Anyone who's read this blog over any period of time knows that one of my heroes is Frank Turner.
I've listened to all of his music, read his books, and seen him live many times, including at Glastonbury last year with my family.
In 2015, I attended Frank Turner's 2000th gig, an extraordinary experience at Rock City. I managed to get tickets through my friend Mike Sosin at the last minute because they were hard to get; they were on a ballot on Facebook at that time.
Turner stands up at every show and announces what number show it is; he's done that since his first show as a solo artist after he left a thrash metal band called Million Dead many years ago.
He sofa surfed around the country, played to 1 or 2 people, one day he did 24 gigs in 24 hours, has played in almost every country in the world and then last week, performed his 300th show at Alexandra Palace in London.
I didn't go even though we were offered a ticket because I have a chance to see his 3040th gig at Rock City in April with my son Callum.
Callum liked Frank Turner's music because his Dad did and then saw him at Glastonbury. He was blown away (as were Grace, Rosie, and Alison). Alison has seen Frank Turner quite a few times, coming with me.
But this one for Callum and I at Rock City, which is like a replay of the 2000th gig, only now with my 17-year-old son, having a pint, jumping around (as much as a broken knee will allow) and putting a flag in the sand will be an extraordinary experience.
I write the number of blogs that I have produced at the bottom of each blog (You'll see it at the bottom here). I did that because I was inspired by Frank.
My achievement of 4000 blogs is nothing like Frank's achievement of 3000 gigs, but it's nice to be inspired. It's nice to have something that means something, to have quotes of somebody up on your wall so that every time you look at it when you walk into your practice, your heart swells and nearly bursts because you remember why it's there and what inspired and where you've been.
Frank's 2000th inspired his 3000th, but it also inspired me to see him at Glastonbury and to bring Callum, and then for Callum and I to see him at Rock City and then for the legacy to continue.
Do you see how it works?
Plant some trees; 3000 gigs or 4000 blogs - they both started with one.
Blog Post Number - 4105