About a year ago or so I got this idea around constructing an A-Z of 2.0 that had nothing to do with the rebirth of the web and was more so focused around the idea that a variety of not just industries but age old themes and ideas could find some sort of new life, shedding some of the misguided baggage that had been collected along the way. I only made it to F before the reality of dealing with moving one’s self to the other side of the world made it difficult to think about much more than re-establishing an identity in the absence of all the things that made me feel in any way grounded in something. I don’t think I had constructed an identity based on stuff, but more so one based on connections with people that I hadn’t necessarily taken for granted, but hadn’t acknowledged until forced to consider David Gillespie in the absence of those people.

Friends don’t make you who you are, but they give you the opportunity to be who you are, which is, I think, more precious than most of us realise.

A month back I was of course still a long way from my island when a young man I cherish tremendously celebrated his 21st birthday. For those who have seen me and mine perform live in Australia, you no doubt had the opportunity to catch Mitch Power in action. Mitch is one of the most innately gifted guitarists I have ever had the pleasure to be in the same room with, let alone play alongside. Let alone call a friend. I first saw Mitch in a bar in St. Kilda, playing alongside a pretty blonde girl who had a lovely voice and some good songs, but may as well not have even held the expensive Gibson acoustic in her hands; with Mitch by her side it just wasn’t necessary. I thought I had spotted in him someone who I would actually like to make a band with, I of course had no idea at the time Id’ need to wait for him to finish high school.

Choosing to live away from family and friends knowing you’re missing thigns like a 21st or a father’s 60th is hard, and endless struggle between the idea of a personal journey and the one of a shared experience. I know my parents understand through their own journey that reconciling that is near impossible, which is why they don’t ask me when I’m coming home, they ask where I’m going next.

Choosing to leave Mitch and a band I felt so strongly about, that made such great music wasn’t easy. But it was just the next step along that personal road, the same one that had taken me down to Melbourne to find him in a seedy bar to begin with. The beauty of technology now is it doesn’t really mean we’re really that far away from each other, and I’m sure we’ll find ways to collaborate still.

For the moment though, please join me in celebrating the brilliant young life of Mitch Power, a guy whose generosity of spirit is only matched by an unbridled ability to make his 6 string whisper words you didn’t know existed but longed to hear. Each day I spend strumming my own guitar away from him feels like I’m surely missing a limb as I’m doing it. If nothing else it serves as a reminder of the best people have to give, and brings new reasons to write a better song. For if a better song creates the opportunity to bring the band back together, then any journey, however long, will be worth every step.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a friend to get from the airport.