Today I wanted to take a few moments of your time to draw attention to a song called Empty Seat and the person behind it.
The song feels especially poignant to me because it was written and performed by my friend Josh, who many of you will know was my partner for twenty years. The song is an emotional look at the end of our relationship as it morphed into an ongoing friendship and how Josh managed to process the emotions around it.
The song is touching and bittersweet. I feel that it is both a commemoration of the decades we spent together as a couple AND a symbol of hope for the future as Josh looks for a way to forge a path on his own as we remain close friends. For many queer people, family comes in radically different shapes and forms and my deep friendship with Josh is proof of that.
I wanted to remind everyone stopping by my blog about the song because it also happens to be the theme song to the podcast that Josh and I host together called Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong). Tell me where I’m going wrong is a line from the song and very fitting for two exes who are still great friends, because there aren’t many other people on the planet who could talk so openly without fear of offending each other.
I’d also like to remind people that Josh played a crucial part in the legacy of Fat Gay Vegan and the events I have run. A lot of what I accomplished was done with Josh right there on the frontlines including Hackney Downs Vegan Market, London Vegan Beer Fest, Vegan Roadshow, and countless supper clubs and other misadventures all over the UK and the world. He helped me foster community, raise money for charity, and fight to improve outcomes for animals. There very well might not be FGV at all without the hard work, support, and compassion Josh channeled into backing me up… and he still does!
I’d love for people to take a moment to listen to the track in celebration of a very special friendship that started way back in 1997 and will no doubt be a constant for the rest of my life.
You can also listen to the song over on YouTube if that is easier for you.
I’d also like to add as an aside that Josh and I run the monthly Queer Open Mic together in Kennington in South London on the final Sunday of each month. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the musical performances and community goodwill. You can find out more on the Open Mic Meetup page.
You can also find the latest episode of Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) podcast online here.
Thanks, Josh.
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