Tag Archive for "chat" tag

It’s the wrong side of the weekend, regrettably, but The Blog is back at long last. I hope you like the new look and features.

Thank you for sticking with me while these changes were made. They should all be self-explanatory; however, if you have any problems or questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know of them.

You’ll notice that we now have our own calendar for chats and birthdays, so do let me know yours.

There’s also a gallery made up of your contributions, be they photos or arty creations. Thanks again for all that you have submitted. I look forward to the next batch.

The previous posts are now open, should anyone wish to pass comment on Guitar World’s Fifteenth Annual Readers’ Poll or my Hot 100 nominations. Did you give them a listen? I’d love to know if you voted and who you voted for.

If you want to stay here instead, maybe you could let us all know what you’ve been up to this past month to help me test things out. That said, I’ve been keeping up with many of you thanks to Twitter, which is always entertaining.

The chatroom will be open tomorrow – from 16:00 (UK) – so please drop by if you have the time. If you haven’t visited before, now’s the perfect opportunity to register. Everything you need to know about the chatroom is laid out in my (hopefully) easy-to-follow guide. Just click the link at the top of the page.

And finally, apologetically, for those who had been following The Blog’s feed, I hope you won’t mind subscribing to the new one, as the old one is no more.

Just a reminder that the Amazon prize draw for US residents closes tomorrow – Wednesday 17 December – at 23:59 (EST).

If you want to be in with a chance of winning a David Gilmour Signature Strat, be sure to enter (US residents only, sorry).

The best of luck to you.

The deadline for the UK-only draw is 23:59 (GMT) on Sunday 21 December. Click here to put your name into the hat.

The prize is the same and, again, good luck.

The chatroom will be open for another 30 minutes or so. If you’ve nothing better to do right now, drop in.

The final (extended) chat of the year is on Thursday – from 14:00 until 18:00 (UK).

There have been some new additions to the press archives, which you may not have noticed, including this – from Guitar & Bass magazine.

David talks about being out of his depth meeting Lech Walesa, reveals how to spot when he’s not feeling particularly inspired on stage, and answers a question asked a million times here: why didn’t you play anything from your first two solo albums in 2006?

Click the cover to read all.

The chatroom has opened – and closed – today, but details of the month’s remaining chat sessions can be found on the calendar.

Please check it regularly, as the times may change at short notice (although rarely do).

If you’re thinking of visiting for the first time, please don’t be shy; it’s been a pleasure meeting new fans over the last few weeks.

Further proof that dogs are a fan’s best friend…

Fancy and Lucy, resplendent in their Pink Floyd T-shirts.

Thanks for sharing this cute picture with us, Tracy.

The chatroom is open, closing today at 13:00 (UK) sharp. Newcomers are very welcome and I’d like to say how nice it’s been to see so many new ‘faces’ as of late.

If you’re thinking of joining in, please do. Don’t be shy, everyone’s very friendly and the topic of discussion varies like you would not believe.

Please read this first, which should tell you all you need to know; from how to register, to how to request a password reminder, if you’ve forgotten yours.

There have been many articles added to the archives lately, including some from the Polish press. (Thank you, Tomasz, for sending these in.)

If you spot anything interesting, particularly if it’s not in English, let me know.

There hasn’t been much talk of the free ‘A Great Day For Freedom’ download, so here’s that link again, just in case you haven’t been paying attention to the Latest News. (Tut, tut.)

I’d also like to know two things.

1. Who went to see the Gdańsk gig on the big screen on Monday, where did you see it, and how did it go?

2. Do you have your copy of ‘Live in GdaÅ„sk’ yet? Whether your thumbs are up or down, speak to me.

As some people are still waiting for theirs, please remember that discussion of DVD Easter eggs should take place here, not here, or anywhere else. Some like surprises, apparently.

And finally, the chatroom is open today from 13:00 (UK), so feel free to drop in and talk about whatever you like… Almost. Don’t forget those red rules on your way in.

There’ll be updates on the various delays, and all this trouble with iTunes, just as soon as I know anything useful. Until then, as ever, I can only sincerely apologise for the confusion and disappointment caused, and ask you to be patient while these issues are being resolved.

Some Random Nonsense to start the week with, if you don’t mind.

It’s back to the bizarre for this one, so I’ll keep it short and simple:

If you could invite ten people to a party – and David, Polly, and the entire ‘On an Island’ band have already been invited, along with everyone who has ever left a message here – who would you invite?

And, as this is pure fantasy, these people can be living or dead. (They will be alive for the duration of the party, don’t worry.)

If that’s not random enough for your liking, the chatroom will be open tomorrow between 16:00 and 18:00 (UK).

Believe me, the chatroom’s always random.

David’s ‘Live in GdaÅ„sk’ – still due to be released in September, you’ll be relieved to hear – will be available on big plastic discs, as well as a smaller, shinier ones.

So, it’s good news for those of you who were hoping that it would be released on vinyl (One wish for the live album, 14 May).

Stay tuned for more revelations, including more of your wishes coming true.

Care to guess which ones? Oh, go on.

I’ll let you know more tomorrow… but only if you guess.

You can also speculate in the chatroom, which will be open today between the hours of 16:00 and 18:00 (UK). Please be reminded that doors close on time, so do arrive before 18:00 to avoid missing out.

If you haven’t visited recently, or have yet to register, please click here for all you could possibly wish to know about the chatroom. There have been some changes.

Well done, Tom Byars.

You’ve just won yourself a pair of tickets to see Guy Pratt at Picadilly’s Pigalle Club on Wednesday night (or, if you can’t make it, a paperback copy of Guy’s book instead).

If you can make it, have a great night, and do let us know how it goes.

Thanks again to Guy for his continued generosity towards our little community.

To those who visited the chatroom today, as well as the (Ir)regular bunch who have been making use of it for quite some time now, the chatroom will be open all weekend. Check your e-mail for the password.

Sadly, the chatroom cannot be left open all weekend to every Tom, Dick and Harry – for obvious reasons. If you’d like to get your name on the invite list, please try to make it to a future chat session. Everyone’s very friendly and the chatroom is really easy to use. We’d love to see you.

Basically, you just need to show that your intention is not to muck about, then you’re in.

You’re now able to see who is in the chatroom at any given time over there, on the right, so be sure to keep one eye on that area – and drop by, if you fancy a natter.

Thanks again for the kind words this week. It’s good to be back.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Thank you for entering our latest contest. If you didn’t, it’s too late now.

The winner will be announced later today, so do check back this afternoon.

The all-important word, by the way, was Black. You need to have chosen that one – and many of you did – to stand a chance of winning, so feel free to express your disappointment, or anticipation, through imaginative use of the English language. It won’t influence the outcome, but heck, it sure does pass the time.

The chatroom is open, if you want to call in. It will be open until 12PM (UK time).

Do arrive before closing time: you won’t be able to get in should you arrive at five past.

Newcomers are most welcome. You must first register, but it’s incredibly easy to do so.

Just about all you could possibly wish to know about the chatroom can be found here. This includes how to register, how to move between rooms, and a list of our common-sense rules.

Please take a moment or two to skim through the starter’s guide.

The chatroom is not open continuously, but opening and closing times for each session can be found on the calendar.

If you have any additional questions or comments about the chatroom, this is the time and place for them. But please do see that starter’s guide first, as everything should be covered there.

Very important, this next bit.

David does not visit the chatroom, so please don’t turn up hoping to catch him.

I often end the scheduled chat sessions with what I like to think of as a ‘lock-in’.

These are for anyone who shows up before closing time. They give people the chance to chat for a bit longer. A random room password is set in place, so the only people able to enter the chatroom after closing time are the ones who know the day’s password.

Everyone is welcome to use the chatroom (well, unless they’ve been banned, that is). It really is a case of ‘the more, the merrier’ and it’s in no way a members-only club. All I ask is that you take note of the rules on your way in, respect them, and make an effort to be friendly (lurkers arouse suspicion, so please don’t be too shy to join in). Do this and you’re welcome to the lock-ins, too.

In one of the photos from last year’s rehearsals, David can be seen playing the red/sunburst Telecaster with rosewood neck he played ‘Dogs’ on during the 1977 ‘Animals’ tour. Is there a reason why he didn’t use this guitar in 2006? (Henning)

I took it to rehearsals to see how it compared to the recently acquired Tele that we had got in the USA, with a view to David using it or carrying it as a spare. The brownburst Tele had a problem with the bridge pickup not working – a replacement pickup was quickly put in, but it did not sound as good. I took a 52V Tele as a spare on the next leg of the tour instead.

How does Gilmour fatten up the sound of his black Strat for distortion parts: one of the three EQ pedals or Tube Driver? (George Gipe)

David sometimes uses other things, but his usual choice would be an EH Big Muff or a BK Butler Tube Driver, which then occasionally may be tweaked with a modified Boss GE7 graphic.

I’ve seen a picture from the 70s with David playing on a black Stratocaster double neck. Have you got information about this guitar? (TeD)

Yes, plenty – in my book, ‘The Black Strat’. It explains all about it.

Bassist and all-round funny man, Guy Pratt, is guest hosting another show on Planet Rock this weekend – and you really don’t want to miss Saturday’s.

If you’re in the UK and have a digital radio, you can search for ‘Planet Rock’. Alternatively, you can listen through your television set: channel 0110 on Sky, 924 on Virgin TV.

Best of all, you can listen online, regardless of your whereabouts.

The chatroom is open to our ‘Irregular’* friends all weekend, so why not listen with us?

Guy’s show is on between 9PM and midnight (UK), Saturday and Sunday.

There is a scheduled chat today between 3PM and 5PM (UK), where everybody is most welcome.

Thank you for all the questions sent in for David and the North American premiere of ‘Remember That Night’. No further questions will be considered after 5PM (UK) tonight, don’t forget, so please be sure to get your question in, if you haven’t already done so. It will not be eligible after 5PM, no matter what your excuse is.

I want questions for the UK & Europe premiere next week. The floodgates open on Monday morning. So, if you’re in Europe or will be going to one of the European cinemas on Thursday 6 September, I want to hear from you. Just not until Monday.

Don’t forget that, if you’re in the UK, you have another chance to see David’s brilliant ‘Live From Abbey Road’ performance in the early hours of Sunday morning. See the calendar for details.

And while you’re taking mental notes of what you mustn’t forget, do be sure to pay the Stuff & Nonsense page a visit before the weekend is over. There are five variations of ‘Take A Breath’ waiting for you.

The answer to yesterday’s Name That Tune? ‘Fat Old Sun’. Rather fitting, once you see what I’ve got for you over the weekend…

* To be considered an ‘Irregular’, you have to be a regular contributor. Unfortunately, the chatroom cannot stay open to everyone all weekend… for obvious reasons. However, anyone can join the ‘Irregular’ ranks. You just need to make the effort to join in. To be invited to such ‘lock-ins’, all you need to do is show up at a few of the scheduled chats and play nicely with the others. Details of all chats are always plainly listed on our calendar. Everybody is welcome at these sessions. Unfortunately, because of the odd muppet, only those who are invited get into our ‘lock-ins’. Apologies for any disappointment, but I’m sure you can appreciate the situation.

The chatroom will be open today between the hours of 3PM and 5PM (UK time).

Please note that it will be closed at 5PM sharp, so you will not be able to get in should you arrive at five past.

If you do wish to visit, you’re very welcome. You need to register first, but doing so is a doddle. Everything you need to know about the chatroom – from how to register, to our common-sense rules – can be found here.

The chatroom is not open all the time, but opening and closing times for each chat session can be found on the calendar.

If you have any additional questions about the chatroom, please don’t hesitate to ask. But please do see the Chat pages first.

David does not participate in chat sessions.

For the benefit of everybody who asks about chatroom lock-ins:

Put simply, lock-ins are for anyone who shows up before closing time. It gives these people a chance to chat for a bit longer, or to return to the chatroom later should they get disconnected for any reason (a password is set in place).

It’s not a members-only club. Everyone is welcome. If you visit the scheduled chats and don’t piss about, you’re very welcome to the lock-ins. It’s as simple as that.

Do let me know what you think about the chatroom. Your comments are always very welcome and might encourage new fans to join in.

To those who thought our first Name That Tune teasers too easy:

Could you guess the song from the image above? Go on, you know you fancy a wild stab at it…

I’ll leave you with the latest from Phil Manzanera.

Out of all the guitars you have played, what is your favourite? (Julie Davies)

1957 Black Les Paul custom.

If you were only able to bring one guitar on tour, which would it be?  (Tomi Sue)

The red Gibson Firebird VII.

Please tell us about the translucent guitar you sometimes play: is it an aesthetic, or a sound, preference? (Peter McConnell)

It’s a lovely Yamaha guitar, which sounded very good on stage, which happened to be see through. Some fans thought it was polka dot to match my shirts!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: US CINEMA TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets to the 111 104 US cinemas go on sale today.

Click here for the full list and contact the cinema’s Box Office directly, or you can order your tickets online.

Do let us know how you fare.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: DELAYED ON-SALE DATE (30/07/07)

Seven US cinemas have a delayed on-sale date, due to ticket system changes. Therefore, you cannot purchase tickets from the following cinemas just yet:

Tinseltown, Colorado Springs, CO
Cinemark @ Seven Bridges, Woodridge, IL
Tinseltown, Louisville, KY
Cinemark Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Cinemark Pittsburgh Mills, Pittsburg, PA
Cinemark 24 Jordan Crossing, West Jordan, UT
Tinseltown USA, Kenosha, WI

Apologies for the inconvenience. I’ll update you as soon as I can.

Guy Pratt, bass player on David’s ‘On an Island’ album/tour, as well as undisputed Comedic Genius of Pink Floyd, is guest hosting a show on Planet Rock this weekend (and another over the weekend of 18/19 August).

If you’ve seen Guy’s stand-up show, ‘My Bass and Other Animals’, or read his recently-published book of the same name, you’ll know that it’s going to be worth tuning in.

Fans in the UK with digital radios can search for ‘Planet Rock’. Alternatively, you can listen through your television set: channel 0110 on Sky, 924 on Virgin TV.

Best of all, you can listen online. As the chatroom will be open to blog and chat ‘Irregulars’* for both weekends, you could listen with us.

I’ll remind you that the August weekender is coming up a little closer to the time.

Guy’s show is on between 9PM and midnight (UK), Saturday and Sunday.

That’s all for yet another week. I’ll have more cinemas (hopefully), more from Phil Manzanera, more Name That Tune, more DVD screenshots, more sporadic chats and more of the usual assorted nonsense from Monday. Bet you can’t wait.

Have a good weekend… not least those fans who are meeting in Florida tomorrow.

* ‘Irregulars’ are those who contribute regularly to both blog and chatroom. The chatroom will not be open to everyone. Sorry to disappoint, but anyone can become an Irregular if they make the effort to join in. Details of chatroom opening times are clearly set out on the calendar. To be invited to lock-ins, such as this weekend’s, all you need to do is show up at a few of the scheduled chats and show that you can behave. Everyone is very welcome. Unfortunately, some people show up and prove that they cannot behave. This is why the chatroom, sadly, cannot be left open to everyone all weekend.

We’re almost at the half-way stage of Phil Manzanera’s Q&A. Thank you again to Phil for taking the time to answer so many questions, and thank you to everyone who sent in a question for consideration.

Special thanks to those of you who sent in the following five.

Just in case you don’t recognise it, this isn’t a screenshot taken from the DVD, but one of Polly’s photographs. It was taken at New York’s Radio City Music Hall last April.

Don’t forget that it’s your last chance to see David’s excellent ‘Live From Abbey Road’ performance on the Sundance Channel tonight. Fans in the US can tune in from 6PM (E/P).

There’s no chat today, but the chatroom will be open tomorrow from 4PM (UK). Everyone is welcome.

If you haven’t visited the chatroom before, don’t be shy. It’s only takes a moment to register and is very easy to use. You’ll find plenty of friendly people to make you feel welcome and to help you out if you get stuck, so come and introduce yourself.

If you could have any one of David’s guitars, which one would you choose and why? (Kris)

Obviously 001, as it’s iconic. However, the black Strat is pretty damn good.

I am a big Stratocaster fan: so, what pickups are you using in your black Strat and do they come close to the Fender ‘54 custom shop pickups? (I use those.) (Ernest Peske)

The Strat I use on stage is one of David’s, as I wanted to get a similar sound when duplicating parts he played on the records. Only Phil Taylor, David’s guitar tech, knows exactly what pick-ups are used.

It’s well documented on the modifications David made to his black Strat. What kind of mods, if any, have you made to your main Strat? (Andrew)

None, because it’s David’s. (Sorry, there’ll have to be a separate Phil Taylor Q&A for guitar geeks.)

Using so many powerful amps on stage, is the sound comfortable to play with, or do you battle against each other? (5 Times)

The stage is so big and the amps quite directional, so monitoring is not a problem – due in large part to the excellence of the stage crew.

The involvement of digital technology in (nearly) every form of sound processing is one of the factors that has changed making music compared with, say, 20 years ago. As a musician, what do you see as major advantages and drawbacks of this development? (Ronny)

The advantages are it speeds up the whole ‘capturing’ process and what you can do with it. The disadvantage is that technology can become an end in itself, and not the music.

If you’re interested in meeting some fans in Florida next weekend, speak up. There’s a get-together arranged for Saturday 28 July – and everyone’s welcome.

The chatroom will be open today between 10AM and 12PM (UK).

If you’re new to the chatroom, don’t be shy. It’s easy to register and even easier to use.

The answer to yesterday’s Name That Tune teaser was… ‘Time’. Well done if you guessed correctly. Today’s screenshot is surely too easy, but there’ll be more Name That Tune next week. I know you love it almost as much as you loved Blotto.

If you’re in the UK, don’t forget that you can see ‘Three Men In A Boat’ tonight at 9PM (UK) on Discovery Real Time. That’s channel 250 on Sky and 271 on Virgin TV.

If you missed it the first time, it’s about three comedians (Dara O’Briain, Griff Rhys-Jones and Rory McGrath) journeying up the Thames in a rowing boat, as they seek to recreate the journey immortalised by Jerome K. Jerome in his 1889 comedy classic of the same name.

They drop in on David’s houseboat-studio, Astoria, for a chat.

Thanks to Roger for letting us know about the repeat broadcast, and do keep an eye on the calendar for more of the same.

What were your two favourite tracks to play on this tour (one from ‘On an Island’ and one from the Floyd back catalogue)? (Geoff Duffy)

‘Take a Breath’ and ‘Echoes’.

What is the most challenging ‘On an Island’ or Gilmour composition for you to play? (Andrew)

‘Where We Start’, because the chords require continually extending your fingers. Although, ironically, trying to play a simple tune like ‘Wish You Were Here’ EXACTLY as David plays it proved to be a challenge! After a few lessons in his kitchen, I’m almost there!

Keep reading if you’re after details about Leicester Square.

First, I have some good news for fans in the Netherlands.

You will be able to share in this experience and witness 85-minutes of concert footage from David’s new DVD, ‘Remember That Night’ (plus a short live performance and a Q&A session, transmitted via satellite from London’s Leicester Square) at the following three venues:

- Pathé Tuschinski, AMSTERDAM (Telephone: 0900 1458)
- Pathé Buitenhof, DEN HAAG (Telephone: 0900 1458)
- CineMec, EDE (Telephone: 0900 3210321)

Tickets cost €25. You can book online for the Pathé cinemas.

This event is on Thursday 6 September at 8.30PM (CET).

Cinema details for Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the US will be here just as soon as I have them. I can’t give you any details until plans are finalised, so please don’t ask.

Now, those Odeon details…

As you know, as well as having the choice to attend one of the 15 UK Picturehouses – or one of the three cinemas in the Netherlands – you also have the option of attending the premiere itself.

The premiere is at Leicester Square’s Odeon. If you’re in or around London at the time, this is definitely the place to be.

Ticket prices are £15, £16.50 and £20.

The show starts at 7.30PM (UK) on Thursday 6 September.

Tickets to the Odeon go on sale on Friday (tomorrow). Please don’t contact the Odeon today. You will not be able to jump the queue.

Tickets to the 15 Picturehouse cinemas go on sale today.

Please telephone the cinema or click here for further information.

As I have hopefully made clear, Picturehouse will not issue refunds if you purchase tickets before deciding that you no longer want them (because you’d rather go to Leicester Square instead). Please consider this before thinking about buying any additional tickets.

The chatroom is open today between 2PM and 4PM (UK).

If you can’t wait until the DVD is released – Monday 17 September in Europe, Tuesday 18 September everywhere else – then we have some very good news for some of you.

You’ll be able to see concert footage from ‘Remember The Night’ at a participating cinema near you… if you’re in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK or US.

This event, on Thursday 6 September, is going to be quite special, so write the date down in your diaries, on the back of your hand, or somewhere.

The perfect excuse for another blog get-together, perhaps?

Details are still being finalised, so please don’t ask for more information just yet, but we’re looking at about 120 cinemas across the US, 50 in Canada, 15 in the UK and a handful in Denmark, Germany, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

I’ll have a full list of participating cinemas, with Box Office links, as soon as possible – starting with the UK tomorrow.

Ticket prices are very reasonable, ranging from roughly $12 in the US to £18 in the UK. This is in accordance with average cinema rates and, we think, is not too much to charge to be able to enjoy the concert in high definition, with the best available sound and visuals.

As always, it’s up to you and I welcome your thoughts.

There’s also a little extra bonus, besides seeing the concert. I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

Interested? Come and let me know what you think about all this. The chatroom is open right now, closing at 12PM (UK time).

The above is another image from ‘Remember That Night’. Please click it for a closer look.

And before you ask, I haven’t forgotten about Blotto… although the winner seems to have forgotten all about it. I’ll announce who has won, and the prize, on Thursday or Friday.

How are we all doing with Blotto? If you’re still playing along, it’s that time again, so have your cards at hand…

The ninth song to be revealed from the ‘Remember That Night’ concert DVD is ‘Take A Breath’, which will be the 12th song.

Please mark the ‘12′ space on your Blotto card accordingly. If you have anything other than ‘Take A Breath’ jotted down around the number 12, then you are incorrect. Better luck next time.

There are still 14 songs to go, don’t forget.

The aim of Blotto is to complete a line on your game card, either horizontally or vertically, with correct song/space guesses. If you complete a line, shout out "Blotto!" and you will be entered into a prize draw.

If it’s looking increasingly unlikely that you will ever complete a line, just keep a tally of how many correct guesses you have made.

There are 23 songs included on the first disc of David’s forthcoming double-DVD, ‘Remember That Night’, which will be released in September. The second disc contains all the extras.

If you care to know, our chatroom will next be open on Tuesday morning between the hours of 11AM and 1PM (UK time).

Thanks to everyone who has popped in recently, especially the first-timers. It’s always great to see new ‘faces’.

So, if you’re still thinking about taking the plunge, don’t be shy.

Here’s a taste of what you can expect from the ‘Remember That Night’ cover art.

As with the ‘On An Island’ sleeve, the design comes courtesy of Steve Knee.

You can see the full thing on the Latest News page tomorrow.

Let us know what you think of it.

The double-DVD set, featuring live concert footage from London’s Royal Albert Hall on disc one and myriad extras on disc two, will be in the shops in September.

There’s no chat today, but the chatroom will be open tomorrow. Feel free to drop in between the hours of 11AM and 1PM (UK time).

Everyone is most welcome and, if you haven’t registered yet, there’s a simple guide that explains the process on the Stuff & Nonsense page. However, if you have any problems, don’t hesitate to ask.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: DODGY DOWNLOAD?

If anyone downloaded a corrupt ‘Arnold Layne’ file from 7 Digital recently, please let us know – with all the details you can provide – so that we can get you a new one. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: SOME CHAT ACCOUNTS SUSPENDED

If you have registered using a name that is a clear advert for your fansite or tribute band, please choose another name.

No variations of ‘Gilmour’ or other band members’ names are welcome, either.

If you see User is suspended when you sign in, it’s either because your username is not suitable or because you’ve been banned for previously misbehaving. Please sign up for another account and it will be obvious which is the case.

Thank you.

As you now need to register to use our chatroom, here’s a starter’s guide for anyone who needs it.

First, please note that the chatroom is not always open. Opening times can be found on our calendar.

The link to the chatroom is: www.davidgilmour.com/nonsense/chat.htm.

You need to register a username and password before you’re allowed in. This is easy and only takes a few moments. To register, click here.

You’ll need to choose your desired username (this is how others will identify you in the chatroom) along with your real name and e-mail address.

Don’t worry, the latter will not be available to anyone other than me and is perfectly secure.

Most people use the names they use on the blog so that others can easily recognise them. Please do.

An activation e-mail will be sent to the address you provided. You will need to click the link contained within to confirm receipt.

Doing so will immediately produce a page containing a completed form showing your e-mail address and activation code. Just click the Click to Activate button and the validation process is complete.

You will then receive a confirmation e-mail including a reminder of your member name and the password that has been assigned to you. You can change this password to something easier to remember at any time by clicking here and then Log-in to change settings.

If you forget your password, you can easily retrieve it here.

You’re now ready to enter the chatroom.

Once you’re in, the first thing you will notice are the rules, written in red. Please read them. Breaching them will result in a ban.

You will find yourself in the main room to start with. This is called the Lobby. As the name suggests, this is where everyone enters and many choose to stay.

We have two other rooms. These come in handy as a place to retreat to when the Lobby starts to get busy.

We have a Barn. This was a private room for those who have followed the blog regularly and, therefore, required a password to get in. This was to keep the Barn quiet and relevant to the blog.

However, for now, there is no password required to enter the Barn as it is currently set aside for anyone who is interested in collaborating with other fans on an entry for the ‘Arnold Layne’ contest.

The Barn may revert back to its former state when the contest closes, but the old Barn password will not be valid.

We also have a Conservatory, where everyone is welcome.

To get into either the Barn or Conservatory, you first need to enter the Lobby (with your username and password, as above).

Then, once you’re in the Lobby, you’ll notice in the top left-hand corner of the chat screen a blue Show Users/Show Rooms button.

Click it and you’ll see a list of all the people who are in the same room as you (this will be the Lobby to begin with). Click it again (the text on the button will change to Show Rooms), and you’ll see the three available rooms. How many people are in each room is shown alongside the room name in brackets.

Either double-click the room of your choice or right-click and select Join Room to enter.

To get back to the Lobby, you simply do the same for Lobby.

The only other things that you need to bear in mind are that English is the only language permitted, that you will be timed-out if you remain inactive for 30 minutes and that constant lurkers will be banned.

Whilst we fully acknowledge that some people want to observe before they dip their toe in the water, particularly those for whom English is a second language, in the interest of member privacy, persistent lurking will not be tolerated. So, if you lurk, please get involved.

We hope that explains how to get started. If you’ve ever any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask, either here or in the chatroom.

Let us know what you think of these changes if you are a regular visitor to the chatroom.

If you’re still not convinced, our chatroom really is very easy to use and everyone is made to feel most welcome, so don’t be shy.

The chatroom will be open from 3PM (UK time) today.

We look forward to seeing you there.