Don’t laugh! For once I am a couple of months early with this newsletter, but I have been "getting it in the neck" from so many people in the UK and Scandinavia that I have to tell you what is going on now, to alleviate some of the disappointment concerning Roger’s not touring in these countries this year, and also to tell you that due to all the problems, the new album, "MOMENTS IN MY LIFE " also will not be released until next year.

The complexities of the business are often enormous. Just imagine for a moment that you are a record company and all the dozens of people involved and employed in the release, promotion and retail stocking that is required to get the album to the public and in the stores. Then take into consideration the internet, piracy and endless illegal product out there literally destroying the record companies, the writers, publishers and artists, who get little or no royalties from the mass produced illegal music so easily obtained.

So, very careful planning is needed to get the most visibility and promotion on each album to try and get ahead of the stealing. One of these tools is the vital touring that really brings the release into the full public eye, and enables the audiences to hear the new songs live, as well, of course, as the evergreens.

Due, as I told you, to unforeseen circumstances, the theatres and halls that Roger was supposed to appear in, were booked so early that we were unable to put these shows together, so we are re-planning for next year. Roger was enormously disappointed but there is little we can do under the circumstances.

So I hope you will understand and forgive us for letting you down. In the meantime, we are not sitting still, and in fact Roger has been recording solidly for the past few weeks. The new German album is due out in September (no title yet) but almost the entire album, are versions of many of Roger’s songs that have never been heard in German before. There have been so many requests for these songs in other languages that BMG decided to launch with this one. The title and release date will be posted on the site at the beginning of September.

One small hiccough in the weeks of recording was caused by poor Roger’s foot! After returning to Ireland with a steel pin and plaster cast, Roger began to experience real pain, so finally our Doctor here sent him for X-Rays and a new cast, only to find out that somehow the steel pin had snapped. So in the middle of the recording, armed with German lyrics to learn, Roger flew back to Toronto to have the whole operation repeated. I am glad to report that so far it is a great success, and he has had no pain at all, and the plaster cast will be off a couple of days before Guy and Mette’s wedding, but goodness knows what shoes he will be able to wear?

We are all in the throes of last minute planning, car hiring, trying to get everybody to arrive at the airport in Denmark around the same time, from points all over Europe, and go in convoy to the meeting of the two families. Great excitement all round! Rebecca and Imogen are Mette’s two bridesmaids, and all Guy’s old school friends and Mette’s brother are the Groomsmen, while Alex, still rehearsing his speech, is the Best Man. I don’t know how many of you saw ‘My Great Big Fat Greek Wedding"? If you didn’t, there is a hilarious scene where the Bride’s brother and cousins try to get the poor groom to say a few words in Greek – Far from telling him the right things to say, they teased him into saying outrageous things again and again. Alex, having seen the film is now in fear and dread of getting one of Mette’s family to translate into Danish, in case the same thing happens!!!!

In the meantime, I am trying to work out the logistics of our 40th Wedding anniversary party, with people coming from all over the world, even friends from Kenya. I have taken my life in my hands by booking Bouncy Castles, Obstacle courses, ball pools, swings etc., for the 25 plus small children whole will be screaming around! Alex is going to devise a Treasure hunt for the older ones, while the parents, Grandparents, relatives and friends, try to hear the Jazz and fun music by our local Duo, but with approximately 170 of us, we should be able to keep an eye on most of the little darlings!

With all this going on, I am also flat out with co-ordinating the promotions in Germany, the photography for magazines, and keep the garden under control! After the weeks of drought, we have now had torrential rain for two weeks, and everything, mainly weeds, and the bugs of every description, have burst into growth and breeding so my evenings are spent preparing freezer foods, and continual sowing of new seeds for the last months of summer. Very exciting, but sometimes a bit too time consuming. I am going to take three whole weeks off from the 26th of July to try and make sure everything is in place, so wish me luck that all goes smoothly – I am bound to forget something vital, like the food!

Finally, the ordering instructions for the 40 years of Roger, pictorial history, in the programme 2004-2005 for all those who cannot buy these in concert, will be posted in the next few days. But PLEASE read the instructions carefully, as I cannot accept any money orders for any currency except EUROS. The prices quoted include AIRMAIL postage, packaging etc., as well as the actual high gloss, 24 page collectors programme.

Roger will personally autograph each programme for you. Please also allow 30 days for delivery – for no other reasons than ‘man power’ to fill the orders and Roger’s availability to personalise each copy.

I am still struggling, due to lack of time, to put together the KENYA MUSICAL SAFARI but details for the ordering of these will be available in mid September, and a box will be posted on the web site for this as well. These will also be on sale at concerts, when we have organised the venues, next year, but again for those of you from all over the globe who cannot get to see Roger in person, this will definitely be one of the collectors items you should not miss.

The plans for Roger’s next German/ Austrian tour will be posted in a few weeks, and as soon as we have the details of the UK and Scandinavian tours, details will be on the web site as soon as contracts are completed. Well, sorry this has been so short, but I felt I had to let you know the reasons for the lack of UK and Scandinavian tours, and apologise to all on behalf of Roger and myself. Hope you are having a great summer, and with any luck I will be writing again, with pictures, when all the festivities are over.

Very best wishes from both of us

NATALIE