Sorry to miss my last column. It was my brother’s funeral. He was 29 years older than me, elder son of our father, who was born in 1899. I wrote this poem for his funeral and decided to share it with you.

My Brother, Uncle Don

End of an era. Goodbye ‘Uncle Don’.
I’ve known you all my life, and now you’re gone.
My parents said that’s what I should call you
When I was three and you were thirty-two
But soon I said, ‘Mum, “Uncle’s” just polite.
Don’s not my uncle. He’s my brother, right?’
So this precocious kid just called you Don —
For over fifty years, and now you’re gone.

Yes, you were born in 1929.
Your generation precedent to mine.
A copper in the old George Dixon style
Who saw the Met change for the worse after a while
And left. A decent, caring family bloke.
We’d share a fishing trip and share a joke.
You didn’t really ‘get’ the life I found —
That didn’t stop us treading common ground.

Last time we spoke we knew the end was near.
You talked of death quite calmly, without fear.
Had over sixty years with your dear wife
Your kids and grand and great grandkids your life.
A life lived to the full at ninety-one.
This brother young enough to be your son
Salutes you, and the memories of our dad
Whose path you followed, and whose voice you had.

Donald Baine, 1929 – 2020. Love ya mate.

Lockdown continues in the entertainment world and with no live gigs internet streaming comes ever more into its own and some amusing alliances are formed. I’ve been gigging online with Dean Friedman — he’s in Peekskill, New York, I’m in Southwick, near Brighton, no problem!

Some of you might know him as the permed 1970s purveyor of hits like Lucky Stars and Lydia, others as the anti-hero of the mighty Half Man Half Biscuit’s’ The Bastard Son Of Dean Friedman.

Whichever is the case, I can tell you he is an absolutely lovely bloke, witty, clever and a consummate musician, and his sidekicks the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre (who are exactly what their moniker indicates) are hilarious.

He’s hosting a transatlantic songwriters’ festival on August 30 and I’m proud to be part of it, alongside the brilliant Tracey Curtis, Boothby Graffoe and loads more. Tickets: https://mstar.link/virtualsongfest

And every Monday this month I’m doing a Facebook Live show at facebook.com/attilathestockbroker under the auspices of the Edinburgh Fringe. Next Monday it’s Bellocose, celebrating the life and times of my poetic mentor, the great Sussex poet Hilaire Belloc. On August 24 it’s my Early Music Show, when I take on the mantle of punk’s answer to David Munrow with a host of ancient instruments and, on August 31, I’m doing a set of rarely played songs I have written over the past 40 years.

And then, on Tuesday September 8, it’s my 40th Anniversary To The Day 3 Hour Fundraiser Request Show in aid of Worthing Food Foundation, helping vulnerable people in and out of lockdown.

Those who earn their living through live indoor performance have had their lives devastated by this pandemic. Our world was the first to shut and will be the last to open and most of us entirely endorse that. Safety is paramount.

A new Wednesday night live streaming initiative, WSO Fight The Good Fight Club, has been set up by We Shall Overcome’s indomitable Joe Solo to showcase and raise money for performers who themselves have given their support to WSO and other fund raising activities and who are facing hard times.

Please join the Facebook group https://mstar.link/FBgroup, watch the shows and donate if you can. Last Wednesday featured the brilliant Jess Silk — next week it’s alt-country stars Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds.

Keep safe, everyone.