15, January 15th 2025. The numbers will make more sense as time passes.

 That's the first single from Edwyn Collins' 10th solo album. "Knowledge".

I hadn't intended writing about that today. Because I didn't know it existed until an hour ago. 

It's gorgeous for... like, a million reasons. The first verse isn't the most poetic lyric you've ever heard; it's simplistic, it's obvious. Until he says "I don't feel safe, I don't have faith" then he moves somewhere else. 

The voice is the voice of a man in his 60s. A man who's been through a lot. "In my youth I was shy and awkward, anyhow I made it count, the point is keep on going, it's the same for everyone." It's a reflection on life, on living, on where you've come to, where you've been, what you've gone through. 

And Edwyn's been through a lot; a series of strokes that nearly killed him, that left him without speech, that resulted in aphasia, the inability to produce or understand speech through brain damage. 

He learned to speak again, though sometimes he's struggled for the right word, learned to make music again, to produce for others. And he's come through. 

So, when he sings at the end, 'hard to let my old self go' as a man in his sixties who struggles with speech and walks with the aid of a stick over footage of the young cool, brilliant, sure, confident Edwyn, there's a million layers to it. It's beautiful. 

When I said that the stroke left him without speech, that's a half truth. He woke able to say two things only: "Grace Maxwell", which is the name of his wife and manager, and "The possibilities are endless." 

If you wake with the ability to only say two things, then the name of the one you love and a message of hope from the universe are pretty wonderful things to say. 

Here's another song. Edwyn and Paul Quinn, from the excellent Bourgie Bourgie and possessor of one of the most beautiful voices in pop. It's from 1984, it's a cover of the Velvet Underground's Pale Blue Eyes and it's wondrous.

Paul Quinn hasn't released any music for thirty years. Rumours a while back indicated that he's not been well for a very long time. Non specific rumours but then facts aren't ours to have. 

The message is, embrace it while you can. Today's the youngest you'll ever be again. Make the most of it.

On my side of things? I finished the 8 page pitch for DD, pressed send. Now we wait and see how it's received.