Daddy Cool

Today is my Dad’s birthday. I won’t divulge his age, I don’t think he would want that. What I will say is that I have a couple of brilliant presents for him and that he doesn’t look a day over fifty.

I have a strange relationship with ‘my old man’ by which I don’t mean that we struggle to get along, or that he wasn’t much of a presence when I was growing up but quite the opposite. I have very fond memories of him reading to me at night, of running across fields with a kite, of nights in watching television I probably was too young for.

He was the one who introduced me to music. When people are impressed by my eclectic taste and knowledge it’s down to him. I remember listening to a lot of glam and rock when I was growing up, and I’ve never strayed too far from that, his LP of Physical Graffiti is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen or heard in my life.

Dad recently said that when I start recording songs again he wants to play bass on them, and I love that idea. He’ll have to fight my little brother for it but whatever.

I guess all that matters is this, happy birthday you lovely older me.