June 20, 2011.

Eleven hours into my 51st birthday and it has already been a busy day. Take the couple of dreams I can remember from my sleeping hours: I am with Nick and Wendy, and they are playing me a recording of someone singing, asking me for my thoughts. Jokingly, I say, ‘Well whoever it is they are doing a damn good imitation of Simon..’ ‘Exactly, ‘ says Wendy. ‘You mean, you want this person, this nobody to stand in for Simon on the upcoming tour?’ ‘If Simon doesn’t get well, yes, ‘ she says. ‘But that’s ridiculous,’ I say, ‘If we are going to replace him with anyone at all, surely it has to be someone with experience, someone who knows how to work a big stage.. What’s Martin Fry doing?’ I turn to Nick, ‘No,’ he says, ‘This is the way to go..’

At this point I need to remind you all this is only a dream, so don’t panic!

The next thing I know I am at a showcase for a cool new band, The Stray Cats.. They have a rockabilly revival thing that fits in perfectly to the new-punk aesthetic that is happening now- at least in this dream. I’m guesting with them on one song, playing piano, but when I try to take my place with them there’s no room for me on the stage.. Which is disappointing.

What does any of this mean?

Then I’m listening to a Ramones song that I’ve not listened to in years, ‘Rudy is a Punk Rocker’, ‘New York City really has it all, oh yeah babe oh yeah..’ it goes, and there’s a brilliant chain-saw riff that plays throughout the verses. Must download that off iTunes when I wake up, I think, but after a few waking moments around the house I realise it’s not Rudy but Sheena..

Then who is Rudy?..

Nick has sent me a Happy Birthday email asking me to confirm which version of Madonna’s ‘Forbidden Love’ I want playing on my Second Life Birthday playlist (check here - http://bit.ly/fgJOD2). After first confirming the later version, I decide Madge hardly needs any promotion from me and change my choice to ‘Sheena is a Punk Rocker’ by The Ramones.

That is how decisions get made around here!

Now seriously folks.. I could not be happier on this birthday of mine. I accept that the last few weeks have not gone the way any of us had in mind, but in the overall scheme of things, things are good. Our kids are healthy, I’m healthy, wifey’s healthy and excepting Simon’s throat problems, the band are all doing well.

G and I had a wonderful day yesterday all to ourselves. We didn’t make the ballet Saturday but there will be other times. Now I’m off to London to play with RT and DB, keeping our fingers warm for when the tour kicks off again. I'm looking forward to that.

Thank you for all the good wishes that have been sent me this year - I appreciate all your support BIG TIME, and will attempt to remain your faithful servant
-JT x

Photo courtesy Nick Rhodes