Dear Neil,
I've been meaning to write to you for a while now, but have been struggling to work out what I would say. I hope this is the best place to send this, I wanted to send you a letter but couldn't find an address. I wanted to thank you for your music. It's had a huge impact on my life during some difficult times.
I remember back at the beginning of the pandemic, I'd been working as a doctor in the NHS after qualifying a few months before. I'd drive about 45 minutes to the hospital each day; the roads were pretty much empty and I'd stick your albums on on the CD player. On The Beach and Tonight's the Night were both so mournful, but not in a melancholic way—they felt like they gave me power. I was dealing with death on a daily basis, feeling pretty helpless and overwhelmed. Those songs seemed to relate to that, this sense of grief, but they also had this chaotic energy that gave me strength. Belting those songs out on my way to work felt like all that got me through the day sometimes. It really felt like I could feel how those songs developed in the moments that they were played in the studio. There's a spontaneity to them that transports you into the room. I guess it felt comforting to be there for an hour or two, with people who were feeling those feelings. In the hospital you had to stay professional—there’s time for reflection, but more as a doctor than as a person. You can't let your emotions spill out onto the patient; you've got to be their rock. And there was never really the time to process how you were feeling properly anyway. I think that's why it's taken me a few years to actually write this letter, as I don't think I knew what an impact those songs on the drive to work were having on me.
So good to hear your words. I am grateful to you for being there and hearing us.
Since then I've recorded my own album. It's made up of some serious and sombre songs, but mostly songs that use humour to communicate difficult messages. I've learnt a lot from writing it. I think I'd change more than I'd keep, but I'd like to share it with you. It's got my own take on Borrowed Tune, talking about my time working in hospital, though I think that song would be very different if I wrote it again now.
I think what's triggered me to write to you now is that my partner recently gave birth to our first son. He's an amazingly strong and patient kid, but he's been unwell since he was born. He has a rare condition called Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus that means he gets dehydrated really easily and needs almost constant feeding. So that's what we've both been doing for the last six months or so. I'm off work (thankfully the NHS has a good sick leave cover and all the free care they've given us) looking after him. He loves Harvest Moon; there's been some tough nights where that's all that'll get him to sleep. I've not had as much time to listen to your music recently, but whenever I do it lifts me up, the bleaker the song, the more power it seems to give me to just keep on pushing on.
As a doctor, I get a lot of guilt spending time on music. It feels like I should be spending my time “saving lives,” but your music has and continues to show me how much of an impact it can have on people's lives and how much good it can do. I want to keep on searching for those songs in my head, the ones I feel will really speak to people, if they speak to just one person that's huge. I haven't had a chance to write much about my son—I think I'm a bit scared to put pen to paper. I'm worried about what might come out and about processing those feelings. But I suppose I'm sort of starting that process with this letter, which I hadn't realised until now.
Let it come out. Just let it come.
Anyway, Neil, I love your music and now seems a good place to wrap things up. If you've got any tips for a songwriter, that'd be greatly received, but I'm sure you're a busy person, so do not worry about it.
I’m not worried about that…..Let the music come…..
I'm very excited to hear you're coming to the UK this year, and I'm hoping to come catch one of your shows. It'll be the first time I've seen you live!
Best wishes and keep up the amazing work.
Jimmy Grayburn
Jimmy, You are a good soul. Keep doing what you do. Giving love to your child and patients.
All the Love in the world.
love Neil
be well