Matt Hales, better known as Aqualung, checked in with fans on his official web site just before his 40th birthday on January 17th, offering some thoughts as he hits the milestone. The English singer songwriter tells readers:

I am writing this on the eve of my 40th Birthday. The last day of my 30s. How odd.

To commemorate the moment, here are some Birthday Thoughts From My Brain:

This time 10 years ago I was not anyone’s Dad.

The theme to The Pink Panther is the best piece of music ever written.

Even though I doubt the doomsdayers prediction of the end of the world in 2012, there is an unsettling sense of bring a bit closer to the end than might be prudent. Whoa there…

Check out more of his thoughts here.

Matt Hales of Aqualung checked in with his Facebook followers last week, the first correspondence he had with fans on the social media site since Christmas day. The English singer songwriter, who released his most recent album ‘Magnetic North’ April 2010, writes:

Dear The World,

It’s been a long time, I know.

I have no particularly interesting excuse.

I have not been in rehab or prison or a kibbutz or a monastery. I have not joined INXS. I have not become a man living in a woman’s body or a woman living in a man’s. I have neither found nor rejected The Various One True Gods. And I have not, so far as I’m aware, been radicalized, weaponized, compromised or euthanized. Sorry.

I’ve simply been Getting on With Things. And I’m well, thanks for asking. You?

Read more.

Aqualung’s Matt Hales did The CMU’s Same Six Questions, where the British singer songwriter was asked what inspired his latest album ‘Magnetic North’. “It’s been a big few years for me. A new child and a new home and all that,” the 38-year-old said. “I think this album has a sort of pioneering, wide-open, roadtrippy sort of atmosphere because it was made amongst big changes - and not knowing if they were going to be for the better or not. But knowing they were going to happen anyway.”

The other five questions at thecmuwebsite.com have since been removed.

Aqualung’s Matt Hales checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace (@aqualung) on Friday (May 28), discussing a brief trip away from London, how his recent tour went, the opening of The All New AquaShop, and the UK release of ‘Magnetic North’ in July. The English singer songwriter tells readers:

I recently left London for an adventure in the sun, and soon we’re heading back to see how London has got on without us. Going away for a bit has helped us see how we really feel about Home. It’s been illuminating…

On a smaller scale I recently went Away on Tour. Some of you came out to the shows for which I thank you - we had a pretty lovely time didn’t we? I mean, the singer could have learned his lyrics a bit better but on the whole… I liked meeting you/seeing you again and hearing your stories. There were a surprising number of unborn children at the shows (I wonder what they made of it…?) and and even more surprising number of Born children who mostly seemed to be asleep. I tried not to be offended…

Anyhoo. It was surprisingly enjoyable and I may do more.