Hi,

As you probably know already, the NHB shows in May were excellent. Mark was very relaxed and there were lots of jokes flying around. I was talking to Steve and Ed after the Derby show and they were very pleased with the concert, it went particularly well for a first gig especially as they had only done four days' rehersal instead of the six originally planned.

At most of the NHBs gigs the band did two sets - they did one set at Redcar and Newcastle - and played for a total of around two and a half hours. The set list at Derby was:

SET 1:
Run Me Down/One Way Gal/Blue Stay Away From Me/Your Own Sweet Way/Railroad Worksong/Why Worry/Water Of Love/Will You Miss Me/Hobo's Lullaby/Meet Me In The Bottom

SET 2:
Denomination Blues/KC Moon/Calling Elvis/One-Sided Love Affair/I'm The Fool/ Bewildered/Cannibals/Are We In Trouble Now/Setting Me Up/Feel Like Going Home

Encores: Going Home/The Next Time I'm In Town

This stayed more or less the same for the whole tour. They also payed Tennessee Blues (at Glasgow) and introduced a fast boogie version of Milk Cow Blues about half way through the tour. There were programmes and other merchandise available including tee-shirts, sweat shirts, mugs, baseball caps and key-rings. The inside front page of the tour programme was messed-up by the printers, they had put in two photographs of Guy and missed out Steve. I expect this programme will become something of a collector's item!!

The set list for the private gig at the Swan Hunter company was shorter, the band doing only one set. Just a few extra songs were added for the charity gig at Redcar which was also one set. The songs not played at Redcar were Water of Love, Hobo's Lullaby, KC Moon, Denomination Blues and I'm the Fool. The charity arranged a raffle and first prize was a Mexican-made Fender Strat which Mark used to play five songs, including Going Home. The winner met Mark in the dressing room after the show and Mark signed the guitar for him!

It was hoped to do a second NHBs tour this autumn but Mark's schedule became too busy. However, there may be another NHBs tour spring/summer '98.

Mark got together with his band on 6th June to record more tracks for his second solo album. So far ten tracks have been recorded but they many not all be used. Mark returned from his summer break at the beginning of September and is to record three more songs in the US during the next few months. One or more of these may be on the solo album but the final decision on which songs will and which won't be used is still be taken. There are no fixed plans yet for a tour to promote the next solo album which won't be used is still to be taken. There are no fixed plans yet for a tour to promote the next solo album which is provisionally scheduled for release next spring/summer.

Mark has now finished the score for Wag The Dog film. The film is a political satire and has a lot of dialogue. The film may feature music by others such as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and Merle Haggard. There is not really sufficient music for a full soundtrack album. It may be possible to produce a mini-album or maxi-single but again no decisions have been taken. The title song, Wag The Dog, may be released as a single, again we have to wait and see! The film is to be released in two US cities in December to enable it to quality for next year's Oscars! It should go on general release in the new year. Also finished is the score for Metroland. Only one of Mark's pieces has lyrics - untiled so far - and this could find its way onto a single. The film was very well received at the Venice Film Festival and is to be shown at the Toronto Film Festival today (!) 11th Sept. Metroland features songs by various artists as well as MK (e.g. Acker Bilk, Helen Shapiro, The Stranglers, Hot Chocolate, Elvis Costello and Dusty Springfield). The DS song featured in Metroland is Sultans of Swing. Plans for Mark to score a new David Putnam film have been scrapped but Mark is write the introduction to a new book by Chas McDevitt. The book is about skiffle music but I don't know the title.

Most of you will know that Mark will be one of the artistes performing at the Monserrat benefit gig at the Royal Albert Hall on Sept 15th. Rehersals are already taking place and Mark will do one song, I think Brothers in Arms, supported by a 50 piece orchestra! He will play Wild Theme with Guy. and also perform Money for Nothing with Sting and Eric Clapton. He will join Paul McCartney on a song called Golden Shumbers and Hey Jude which will be one of the encores. Ray Cooper and maybe Phil Collins will also join in. There may be a rock 'n roll jam at the end featuring Carl Perkins but you will all see this at some stage as it is being put out on Sky pay TV.

Chris White has been a new baby daughter, Brirony. He has been working with Mark and Guy on the score for Metroland.

Steve was planning two new albums. The first was to be a solo album of country blues and the second an album of songs by Steve and his touring band, The Rough Diamonds. It has now been decided to release only one album with a mix of classic country blues and tracks from the band. I have heard the tracks done so far and they include a superb version of Crossroads Blues and a beautiful version of an old song called Blue Mountain. The CD will not be ready until sometime next year.

Best wishes.....

Terry Kilburn