What can I say - just getting over a heavy weekend!!!

Pee Jay: 'Bridgewater Hall good - are you doing it again in October?' Not this October, no. Love the venue; perhaps in 2012.

Paul Cavani: 'Happy Birthday! Hope to see you next year in Scotland! Saw the Queen documentary - MTH got a good mention and they showed Morgan's film of the URIS Theater.'

(By the way, thanks for the tons of Happy Birthdays that came my way. The first one is always from Stan Tippins who delights in my declining years.)

Martyn Kai: 'Smokie can tour Australia - why can't you?' Nobody has asked - if someone does - we'll have a look at it.

FrancisL: 'Happy Birthday sir Ian - they love you in New York, but we love you out here in the sticks too. Has anybody got you beat in the age category in MTH? (No!). I know you're touring and I'm glad to see old classmate M.C. Bosch on guitar. Is anything going on in the studio, or are you still in the creative stage?' It's getting there. We'll probably go into the studio this winter.

Phyl: 'Happy Birthday, Ian.' Gee thanks!

Joanne Rishton: 'You'll always be the Peter Pan of Rock because you never look any older!' Camouflage, my dear.

Jim McConnell: 'Has Trudi ever considered writing a book? Rock 'n' Roll Wifestyle?' Good title, but I wouldn't think so.

Steve Parsons: I don't remember any of that at all.

John Von Reine: 'Listening to a Diana Schuur album - and it brings me back to 'All American Alien Boy' which was a rude awakening for us rockers at the time…but we matured into it and it IS a landmark Ian Hunter LP. Rather than go disco….you went to something more solid….how did you take this leap….you never seemed the jazz music type…yet you brought David Sanborn and Jaco Pastorius on board long before they became popular - and did it so well. How'd this all take place? Was it an attempt to appeal to an older audience or just to flex?' Bobby Columby was the drummer with Blood, Sweat and Tears. He had a house over the Tappan Zee Bridge and when I came out of hospital, I moved into Bobby's house with Ronno and the ladies. Bobby and I had the same manager, but he was a jazz freak and didn't really like rock 'n' roll. He found Jaco while touring with B.S. + T in Florida and brought him back up north. People like Joe Zawinul and Lenny White were popping in to listen to Jaco. Joco, however, was a Stones fan (as was I) and he and Bobby liked my lyrics - so AAAB kind of grew out of that situation. David Sandborn was already well known. I'd heard him on a Bowie album and he blew me away. Doing that album (I produced it as well) was a lot of fun - but scary. Why I did it - I've no idea. Probably got bored doing the usual thing and fancied a change.

Oor Willie: 'The first record I ever bought - when I was 11 years - old was 'Midnight Lady ' scares me to think that was 40 years ago!' I proposed to Trudi during that recording session.

Shugster: Welcome back lad! 'Any plans for Scotland?' None yet, but it's early. I would think sometime 2012, so you've got plenty of time.

Rik Rolski: 'In a former life you may have been my Dad.'

Annette Geremia, Tripp, Pasquale Truglia (Italy), Wayne Mackie - all wishing me a Happy Birthday.

Johan T.: 'Any chance of seeing you in Gothenburg or anywhere else in Scandinavia? Your Norwegian sessions were outstanding and still the most commonly played at my place to this day.' We thought we might do Europe and Scandi this year, but it didn't work out.

Amanda Nicoll: 'Have you got round to using your bus pass yet?' The day I became eligible for a bus pass was the day I stopped taking the bus.

Thank you all for your birthday greetings - if I listed them individually - I'd be here all night. That's not to say each and every one of them is not appreciated.

Ralph Heibutzki is going to see us in Chicago.

Constance Van Beek: 'I don't know how you do it - I'm just glad you do.' Ta, Constance.

Kerry Kearney: 'Fair and well, mate. Happy freakin/ B'day. Just finished 'Drive' by Daniel Pink - think you would like it.'

Colin Mair on Canadian times. I remember Ronno and me toured up there quite a lot at one time while Roy Young was living up there. Roy had a great band I went out with a couple of times. Met some nice people up there, but it's a long time ago now.

Tom Crolley - 'See you at the Winery.'

Karel: 'When are you playing Florida?' There doesn't seem to be too much interest in my kind of stuff in Florida.

John Dachik: 'Enjoyed Hoboken. Never saw you start off with so many rockers in a row. You and the Baseball Project made for a great day. Did you watch Manchester/Barcelona? Your thoughts?' I only saw the first half as my youngest, Jesse was getting married to the beautiful Karen on the beach in Barbados during the second half. I suggested a slight delay in the proceedings, but that didn't go down too well, so I had to make do with the highlights. Best team won. However, had Messi been playing for Man U……. soccer does seem to be growing the U.S. In New York we have Thierri Hanry - a first class advertisement for the game.

Tracy: I'm having dinner with him next Tuesday. I'll give him yer email.

Steve Baratta says Chicago ticket don't go on sale until August 5th for non members. I guess they do it their way.

Greg Becker: The Chicago shows are 'semi' acoustic. We can't bang away at full throttle (sound limits), but we've done these before (the Tabernacle comes to mind). People seem to like it. 'Why wasn't Mick Ronson on AAAB?' Because his stupid manager was asking for too much money (more than I was getting).

Plastic Sam: Trudi has never lived in Swansea.

Tony Britton: 'There's a website hosted by a famous renowned audio engineer called Steve Hoffman. On the message boards the members (and there are many) have been discussing the Independent on Sunday interview from June 5th. The main topic seems to be the bit about nailing a kitten to the door! Did this really happen?' The guy who wrote this article, Robert Chalmers, got a couple of things wrong. No kitten was ever nailed to the wall by me or anybody else. I think what he was referring to was an episode that occurred way back in the 60's that is mistakenly attributed to me. I've had cats 'n' dogs all my life and the thought chills. It was a large interview and mistakes happen. Believe me - it never happened.

Leon Laudenback: Noted with thanks.

Mitch Mitchell: Misquote - see above.

Eric Parker (not my ex drummer) West Coast awesome!!

Steve (Tulsa) 'Just catching up - glad to hear you mentioning our boy Leon Russell making it into the hall of fame. Know you are a big fan. We're all proud here at home. 'Through the Looking Glass' s a magnificent portrait….a masterpiece! I been sayin' that since day one. Take care of yourself.'

Mick McKenzie: 'Independent article very good apart from the kitten quote which I can't quite believe (neither can I). The Stockport County story is another goof. I just never said that. Neither was I in the V.I.P's.

Mark F: 'Awesome to see Mid West gigs on the tour page. Who will the Rant band consist of for these acoustic shows?' Steve Holley, M.C. Bosch, James Mastro and perhaps Paul Page if he's available.

Liz recommends 'The Assassination of Julius Caesar' by Michael Parenti. Sounds good to me. You're right, I do like this kind of stuff.

Pat: 'Will you sign autographs at Phoenixville?' There's no official policy on this. If it feels right I'll do it sometimes. The trouble is separating the real fan from people who are on the make. Sad, but true.

Matt Parish says he just re-read the diary; he was in a band back then and relates to some of it. Good ho!

Joe Beninati: 'Find it amazing each show is different. Two covers you did way back with MTH were 'Lay Down' and 'Laugh at Me' - any chance of hearing them at the Winery?' I sometimes launch into 'Laugh At Me' for no particular reason, so you never know.

Bart: 'All of the Good Ones' video - who's idea was it to pattern it after 'Arthur'? Can you give some background on it?' We had a very enthusiastic director and he probably came up with the idea.. It sort of grew as we went along. I remember being nearly drowned - and soaked to the skin - and filming in a diner at 4 AM - so they could open for regular business. It ain't easy being a video star!!!

Lynne wants me to play the Milford Oyster Festival someday. I'll chew on it.

Lee Martin: No suits or platform boots.

Irina: 'What kind of presents would Ronno give you on your birthday and vice versa?' I've got a couple of pictures hanging on the walls that he gave me. I don't think we bothered much with that stuff in general.

Jeffery Zazbar: 'Glad to see mews of Chicago and Milwaukee.'

Ray Waters wants to know if Tracie and me will ever do 'Junkman' live. I don't think it's the kind of song a father and daughter should sing together. The lyrics aren't appropriate. It is a great song though and Tracie and Joe have done a superb job on it. Her whole album is totally different from before. Excellent job well sung, played and produced.

Jeffrey: The weather's fine - walk everyday - feels like Hawaii.

Kenny Mac: Noted. Best of luck with it.

John: 'Always wondered what you thought of British Lions and Mott stuff. Did you listen to it or were you in a completely different place?' I really don't remember. I probably checked them out at the time - I know I went to see them in Aylesbury one time. Obviously I was pretty busy with my own thing - and so it goes.

Jeff Williams: 'Just moved and have misplaced 'Man Overboard'. Should I wait for a new album or buy another copy?' Buy 10 of everything!!

Howard Chapman: 'With Tracie having recorded 'Junkman' what's the possibility of hearing it at the Winery?' Like I said - the lyric's re not right for a father/daughter duet.

Mark Lipscombe: Noted.

Patrick Lilley: 'Boy' is not about one person.

Ken Lucas: Hope you can make it.

Paul Stirk: Come to Toronto!

Steve John: Got enough stuff already, but thanks.

Stay tuned for Part 2 ....