#JustTwangin'

It's the weekend, but what does that mean these days, in a 7 day working week kind of world?

I started playing the guitar at around the age of 14, when my mum and dad bought me an Audition guitar and amp from Woolworths! I wrote my first ever song on it, called Baby Blue, which was one of my mum's all time favourite songs and she often asked me to play it to her.

Back then, the average working week was 40 hours, with overtime payments for any additional hours and weekends (although of course, I was 16 before I entered the full time workplace). My guitar practice and gigs were all evenings and weekends back then, because of school and then work.

These days, the workplace is VERY different, much of which is due to Thatcher taking away the power of the trade unions, who worked consistently for workers' rights. Now, most companies expect much longer hours, together with expectation that you work weekends as a part the job and be available for calls, even when away on holiday!

Here I am now at 67, still having to find work to meet the ever rising costs of just surviving in the modern world, with the promise of being able to 'retire' at 65, (made when I was 16), being no more than a lottery winning dream.

I no longer play live as the now long-gone appeal of carrying loads of gear in and out of pubs and clubs, where often, people are more interested in their mobile phones than bands, doesn't bring the joy it once did.

I do however, continue to spend most of my spare time writing new music, not because I think it will ever earn me a decent living, but because it keeps me sane in this INSANE world in which we now live. I believe I am currently writing some of the best music of my life right now though. Have a LISTEN

Perhaps one day, a kind and caring benefactor, will sponsor me to make music full time, by just topping-up my pension to a livable monthly income, because I still believe we can manifest our dreams and there are still a few kind people out there!

Until then, I will just keep on #twangin' those old guitar strings in the comfort of my own studio which, although small and humble, has been slowly built over the years every time I have been able to afford to add to it. Now, it is quite capable of producing a radio-ready, well produced track.

Ross Hemsworth Member - U.S. Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Ivors Academy, PRS BA (Hons) Open (Law, Social Sciences)