Thank You Dear Reader, Thank You

I just had to post again.

Congratulations to Jez Smith in Florida who won the Greek pressing of the Cocteau Twins album Treasure on lovely vinyl, posted today to Jez. Thanks to Martin Aston for picking the winner as well. I put a list together of folk who entered the draw, numbered by the date and time order of when they requested to be entered. Martin Aston then gave me a random number and what a surprise, that number was 4 of course.

When I first started this blog I wondered if anyone would be interested in reading it, I guessed that with the power of the internet that I may find one or two like kinded people. More than anything, I wanted to make sure I stuck to this quest and the best way to do that was to make my mission public and more embarrasing if I ever was tempted to change my mind.

After seven months from starting this blog, I was estatic about getting 1000 views of my humble blog. I couldn't believe that there are enough folk out there interested in my crazy mission to want to read this.

4 years and loads of blogs later and I have over 950 related items collected and I'm expecting to be about half way through getting to the final target of acquiring every release by 4AD from the first decade from every country, in every format, inlcuding all the related compilations and pre-4AD signing releases. I still haven't began to look at putting a website together or even where to exhibit the collection in 2030, which is the main part of the grand plan.

The journey so far has been incredibly interesting, frustrating, fun, depressing, humbling and rewarding. Today has been a very rewarding day. Giving away a piece of 4AD history to a fan is part of the whole mission and makes me so very happy. If the mission is to exhibit my 4AD collection in order to make sure that the amazing art that 4AD released does not drift into obscurity, giving away a part of it fulfills that same mission. It's also a good day because.....

This morning this little blog reached 49,999 page views, then......

...........50,000 page views

I'm absolutely bowled over. Thank you so much for everyone that has taken time to read this blog, commented on it, entered for any of the giveaways or just given me moral support. I actually believe I can get another 50,000 over the next 4 years which is so far beyond any amount of interest I even dreamed of when I started this. So thank you to you all and please keep on reading, please keep on commenting and please keep your eye out for more giveaways.

The journey continues ..............

Here we are again, happy as can be

Ah, hello again. Once again it's just been too long since my last post. As always no real excuses except for having way too many things that I have given myself to do. For those of you that may not have followed all my blogs, apart from giving myself this nigh on impossible mission of collecting every 4ad licensed release from the first ten years, I have always had a habit of picking up other projects as well. Like writing a book. I decided this time last year to write my own biography as I've had an interesting life to say the least. Well, a year on and a couple of hundred thousand words later and I'm still writing it and wanting to just get the thing finished.

As I mentioned in my last post, the greatly anticipated book by Martin Aston has now been published. It's called Facing the Other Way and covers the story of 4AD. As I've ordered the limited edition and the production of that version is a little behind, I still haven't got my hands on it yet and I'm going nuts with anticipation for the chance to read it, but it won't be long now.

The reviews over the last few weeks have been interesting and eye opening. So I've collected a few for you to have a look at if interested :

Timeout
The Writing Disorder
Drowned In Sound
The Guardian
The Mouth Magazine
Clash Music

I just hope that something else follows on the back of this book as it has done with the other well known 80's indie labels, such as a documentary or film. That kind of overview of the 4AD is well overdue in my opinion when the other labels have already had their fair share of documented history of late.

I have been in touch with Martin Aston over the last year and I recently submitted some questions to him for an interview for this blog. Martin is a very busy chap at the moment with the publicity for his book, but I hope I can bring you the interview soon.

I also recently came across a wonderful youtube blog that is wonderfully geeky, honest and yet fun and great to watch. The guy is called Bret Helm and he reviews music that he likes and listens to and does a few 4AD reviews as well as a review of Martin Aston's book. The channel can be found here and is well worth a look through. He has inspired me to try and have a go at doing a video blog myself. This turned out to not be any easy thing to do. Usually I can talk the hind legs off a donkey, but suddenly put me in front of a camera and I can hardly speak and I keep tripping over my own worms, sorry words, see what I mean? Maybe with a bit of practice and perhaps getting over the nerves I may post something, who knows.

I've had quite a few new additions to the collection and hope to get those shown soon as this very blog, you lucky people. I may also have something nice to give away again soon, so please keep reading and feel free to leave comments