A Fosca rehearsal for the band’s first UK gig in 2 years goes well, with my brother Tom finally playing in a band with me after all these years. Our parents are happy about this, needless to say, and I hope the fans are too. He’s one of the best musicians I’ve worked with, regardless. New song practiced: “In-Joke For One”.

***

I now have a part-time job of sorts, in my capacity as Shane MacGowan and Victoria Clarke’s sporadic Gentleman Secretary and Impersonal Personal Assistant. Victoria is planning a new TV and book project where the pair chat to various famous names about the pursuit of happiness. They’ve employed me to send out her proposal-cum-invitation to all the illustrious names on their list, and Shane has bought me my own little phone and fax machine. Within minutes of setting it up, I receive two calls from an Indian call centre trying to sell me deals on One-Tel mobiles.

Although I bridle when referred to as the Pogues singer’s ‘New Romantic Butler’, despite looking exactly like one, yesterday he did ask me to fetch his socks from the third drawer.

Last night – to see Bob Dylan at the Brixton Academy with Mr MacGowan, Ms Clarke, and Ms Clarke’s charming sister Jo. Somehow, we arrive a bit late and apparently annoy family members of Bryan Ferry by unknowingly sitting in their seats while they’re in the bar or something. I consider making some remark about Otis Ferry invading the House of Commons, and that what goes around comes around, but think better of it. In case they set the hounds on us.

Shane: Dickon, do you want to get the drinks in? Hang on… Bryan!

Bryan Ferry: …. (visibly peeved with us and trying to watch the concert)

Shane: Oh… Bryan Ferry doesn’t want a drink.

End up being moved from a seat next to either Neil Tennant or a Ferry relative who looks like Neil Tennant, to a seat next to the singer from the Stereophonics. Fairly safe to say we’re not mutual fans of each other’s music, but he seems a nice boy and is rather handsome in the flesh. Unless it was just someone who looked like the singer from the Stereophonics. I could go on like this. I myself am just someone who looks like Dickon Edwards. And writes and speaks like him. I keep thinking of that Alan Bennett quote from the documentary where he’s sitting for a portrait.

“When people say, ‘just be yourself’. What they really mean is: imitate yourself.”

I suppose Mr Stereophonics and I at least agree on Mr Dylan, who obligingly does rather good versions of Like A Rolling Stone and All Along The Watchtower, dressed in a fantastic red and black suit and hat. I spy the Oscar for his song in The Wonder Boys propped up on an amp nearby.

*****
Previously – to the Boogaloo for a magazine launch party. Except there’s a bit of a problem: no magazine. Due to some publishing mishap, State Of Play, a new music publication impressively featuring the Fire Engines on the cover, has no physical state to play with. But the party goes ahead anyway. This is very London – a launch party without the launch.