new releases, special editions, festivals, cancellations, deliberate mistakes, apologies - whenever we have something vaguely interesting to share, we'll probably post it here (and we'll just make something up when we don't)
PROG MAGAZINE LIKES MANKIND
A cracking review for Sendelica's 'Complete Mankind' 8CD set in the new issue of PROG magazine, except...the review suggest the set is already sold out, but I still have a few sets available right now from the FdM SHOP...
THE PRETTY THINGS' MANAGER HAS DIED
Mark St. John, who managed the band's comeback and resurgence through the 90s and onwards, has died, after a long illness. I know Mark got the occasional mixed review for being difficult to work with, but that's because he was fiercely protective of The Pretty Things - once he was satisfied I genuinely loved the band he was incredibly helpful and supportive to Fruits de Mer. I occasonally met up with Mark for a coffee, over which we exchanged the odd wild idea, but more often he came up with a new way that FdM could release Pretty Things tracks without incurring the wrath of their main label!
White label LPs, signed posters, an extraordinary and exclusive rework of The Beatles' 'Helter Skelter', Mark always delivered something above and beyond for us - and it was Mark who made the first 'big' FdM gig happen - The Summer Fruits de Mer All-Dayer at the Borderline in London, with The Pretty Things headlining.
Mark was larger than life, a true one-off.
MAY RELEASES UPDATE - MUCH BETTER NEWS
Thank you everyone for your patience...
ALL UK PRE-ORDERS ARE NOW ON THEIR WAY - last orders were delivered to the Royal Mail sorting office this morning.
Jake Stephenson's 'Space Is High' (double LP) is in-stock, on both orange and black vinyl
I'm running very short of the 3CD sets, but 20 more are on their way
'An Introduction To The Chemistry Set' double CD is already a virtual sell-out - please check the SHOP page for latest news
Sendelica's 'Complete Mankind' 8CD set is also in-stock
..and Shiny Beast have all bar the last few copies of Sendelica's set in-stock and are starting to ship orders to international customers.
JAKE STEPHENSON - NOW IN-STOCK
Remembering an old friend, who died after an epileptic attack 20 years ago - a double LP that celebrates his more 'laid-back' instrumentals from the 90s - with £2 from every sale going to epilepsy research; copies available from the FdM shop and from Shiny Beast.
SHINDIGGING THE CHEMISTRY SET
good grief, the latest issue has a review of the new 'Introduction to' CD set AND an interview with Paul and Dave - and a fine one at that.
BABAL - RUNNING IN THE GUTTER
Babal's next LP will be their first on Fruits de Mer Records; it's called 'Running In The Gutter' and is being released on our 'Friends of the Fish' imprint, with the band handling all orders, including international ones. You can pre-order now from their bandcamp page READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
SENDELICA - NIRMATA
Sendelica's next LP will be on FdM's 'Friends of the Fish' label - with the band handling all orders (so you might avoid delays!); it's called 'Nirmata' and reflects some of the challenges Pete Bingham and Colin Consterdine have experienced over the last 12 months and you can pre-order now from the Sendelica bandcamp page READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
THE FUNGUS IS BACK!
Astralasia's Swordfish has a new Mushroom project release - a very limited, self-released LP+CD set READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
THE HAUSFRAUEN RIDE AGAIN!
After a brief 16 year hiatus, following their FdM single, Hausfrauen Experiment have a new 45rpm 12" out on my old mate Andy's Morning Brake label READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
NICK LEESE WRITES AGAIN
Check out Nick's latest blog, in which he waxes lyrical about artists from Mercury Rev to Cleaners From Venus, Dave McLean to Beachwood Sparks. READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
WIN A SCHIZOS BEANIE!
A much-delayed Schizo Fun Addict competition is currently open to everyone on an FdM mailing-list (the rather nifty black-on-black embroidery on one of the beanies might be a bit of a clue as to why the competition has been delayed).
CLOCKING ON
I found one spare copy of this rather lovely 7" lathe-cut pic disc - a Lemon Clocks rarity - and it's currently the subject of a dead-easy competition for everyone on an FdM mailing-list (you have to be on it to win it)
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
Number nine in our 'Introduction to' series will feature The Chemistry Set - could be worth pre-ordering as all the first eight in the series are now sold out here at FdM Towers, although you might still be able to buy one or two of them from Norman Records or Shiny Beast.
LIKE LONDON BUSES...
...two positive reviews turn up together - PROG magazine and Shindig! both give Fifth Daughter's LP 'Stellar Season' the thumbs-up.
Look out for an interview with Fifth Daughter in the next issue of PROG.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Sadly, Pete Bingham and I have concluded we can't commit to the 2026 summer Dr. Sardonicus Festival - too many uncertainties, including health issues, have forced us to make this decicion, hopefully early enough for everyone to adjust their summer 2026 plans accoordingly.
It's been a great ride and some Sardonicus regulars have put together a Facebook group where everyone can relive the bands, the music, the people, the beer and a few of the sillier FdM moments
- why not join yourself - even if you've never made it to one of our festivals there's lots to enjoy JOIN HERE
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CHEMISTRY SET
The next in this series of CDs - an it's a cracker: another double set, this one celebrates the recordings of Dave McLean and Paul Lake aka The Chemistry Set, one of the UK's great psychedelic bands of the last 40 years; over two hours of music, chosen by Dave and Paul from their FdM back-catalogue - and more. On sale May 9th - you can pre-order from our shop - or from Shiny Beast if you're not in the UK.
JAKE STEPHENSON REMEMBERED
One of the most prolific trance/chill-out musicians of the 90s - and an old mate - Jake died 25 years ago; here, he is fondly remembered in his most chilled-out moments on a double LP and a triple CD, with £2 from every sale going to epilepsy research. On sale May 9th - you can pre-order from our shop - or from Shiny Beast if you're not in the UK.
SOMETIMES A QUADRILOGY JUST ISN'T ENOUGH
The Complete Mankind - all four double LPs from Sendelica's epic 'Mankind' series plus a collection of demos, outtakes and remixes, combine to make this 51 track, limited-run 8CD set that runs for over eight hours!!
On sale May 9th - you can pre-order from our shop - or from Shiny Beast if you're not in the UK.
WHO WILL BE NEXT?
Which FdM band or artist will be no.9 in our Intro series?
Watch this space...
ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE...
...as long as it's a kind of yellow/orange or black (or maybe yellow/orange and a bit of blue - they come shrinkwrapped so I really don't know - but the black ones are definitely black) - the new album from Fifth Daughter; you even get an A2 poster as part of the deal - in-stock now from the FdM SHOP page.
COMPACT DISCS CAN BE FUN
The latest in our 'Introduction to' series and once again Sam Giles Design has done us proud - vinyl-replica CDs, printed inners, nice strong gatefold card sleeve...on sale now from the FdM shop
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
Buyers of 'An Introduction to Schizo Fun Addict' direct from Fruits de Mer, or from Shiny Beast, might, just MIGHT, get a little bonus - an A4 print signed by all of the band. Jet and friends have signed 20 copies, which are now here at FdM Towers; they will be included - randomly - alongside copies of the 2CD set.
I also offered three of them to everyone on a Fruits de Mer mailing-list in an SFA competition - but that horse has now bolted
BERWICK STREET POP-UP FOR LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE
If you happen to be near London's Berwick Street, call in on Sister Ray or Reckless Records - you just might a copy of La Nouvelle Musique's 'Time Ticks Slowly' 7" for sale - Sid, their manager (who works in the Berwick Street Studio) has dropped a few of the band's copies off
LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE LIVE
Joanna and Ian will be playing a support slot at The Old Queen's Head in Islington, North London, on Jan 29th - and they're hoping to take along a few copies of their 'Time Ticks Slowly' lathe-cut 7" to sell at the venue! Gig details HERE
FEBRUARY RELEASES
Gird your loins - and your bank manager - we've got a new LP and two double CD sets lined up for Feb '25 - more news soon
OUR INTRODUCTIONS ARE GETTING LONGER
We'll soon be releasing the 8th in series - and there's at least one more to come in 2025
MORE LATHE-CUTS IN 2025?
Oh yes, and I'll explain why....
- the sound quality of lathe-cuts is getting better all the time, thanks to Phil at 345rpm
- Sam Giles, who designs and makes our 'Introduction to' CDs, can also hand-make 7" sleeves, and they really are top-quality
- the minimum commercial run for a full pressing of a 7" is 300, and 300 cost not far short of 500 (actually you can get 100 pressed, but they cost more than doing lathe-cuts!)
- ...disappointingly few magazines are interested in singles, same with shops, and FdM followers seem to be inceasingly focussed on albums - promoting 500 copies of a 7" can feel a bit like pushing water uphill, and with 300 the price per record is getting pretty steep
- Phil can cut 50-100 singles and turn the job round pretty quickly - it just feels cruel asking him to cut more than 100 as he has to listen to every one of them in real time!
...so my apologies for the rigmaroll of lucky draws and disappointed customers but at the moment it's that or very few FdM singles - although I continue to look for pressing plant alternatives
NICK'S YEAR-END PICKS
Nick Leese's 'pick of the year' blog when he ran Heyday Mail Order was a must-read - Nick's now writing a blog for FdM and you can see what grabbed his attention in 2024 HERE
LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE
FdM will hit 2025 running with a super-limited lathe-cut 7" taster from a new duo - La Nouvelle Musique - who will be gracing our grooves in style later on in the year.
NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION
Who says CDs are dead? Probably the same person who declared the death of vinyl 20 years ago. Anyway, never ones to miss out on an endangered species, FdM's 'Introduction to' series is coming along rather nicely - with more to come in 2025.
INDEPENDENTS DAY
FdM's UK stockists will be getting very limited supplies of an exclusive compilation CD that will be free to anyone buying an Fruits de Mer vinyl release from the shop; hopefully they will be availble around mid-December.
Hopefully, a little incentive to you to check out your nearest store, next time you're in Solihull, Mold, Walsall, Swansea, Banstable, Whitstable, Chester, Twickenham, Cardigan, Frodsham, Llanelli, Salisbury, Aberdeen or Poole.
The CD includes tracks by some artists who will be making their first appearances on FdM - namely Behind The Sun Collective, Fifth Daughter, Hippi Jonni and Optica, as well as a number of FdM 'regulars'.
