Happy New Year to marillio-heads everywhere from snowed-in Oxfordshire.

I've started noodling around at home to get the creative juices flowing in
anticipation of work resuming this week at the Racket Club. Assuming we can
get there with all this snow, we intend to start work on album No.16, or is
it 17? I'm not sure really. Does L=M count as a album? Do Marbles and HITR
count as two? Who, except Ian is counting anyway? I'm pretty excited to get
started on something brand new but I'm sure the excitement will start to
fade a few weeks in when we are arguing over crochets and minor thirds which
is why we have a trip planned to Portugal in March for some writing in the
sun. We will be setting a few hours aside to brush up on the acoustic set
for the gig in Lousada on the 27th www.marillion.com/tour.

I'm beginning to regret setting fire to my harmonium whilst drunk one
night.(see above) I wanted to play the Arthur Brown song "Fire"
with some real feeling and things got a bit out of hand. I didn't think I'd
be needing it again, Oh well, at least I sampled it AND I've been on the
wagon since Jan 1st, so things are looking up!

Love and hugs

Mark

I'd like to thank anyone who made it to the Wishing Tree concert at
the Bush Hall. It was a great evening and a lot of fun once we'd
sorted out the little problem with the dead bass drum!

It seems we might have seen the worst of the bad weather and I'm eager
to start writing again at the Racket Club. I'm also looking forward to
picking up my new Jack Dent guitars in New York at the end of the
month. I've got a couple of things planned while I'm over.

I'm giving a guitar clinic at the Dog Ear Tavern (http://www.dogeartavern.com)
on Saturday the 30th January during the afternoon followed by a social
gathering and jam session in the evening at the same venue.

Email rotheryusaclinic@gmail.com if you're interested in attending either event.

Here's to a great 2010!

Steve