Big Thanks

Thanks to everyone for your support this year.

It’s been a lot of fun with the new album release and I’ve met a lot of great new people during the album tour and at the many solidarity events I’ve played at.

Let Me Support You

I am very keen to continue to use my music to benefit people. I’ve never been one to worry too much about the “music industry”. I want the music to touch real people in the real world.

That’s why the comments on the impact page of this website means so much to me.

So if you have a group or cause and want my support, get in touch and arrange for me to play for you.

2010 Tour Dates?

As for touring, I hope to do it all again in 2010 so I’m looking for some places to play. Maybe you can help. Here’s a quick guide as to how.

• Get your campaign group or union branch to book me for a benefit gig
• Demand a gig from me in your area by clicking here and I’ll do the rest
• Contact your friends and tell them to demand a gig from me. Send them the link. It’s http://eventful.com/performers/alun-parry-/P0-001-000026137-2/demand
• Recommend me to your local folk club or acoustic night
• Tell me about your local folk club or acoustic night. You can get in touch with me here
• Organise a small gig yourself

Organise A What?

Organising a gig isn’t as hard as it sounds, especially if you aim small.

Ask the local publican for use of a back room in his pub for free. Or get a friend with a decent sized living room to host a house gig.

Then invite friends if it’s a house gig. Or if not, put up some posters advertising the gig.

Then contact people in the local folk, acoustic and political circles, and any friends who you think might come along.

Just ten listeners and I’ll be happy to come and play for you.

Easy eh! Get yourself and nine extra people to attend a gig, and I’ll be there. Let me know by clicking here.

I want to share this story with you from Derek Sivers blog, the guy who created the company CD Baby.

He describes two friends at a party in a billionaire’s mansion. One says: “Wow! This guy has everything”.

The other replies: “Yeah, but I have something he’ll never have. Enough.”

We’re rarely trained to aim for enough. It’s always more, more, more.

But I’ve learned that the answer to most of life’s problems is to set limits.

I’m too stressed? Limit the amount of projects I work on at any one time.

I’m too distracted? Limit the amount of times I check my email per day.

The same goes for stuff. I hate stuff. I never used to. The idea of getting the latest this or the latest that would give me a giddy thrill.

But now I see it for the clutter it is.

My house used to be a bit of a tip. Why? Too much stuff. It was bloody everywhere. And 80% of it I never even used. The bulk of it is gone now. I’d recommend a similar de-cluttering exercise.

If you own stuff, it brings stresses. You worry someone will nick it for instance. Or you pay out to insure it in case it breaks. Or you have to find places to store it. Or it’s in your way so you can’t properly relax because there’s stuff everywhere. Or you have to clean it and maintain it.

Plus you have to work longer and stress harder in your job to get the money to buy the stuff in the first place.

So the more possessions, the more stresses. They make you miserable even though they promise that they’ll make you happy. It’s all a big fat lie.

Same for how we spend money. It’s often spent on crap. But think on this.

If you only spent money on something that genuinely made you happier or that you genuinely needed rather than spending it impulsively on any old thing, you’d spend less, so you’d need to earn less, so you’d be freer because you wouldn’t need to work so much, and you’d fear your boss less, and so you’d be stronger politically too because you’d take less shit.

And you’d have more time for yourself and your friends and the things that truly inspire you.

Living more simply and setting limits is the way forward. It’s not about sacrifice. It’s about knowing which point represents “enough.”

Remember the story of Goldilocks. She never wanted the big bowl or the big chair or the big bed. She was aiming for the one that was just right. The one that was enough.

It’s empowering. Give it a go.

The PCS union are running a social celebrating public services at the Casa, Hope Street on Wednesday 9th December, 7 – 11 p.m.

Music is by me, and there are talks by Dave Cliff (ex-miner & PCS full time officer) and Tony Mulhearn (PCS member and ex-Liverpool councillor).

There’s also a buffet.

Tickets just £3 from PCS office, 35-37 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2HF, phone 0151 231 6120.

AFC Liverpool, the worker-owned football club I set up last year, is free entry tomorrow (Sat 5 Dec, 3pm) for UNISON members. Just bring your union card.

The club is also joining in the climate campaign by wearing shirts the same blue colour of The Wave Climate Change Campaign for the day.

So thats a Liverpool supporters team wearing BLUE for climate change!!

How to get there: 10 or 10A bus goes straight there (we play at Prescot Cables
ground) but for more details visit http://afcliverpool.org.uk/go/directions-to-watch-afc-liverpool

It’s a top of the table clash and promises to be an exciting day out.

For non UNISON members the prices are still cheap (£5 adults, £3 seniors, £2 under 18s) and Saturday has the added spice that it’s a top of the table clash.

We also have two new strikers who have been setting the fans talking, as one is a carbon copy of the young Michael Owen (remember him?)

So if you can’t get to the climate march and want to mix the climate campaign with a workers-run football team, come to AFC Liverpool at 3pm on Saturday.