That’s what some would say as I sit here on my own while my good Ladymarra is partying on down at Solfest. Perhaps it is, but I don’t think so and I’m not entirely on my own as my good friend Jose is by my side and Snr Cuervo is such good fun, I may get philosophical or have a rant later, but for now it’s time for the annual fun that is Podcast…… ……and here it is! I had a LOT of fun putting it together and it enabled me to play some tracks by good people who I’ve been meaning to give some recognition too for a while as well as make a couple of discoveries along the way. As usual here’s the track listing all the artists have links to their websites, Facebook or MySpace, just click on their name to go there. There’s no link on mine of course as the address is at the top of the page. Right now my website is in serious need of updating too so it’s not the hot fount of all knowledge that it once was. Also omitted from the links is Virginia Barrett, the web address on her CD doesn’t work anymore and a Google search couldn’t locate her in the time I had to look. But please check out the acts below as they all need your support. WIZARDMARRA ANOTHER ONE BY JOVE 13 STARS MORNING HYMN/WORDS ahab LIGHTNIN’ BUG JACK HARTLEY THE WAY SHE MOVES STEPH FRASER SINCE I SAW YOU SID WRIGHT EVERYTHING I DO OUTROADS HELLHOUND ON MY TRAIL PIKEY BEATZ RAINDROPS NEVERLAND THE TALKING TREE NIGEL MAZLYN JONES THE PASSING JO BYWATER SMOKESCREEN TIM O’CONNOR NINE DANCING ZEBRAS BILL LLOYD GALLO DE CIELO THE COLOURSOUND EXPERIMENT LIKE A WIZARDS SLEEVE WIZARDMARRA SOFTLY ON THE PILLOW VIRGINIA BARRETT UNKNOWN TITLE WIZARDMARRA LOTUSBEAT 13 STARS are a Carlisle based band with a no messing about attitude to what they do and it’s a glorious slice of country pie that get served up. Though perhaps “Americana” is the better term as that’s where 13 Stars sit. The rise of Americana over the past few years is slowly taking  over the Country scene, some would say it’s a result of the Coen Brothers “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” but it was probably on the way anyway, and a good thing too. But these Cumbrians can teach the Colonials a thing or two about how to do, beautiful stuff and I sincerely regret not putting these guys on a stage (yet, there will be a time in the future without  a doubt). The link is to their Facebook, but this one to their Soundcloud is probably a better one to actually find out about the band and get some music from them too! Anything that I can do to stop people from using Facebook is good too as it surely is a creation of the devil. Yes I know I have a Facebook page.  But that’s run for me by Laurence and I have no input in it except when I ask him to (such as a link here for the new podcast). I much prefer real friends who’ll see me in person or ring me up (actually I rather they didn’t ring me up, emailing's cool though), anyway enough of Facebook, sod em! Back to the music. ahab (small case all the way, drives your spellcheckers wild) are one of the best new bands to emerge over the past year and i think could easily be the next Mumford & Sons. I had them closing the stage at Nuts In May and though they were a sadly depleted band due to an injury the rocked the house (house meaning small grassy glade in front of The Jack In The Green Stage). JACK HARTLEY Has for a good while now been a mover and shaker on the Cumbrian new folk music scene, along with PADDY ROGAN and LOUISE MARTIN as the core of the excellent THE RIGHTEOUS BEES but his solo work is excellent too and I would have played some of his stuff a good while ago but Ladymarra had at some time had a tidyfrenzy and his album “The Egremont Apple” disappeared from the eyes of mortal man. I finally found it last week when I looked right in the far back reaches of a deep drawer and found a shrivelled piteous thing clinging on to it, calling it it’s precious. I wish could say pity stayed my hand, but no,