It's my favourite time of year, Christmas is a stone's throw away, the leaves in the trees are that vibrant reddish brown tone and wooly jumpers and beanie hats are back in season, I love it.

As always I've been busy.
With the recent 86TVs single release ‘Higher Love’ the vibes have been kicking off, we’ve been on TV twice - ‘MTV’s Gonzo’ and Channel 4’s ‘Sunday Brunch’.
The legendary Rolling Stone did a great feature about the band and our tour is almost sold out, it all feels really exciting.

I remember hearing the initial idea for Higher Love 5 or 6 years ago In the Maccabees old studio.
The brothers were standing on one side of the room, me and my drum kit the other, the sun was billowing into the live room and to me they're looking like sibling silhouettes.
I heard Felix sing that chorus line “Where was the Higher Love” and I was floored, in that moment I knew we had something special.
That was the spirit / the vibe of the song grabbing hold of me.
Over years and years of refining we honed every aspect of the music, we developed the song as we developed as individuals, as a band.
The song you hear today isn’t the same song it was way back then but the spirt very much is, and I got to say the spirit still grabs me as strongly as it did when I first heard it.

In other news I was in the studio with Kelly recording some very excellent new Stereophonics songs.
I had recently been up to Wales to visit the place where Kelly, Richard and Stuart grew up, an old mining town called ‘Cwmaman’, not only that, Kelly’s mum gave me a tour of where he wrote the songs that would be on the classic debut album ‘Word Gets Around’, his dad even showed me where they rehearsed as kids, it was a truly unforgettable day.

Recording with Kelly and Richard now feels a little different seeing where they come from, to see where it started, it felt symbolic for me to see that side of the Phonics - the very beginning.
With that perspective you really understand how remarkable the band is.
I then think how lucky I am to be part of it all, not only that, to be part of two bands I love!
Please don’t wake me up if I'm dreaming.

Until next time
Good Vibes & Happy Drumming
Jamie x