I'm Maggie … and I've Been Here from the Beginning
Hi there. I'm Maggie.
You might know me as the guitar that's been in Noel's hands for more years than either of us cares to count. I've been there for every song, every late-night writing session, every moment when a melody turned into something worth remembering. He even wrote a song about me once – although between you and me, I think he made me sound more romantic than I actually am. (Not that I'm complaining.)
Noel asked me to tell you about our store, and honestly, I'm the perfect one to do it. Because I've watched every single design in this collection come to life, and I can tell you something important: every design you see here has a song behind it.
This Isn't Your Typical Merch Shop
I've seen a lot of musician merch over the years. Usually it's just a logo slapped on a t-shirt, maybe a tour date list on the back. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not what's happening here.
Every design in this store is connected to one of Noel's songs – sometimes literally illustrating the lyrics, sometimes capturing the emotion behind the music, sometimes playing with the story itself in ways that make you look twice. We're currently closing in on close to 200 designs.
Let me show you what I mean with several examples I know intimately. After all, I was there when each of these songs was born.
"Left Unread" – The Song That Changed Everything
I was sitting on Noel's lap on his shady veranda in December 2000 when this one came through. And I mean came through – because this wasn't just another song. This was the moment everything changed.
- View the color selection of the above Left Unread t-shirt right here.
Noel had given himself five years to make it as a songwriter. Five years to turn his dream into reality. By the end of 2000, time was running out, and he was ready to quit. He'd accomplished some amazing things, sure, but he hadn't been discovered the way he'd hoped. He felt done in, snared, too weak to even scream.
He started writing about that feeling – as though he was running scared in one bad dream, being overtaken by darkness, unable to see where he was going. Every step harder than the last. Every breath a struggle.
But then something shifted. Mid-song, he realized he was kidding no one but himself by giving in to defeat. He wrote a particular line that read: "… but I've just gotta be true to myself and not give up no matter what gets thrown my way". Let me give you some additional background: He'd called his music endeavour "NMW Music Productions" – No Matter What Music Productions. That implied that he'd do everything within his power to make it all happen - no matter what! And suddenly, those words came back to him. His commitment. His philosophy. His promise to himself.
He followed that up by writing this next line - the line that changed his life: "I'll not end up like some book on a shelf - Left Unread."
- Listen to and download the song right here.
- Watch the video right here.
The moment he wrote those words, he knew two things: First, that would be the song title. Second, he would write a book by the same name – a book containing the stories behind his relevant songs.
That was almost 25 years ago. The book is finally here, as of March 2026; it's here. And this song – the one that kept him from giving up – became the title track for the whole journey.
- For more detail, read the Introduction to LEFT UNREAD right here.
- Purchase the book right here.
The image of the above mug contains Noel's actual hand-written lyrics to Left Unread. View his Left Unread Lyrics mug right here.
We're hoping that Left Unread will become one of your new favourite songs of his … it means so darned much to him.
The envelope designs in the store capture that moment of decision. Some are sealed (the story untold), some are torn open (the truth revealed), some show just a corner peeking out (the journey beginning). When you involve yourself with one of these designs, you're living the choice to not give up. To not end up like someone who might give up on their dream - only to become left unread.
This is how Noel's marketing everything now – the book, the songs, the whole story. Book signings, interviews, house concerts. It all started with this song. I was there from the beginning, and I plan to be there 'til the end.
- Listen to and download the song right here.
- Watch the video right here.
- View Noel's Left Unread Puzzle right here.
"My Maggie" – Yes, That's Me
Okay, I'll admit it – this next one makes me a little emotional.
Noel calls it "an acoustic love ballad about an acoustic guitar," which is technically accurate but doesn't quite capture what it felt like to be there when he wrote it. The lyrics include the line "Where would I be? So lost at sea, if you were not with me" – and he meant it.
We've been through a lot together. The good gigs and the terrible ones. The nights that he had a bed to sleep in, and the nights when a park bench or a low-lying cedar tree was all he could find. The songs that poured out effortlessly and the ones that took months, and even years, to finish. The times when music and the dream were the only things keeping him going.
- View the color selection of this t-shirt right here.
- Listen to and download Noel's ballad, My Maggie, right here.
- Watch the video right here.
The designs for this song feature me – my curves, my strings, the way light hits my body. Some are playful, some are reverent, all of them are deeply personal.
- View the above My Maggie t-shirt selection of dark colors right here.
When you wear a "My Maggie" design, you're wearing a love story. Just happens to be between a man and his guitar. Check out the full details on these socks right here.
"After Today" – Hope in Drastic Times
This song came from one of the hardest periods in Noel's life. I won't go into all the details – that's what the book is for – but let's just say there were times when tomorrow didn't seem worth dreaming about. The script on the canvas print below will give you an idea of what was going on.
The song's original message was one of absolute resignation from life itself. But as proof that time can heal all broken hearts, his current message is a simple, but powerful one: "No matter how much yesterday's sorrows might lead you to believe that today holds nothing but empty tomorrows... there will always be something more worth dreaming – After Today." See what the above After Today print will look like hanging on one of your walls right here.
I've played this song so many times I could do it in my sleep, and every time, it hits different. Because it's not just about Noel's story – it's about anyone who's ever felt like giving up due to not having a reason to keep going. Take a closer look at this gorgeous blue sunsetting sky on a variety of items right here.
The designs capture that tension between despair and hope, darkness and light. They're bold, they're honest, and they don't pretend that hard times don't exist. Although the lyrics themselves appear to close all the doors to hope, Noel has since written a few words that are intended to remind you that there's always something more worth dreaming - After Today. Are you ready to get mugged by one of Noel's songs? Right here.
More Than Merch
Here's what I hope you'll understand: When you choose a design from this store, you're not just buying a product. You're choosing which story resonates with you. You're either wearing or piecing together a portion of the narrative to the life of a true artist who has been there, done that, and yes, not only did he also write the songs - he wrote the book, too.
And if you're curious about the full story behind any design? The songs are listed right here, waiting for you to give your full, undivided attention to each musical nuance and poetic lyrics. I highly recommend it – although I might be biased, since I'm featured on all of them.
Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing more about individual designs, the creative process, and the connections you might have missed. But for now, take a look around with fresh eyes. Every t-shirt, every mug, every puzzle, every piece of art – there's a song behind it. And behind every song, there's a story. And behind every story, there's a ton of healing that developed along the way.
Which design's story do you want to hear next? Let us know in the comments – Noel and I are listening.
– Maggie
(Noel's guitar, creative partner, and occasional muse)