Andy Leach

A beautiful day yesterday, at Selhurst Park in SE25, honouring my dad and watching my beloved Crystal Palace win again. I have a good life up north but my god, I miss this place. The most consistent, constant place throughout my life. Over 50 years of going there and it always feels like coming home

Been making plans. Back in the studio with my guitar and a bus load of hope in May. Off to Prague in June. Big gig in August. Bruges in 2026. Things to do. Places to be.

Just watched Toxic Town on Netflix. Another British scandal. Another ongoing disgrace. Am so sick of profit over people. Of the destruction of environments, of social & economic inequality, of malice dressed as ignorance, of complicity being ‘just the way it is,’ protections dismissed as red tape.

Very happy with today’s shoe investment. Should last a good ten years, these. Proper northern shoes by Lanx.

And by way of contrast… For the gig. Not the story.

Last night, right before I went to sleep, I typed 150 or so words into my phone & this morning, yep, it’s the start of a new story. Short, long, who knows? But it’s something & it’s bleak & terrifying & not bad at all. And talking of terrifying, also been rehearsing a set for a gig in August…

Don’t know it but might start making my music videos in the dark. Adds a certain atmosphere! X

The EP I recorded with my band back in November is still being mixed. To think I once thought it might be done by Christmas. At least I didn’t say which year.

Show me you in a hat.

Fabulous! I started playing again having met up with the drummer from the band I had some 40 years ago. Now we play an annual festival and are mixing an EP. It’s a blast.

Fantastic, the support act blowing the main bands away. I’ve seen it several times, most notably when (in my view) Frank Turner’s support act made his evening very difficult as they were incredible. Crazy Arm. Check ‘em out.

New bins.

God, no rush. Got to dig it out of mothballs first

That was 5k. The one I’m thinking about is nearly twice that in length. Was part of my Boom Babies novel. There’s too much there to throw away

Want a 9,000 word short story to look at? 😉

Ah, mate. Am currently on the bus into Leeds. If you weren’t away on your writing thing I’d buy you a sarsaparilla.

😄🤣👍🏻

Stu is soooo demanding!

Haha! Excuses:
1. Dayjob—long and intense.
2. Not got any new ideas.
3. Feelings of doubt and self-loathing.
4. Confidence blown by my agent.
5. The world has changed, most new fiction I read is shit but somebody must like it so maybe it’s me…

Mate, just pick an excuse in advance!

🙏🏻 If you were CEO at Penguin and had a Radio 6 show, I’d be famous! 😆 x

Done on your suggestion. And because he’s right in what he said about you. Read your rationale comments after and my god sometimes childhoods are like things in backpacks that we can’t take off, huh?

Certainly worth a wee

Why is it so hard to buy decent fish and chips locally (rhetorical moan)? Fancy it about once a year and it’s always horribly disappointing.

This headline on my Instagram feed in a post from the NME confirms that I am officially old and do not understand the modern world at all:

Self Esteem “rates sexual positions” on house-y new single ‘69’ featuring drag legend Meatball

I mean, wut? Is that even English?
Yours, confused.

Just booked a trip to Prague. So that’s nice.

I was on Antonia’s show, too! Loved doing that.

About to do something I’ve not done in quite a while. Several years, if I’m counting.

Farewell, little story.

Aaaand submit.

Why are all British films from the 1950s called things like 'Watch yourself on the stairs' and 'A brompton bike for billy'

Online shopping. A blessing and a curse. Decided tonight that I should wear more suits. So now in bed, bought a suit. Analogue living was so much cheaper.

Very late to this but since I’m now a northerner by choice, I thought I’d find out why! Got a feeling this is going to cement my oop north sensibilities. Cheers, @groomb.bsky.social