Have not been able to get onto the Cat for a couple of days.

Ian was one of those blokes I liked from the start. He tended towards traditional material, which won him more brownie points with me. He had very good taste in the songs he sang (that means he sang songs I like).

He loved folk song, and it showed all the time - at a folk club, at a session, at a party.

We had the good fortune to have the same sense of humour, and the same inclination towards heckling (especially each other).

When we visited him a week ago in hospital, and he said he was going to be at the folk club on the Wednesday night, we had doubts, but he showed up, and I hope we gave him a good sendoff.

He was a very dear friend, and I don't have so many friends that I can spare any.

Rest in peace.