First gig of the year last night. Had to be @dreamwife - honestly might be my favourite performers on the planet, always such a good mix of power and fun. Largely new material last night, but still had the room in the palms of their hands. Smashed it.

Now I'm finally through with my own Albums of the Year list (which you can find on Instagram @mental_notes_podcast), I've been going through the top 100 over on albumoftheyear.org and making a playlist of the albums I missed.

Was a genuinely conflicting experience seeing Porridge Radio at Gorilla on Thursday. It was my 6th time seeing them, and definitely the best I've seen them, and yet I felt a little sad all the way through.

What did our panel make of the latest album Deadbeat from Tame Impala? Hotly debated online but did we agree on the podcast? pickybs.com/2025/12/04/p...

The 6th and final episode of Mental Notes #podcast series one is now live. Thank you so much to the wonderful Holysseus Flyfor joining me, it was a fascinating chat.

Finally back recording today, with the final episode of series one now ready for editing. Thanks to Holysseus Flyfor a brilliant chat that I'm looking forward to sharing with you. In the meantime, get yourself a ticket to her show with @ellenbethabdi.bsky.social next week and I'll see you there.

Very late posting this, but what a show from Mckinley Dixon at Yes Mcr last weekend.

There are about 10-15 bands/artists who I love so much, that I have to wait for the perfect moment to listen to their new work for the first time. One of those is @bigthiefmusic.bsky.social #music #mentalhealth #walking #Manchester #levenshulme #cringlepark

An absolute joy to see Little Simz at Co Op Live on Thursday. Amazing to see an artist who nobody seemed to have heard of when you started listening to them, suddenly absolutely commanding a crowd of thousands in an arena.

Stunning show from Chloe Foy at Low Four Studio last night. Catch her tour if you can.

Don't miss Episode 5 of Mental Notes, where I talk to @ellenbethabdi about #music, #mentalhealth, #5asidefootball, and more. Personally, I think this is a cracking episode. So please search for Mental Notes wherever you listen to #podcasts or follow the link in my bio.

Episode 5 of the Mental Notes #podcast is live now. Find it at the link in my bio, or by searching Mental Notes on your favourite podcast app/streaming platform. Big thanks to @ellenbethabdi.bsky.social for joining me to discuss #mentalhealth, #music, and many other things.

Loved being joined by @astlesmusic for the latest Mental Notes #podcast. We discuss how finding a treasure trove of his late uncle's #music inspired him to make an album, what he does to cope with life, and the stress of organising gigs.

NEW PODCAST: Mercury Prize 2025 Special Our annual argument about the 12 albums shortlisted for the Mercury Prize is here. We discuss which albums deserve to win, who we think is the winner, as well as which album is the worst on the shortlist. pickybs.com/2025/09/28/p...

Gig of the year? Self Esteem absolutely smashed it at Manchester Academy on Sunday.

Make sure to check out Episode 3 with @benedict_songs if you haven't already. Available on your favourite #podcast app (search Mental Notes) or follow the link in my bio.

It's time for Episode 3 of Mental Notes, where I speak to Benedict Benjamin about #music and #mentalhealth. Search Mental Notes on your favourite #podcast app or follow the links below to get it in your ears. open.spotify.com/episode/0cu5... feeds.acast.com/public/shows...

Finally got the @briasalmena.bsky.social album on vinyl this morning. If you haven't already, check out Episode 2 of Mental Notes to hear me discuss the album, and it's relation to #mentalhealth, with Bria. Link in my bio or search Mental Notes on your favourite #podcast app.

Episode 2 of Mental Notes is out now, featuring @briasalmena as my guest. Listen to us discussing #music, #mentalhealth health, and album names by searching Mental Notes on your favourite #podcast app or following the link in my bio.

Ahead of the Mercury Prize announcement next week, we've put together our own shortlist of albums we feel deserve a nomination. Read our picks here 👇🏻 pickybs.com/2025/09/05/t... And listen to the playlist here 👇🏻 open.spotify.com/playlist/3dw...

Episode 2 will be with you very soon. But here's a reminder to check out Episode 1 with @chloefoymusic Search Mental Notes on your #podcast app or follow the links: Spotify: tinyurl.com/289596bp Acast: shows.acast.com/mental-notes... Apple: tinyurl.com/362h6dsb Amazon: tinyurl.com/48hep593

There's a new episode of the #podcast coming today, this time with @briasalmena.bsky.social. I can't wait for you to hear it. Subscribe to Mental Notes on your favourite podcast app, or through the link in my bio, to get notified when it's out. #mentalhealth #music

A quick preview of this week's #podcast with @briasalmena.bsky.social coming on Friday. In the meantime, click the link in the bio or search Mental Notes on your favourite podcast app to hear episode one with Chloe Foy. #mentalhealth #music

Don't miss Episode One of Mental Notes, where I talk #music and #mentalhealth with Chloe Foy. Search on your favourite #podcast app or click one of the links below: Spotify: tinyurl.com/289596bp Acast: shows.acast.com/mental-notes... Apple: tinyurl.com/362h6dsb Amazon: tinyurl.com/48hep593

The first episode of Mental Notes is out, and here's a picture of guest, Chloe Foy, as she muses on one of my incredibly insightful questions!

Back in my favourite Manchester venue for the first time since my brain sidelined me for a few months. Massively impressed by Ronboy as support for Matt Berninger.

I've been asking guests on the #podcast to tell me about a song, or songs, by other bands or artists that resonates with them in relation to #mentalhealth. So here are 5 of mine:

No grifting from me this month If you appreciate what I do and can spare a couple of quid, you can say thank you by making a donation to Medical Aid for Palestinians Cheers x www.map.org.uk

Mental Notes Episode 1 is incoming... In a couple of weeks. But I'm very excited to share it, so here's a snippet of my chat with Chloe Foy.a

Stressful day today. But instead of knocking back 6 beers, I just did some #meditation in my garden. 18-year-old Fran is definitely somewhere calling me a dickhead.

When we walked out of our house this morning, my 4 year old stopped still and said 'wow, Daddy, the sky looks like popcorn.' I guess this is one of those moments my #therapist is always telling me to pay attention to.

I recorded the first episode of Mental Notes on Monday. Big thanks to Chloe Foy for being my willing subject. It was an immensely enjoyable conversation and I can't wait for you to hear it. Got a couple more to organise before I have a release date, but definitely coming soon.

Got the first interview for the Mental Notes #podcast scheduled for Monday at 4. Better learn how to use that recording software, really. P.s. that image definitely doesn't show my studio.

Had an absolutely blinder at @deershed.bsky.social this year. After cancelling several gigs I was meant to be at earlier in the year due to panic attacks, it felt amazing to be out in the sun watching some of my favourite artists.

My daughter got some caterpillars in the post on her birthday, and today we set them free.

Prettiest piece of vinyl I've seen in a long time

Look at me in a shirt and tie. Wedding, funeral, court, or interview? Either way, got the new @billie-marten.bsky.social album soundtracking my journey and it's definitely a special album.

Dosage of my #meds was upped today, and for some reason my brain has spent the whole day trying to think of the best song to soundtrack the occasion. So far, the best I have is Movin' On Up. Someone must be able to do better than that...

New podcast is online. Including yet another episode of Picky Bastards where I’m convinced that Fran and Matt are trolling me by pretending to like one of these albums.

@billie-marten.bsky.social with the album of the day yesterday. Best of her career so far.

I moved house earlier this year. One of the many upsides is that, for the first time, my record player is in the same room as the one I work from home in. Can't tell you what a difference it makes getting to put my records on while reading emails.

If you want to hear me on a #podcast that actually exists already, the latest @pickybs.com episode came out this week. We discuss new releases from Little Simz, Mckinley Dixon, Shura, and Lifeguard and a classic from Big L and I talk about why i love Bob Dylan: pickybs.com/2025/07/11/p...

Definitely my favourite page from any of my child's books.

Yes - "Swim until you can't see land . . ."

I've got weirdly into flowers and shit since my latest episode of poor #mentalhealth. What's that all about? This is my view today, with the added bonus of a beer tent and DJ just beyond the runner beans.

#scotthutchison - probably my favourite songwriter in terms of writing music about #mentalhealth. Who's yours?

If you want a bit of a sense of why I'm starting this #podcast, here's an article I wrote for Picky Bastards a few years ago. Talks about how music helps my mental health with a special reference to @benefitsuk: pickybs.com/2023/10/04/t... Also, that's my arm sticking up in the air on the picture.

On a day when I finally get assessed for #ADHD, it makes sense that I spend most the day hyper-focused on creating social media for a #podcast that doesn't exist yet. Anyway, here's my face and some lyrics from my favourite recent song about #mentalhealth.