Here are FdM's most recent ramblings.... LATEST BLOGGINGS
....and now back to March 2016 and before...

100 - NOT QUITE OUT YET

We're starting work on what will be Fruits de Mer's official 100th vinyl release - due out just before Christmas; I say 'official' because I lost count a long time ago...what do box-sets count as, what about flexis and lathe-cuts, etc etc? ...so i've decided it'll be the 100th and that's it! As you might expect, it's already turning into a bit of a monster - a double LP with some special guests calling in on the recording sessions - watch this space, I think you'll like it

PSYCH PROG ACID-FOLK KRAUTROCK....AND VINYL

After a long absence for reasons too dull to go into, I'm back running a Facebook group I set up many years ago; the name's a bit of a giveaway, but if it sounds like your kind of thing - and if you're reading this there's a fair chance it will be - do try to call in, check out what's there and post a few things of your own; the group is here

THE SEVEN AGES OF VINYL MAN

age 1. buy all new releases by your favourite band
age 2. buy all variants of all releases by your favourite band
age 3. find three more favourite bands; repeat 1-2
age 4, find favourite label; repeat 1-2
age 5. find three more favourite labels; repeat 1-2
age 6. buy reissues of all of the above
age 7. find you seem to have bought multiple copies of 6; all is now lost

BOWIE BLUES

I've been scanning Facebook and Youtube, hoping to find a hidden gem or two in the way of a cover that i can include on the 2016 year-end members club compilation CD, together with contributions from artists already known to FdM; sadly, although the cupboards are overflowing, i've not found anything in them yet that really excite me - anyone got any suggestions?

THE LESS SAID ABOUT RSD 2016, THE BETTER

so i'll now drone on about it....although it seemed to start out with good intentions, I'm no longer a fan - for all the obvious reasons - and this year seems more 'excessive' than ever - more releases, many of them no more than a re-release that coincides with 'the day' and will no doubt be on sale longer after it, less creative/off-the-wall stuff than usual - I've come up with two singles and two LPs that I really want to get. I dunno - maybe the archives have been plundered to such an extent there's little left to offer?

SHARING THE 14th DREAM

About 2/3rds of the tickets are already sold for this year's festival, and in the next month there'll be ads in Record Collector (our official sponsors!) and in Shindig telling the world about the fact we have bands like Sendelica, Vibravoid and cult heroes Twink and Ax Genrich playing this year, along with FdM faves the Soft Hearted Scientists, Blue Giant Zeta Puppies, Curvey from The Luck Of Eden Hall, Jack Ellister and many more gracing the stages in Cardigan - if you haven't bought your tickets yet, you have been warned

STANDING ON THE TOES OF GIANTS

Very early days, but i'm in discussion with a label that puts FdM to shame in pretty much every way about the possibility of a joint release later this year; keep your fingers crossed for me

CRANIUM PIE UNVEILED

Great interview with Cranium Pie by Italian website Plenirockium (there's an English translation if you scroll down to the bottom); it include some photos I've never seen before of the band playing live (if only....) http://plenirockium.altervista.org/1331-2/

NEW LABEL LAUNCHED BY FdM CLUB MEMBER

this is the first release from a new label launched by a Fruits de Mer club member - vinyl, naturally - find out more here

I-PHONE BLUES

"woke up this morning, it still didn't have a bloody keyboard on it..."
My apologies to anyone and everyone if I'm even more grumpy with than usual for the next couple of weeks/months/years - Liz has bequeathed her cast-off i-phone to me; after using a Blackberry for knocking on for 20 years, I'm trying to come to terms with a phone that is clearly SO well-designed for someone with stubby fingers and failing eyesight; I'd add an exclamation-mark or two, if i could find it

NEW RADIO SHOW

There's a new radio show from FdM club member Martin Wright that's worth checking out.... here

STAY'S NEW ALBUM

FdM's favourite Spanish psych band have a new album out - do check it out (it's been a long time coming) here

"Did I ever tell you that my (half) brother used to play bass for the Mothers of Invention?"

Part of the fun of FdM is when you get an email from someone that starts like that - totally unexpected, wonderfully random, but I love it

MY LIPS WERE SEALED

At last, I can start promoting the April singles! It feels like months since I've had any new FdM records to talk about, probably because it's been months. But there's no stopping me now - three singles in April, soon to be followed by singles, and album and a lathe-cut in May - phew, we're back to our normal excesses

THE HONEY POT LIVE

Crystal Jacqueline, Icarus Peel and The Honey Pot, with special guest Jack Ellister, are playing the Oakwood Centre, near Reading on February 27th as part of their 'Inside The Whale' tour. Liz and I are planning to be there - it's safe to come along, we'll not be selling anything - just enjoying the music! details and tickets here

ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BUYING AN FdM LATHE-CUT ON EBAY

Spotted by FdM club member, Ray Canham - it's the perfect Christmas gift for vinyl junkies and at least you'll never need to splash out on a lathe-cut ever again window-shop here

IS IT TOO EARLY FOR ME TO WHINGE ABOUT RSD 2016?

Well hard luck, I'm going to anyway. Here's an early list of highly-collectible vinyl releases that will be on ebay on April 16th - please note Justin Bieber pic disc (has it really come to this?).
I'm sure there's lots more to be added - including stuff that even an old git like me will do a passable impression of being excited over - and there's already a Goblin 7" that looks tempting - but there does seem to be a touch of throw-enough-of-it-at-the-wall about what I've seen so far read 'em and weep

TRIGGER's BROOM

I've just finished reading Mick Wall's book on the ins and outs of Black Sabbath; I'm reminded of Trigger's broom in 'Only Fools And Horses'...

THEY COULD HAVE BEEN AS BIG AS APPLE...

...but their branding consultant was having a bad day

EBAY PRICE HIKES

Quite a hefty price price paid recently for the second release on Fruits de Mer - Alison O'Donnell's single went for over £90 here
I've seen copies of the Bowie covers CD ('Fashion') sell for £30-£50, a couple of lathe-cut 7"s that sold in late-January for around £90 each and another reached over £250 here so maybe there's life in the old label yet.

PRETTY THINGS LIVE IN LONDON

The band are playing the Half Moon on Feb 12th - sadly i can't make it, but if you're anywhere near London that night, you really shouldn't miss it. Tickets available from Pretty tickets

OF ALL THE BARS...

By pure chance, Liz and I recently managed to see a gig by, and chat to, Fuchsia aka Tony Durant, who was playing a club in Sydney, Oz while we were down there. We flew in on a Saturday, I picked up a local music paper that day, saw Tony was playing the next night at Djangos in Marrickville and we had to be there! Great set and a lovely bloke too - who know where coincidences like this might lead?

EBAY GUMMED UP?

There seem to be a bit of a rash of Fruits de Mer 'scarce items' listed on ebay at the moment; we're either becoming a focus for vinyl dealers/collectors or a few fans of the label are deserting a sinking ship.

A BBC DOUBLE-ENDER

I have no idea what that means, except that on the same night (Jan 18) Steve Lamacq and Gideon Coe ended their respective BBC 6 Music shows with tracks by The Chemistry Set and Michael Padilla, taken from their new FdM LPs; feeling a bit smug, or what?

WE'RE DOOMED

Just got round to watching the BBC drama about the making of Dad's Army - intro music is The Pretty Things with, 'Don't Bring Me Down'...closely followed by 'S.F. Sorrow Is Born'!

NORMAN RECORDS SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT THE LATEST FdM RELEASES

I love/hate Norman - they always tell it like it is - they're not afraid to rip into new stocks, even though they're in the business of selling records. so it was a great relief to find they like the new Chemistry Set LP and love Michael Padilla's album; no doubt we're heading for a fall with the April singles

I THOUGHT FdM WERE SPECIALISTS IN COVERS...

...and then we saw the 'new' Star Wars film; talk about a homage to the first three, it didn't do that much for me until Harrison Ford turned up - blimey, a real actor - and then HE buggered off before the end. I'm a bit concerned if Mark Hamill has to carry episode 8 in the way Ford carried episode 7 - but then again i'm in training to be a grumpy old man

LIKE PUTTING BAGS OF REVELS AT THE SUPERMARKET CHECK-OUT

..is how I described seeing a stack of triple CDs called, 'The World's Best Guitar Riffs' on the counter at Fopp in London, for three quid - I didn't need them, I don't even like them, but for £3...; and, of course, the CDs are nigh-on unlistenable, compiled by someone who didn't know a riff from a solo, a lead guitar from a bass, etc, etc. I can see another members club competition coming on

BOOKER T - HE'S STILL GOT IT

We saw Booker T Jones at Ronnie Scott's earlier in the week - he's 70, surprisingly modest and engaging for a man who has no need to be, and my god he can still play the Hammond! He refused to stick to tracks he's best-known for, which meant the gig tended to be a bit uneven (to be honest, I didn't need Booker T singing Purple Rain or Hey Joe), but it was still a gig to remember

NIGHTS WITH MARSHA HUNT AND DANA GILLESPIE

I mentioned Ronnie Scott's to Liz's wayward brother Richard, who casually replied that he used to go out with Dana Gillespie, and occasionally took Marsha Hunt to Ronnie Scott's with Keith Moon. Richard has dozens of similar stories (he used to work for Track Records), they're all true and he's remarkably underwhelmed by all of them!

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET 'TC'

..Top Cat, that is, of course. My Christmas DVD cup runneth over...the complete Top Cat plus 32 hours of Lou and Bud; then there's the Verve 'Sound Of America' vinyl box-set, a World guide to whisky...and no pairs of socks. I hope you got a little something that you didn't expect, but are pleased to have

YOU KNOW IT'S NEARLY CHRISTMAS...

...when you see a tree at Center Parcs with four animated furry elves singing, 'It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas', all doing Tommy Cooper impersonations

PICK OF THE POPS

Just in case you want to know my ten favourite psych albums on one given day in December, dayzofpurpleandorange asked me to nominate them... http://dayzofpurpleandorange.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/ten-of-best-keith-jones-fruits-de-mer.html
(Nick Saloman's list is also on the site)

BEWARE BOOTLEG

It's a tempting offer - some of the best tracks from the Pretty Things' box-set 'Bouquets From A Cloudy Sky' on a single LP - but it's a bootleg. I'm a little bit flattered, to be honest - it's the first time a track that first appeared on a Fruits de Mer release has been bootlegged - but it's a rip-off from the box-set (and therefore, the band) and god knows what the quality is like

THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ONE ALONG IN A MINUTE...sometimes I really do think i should get a life - but then again, it keeps me off the streets

IT'S NICE TO BE WANTED

'Side Effects' is featured in the latest issue of Record Collector, appearing in its 'Most Wanted' section alongside The Beatles and The Fall, and just above Anti-Flag. Thanks to RC's Paul Rigby for giving it a plug.

TO SPLATTER, OR NOT TO SPLATTER...

They look great and they were a real novelty when they first came out (although there seem to be a lot of them about at the moment), but what about sound quality? I was very tempted to go the splatter route with 'Side Effects', but in the end, I was put off by:
1. the cost
2. a few negative comments I picked up about the quality of pressings
....so I bottled it and stuck with 'ordinary' colour vinyl. But if you have experience - good or bad - of splatter vinyl and similar wild colour executions, I'd really appreciate your thoughts on the subject

NOTE TO SELF.......don't let FdM back-catalogue get out of hand

GRATUITOUS SEX...There's no room for that kind of thing on the Fruits de Mer website, so if you see any be sure to email me

"IT'S COLD, DARK, INHOSPITABLE...

... all crew members to your stations, prepare for landing! Such is the speech that begins Plankton, grooving into Theme One by Schizo Fun Addict"
That's how Record Collector's look back at their 'best of early Fruits de Mer' LP begins in this week's email newsletter, and then carries on as follows...
"This immensely fun compilation contained a smorgasbord of Fruits de Mer’s trademark acts together in a lush gatefold sleeve, performing covers of classic psych, prog, kraut, acid and space rock songs. The sounds are lush and as varied as the artists covered; everything from Nick Drake to Amon Duul II to Pink Floyd. The sleeve notes by label boss Keith Jones even say that they were encouraged to persevere after a difficult start by a review from RC’s Spencer Grady, and the label has gone on to be a great success. 500 copies sold in short order, and it even came with a bonus 7" single of The Pretty Things performing Midnight to Six Man' Live at the 100 Club in 2010"'

BACKPACKING

Liz and I would be doing a bit of backpacking next Spring, except there's not a backpack big enough to cope with everything Liz takes on holiday. anway...we're hoping to make it to Sydney, Singapore and Cape Town, maybe even Dubai at some point. So if any FdM fans can recommend record shops to call in on, please let me know. If you know of any good fashion shops, please keep it to yourself

XMAS CRACKER JOKE TIME

Liz complained yesterday that my love of The Monkees was becoming a bit obsessive. I thought she was joking.
Then I saw her face...

A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR

Catching up on some classics and needed reminding just how good Todd Rundgren's albums was/still is. Can anyone who knows the LP NOT sing along when, 'Tik Tik Tik' comes in? I was always jealous of a mate who filled in the postcard that came with the album and thereby got his name incorporated into the poster given away with Todd's follow-up, 'Todd'

FUTURE GAMES

...also listened back-to-back to Randy Cailfornia's 'Future Games' and the Spirit reunion LP, 'Spirit of 84/13th Dream'; the former was either a West Coast version of KLF's 'Space' 20 years ahead of its time or a failed attempt to cover up for a lack of finished songs, while the reumion LP wass either a lacklustre chicken-in-a-basket rehash of old songs or a great way of appreciating some classic Spirit songs brilliantly re-recorded (except for Randy's well-intentioned but misguided new song, 'All Over The World', that is); discuss

THE STORY OF FdM's EARLY DAYS

'Vinyl' is a new Sky TV serial, due to begin next Spring, about the ups and downs of a record label - very clearly based on Fruits de Mer, except for the decade, the music, the country, the decadence, the characters and the storyline - here's a link to a trailer https://twitter.com/skyatlantic/status/631860679897513984 (thanks to Col Cannon for spotting this)

DOESN'T TIME FLY?

It's crazy as it's over two years away but I'm giving a bit of thought to what i should do, if anything, to mark Fruits de Mer's 10th anniversary - Schizo Fun Addict's 'Theme One' came out in May 2008, I think.
Maybe I should just get Liz to bake a cake.

JACK's ALRIGHT

Great to see Jack Ellister's debut LP picking up positive comments (see our 'reviews' page) and I'm even more pleased Jack has been able to release the LP as a 'Friend of the Fish' having had it in the can (as we record moguls say) for a while

REACHING THE PARTS...

The Chemistry Set have taken on a proper PR outfit to help spread the word regarding their new album, so fingers crossed we're going to get some coverage in places that wouldn't normally give an FdM release the time of day - the guys really deserve it; Q's the word.

SCI-FI ARTWORK, ANYONE?

I've received the artwork to the Spring 2016 Proud Peasant 7" gatefold sleeve - it has lovely 50s/60s sci-fi feel to it - the kind of illustration that paperbacks had when i was a kid - nice

CHARIDEE

FdM goes all charitable...well, to be honest Jet Wintzer from Schizo Fun Addict, Brain Shea from The Bordellos and Phil Reynolds from Small Bear Records have got together to produce a 100-run cassette with all proceeds going to Save The Children. And they've dragged one or two more people, like FdM, into it to make the package they've offering all the more irresistible - buyers of the cassette will also get bonus CDs from Small Bear Records artists and a promo CD of the FdM lathe-cut 7" featuring Ex Norwegian and Permanent Clear Light. More details soon.

MECH TAPES

If the 4CD/double cassette release of Cranium Pie's 'Mechanisms Tapes' wasn't bad enough, what about a special edition of the double cassette? Well, what about it? I haven't actually produced them yet but mentioning them here might force me to to get my finger out and do something about it

GOD BLESS AMAZON

A phrase i didn't think i'd ever utter, but the day before i was heading off for a few days away, my PC battery decided to pack up. Same day delivery of a new battery to fit an old PC? No problem, it turned up 10pm that evening - i've got to admit i was impressed. (To be fair, i ordered a second battery as a future back-up and it was delivered a couple of days later to an estate agents a half-mile away, but nobody's perfect!)

STUFF

I picked up a free copy (no, i didn't nick it) and felt very old as i tried to read a magazine designed by web designers - all boxes and icons and hardly any content. I also had a vague feeling of deja vu - the stuff was incredibly complex and initially impressive, but pretty bloody useless as far as i could make out....a bit like prog felt in 1975 to kids, perhaps? Maybe not.

THE PRETTY THINGS SIGN THEIR LIVES AWAY FOR FRUITS de MER...

The Pretty Things have kindly signed the inner sleeves of 100 advance copies of their new album for Fruits de Mer fans (they're all white label copies - it's an FdM exclusive); almost all of them have already been sold to club members, but i have a handful left. If you'd like a copy, before resorting to ebay (where a copy has already been sold for over £170!), drop me an email at fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com and I'll try to sort one out for you - at a rather-more-bargain price!

IS NOTHING SACRED?

"Can we borrow a couple of old t-shirts?", they said.....

VICTORIA RECORD FAIR

My first visit since the VIP one-day fair moved back to the Horticultural Halls and, although it's nothing like the size of the Olympia two-dayers, it was a couple of hours well-spent (my wallet is certainly lighter, thanks especially to finding some unexpected Deep Distance releases just as i was about to head home).
I do wonder why some dealers can't be bothered to do even a basic pre-sort of albums - such as Elvis vs heavy metal vs jazz vs easy listening - or why others insist on cramming so many LPs in a box it's impossible to flick through them and a short-arse like me can't peer down on them

LED ZEP DELUXE SETS

I was never the word's biggest fan of the band, and i reckon the deluxe box sets are disappointingly lacking in freshly-unearthed music (certainly so at £99 a time), so why do i find I've got five of them at home with another on the way? I think I've managed to control myself now, with the latest couple released having no real appeal, but i've recently picked up three of the sets for £60 a time or less, so i guess everything has a price

WHICH REMINDS ME...

Why does every record fair have stacks of Led Zep and Floyd live bootlegs, but the bands themselves haven't put together some cleaned-up box-sets at sensible prices themselves to keep us obsessives happy? I'm sure the argument is that the sound quality is sorely lacking, but I'm equally sure there are a lot of fans who'd accept that limitation willingly for sets that are put together with a bit of care and attention

GENTLE GIANT ON FdM?

Probably not, although I'd be game, but it's interesting to see one of the less-sung bands of 70s progressive rock getting more publicity now than they probably did when they were at their peak. I love them, although I'm not sure that a remix by Mr Wilson is enough to get me to buy the albums all over again

LOOKS OK

Drove down to Falmouth for their annual oyster festival and happened upon the Sounds OK record shop in the high street. Nice little shop, 30 mins well-sent, picked up 'Guitar Explosion' by The Electric Underground, on the Premier label; looked great in a 60s psychexploitation way. turns out the best thing I can do is not play it as it was released in various guises over the late 50s/60s on tax-dodge labels and is actually a bunch of mediocre surf instrumentals. Ah well, I was happy when I bought it.

WHILE I WAS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY...

a label was establishing itself in Manchester with a very similar view of life to FdM. The label is Box Bedroom Rebels, and it's built up a really interesting back-catalogue without me even being aware of it (shame on me!). So take a look at http://www.boxbedroomrebels.bigcartel.com/us and see if you get hooked - I think I am!

MUM'S THE WORD

Well it isn't really, in facts it's nothing to do with mums, but I'm dying to tell you about someone who we really hope will be playing our '14th Dream' festival next year - i didn't think i'd ever see them live, let along playing in a cellar in Wales; I'm saying nothing until the festival boss - Pete Bingham - gives me the OK

BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS

There's a new issue out of one of the truly independent music magazines - although i hear a rumour that there might not be many more; it's tough out there for magazines - the once-mighty NME was selling less than 25,000 copies a week before it recently turned itself into a giveaway

A NEW LABEL TO CHECK OUT...

...and it's not an FdM offshoot in disguise; Future Wizards looks like it could be very interesting - only one release to-date,it's pricey but very limited and it certainly intrigued me. Check out http://www.futurewizards.com/

GUILTY PLEASURE

Listening to ELO's album...synths-meet-strings-and-Jeff-Lynee-turns-everything-up-to-11...side one in particular does it for me - for some reason, it's the closest i can think of to a UK version of 'A Wizard, A True Star'

NOTHING LIKE A FEW DAYS AWAY

Once we'd stopped dreaming about cardboard and sellotape, and the local wine had time to kick in, Liz and I started bouncing ideas around for future FdM stuff and I've already got far too many 'things' to work on than we can possibly fit into the next 12 months - which basically means there's no escape from the label until the end of 2017, and 2018 will be the label's 10th anniversary so it would be churlish to stop before we've flogged that particular dead horse

TIME OUT

I read a copy for the first time in years a couple of days ago - I really AM getting old - it's all fringe theatre, fusion food, and arthouse cinema - where have all the gigs gone???

BOWIE - WHAT A LONG JOURNEY

I thought that the world would be full of great Bowie covers when I decided to pull a CD compilation together for club members at the end of 2014, and that I'd discover lots of new artists along the way that i could fool into working with Fruits de Mer; well, that's not how it's turned out - every track that I've lined up so far, bar just one, features artists that have recorded for FdM in the past; if youtube is full of brilliant and undiscovered Bowie interpretations, I haven't discovered them yet - I guess I'm looking in the wrong places. Thank god for FdM regulars, who have delivered in style, as usual

SHANG-A-BLOODY-LANG

How can i put this without Fruits de Mer losing any shread of credibility that remains after releasing covers of the theme to 'Fireball XL5' and 'Johnny Remember Me', and a boxful of flexidiscs but one of our near-future releases will have connections to the Bay City Rollers. I'll get me coat....

SCIENTIFICALLY-SPEAKING

Keep up to date with the Soft Hearted Scientists on fb - check out their page, like it and you'll hear their latest news almost before they do...
https://www.facebook.com/SoftHeartedScientists?fref=ts

FRIENDS OF THE FISH ARE SPAWNING

There are three elusive releases scheduled for the end of 2015, a 10" lathe-cut from from Sendelica Acoustica, Jack Ellister's debut LP and a split 7" featuring Ex Norwegian and Permanent Clear Light; i would say blink and you'll miss them but you've already missed two of them and the 7" will only be available to club members; but never fear, there'll be more to come at the start of 2016 that won't be so restricted

IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS...

...vinyl. A couple of days after we said goodbye to the Side Effects box-sets, waving them off in two Royal Mail vans, Big Tony turned up in his black Transit and dropped off 1,500 7" singles - looks like a busy weekend ahead for Liz!

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE OF VINYL....AGAIN

This time at the Fopp store, in London; reissue of the Steve Hillage double LP 'Live Herald' for £3 - a small pile of them. One of the joys of buying vinyl the first time round was finding records in bargain bins for silly money and this is the first example I've seen of a decent prog reissue being offered dirt-cheap - hopefully there'll be a lot more to come.
Of course, you could argue that it's just an example of too much vinyl being pressed (especially reissues) when the demand's not really there - that could be true too, all I know is I'll be visiting Fopp a bit more often in future.

ASTRALASIA - NEW LIVE ALBUM

It's not on Fruits de Mer, but it IS a seriously chilled, synthesiser-swathed (good word!) recording and well-worth checking out. Vinyl-only, a real bootleg feel to the whole package.

IT DOES EXIST

I was beginning to doubt it myself, but there's definitely one box set of 'Side Effects' in existence...and I've got it

THE 13th DREAM BECOMES A RECURRING NIGHTMARE?

Blimey, there seems to be a bit of a momentum building up already for a return visit to Cardigan next year (perhaps we'll have to keep going back until we get it right?). VERY early days, but if you might be interested, pencil in the FIRST weekend of August for now - more news if/when i get some

CARDIGAN - IT'S ALL A BIT WOOLLY...

...but i think that to say a good time was had by all would be a bit of an understatement. Great bands, a lovely bunch of people, brilliant organisation by Pete Bingham and the Cellar Bar team - incredibly friendly little town and the sun shone (most of the time).
I think the whole friendliness thing was summed up when we arrived on Friday and I methodically unlocked and locked the car each time we took a couple of boxes of stuff out to store in the Cellar Bar. Dave, who owns the club, looked at me, smiled and said, "you're not in London now".
don't know when, but i do know where, we'll be back

LORD LITTER 13th DREAM FESTIVAL RADIO SPECIAL

the wonderful LL broadcasts to Europe and now in the USA too - here's a recording of his recent show that showcased tracks from the festival CDs

https://archive.org/details/0807LordLittersMagicMusicBoxInternational201526

PROMO CD SAGA, PART 93

Another couple of FdM promos on ebay - one of which was unsubtly numbered by me - just under the 'NOT for resale' message. Although i've not heard of the ebay seller, at least I DO know which BBC 6Music producer received the CD in the first place; that's one name knocked off my Christmas list

SENDELICA AND THE LUCK OF EDEN HALL - SECRET SESSIONS

Facebook followers might have noticed one or two mentions from the bands of work-in-progress for new albums - hopefully we'll have more news in a few weeks time - although it'll be a long, long time before anything finds its way onto vinyl

FdM HEADING FOR WALES

One car is already on its way (my mate Kev in his old jag) - so full of stuff there's no room for him or his missus; we'll be setting off in a day or so - minus a few bits we really wanted to bring with us (clothes, car seats...) but hopefully with something for everyone - and what we can't take down to Cardigan, we'll make available after the event. Just don't expect me to post much - or respond to emails - while we're away!

Fell off the back of an FdM lorry, guv

All packed up and ready to go
- to Cardigan.
I reckon my mate Kev and I will be able to pack it all into our two cars...as long as we don't take wives, clothes, car seats, etc

13th DREAM CDs

I thought you might appreciate a few clips from the festival CDs....including The Bevis Frond, Zombies of the Stratosphere and The Alain Pire Experience...not to mention a few out-of-copyright and therefore perfectly legal cartoon characters (m'lord)

STATIC CARAVAN GOODIE

the final piece (or CD) in the '13th Dream' Fruits de Mer goodie-bag is Art of the Memory Palace's album 'This Life is But A Passing Dream' - originally released as a 100-run cassette by Static Caravan, but now made available by SC's Geoff Dolman as an exclusive CD edition for our festival.
a couple of reviews give you a hint of how good this album is...
"This came from Scotland, but you’ve gotta look at the bigger picture: it came from space." [Norman Records]
"It's an edition of 100, but this sort of approachable, upbeat and nonetheless experimental music really deserves to sell in the tens of thousand." [The Quietus]
...just one more reason to head to Cardigan on August 7th.

ALL QUIET ON THE REISSUES FRONT

Is it me, or is there not a lot of interest to us 60s/70s music junkies being released this summer? I know July and August are traditionally pretty quiet but the silence is deafening at the moment; hell, I'm having to resort to ebay

A SOUND INVESTMENT

FdM co-founder Andy Bracken has just published two new novels - Auditory Dreams Parts One & Two - available now from Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaps-Between-Tracks-Auditory-Dreams/dp/1514370840/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437228547&sr=8-1&keywords=A+m+bracken
and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-Covers-2-Auditory-Dreams/dp/1514781085/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1437228547&sr=8-3&keywords=A+m+bracken
- do check them out; available on Kindle and on REAL PAPER

PIE's THE LIMIT

Cranium Pie's latest offerings - double cassettes and 4CD sets comprising three hours of wild and crazy jams from the Baking Research Station bunker - have arrived at FdM Towers; visitors to the 13th Dream Festival will get first dibs on these specials - you won't know what's hit you.

DANA'S FIRST TIME

A big thanks to Robert Camassa, demon DJ from Cyprus, who read my comment in Record Collector magazine about Eurovision song contest winner Dana and sent me a test pressing of her first-ever record! Quite possibly the maddest thing anyone has ever sent to me, but what i want to know is what the hell it was doing in the record collection of Cyprus' answer to John Peel in the first place?

COVER-UP

...what the best-dressed (well, dressed anyway) Fruits de Mer fan will be wearing at the 13th Dream Of Dr. Sardonicus Festival....
(obviously not all four at the same time)
There'll be a mix of designs and sizes on sale over the three days - all at the bargain price of £5 a time. Please don't ask if you can pre-order - it'll be first-come-first-served at the festival - but if they go well, I'll produce some of the 'bands' shirts for sale by mail order later in the year

MUFFIN JUNKIE?

Podcast by Jay Daniels on the 13th Dream Festival - featuring lots of FdM music and the dulcet tones of Pete Bingham and yours truly... http://www.buzzsprout.com/10029/276859-muffin-junkee-27-the-13th-dream-of-dr-sardonicus-festival-special-guests-keith-jones-and-pete-bingham

"LIKE RECORD STORE DAY ALL OVER AGAIN"

PROG magazine reviews of Games For May in its latest issue - here's an extract...
"On arrival, there’s anticipation not just for the five bands set to play but also for the exclusive array of vinyl treats on offer. It’s like Record Store Day all over again with the first hour a frenzy of free posters, T-shirts (for a fiver!) and boxes of fantastic plastic from event-organising labels Fruits de Mer and Mega Dodo. An exclusive vinyl EP showcasing all the bands playing is included in a free goodie bag for all attendees, packed with nine CDs, a postcard and a unique board game, Crabs And Dodos, especially designed for the event. VFM indeed....".
(nice review, although I'd like to think it wasn't really like Record Store Day - we didn't charge inflated prices for stuff that was pressed up in the thousands - but i guess a handful of people DID come along just to buy things to list on ebay the next day - but they missed out on some great live music)

CMYK v RGB v PDFs v TIFFs v VECTORs v GOD-ONLY-KNOWS WHAT ELSE

...and I reckoned producing records took a fair bit of fathoming out. I seem to have spent the last couple of days trying to make some sort of sense of all of these terms and more. Can't i just give someone a photo and magically it appears on a record cover? I thought not.

"IMPROVISATION, OUT-TAKES, INTAKES AND LATE-NIGHT SHED JAMS"

...what can that all mean?
All will be revealed here very soon - although it's likely that only people attending the 13th Dream Festival will get to hear any of it - at least for the foreseeable future - as quantities of whatever it is will be limited.
NB no vinyl will be harmed in the production of this release

LORD SNOOTY AND HIS PALS

Lord Snooty is hosting another Fruits de Mer special - this Sunday - July 5th - at 5pm (EDT)
He'll be including tracks from the forthcoming 'Side Effects' box-set
More details at https://www.facebook.com/events/720526344737045/
Listen in on http://tunein.com/radio/Music-World-Radio-s110740/

COVER BLOWN

Eagle-eyed facebookers may have noticed Liz posted a photo of our Bacchanalian feasting while hiding from the paparazzi in Portugal - local oysters and not-very-local prosecco! I would use the excuse that the whelk stew at first restaurant we tried was sold out (true) and that this was just a brief dalliance with the high-life but, after the oysters, we hit the house white with a vengeance, together with a bloke in IT and his Hungarian model girlfriend - and we're still in recovery

OH GOOD GRIEF, NOT CASSETTES?

Oh yes, or at least, oh yes probably. I've just placed an order for a batch of cassettes for a top-secret project that will possibly emerge around the time of the '13th Dream' gathering. As usual, it's been a long time a-comin', with one cassette supplier going bust between taking my money and sending me the tapes, so I'll believe this one when i see it - but i think it'll be worth it if/when it finally arrives.
Why cassettes? Well, CDs are a bit last year's thing (although I might produce some CD sets too, as decent cassette players are increasingly hard to find) and there's so much music recorded for this project we'd need to produce a 4LP box-set to contain it all - and that would be just bloody stupid, wouldn't it?

EATS, WRITES AND LEAVES

Andy Bracken's first book as been published! Now available via Amazon UK (both kindle and real), it's about as far from record collecting as you're likely to get but, as I've seen his record collection, do check it out
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reflections-Of-Quercus-Treen-Bracken/dp/1514307502/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1434785837&sr=1-1
- the first of many, I hope.

LOONS OF THE FRUITS

Belated congratulations, thanks and/or abject apologies to Cary Grace, Crystal Jacqueline, The Bevis Frond, The Pretty Things, Astralasia and Damo Suzuki for having their photos used by Record Collector in the Fruits de Mer interview - at the very least, you are in interesting company

BRING BACK VIDEODISCS

I never had a player, but what a great format it could have been - if only the record industry had adopted those instead of CDs; we could have kept 12" sleeves, had playable picture discs, burned our own discs (in theory)...just a thought

THE GAPS BETWEEN THE TRACKS

13th Dream goodie-bags will include a short story from Mr. Bracken that will give you just a taster of one of the things he's been up to since he bequeathed his half of FdM to me a few years ago.
Incidentally, we have a standing agreement that whoever dies second takes responsibility for the other's record collection. As Andy put it, "I just hope I die first".

STINKING OF WINKLES

Thanks to Ian McCann for doing the Fruits de Mer interview in the latest issue of Record Collector. He asked all the right questions and didn't take the piss out of my answers - you can't ask for more than that.

ORPHANED BAGS

FdM gig goodie-bags seem to be getting a (new) life of their own, based on current ebay listing - four or five of them are looking for good homes - with bids ranging from £35 to £80; not quite the heady prices of earlier gigs, but I have a feeling a few vinyl widows from the gig have been persuaded to part with their giveaways

WE'RE TIR NA NOG'S RECORD LABEL!

Dead-chuffed to hear Leo and Sonny on RTE1's breakfast radio show, playing a couple of tracks from their new album in the studio, and referring to FdM as "their record label". Don't think I've heard anyone refer to FdM as their record label on the radio before, let along Tir na nOg!

ONLY THE FAG-ENDS REMAIN...

...from Andy Bracken's visit, along with his lovely missus Cathy. We managed to fit in Games For May, two trips round the record shops of central london, a pilgrimege to Langleys Records in Molesey for ritual abuse from the owner Geoff Langley and a visit to the Hastings Record Fair (although i missed a turn-off and we nearly ended up in France) as well as far too much beer for my ageing liver. See you again soon, mate.

13th DREAM - ONLY 30 TICKETS LEFT!

a bit of a flurry of sales after the Half Moon gig, so Pete from Sendelica tells me we've only got 30 tickets left to sell. It doesn't sound like we'll have any left to sell on the door, so please don't take too long if you'd still like to come along

FdM SELLS OUT

so, what exclusive Fruits de Mer vinyl goodies did ticket-holders at Games for May manage to snap up?
- all 20 sets of test pressings of Cranium Pie's 'Mechanisms Part Two' (produced as a favour by the pressing plant when we sold out of the main run on the first day of release)
- all 30 signed copies of US cult psych guitarist Simones' 7"
- a handful of sets of test pressings of 'Postcards From The Deep' and '7 and 7 is'
- about half of my copies of the momentary one and two Floyd/Syd covers 7" singles (there will still be plenty available at the '13th Dream' Festival)
- almost all of my copies of the Tor Peders CD (the remainder will be on sale at the '13th Dream')
- a boxful of odd colours/test pressings and the like from the FdM cellar (which is now virtually bare!)
- all 50 copies of the Tir na nOg lathe-cut 7"
- all but three of the Games For May t-shirts

Looks like i need to do some re-stocking in time for our festival in Wales! (although I DO have a few specials lined up already that will only be available to festival-goers)
PS The Half Moon want us back next year!!!

EVERY SILVER LINING

...has a cloud, and at 'Games for May' it was someone reading the 'please take one' sign next to the posters I'd produced for the gig and deciding to help himself to an armload of them. Of course, with FdM, there is no escape and the act was captured on 'FdM club member cam'!

WE GAMED, WE SWORE...

...we had a gig. Many thanks to everyone who helped make 'Games for May' possible - the bands, the Half Moon, everyone who came along, everyone who helped on the stalls and especially John Blaney from Mega Dodo Records, who organised pretty much everything and took the financial risk (the swearing was early on and only muttered as the Half Moon struggled to let us set up the stalls we needed, but everything came together in the end).
I thought it was a great night - Liz and i got to meet lots of FdM club members (however briefly!), stacks of goodie-bags and vinyl found new homes and all the bands were in great form - we managed to fit everything from mod to rock to psych to prog to prog-folk and a record fair into the back room of a pub in Putney - and then they virtually ran out of beer!
Lots of great feedback already from the bands, and the Half Moon would like to make it an annual event!
And next. of course, there's 'The 13th Dream Of Dr. Sardonicus' - out three-day festival - if were able to get to the Half Moon, you'll know what to expect and it's not too late to book (although i know there are less than 50 tickets left) http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/13thdream.html

GAWD BLESS RECORD COLLECTOR

...and editor Ian McCann in particular for taking an interest in Games for May and reviewing the singles that will be available at the gig in the latest issue (AND being positive about them!).

UP THE JUNCTION

...called in on the Half Moon at the weekend, just to check everything is OK for Games For May and - oh what joy - they had Sambrooks 'Junction' best bitter on draft; it's a lovely pint, almost worth the price of admission just to sample it

SAD TO SEE...

...a bunch of FdM promo CDs on ebay, which look like they came from BBC 6Music in Manchester; least they could is give them some airplay first! Looks like I'll have to be more selective in who I send them to - maybe just people who can decipher the subtle 'not for resale' printed message on them

IS VINYL DESTROYING VINYL?

Interesting feature in Fact magazine on how the hype around the vinyl revival and, more specifically, the majors redicovering records, is not all good news; some good points are made in it - i guess it's a case of 'careful what you wish for' http://www.factmag.com/2015/05/07/pressed-to-the-edge-vinyl/

SEANCE AT SYD'S

Seance At Syd's - Dave Thompson's new book, 500 pages, featuring loads of Fruits de Mer-related bands, sleeve photos and the like - available in paperback now from Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seance-Syds-Anthology-Acid-Folk-Haunt-Psych-Prog-Space-Radiophonic-Rock-Etcetera/dp/1512048674/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1431565584&sr=8-2&keywords=a+seance+at+syd%27sand

NEW ALBUM FROM CARY

Cary Grace, who recorded a lovely version of Pink Floyd's 'Cirrus Minor' for the Fruits de Mer members club double CD set 'A Momentary Lapse Of Vinyl' (also featured on the 'Momentary One' limited-pressing 7") has a new CD available for pre-order - and it's well-worth checking out... http://music.carygrace.com/album/tygerland

IT'S IN THE BAG...

...or it will be as soon as the bags arrive - all the Games For May goodie-bag...er, goodies are here at FdM Towers, just waiting for the VIP Record Fair bags to arrive, to be well and truly stuffed

LUCK OF EDEN HALL ONE-OFF

check out the Luck Of Eden Hall kickstarter campaign for a couple of last-minute Fruits de Mer specials, including the original artwork to the League Of Psychedelic Gentlemen 7" https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1353737515/the-luck-of-eden-hall-2015-uk-tour-the-acceleratio

SMALL FACES - MUSIC FOR PLEASURE

Being a cynical old git, i take occasional perverse enjoyment from coming away from a record fair muttering. "nothin' new". So it was a bit of a shock to pick up a Small Faces LP on (German) the MFP label at the latest VIP Fair at Olympia; I assumed it would be the usual random selection of tracks - but no, it's 'Ogdens' in disguise - the tracks on each side being juggled around for no apparent reason; that, a very early Kraftwerk live DVD and the soundtrack LP to 'Young Frankestein' made for a good morning out (and no queuing!)

WEBSITE BLUES

Well i woke up this morning, the pages on the FdM website wouldn't load,
Yeah, I woke up this....
enough of that, this is just a general apology if you find the FdM site especially unresponsive at the moment - i've been trying to update and simplify a few pages and i think i'm making things worse, not better. Please bear with me - and if you spot any glaring cock-ups, please email me - thanks

IS IT 2016 ALREADY?

maybe not quite, but we're already putting plans together for two album releases in spring/summer next year - featuring Sendelica and The Luck Of Eden Hall; they will recorded live at the Mwnci Studio in Wales a few days before the '13th Dream' Festival, with the possibility of the bands guesting on each others' recordings and god knows what else might develop over the space of three days in the Welsh countryside.
It's a mystical place - The Mwnci Studio is home to the Megalithic Cromlech monument, hence the photo.

PRETTY THINGS BACK ON-STAGE

Great to see Phil, Dick, Frank, George and Jack at the Half Moon last night (April 10), including unveiling a couple of tracks that will be on their new studio album - due out in the summer. Jimmy Page was in the audience - shame he didn't join in the fun on-stage.

EBAY CDs

I know i've droned on about this before, but Fruits de Mer promo CDs are not for resale, they are produced for review/airplay only. As much as it's quite flattering in a way to see such high prices being achieved for auctions of FdM CDs, if you buy one on ebay - or anywhere else for that matter - you're paying for something that someone else has picked up for nothing, and doesn't have the rights to (I don't have the MCPS rights to sell promo CDs). If you'd like to tell me who is doing the selling, i'd be very grateful; although It doesn't affect my vinyl sales, it CAN impact on artists' ability to produce and sell CDs themselves, which in the end is just unfair on them

THE LUCK OF EDEN HALL ON KICKSTARTER

check out the exclusives that Curvey and the band are offering to help fund their trip over to Europe this summer...

BACK ON FACEBOOK!

It's been a long and painful process, but the Fruits de Mer Records page is live again...
www.facebook.com/pages/Fruits-de-Mer-Records/113103324869
...and i have a new profile page... www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009152878258
- please call in and send me a 'friend' request, so i can start irritating the hell out of you again

INDEPENDENT LABEL MARKET

I went to the latest fair - at Spitalfields market on March 28th - and was very pleasantly surprised. It's like a record fair, but with stalls run by the labels themselves. Now to honest, i didn't actually know most of the labels that were represented (too young and modern - them, not me), but the atmosphere was really friendly and positive and I WANTED to buy lots of records, if only I'd had a clue what was contained within the grooves! It didn't do any harm that there was a real ale fair running alongside, and the first person i got to chat to was Paul Hammond from Ultramarine, who were largely responsible, along with The Orb, Orbital and Jake Stephenson, for rekindling my interest in music, after a pretty barren 80s. I'll definitely be back

if you follow Fruits de Mer on facebook, for the time being at least you can't! Facebook decided to do something very odd to my pages and - short of starting again - i can't see a way to retrieve the situation. Bloody marvellous

PRODIGAL SON RETURNS

Andy Bracken and his long-suffering wife Cathy, will be over in the UK for 'Games In May'! Andy will be the guy at the bar complaing about the lack of a "session beer" and constantly nipping outside for a "chuffing fag"; be understanding - without him, Fruits de Mer would never have happened

CD, OR NOT CD?

Thanks for the feedback i've already had - general feeling so far seems to be, "it's OK, but don't get too carried away, and don't expect us to pay a lot for them". All fair comment - and I'll definitely keep prices low (for instance, the Tor Peders CDs will be £5 each); bizarrely, the more I think about this, the more I get the first pangs of nostalgia for CDs, now they're becoming an endangered species - the new vinyl, perhaps?

PRETTY THINGS GIGS

April 10th - The Half Moon, Putney....Dec 11th - Borderline, London - no need to say more, surely?

666

I've been listening to Aphrodite's Child's double LP on repeat - and what a wonderful, out-there album it is. Weird in parts, embarrassing in parts (the voice-overs are a touch 'dated', Harry Potter came to mind!), but there's something exceptional about it - it could only be turn of the 70s Greek prog. And if you'd like to know what it might sound like if it was re-recorded 45 years later, well just wait until you hear what Arcade Messiah has done to the classic 'Four Horsemen' on 'Side Effects'

HERESY?

We'll have 100 copies of the Tor Peders LP on CD available for sale at 'Games for May', and we're working on a similarly ridiculously-limited CD release of something from the Fruits de Mer back-catalogue at the '13th Dream' Festival. But is this a good idea, or does it fly in the face of what FdM is all about?
I had hoped a proper label or two would show an interest in one or two CD releases by now, but it's not happened so i thought i'd try it myself. If you feel strongly it's a bad move, do please let me know.

HEADING FOR A FALL...

after great reviews of the Cranium Pie double Lp in Shindig, PROG and Record Collector, I'm waiting with baited breath for a review in Classic Rock, as they've asked for a photo of the band (a good sign, even though we don't have any photos). Nothing so far from Mojo, while Uncut hasn't deigned to mention Fruits de Mer once in its pages in the 7 years we've been around (but then again, neither have Amateur Gardening or New Scientist)

FdM ON FACEBOOK

just in case you weren't aware, Fruits de Mer has a page on facebook...
www.facebook.com/pages/Fruits-de-Mer-Records/113103324869
...and I post stuff there like ebay listings you might have missed, news of releases and gigs by Fruits de Mer-related artists, that sort of thing; worth a look, anyway

Tir na nOg - reasons to be at Games for May

Not only are Leo and Sonny headlining, they're also lauching their first studio album in 40 years at the gig (you got a taster of the album with their Fruits de Mer single last year) - it's called 'the Dark Dance'; AND for those of you who get to the gig really early, there might just be a VERY limited 'extra' available for sale to the first bunch of people who buy the album - i can say no more...yet

Magic Bus, Magic Bus

Spurred on by the Shindig feature on the band and wildly ostentatious outside back cover ad, I've been listening again to my copies of Magic Bus' two albums to-date - 'Magic Bus' and 'Transmission from Sogmore's Garden'; if you love the Canterbury sound, as exemplified by early 70s Caravan, you HAVE to won these albums - they sound like you wish a lot of the albums from that period did - beautifully played and produced

Independent Label Market

Maybe this is an alternative to RSD - March 28 at Old Spitalfields market in London - a bunch of indie labels taking stalls to sell their stuff. It looks a bit heavy on dance music for FdM, and renting a stall is pretty expensive, so my trip will be a scouting mission to see what I'm missing out on.

Is it me...?

..or are picture disc designs getting out of hand?

RSD 2015, anyone?

I've now seen the full list of releases - 592 of them! OK so I'm pretty cynical/negative about the whole thing - for me, whatever it once had, it's lost - so maybe i'm looking for reasons not to be cheerful, but I read that Robert Plant's strictly-limited RSD 10" is strictly limited to 10,000 copies - I mean, come on.
Many/most of the releases look to me like coming out on RSD is just a coincidence; that said, the Pullman LPs on Thrill Jockey are being reissued - with bonus tracks, i think - if so, i've got to get them! The Small Faces, Fotheringay, Alex Harvey and Pretty Things singles look interesting but, give or take a few mono LP reissues (which i'll bet good money will still be widely available six months after RSD 2015 has been and gone), I just can't get excited about joining a queue at 6am behind a bunch of ebay dealers. As for Christmas, Easter, Mothers Day.....

wanna win a set of Cranium Pie test pressings?

Record Collector have a set on offer via their weekly email newsletter - you really should sign up, but here's the link to the competition (scroll down towards the bottom) http://diamond-mail.co.uk/NLI/ViewHtmlEmail.aspx?a=2104EF0DE5BA7036999EFA9853DCA946&b=83FCE99169358A00E0CEF89FA011E22A

FRIENDS of FdM

As club members know, I like to compare war-wounds with other labels occasionally, so here's a short list of labels that I've come across lately that i reckon are well-worth checking out; it's not meant to be comprehensive, but the people who run the labels seem to have the same sort of DIY philosophy as Fruits de Mer (I'm know there are many more):
You Are The Cosmos www.youarethecosmos.com
Specific www.specific.bandcamp.com
Totally Punk www.totallypunk.com
Reverb Worship http://www.reverbworship.com
State Records www.staterecs.com
Static Caravan www.staticcaravan.org
Those Old Records (TOR) www.thoseoldrecords.co.uk/TOR-RECORDS

Now That's What I Call Fishy

I don't know whether to be flattered, annoyed or just gobsmacked that a copy of a compilation CD i put together at the end of 2014 and sent to BBC 6Music DJs and producers has appeared on ebay and is currently up to£150+. I produced less than 20, so there aren't many about, but they have nothing exclusive on them - they are a pick'n'mix of tracks from FdM eleases during the previous 12 months, in the hope of getting a bit of yuletide airplay for the artists. Seek out and buy the vinyl, I say.

Seasoned drinkers wanted for our '13th Dream' Festival

If you're coming along to our summer festival in Cardigan (good call) and you're aprtial to a decent pint of bitter, please drop me an email - we're planning a little visit to the town's Mantle Brewery over the weekend - they are going to be producing a special edition '13th Dream' best bitter for the event - oh yes!

The Bevis Frond live - rarer than a Villa goal

FdM's resident Bevis Frond expert, Sean Gibbins, tells me Nick Saloman has played in the UK about five times since 2010, which makes the fact he's headlining our '13th Dream' summer festival all-the-more of a coup (and probably a lapse of judgement by Nick - too late now)

Strange Brew run out of people to talk to...

...so poor old Jason Barnard had to resort to talking to me - but there's some great music in between my grating tones http://thestrangebrew.co.uk/http:/thestrangebrew.co.uk/fruits-de-mer-podcast

Sendelica rarities

all manner of Fruits de Mer and Sendelica rarities are being offered by the band as contributions towards their 2015 touring fighting fund - well-worth a look
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/fluffy1socks/m.html?item=181645335675&hash=item2a4ae7dc7b&pt=UK_CDsDVDs_CDs_CDs_GL&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Astralasia test pressing charity auction

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fruits-De-Mer-Astralasia-Wind-on-Water-White-Label-LP-7in-CHARITY-AUCTION-/291358584675?

Well-worth a look; i know the seller, so i can vouch that it's genuine (although i can't explain how Marc Swordfish's signature went missing - but then again, this IS Fruits de Mer)

'Coltrane' in black?

I have a few copies available on black vinyl - please email me if you'd like to beat the Christmas rush
(that's Christmas 2015, of course)

suck on it

...well, stranger things have happened round here...like the time Andy told a young band they'd never make it and then five years later...nah, I'll tell you over a pint some time...anyway, YES it IS true - The Mantle Brewery (Cardigan's microbrewery) are producing special-edition bottles of their best bitter to celebrate the Fruits de Mer Festival of Psychedelia. Available at the Cellar Bar, Cardigan from early April and from the brewery's on-site shop (but not by mail order at the moment)