the morning in the studio catching up on emails, admin and stuff. At lunchtime a hire van pulls up and our regular UPS guy jumps out…he’s been off for a year and only back this week. Her’s a good guy and I don’t want to give him too...

Tuesday 23 February 2021

by | Feb 24, 2021 | Dave's diary

AT 8am I’m on the phone to UPS in Glasgow as no-one came to pick up the guitar yesterday (Monday) as arranged. The girl says it’ll be picked up today – she needs to pass to a colleague to find out what’s gone wrong and will call me back. Meantime I...

Monday 22 February 2021

by | Feb 23, 2021 | Dave's diary

Forthcoming single is now available for pre-save on Spotify and other music services..click here or the pic. FIRST on the to-do list today is to call UPS. Again. Fourth time. Three no-show collection arrangements, and no promised call backs. Finally I get someone who...

Sunday 21 February 2021

by | Feb 22, 2021 | Dave's diary

Nice day for a 40k bike ride 🙂 UP early to get the pork butt on the smoker before I have breakfast and cycle to the next village to meet Martyn for a bike ride. We have a grand couple of hours and pedal around 40k and chat the whole way. When I get home Catriona and...

Saturday 20 February 2021

by | Feb 21, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER breakfast I cut a few chunks of pork off the pork butt that’s been defrosting. I stick ’em in the fridge for to night’s carnitas then put a rub on the pork butt ready for the smoker tomorrow (Sunday). It’s a bit of a scuzzy day and I...

Friday 19 February 2021

by | Feb 20, 2021 | Dave's diary

Click the image to watch the video clip of our wee visitor…. WE’RE about to have breakfast when Margaret spots a red squirrel at the feeder…looks like a good video opportunity so I nip to the studio and grab a camera and manage to get some footage...

Thursday 18 February 2021

by | Feb 19, 2021 | Dave's diary

MARGARET’S off early to look after the kids…and my first job is to try and find out why UPS dint pick up the guitar yesterday. A 40-minute wait in a queue and I finally get to speak to someone who sends an urgent message out to make sure there’s a...

Wednesday 17 February 2021

by | Feb 18, 2021 | Dave's diary

An email from UPS says the guitar is already en route to Estonia. It’s not, it’s still waiting to be picked up. It also says there’s been a delay because of a missing commercial invoice. I completed and submitted the commercial invoice when I booked...

Tuesday 16 February 2021

by | Feb 17, 2021 | Dave's diary

My Homesong livestream went well – no technical hitches for once! Click the pic to watch… THE sale of my old National Style O has been concluded, so I need to find the best way of shipping internationally. Some of the quotes are good…until it comes...

Monday 15 February 2021

by | Feb 16, 2021 | Dave's diary

MY usual Monday morning scrabble to get the decks cleared before my morning guitar session with as Zoom student. Then it’s on to the promotion of tonight’s Tales From the Road and compilation of the video that goes with it. I make some arancini with last...

Sunday 14 February 2021

by | Feb 15, 2021 | Dave's diary

VALENTINE’S Day…we have a coffee in bed and exchange cards. We generally don’t bother with gifts, but Margret has squeezed a cool pair of cycling gloves into the envelope with my card 🙂 I’m just finishing breakfast when Martyn pulls up and...

Saturday 13 February 2021

by | Feb 14, 2021 | Dave's diary

I’M up early – a lot earlier than usual – for a Zoom guitar session with a student in Australia. The session goes very well then I go back to the house for a second breakfast. There’s a few things needing done outside. The smoker needs cleaned out...

Friday 12 February 2021

by | Feb 13, 2021 | Dave's diary

Delighted to welcome this wee visitor to the garden 🙂 WE’RE watching the birds while we have breakfast and are surprised when a red squirrel shows up. Not only have we not seen them for ages, but I thought they hibernated over winter. A little research and I...

Thursday 11 February 2021

by | Feb 12, 2021 | Dave's diary

Quite a view as I leave the village and start walking back home… AFTER breakfast we head up the lochside to film a wee video clip for someone putting together a short film to celebrate a mutual pal’s achievement. Can’t say anything else ‘cos I...

Wednesday 10 February 2021

by | Feb 11, 2021 | Dave's diary

The drone’s somewhere in that water… 🙁 THERE’S a wee bit more snow and blue skies, so after breakfast I take the drone to the lochside to grab some archive footage and images. The drone’s not too far away – or too high – but I can’t...

Tuesday 9 February 2021

by | Feb 10, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER breakfast we make up a meal plan and shopping list and Margaret goes off to Balloch – the nearest supermarket – to pick up the weeks shopping. I’m keen to get more ‘work’ use out my iPad and reproach a few tips that I think will add to my...

Monday 8 February 2021

by | Feb 9, 2021 | Dave's diary

I finally sort the promo videos for the upcoming livestream show on Monday 22 February… UP EARLY as there’s a bit of resetting gear in the studio for this morning’s Zoom session with one of my guitar students. For some reason the livestream concert...

Sunday 7 February 2021

by | Feb 8, 2021 | Dave's diary

I MEET Martyn and Oran for a walk and we have a good wander for a couple of hours chatting, commenting and putting the world – mostly the creative one – to rights. When I get home Margaret’s made a broccoli and smoked bacon quiche-like thing. Perfect. I’m...

Saturday 6 February 2021

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Dave's diary

I turn the house into a makeshift studio for the virtual community Burns Supper…. A BIT grey outside, but no ice and it’s fairly dry so I decide to go a bike ride after breakfast. I give my new spec a whirl and they stay clear – no fogging up, which is...

Friday 5 February 2021

by | Feb 6, 2021 | Dave's diary

Messing with the GoPro in the studio and I take an accidental selfie! I HAVE a bit of rush to get up, showered and breakfast before this morning’s Musicians’ Union (MU) meeting – via Zoom rather than our usual ‘in person’ meetings at HQ in...

Thursday 4 February 2021

by | Feb 5, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER sleeping in a bit I start preparing egg bites – not just for this morning’s breakfast, but four batches, which should last a good three weeks or more! I take a bit of pork loin out the freezer to defrost and make a big batch of ‘Memphis dust’...

Wednesday 3 February 2021

by | Feb 4, 2021 | Dave's diary

A pretty dreich morning for a walk, but best get some fresh air before the weather gets any worse! THERE’S some merch orders to be packed and sent overseas. Once they’re all packed I print postage and customs labels and put them aside to post later on....

Tuesday 2 February 2021

by | Feb 3, 2021 | Dave's diary

I’M off into Glasgow early to get some shopping – hopefully won’t have to go back for a couple weeks. Early Tuesday morning seems to be a good time to hit Costco as it opens, supermarket etc – but although the roads are fairly quiet, there seem to be...

Monday 1 February 2021

by | Feb 2, 2021 | Dave's diary

A LOT of stuff to get out the way before an online session with one of my guitar students…and the studio needs re-set after Saturday’s slide guitar masterclass open Zoom. Glad I got up early and a good start on the day so there’s no mad shambles to...

Sunday 31 January 2021

by | Feb 1, 2021 | Dave's diary

Lovely morning for a walk up behind the native woodland centre… UP EARLY and ready to meet Martyn and go for a walk in the sunshine. It’s a cold’n’crisp sunny day. perfect. We go to the native woodland centre and take a walk up the hill....

Saturday 30 January 2021

by | Jan 31, 2021 | Dave's diary

The last of the light catches the snow on Ben Lomond… WE’RE not long up when Matty arrives – he’s in our ‘bubble’ and staying for the weekend. He drops off his stuff and goes out for a run up the hill – Margaret and I have breakfast....

Friday 29 January 2021

by | Jan 30, 2021 | Dave's diary

Tonight’s tteotbokki is the best I;ve made… UH-OH…we sleep in big time. Too late in bed (again) and a dram too many! Before hitting the studio I try and get Joe’s laptop back too life. Miraculously I manage to get it to start up in...

Thursday 28 January 2021

by | Jan 29, 2021 | Dave's diary

I THOUGHT I’d made some headway with Joe’s laptop before turning in last night (erm, this morning!), but the screen is black and it won’t start up when I get up 🙁 By coincidence, Betty drops by for a coffee in the garden with Margaret and I update...

Wednesday 27 January 2021

by | Jan 28, 2021 | Dave's diary

Not such great weather for a bike ride today…but it doesn’t affect the fun level 🙂 TOP of today’s to-do list is to make a promo video for Saturday’s Zoom slide guitar masterclass. Tickets are going, but I need ’em to go faster! After the...

Tuesday 26 January 2021

by | Jan 27, 2021 | Dave's diary

This is the setup I use to run my online guitar lessons and masterclasses… MY new Facebook group Dave Arcari’s Wildcats is growing…and there’s a wee bit more admin to this than I expected, but it’s all good. There’s also some online...

Monday 25 January 2021

by | Jan 26, 2021 | Dave's diary

I take the bike for a quick jaunt up the lochside… BURNS’ night tonight gives me a cue to plan a couple of live Burns poems that I’ve put to music in tonight’s Tales From the Road livestream – the first episode to be exclusively streamed in my...

Sunday 24 January 2021

by | Jan 25, 2021 | Dave's diary

I finally get round to scheduling this masterclass – more info here… I GET decent start to the day before going to meet my pal Martyn for a walk taking in a local bit of the West Highland Way. It’s cold and misty, but beautiful. We chat and wander for a...

Saturday 23 January 2021

by | Jan 24, 2021 | Dave's diary

I selfie while I contemplate the loch… WE’RE up early as Catriona and the kids are on their way. They arrive just as we’re finishing breakfast. Lockdown rules mean only two adults from two households can meet outside, so I wave from inside the house...

Friday 22 January 2021

by | Jan 23, 2021 | Dave's diary

My livestream for Homesong goes well – click above or see it here… IN the shower I start thinking about tonight’s livestream for Homesong and how best to set up/manage the audio. I’ve struggled routing audio properly through the computer and into...

Thursday 21 January 2021

by | Jan 22, 2021 | Dave's diary

I enjoy a bike ride along part of the West Highland Way… AFTER spending a little more time digging about in FreeAgent and trying to decide if I want to completely change my accounting system and records we make a video for a pal’s birthday surprise. We...

Wednesday 20 January 2021

by | Jan 21, 2021 | Dave's diary

The tree…again! ONCE the routine admin stuff’s done I pay some attention to my new Facebook group, Dave Arcari’s Wildcats. There’s quite a few folks getting on board and the time is right to notify my email list folks. Also, I can spread the...

Tuesday 19 January 2021

by | Jan 20, 2021 | Dave's diary

UP AT 7am to get the car into Glasgow in time for the garage opening…MoT day today. I get there a few minutes after they open and leave the car. The mechanic says he’ll get it done ASAP and call em when it’s ready. It’ll be a while, though, and...

Monday 18 January 2021

by | Jan 19, 2021 | Dave's diary

Takes me a while to create the ‘wildcat’ art and design to go around the caricature…join the group here… UP early and into the office to try and get the decks cleared before my Zoom session with a guitar student. I manage to get knot of the...

Sunday 17 January 2021

by | Jan 18, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER managing to get up at a reasonable time I get some work done in the studio before Martyn and wee Oran come up to go for a walk. We take a walk up the lochside and I drop some pork, chorizo and butter bean casserole off for Betty and Joe. At nearly a year old,...

Saturday 16 January 2021

by | Jan 17, 2021 | Dave's diary

ANOTHER long lie then I get busy clearing some of the mess in the office. Boxes, old papers and general ‘stuff’. I still haven’t figured out if it’s possible to livestream into a Facebook group as a page rather than a profile so end up posting...

Friday 15 January 2021

by | Jan 16, 2021 | Dave's diary

A little bleak over the loch at Rowardennan, but a great ride 🙂 WE sleep in. Really late, so breakfast is more like brunch and I have a bit of a mad scramble to catch up on the morning’s routine tasks and admin stuff. It’s not quite as cold as it’s...

Thursday 14 January 2021

by | Jan 15, 2021 | Dave's diary

I take a couple selfies with a guitar while I’m in the studio… AFTER breakfast I get the routine emails and socials out the way then head for the studio to take some additional photos for Beautiful Bearded Bastards. I use a CaseAir gizmo that lets me take...

Wednesday 13 January 2021

by | Jan 14, 2021 | Dave's diary

WITH severe weather alerts and potential tightening of lockdown rules I decide I should head into Glasgow for some shopping. I also need to make a ducted vent in the office so order a dryer vent kit, hole saw and various other bits and bobs from Screwfix to pick up...

Tuesday 13 January 2021

by | Jan 13, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER breakfast we go to the studio and make a quick birthday greeting video for a pal. Another pal calls with a load of questions about populating their online shop with products and asks if I can make a couple of minor amendments which I do immediately. The office...

Monday 11 January 2020

by | Jan 12, 2021 | Dave's diary

Click above to watch episode five in my Tales From the Road livestream series… I GET some merch packed up, postage printed and dropped at the post-box before breakfast. There’s also some stock updates needing done on my website. Margaret’s working on...

Sunday 10 January 2021

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Dave's diary

WE’RE sitting up in bed chatting and drinking coffee when I get a message from my pal Martyn to see if I fancy meeting up for a walk. I do. I have a quick shower and breakfast then go to meet him and we have a good couple of hours wandering around the early RSPB...

Saturday 9 January 2021

by | Jan 10, 2021 | Dave's diary

I’d almost forgotten about filming this episode of Scot Squad that aired during the week… I GET a bit of work done and capture a clip of my appearance on BBC’s Scot Squad during the week – then we jump in the car to go to Catriona’s. Our plan...

Friday 8 January 2021

by | Jan 9, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER a lazy start to the day I hit the studio and get on with the music video edit. I take a break to make some gyoza for lunch and mince some lamb for tonight’s lahmacun the return to the video editing. There’s a fair amount of work in putting together a...

Thursday 7 January 2021

by | Jan 8, 2021 | Dave's diary

That tree again – I get some video footage to use in the music video I’m producing for my pal in Nashville AFTER breakfast I get to work on the first edit of a music video I’m putting together for my pal in Nashville. There’s a really moody fog...

Wednesday 6 January 2021

by | Jan 7, 2021 | Dave's diary

There’s an eerie layer of mist around the foot of the Conic as I came back from filming in the churchyard. WE’RE up at a reasonable time as Keiran’s coming. to see why there’s still water coming in five/six weeks after he did the work on our...

Tuesday 5 January 2021

by | Jan 6, 2021 | Dave's diary

I’M not long finished breakfast when I get a message form the manager of the village shop – hours are being temporarily cut through the current lockdown, so I’m not needed for the time being. That means my afternoon/early evening is now free, so I plan a...

Monday 4 January 2020

by | Jan 5, 2021 | Dave's diary

Episode four in my Tales From the Road livestream goes pretty smoothly – click the image above to watch 🙂 I TRY out the studio setup for the first off two guitar sessions today – my student gets a main image of a close up of my hands and an inset (‘picture in...

Sunday 3 January 2021

by | Jan 4, 2021 | Dave's diary

CATRIONA, Will and the kids arrive just as we finish breakfast. We get wrapped up warm and go for a walk through the forest. When we get back we sit in the garden and have some stovies Margret rustled up earlier. I’m not a big stovies fan (I still maintain that...

Saturday 2 January 2021

by | Jan 3, 2021 | Dave's diary

AFTER breakfast I’m in the office prototyping some match ideas when Betty arrives and we sit the garden and have a coffee. I do a little work in the studio then have a late lunch fo leftover red beans and rice before taking a walk to Martyn’s where we meet...

Friday 1 January 2021

by | Jan 2, 2021 | Dave's diary

Beautiful New Year’s Day sunshine…. A STUNNING morning to kick off the new year – hopefully it’s a sign of brighter things to come. I stick the drone up to get some photos and a panoramic video then have breakfast. We make coffees, fill our thermal...

Thursday 31 December 2020

by | Jan 1, 2021 | Dave's diary

After I play Devils’ Left Hand for Bill’s livestream Margaret joins me to say happy New Year to all the viewers 🙂 HOGMANAY! Not planning too busy a day today, but I do hit the studio to try and continue the alternative setup for my live-streaming. Keen to...

Wednesday 30 December 2020

by | Dec 31, 2020 | Dave's diary

WE sleep in a. bit then, after breakfast, I nip into the studio to try and set up some of the livestream stuff on the old laptop to check all will be good in time for Monday’s Tales From the Road livestream. There’s so much housekeeping. to be done on the...