IT’S the time of year, I’m happy to say, when the gigs come thicker and faster than ever.

As I approach my 35th year as Attila the Stockbroker I continue to enjoy my work hugely and I know what a privilege it is to be able to say that.

But I guess I must start this week’s column with a mention of THAT referendum.

After all the heated debates, the soul-searching and campaigning, the Scottish people voted Status Quo instead of Yes. I’d go along with that. Quo are a bit boring but Yes are a steaming pile of prog-rock hippy shite.

On a more serious note, there’s a crowdfunding campaign at the moment to buy the celebrated Jacobin revolutionary — my interpretation, some historians may disagree — William Blake’s cottage in Felpham for the nation.

I’ve always thought that Jerusalem would make a much better national anthem than the cap-doffing Ragged Trousered Philanthropist dirge we currently have.

The campaign’s got until the end of October, so time is of the essence.

I did a set there last Saturday at the end of a two-day festival organised by the Big Blake Project and if you want to contribute in any way you can find them at facebook.com/bigblakeprojectfelpham.

Talking of Robert Tressell’s masterpiece, next month sees the 100th anniversary of its publication and I’m doing two events in celebration at The Carlisle pub in Hastings — where else? — on Thursday October 2 and at Upper Brown Street Theatre in Leicester on Sunday 7.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is my favourite book ever.

When I was little, I remember my own grandmother using the phrase “It’s not for the likes of us.”

It was and remains the case that the greatest obstacle to social progress is the fact that so many ordinary people choose to believe the divide-and-rule bullshit the ruling class continuously vomits out in its newspapers and other media sources rather than simply basing their political views on their own everyday life experiences. Tressell’s novel nails that fact better than anything else I’ve ever read.

Next weekend I’m up north. On Friday I’m doing a spot at a celebration of the life of my good friend and one-time bass player Protag at the 1 in 12 autonomous social centre in Bradford.

He was very much part of the scene there and all money raised will be donated to the hospice he stayed in for the last days of a life cut tragically short by cancer. We’ll never forget you, Protes.

Then on Saturday, after a difficult trip for the Seagulls to the City Ground in Nottingham, I’m doing a gig for Richard Burgon.

Despite being a Morning Star supporter and proper leftie he has somehow managed to become Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Leeds East and, given the pathetic state of Labour these days, this is an achievement which should be celebrated and I am happy to oblige. Beer will flow.

And on Sunday at 2pm I’m doing a fundraising event for this very newspaper at the lovely old Trades Club in Hebden Bridge, organised by the indefatigable Peter Lazenby. The ultimate good cause.

See you there, Star readers and supporters!

attilathestockbroker.com