“After university, I sidestepped the legal profession to pursue my interest in writing. I was captivated by many forms of music – anything with soul, intensity, honesty – and wanted to learn how to use language to explore my relationship to sound. Call it a calling but was there a career in it? I had to find out.”

It's rare someone passes the mic and invites me to reflect on my career as a writer. But Todd L Burns is that gracious kinda guy. His Music Journalism Insider newsletter is always a treat – unparalleled in scope and depth.

Trust me, the tributaries you will go down are going to change the way to listen to and think about music. Please subscribe and let Todd blow your mind on a weekly basis.

My interview with him is here.

Apologies for the self-congratulatory image but It’s the one words-related award I have held in my hands, that a big team helped to deliver. For you, mum.

And I am usually head down in the engine room, so the professional archive is thin.