new releases, special editions, festivals, gigs, cancellations, deliberate mistakes - whenever we have something vaguely interesting to share, we'll post it here (and quite possibly when we don't)
FOR THE LATEST NEWS FROM FdM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE 'NEWS' BUTTON AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE
APOLOGIES FOR ANY DELAYS
all the latest Fruits de Mer orders went in the post as planned and promised, but I'm hearing some horror stories from within Royal Mail sorting offices, so please be patient - I'm sure normal service will resume soon
FOLKLORE
Our first release of 2023 will be an 8" lathe-cut EP called 'Folklore', which, as you might imagine, means that this doesn't signal our move into death metal. Being a lathe-cut, it'll be another release that will be oversubscribed and so FdM club members will get priority. More news soon
THE 19th DREAM GOODIE-BAG IS FILLING UP
We're up to six CDs plus download cards in the summer 2023 festival goodie-bag - with one or two more to come; you can see the current contents if you click on the '19th Dream' button at the top of the page
JAY TAUSIG 'SKATING AWAY' REVIEW
Jay's 'Skating Away'is a members-only 8" lathe-cut, featuring five solo covers - reviewed in the new issue of Record Collector... >"you might imagine they're Ian Anderson's demos...curiously fascinating".
FdM club members will be invited very soon to form an orderly queue for this release, if you're not a Fruits de Mer club member you've got no chance - but it's not to late join up - click on the 'mailing list' button at the top of the page.
WIN AN "UTTERLY AMAZING" SCHIZO FUN ADDICT PROMO 7" VIA RECORD COLLECTOR
In January, I'll be releasing a promo 7" for Schizo Fun Addict's new LP - due early next year. By 'releasing' I really mean I'm going to allow 25 copies to escape in various ways. The first opportunity will be via a Record Collector magazine competition in the latest issue, where you have a chance to win one of three copies (buy your own copy of RC, I'm not giving the details away!...and ignore the closing date - a typo in honour of the many FdM typos I've been responsible for over the years); Ian McCann's glowing review tells you just how essential this is..."it's like a Led Zeppelin filled with laughing gas and SFA have inhaled it all. It's utterly amazing..."
WIN YOUR HEIGHT IN FdM CDs
(if you're 50 cm tall or less)
Everyone on an FdM mailing list has the chance to win a set of four 2022 promo CDs - if you're not on a mailing-list yet, just click on the 'Mailing Lists' button at the top of the page, if you ARE on one of our mailing-lists and you've haven't already received an email from me, please check your spam box!
ONE MAN - 100 SPECIAL EDITIONS
100 sets, with the LPs pressed on black vinyl, a bonus one-sided 8" clear lathe-cut plus a fold-out poster, jigsaw and membership club/card...our share of the copies sold out immediately to fdM club members, but the last time I checked Sendelica still have a handful of sets for sale via their bandcamp page
SENDELICA'S NEW DOUBLE LP
'One Man's Man...' comes in two vinyl colours - red-in-orange or a 'cloudy orange' effect - check out our SHOP page and make your choice (or go to the Shiny Beast shop if you're not in the UK)
STAY'S NEW SINGLE
Available now in a rather subtle shade of 'army green', or in a rather less subtle 'glow in the dark' option - check out our SHOP page and make your choice (or go to the Shiny Beast shop if you're not in the UK)
ON SALE NOW!
Our November vinyl releases are now available:
Sendelica 'One Man's Man...' double LP
Kevin Robertson 'Why'/D.C.B.A.-25' 7"
Stay 'I Can Hear The Grass Grow' 7"
- all essential additions to your collection and - more importantly - to your record-decks, of course.
FdM GLOBAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN BEGINS SOON...
OK, so there'll just be ads in Record Collector and Shindig! but we're not made of money round here, you know
SFA PROMOS
Just for the hell of it, at the start of 2023 we're going to produce 25 7" promo lathe-cuts featuring two tracks from Schizo Fun Addict's forthcoming LP, 'Love Your Enemies'; none of them will be for sale, they'll find their way into deserving hands through various routes, including a competition in the Christmas issue of Record Collector and another for FdM club members.
SOMETHING'S BREWING
Stay's 7" single - due late-November - might just be a little different in terms of vinyl colour; I'm not saying any more at the moment as I know that the theory and reality of vinyl colours can vary wildly - but it may be that a batch of the copies we receive will be 'unusual'...
JAY TAUSIG PLAYS TULL...
We'll have a festive special this year - an 8" lathe-cut EP with Jay Tausig performing solo versions of five Jethro Tull classics; 'Skating Away' will be limited to less than 100 copies and naturally FdM club members will get first chance to order a copy - more news soon
...AND SFA PLAY LZ
After their 10" lathe-cut earlier this year, including a song from their forthcoming LP 'Love Your Enemies', Schizo Fun Addict now unveil another track - this time it’s their chilled-out cover of Led Zeppelin's 'Over The Hills And Far Away'.
We're hoping to take delivery of the finished LPs in early February ( ‘Love Your Enemies’ will be released on vinyl, CD and as downloads) - more news soon.
Meanwhile, just enjoy the video, courtesy of Jet Wintzer - and do please share the link around...
ALTERED STATES DELAYED
I've heard from Dreamlord Recordings that there's been a problem at the vinyl pressing plant, so we're probably not going to hit the end-October release date - frustrating, but I know only too well that these things happen.
I'll do an update as soon as I hear more.
UPDATE! And I DID hear more - due to the pressing being delayed and because many people were disappointed that they couldn't get a copy, Dreamlord persuaded the pressing plant to add to their original 200 set order, and had another 100 sets for sale via their bandcamp page....BUT...they sold out again within 24 hours!
ANOTHER TODD EXCLUSIVE
Vast Empty Spaces is another exclusive CD of tracks by the late, great Todd Dillingham; it's been compiled and designed by his brother Mick especially for Fruits de Mer fans who attend the 19th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival - it'll be part of the Fruits de Mer Records goodie-bag, free to everyone - more news soon
HAVE YOURSELF A HERRING LITTLE CHRISTMAS
Repeating our efforts of the last couple of years, in the vain hope of getting some more airplay for some of the artists mad enough to commit themselves to Fruits de Mer during 2022 we'll be sending out promo compilations to a few friendly DJs towards the end of the year, with a bunch of tracks selected from our glut of releases over the last 12 months.
But in a rare moment of generosity, we'll be including copies of 'The Red Herring' in the free FdM goodie-bags at the 19th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival - yet another good reason to book your ticket asap.
KEVIN ROBERTSON'S NEW SINGLE
Here's an excerpt from Kevin's take on the Jefferson Airplane song, 'D.C.B.A.-25'....
We're already running short, based on pre-orders, so if you'd like a copy don't take too long about it! (you can order direct from the FdM shop if you're in the UK, or from www.shinybeast.nl if you're not)
FdM and DREAMLORD RECORDINGS - A NEW DOUBLE LP
Dreamlord Recordings and Fruits de Mer Records present....
a collection of 24 tracks from the Dreamlord Recordings library including rare and unreleased material, limited edition of 200 presented on a double album with hand numbered obi strip and fully printed insert; the set includes tracks by Korb, The Hologram People and Studio Kosmische.
This has the FdM catalogue number Friends of the Fish 65, and I'm really excited to be working with a label that I rate very highly - it's probably the best new label in the UK launched in the last 5 years; I've had to keep it a secret until now as Dreamlord are doing all the work and they have been setting everything up.
Copies should be available by late October, and you CAN pre-order a set direct from Dreamlord from 8am TODAY (UK time, October 7th)
HERE
RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE SPONSORS THE 19th DREAM FESTIVAL
Great news - Record Collector magazine is the official festival sponsor for the 19th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus!
Record Collector have agreed to support next year's festival, which means news of the line-up will be shared with tens of thousands of music fans AND there'll be a bumper raffle at the festival next summer!
COMING SOON
...a joint project with one of the most exciting new UK labels of the last five years...watch this space (but please be aware copies will be very limited and FdM club members will get priority)
TAKING PRE-ORDERS NOW
We're now open for business, taking pre-orders for Sendelica's new double LP, plus singles from Stay and Kevin Robertson; head over to our SHOP page, unless you're not in the UK, in which case you need to visit www.shinybeast.nl
MOON GOOSE - THE NUIT
Fresh from their 'Sex Bots Trilogy' lathe-cut and storming set at the 18th Dream festival, Moon Goose and Fruits de Mer bring you a new 'Friends of the Fish' release - 'La Nuit' - a new album, on vinyl and CD - available direct from the band for pre-order
HERE
Meanwhile, here's a live version of one of the tracks on 'La Nuit'...
PINK FELT TRIP CD
If you missed out on the special edition of 'Pink Felt Trip' and didn't get to buy the Chemistry Set album on CD from the band, we have a few copies here at FdM Towers (see our 'SHOP' page)
The CD is in a gatefold card sleeve and includes the complete LP, the 'Witch' remixes and 'Legend Of A Mind', which we couldn't squeeze onto the vinyl edition
19th DREAM ADVANCE TICKET SALES
You'll be able to buy early bird tickets for next summer's Dr. Sardonicus festival from the Sendelica bandcamp page from Friday, October 7th. I'll share the link when the page is live.
MAN AT C&A/FdM
We have a limited number of rather classily embroidered FdM polo shirts; they are all medium/large (they state 'large' but so I am I and I reckon they're a bit snug!); they're £10 + P&P, if you're interested, email me - fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com - and I'll work out a price for you
BAGGING A £134 BARGAIN?
Somebody has already decided to cash in on the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Fruits de Mer Records free goodie-bag...
click here for details
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED FOR LESS THAN £100!
a couple of weeks ago, we were selling copies for £5 a time from the Fruits de Mer Records stall at the 19th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival, now one has sold on ebay for £99!
click here for details
THAT'S £14 AN INCH TO YOU
The Fuchsia 'Life Is Like A Party' 5" lathe-cut+CD was just £10 from the FdM stall at the 18th Dream festival - now a copy has sold on ebay for £70 - more internet inflation for you....
click here for details
GOLDMINING
Dave Thompson digs deep to review a batch of Fruits de Mer releases for Goldmine magazine, including Eskilstuna Kulturskola, The Fishheads, Sendelica, Hobbit House Collective and Arnald Paul...
click here to read
BACK TO THE FUCHSIA
Everyone who bought the Fuchsia lathe-cut or signed 7" at the 18th Dream festival got a rather nice freebie in the form of a reprint of the A2 poster for their first gig, back at the start of the 70s. A rather creased copy was discovered and Steve Hallam did a cracking job 'digitally enhancing it', so we could get it printed up.
HI-FI SFA
Nice pick-up by Paul Rigby in the latest issue of Hi Fi World of Schizo Fun Addict's 'Fate Chaser' lathe-cut
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER DREAM
We're already looking towards summer 2023 - or at least Pete Bingham is; Pete has been signing up bands for the 19th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival, which will take place in Cardigan's Cellar Bar from August 4-6. Nick Saloman's Bevis Frond will be headlining, Pinhdar and London Underground are flying in from Italy, the Cary Grace Band and Soft Hearted Scientists will be back at the Cellar Bar after far too long away, The Vapour Trails will be hitching from Scotland and god only knows how the wild and wonderful Codex Seraphini will be getting there.
And of course there will be the usual FdM essentials/optionals/wholly unnecessaries.
...and the final piece in the jigsaw - Nick Harper will be playing the festival, for the first time!
BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO COME IN 2022...
Our next batch of full-run vinyl will escape sometime around the end of November, including Sendelica's epic new double album, the return of Stay, a first appearance by Kevin Robertson and an FdM members club freebie.
18th DREAM FESTIVAL ARTISTS
A selection of photos from the festival - if you have better ones, please email them to me, you never know where they might appear...
18th DREAM FESTIVAL SIGHTS
once again, if you have better ones, please email them to me (and thank you to Marc Roberts for his batch - far better than i could come up with!)
...AND RELAX
Home from the 18th Dream festival and gradually unpacking what we have left from the FdM stall - watch this space for news - meanwhile, a quick thank you to everyone for making the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival such a great weekend...
Thank you to Pete Bingham for being the boss and making it all happen, to Steve Greenhalgh and his team for making the Cellar Bar the best place ever to spend a weekend listening to live music...to all the bands, duos and solo artists for being so consistently brilliant, to Ian at the Mantle Brewery for his great support and great beer, to everyone who came along and made it a very special event, and of course to Liz, Kev and Steve for running the FdM stall, dishing out goodie-bags and the like and making it a three-day party instead of hard work (even Kev had had enough to drink by sunday evening!)
We'll be back in 2023 - August 4-6 - and Pete is already putting together a cracking line-up of new bands and slightly old(er) favourites - you won't want to miss it - more news soon!
18th DREAM OF Dr. SARDONICUS RUNNING ORDER
subject to late change, of course, but here's what we've planned:
FRIDAY 5th AUG
DOORS OPEN 6.30
ELFIN BOW 7.30 - 8.30
THE TELEPHONES 8.45 - 9.45
FUCHSIA 10.15 - LATE
SATURDAY 6th AUG
DOORS OPEN 12.30
SPURIOUS TRANSIENTS 1.30 - 2.10
TARAS BULBA 3.00 - 4.00
Z-MACHINE 5.00 - 6.00
SONIC TRIP PROJECT 6.45 - 7.45
SENDELICA 8.30 - 9.45
MAN 10.30 - LATE
SUNDAY 7th AUG
DOORS OPEN 12.00
SARAH BIRCH 1.30 - 2.30
FDM RAFFLE 2.30 - 2.40
DJ BENWAY 2.45- 3.45
HANFORD FLYOVER 4.15 - 5.15
MOON GOOSE 6.00 - 7.15
THE GROUNDHOGS 8.15 - LATE
PAST TENSE COLLECTIBLES AT THE 18th DREAM
I picked up 150 Past Tense 'Time Stands Still' singles from the band's Ken Halsey yesterday - everyone at the 18th Dream festival gets a free copy - and what a great DIY job Ken and the band have done on them - each one numbered and signed by the band, they are white label copies, with a hand-cranked new sleeve produced specially for the festival - great work!
FATE CHASER DRAW HAS HAPPENED
...and the 25 lucky 'winners' have been told by email - I'm very sorry if you missed out, but over 200 people put in requests; never fear, the new SFA album will be released later this year, or maybe at the start of 2023 - you know what pressing plants are like.
IMAGINE MY SURPRISE
When I found Fruits de Mer appears on Wikipedia - and with a lot of detail. Thank you to someone, or someones, for all that hard work
FEEL FREE TO ADD TO IT HERE
YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON HISTORY
Unless you want to pay £100 for a copy of the first single released by Fruits de Mer - Schizo Fun Addict's take on 'Theme One' - which somebody did a few days ago.
CLICK HERE
DON'T MISS OUT
We'll be giving out the 18th Dream goodie-bags from 12.30 on Saturday August 6th - but you have to have a valid ticket to claim one (no "I'm picking one up for a friend" blagging!)
...AND FOR RELUCTANT FESTIVAL GOERS...
Liz will be giving out 30 'vinyl widow' goodie-bags to friends/partners who clearly wish they were somewhere else but are attending the 18th Dream Festival out of love/loyalty/pity for their other halves
AND IF YOU REALLY CAN'T MAKE THE 18th DREAM...
...how about going to see Astralasia playing the Whirl-y-Fayre festival? (nice gratuitous plug for FdM from the promoters!)
FUCHSIA/HONEY POT GIG AT THE HALF MOON CANCELLED
Unfortunately, the August 14th gig at the Half Moon will not now take place. The promoter is contacting all ticket holders to arrange refunds.
Fuchsia will definitely be playing our summer festival in Cardigan and it looks as if this will now be the band's only UK gig this year.
CHEERS!
an essential part of every Dr. Sardonicus summer festival, the local Mantle Brewery will be producing special edition bottles of their best bitter for sale in the Cellar Bar (and by the crate direct from the brewery) AND Ian, who owes and runs the brwery will be a guest DJ over the weekend!
18th DREAM LINE-UP FINALISED...AND A FEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
The line-up for the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival is now confirmed. Inevitably there have been some changes from the artists we had planned for the event when it was due to take place in summer 2020, but Ken Pustelnik's Groundhogs are making a return visit and will be the very able replacements for London Underground, who we hope will be able to make it in 2023.
If you're coming along, here are few things worth making a note of:
- the festival starts on the Friday evening, but we only set up Fruits de Mer stalls on Saturday and Sunday
- the stall is CASH ONLY!
- we'll have different lathe-cuts and special editions for sale on each day - all limited to one copy per person until midway through the day, at which point coming back for seconds is fine
- everybody who turns up with a valid ticket on the Saturday gets a free FdM goodie-bag...no ticket or no show means no goodie-bag
- and Liz will have a limited number of her own 'vinyl widows' goodie-bags for reluctant partners who brave the Cellar Bar
- on Sunday we'll have a free raffle, with prizes including one of Schizo Fun Addict's unbelivably rare 'Fate Chaser' lathe-cuts, an equally scarse black vinyl copy of Arnald Paul lathe-cut and a signed set of Sendelica 'Cromlech III' white labels
- there'll be special edition bottles of Mantle Brewery's best bitter for sale in the bar
...lots more to tell you about when I think of them
THE CHEMISTRY SET - PSYCHOTRONIC MAN
The track is on their new album 'Pink Felt Trip' and is a tribute to Steve Lines, who passed away with Covid in 2021, and was known as Psychotronic Steve or The Psychotronic Man.
Steve and the band were friends for over 30 years, since he became one of their first fans. He was a talented musician, artist, author and publisher. Steve designed the classic butterfly logo for the band in 1989 and made a rather marvellous back-cloth with the logo hand-painted, that the band used at their concerts.
The video of Steve’s artwork was created by his son Matt. So, treat yourself to a listen of 'Psychotronic Man' and tick off the many references to Steve’s works that you can find referenced in the song...
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE...
...if you want a FREE copy of this exclusive Fuchsia six-track CD, you will need to be at Fuchsia's August 14 Sunday afternoon gig at the Half Moon in Putney. Fuchsia will be joined by The Honey Pot at this iconic London venue and Fruits de Mer will be there too, dishing out the freebies and enjoying the music.
The Chemistry Set's new LP arrived a week early and is already finding its way into the hands and onto the decks of FdM UK club members; a thing of visual and aural beauty, it's a sell-out here at FdM Towers even before its official release-date, but you should still be able to order a copy from Norman Records, Resifent Music or Shiny Beast Mail Order.
MORE BOOTLEGGING
From May 28th, you'll be able to pre-order the 4th in the series of Sendelica 2CD sets of live recordings; the new set includings recordings from their set at the Lucid Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus festival in 2017 and from the 14th Dream of Sr. Sardonicus festival in the Cellar Bar in 2016. Copies can be pre-ordered direct from the Sendelica bandcamp gae (I won't be stocking copies myself, Pete Bingham is doing all the hard work!)
UNDER THE RADAR
Check out the new issue of Record Collector magazine for a great interview 'Under The Radar' interview by Ian McCann with The Chemistry Set's Paul Lake and Dave McLean.
SELF-EXPRESSION TRINITY
This is the epic finale from The Chemistry Set's new LP 'Pink Felt Trip'; whether you decide to buy the album or not, do give this 11 minutes of your time - you won't regret it...
SFA LATHE-CUT
'Fate Chaser' previews Schizo Fun Addict's forthcoming LP 'Love Your Enemies'; it's a three-track clear vinyl lathe-cut, with precisely 58 copies being cut in the US, each one housed in an individually-painted sleeve created by band leader Jet Wintzer; it's main purpose is to promote their next album, the only copies for sale are currently being shipped over to FdM Towers - I will have just 25 copies, with a projected release date of July 25th; they will cost £22 plus postage & packing. please email me - fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com - today if you'd like to be in the draw to have the chance to buy a copy. Here's the title track:
SOLD OUT - AGAIN!
Pete from Sendelica has had to put up the 'sold out' signs for this year's festival...basically because it's sold out. We're always limited to 150 ticket sales as the Cellar Bar is a touch smaller than the O2, but we fight well above our weight, as you can tell from the line-up.
THREE MORE GOOD REASONS TO BE AT THE 18th DREAM FESTIVAL
The Fruits de Mer stall on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival will have all manner of specials for sale, including exclusive lath-cuts by Hanford Flyover, Anton Barbeau, Taras Bulba and Moon Goose - bring plenty of cash, we don't do credit cards!
FUCHSIA AND THE HONEY POT AT THE HALF MOON
More details to come, but Tony Durant's Fuchsia will be playing their only summer gig in London at the Half Moon in Putney on Sunday afternoon, August 14th; they will be very ably supported by The Honey Pot. It's an afternoon gig, doors open at 1pm, making it a perfect Sunday day out - there and back in a day (assuming you're within about four hours of Putney in the first place).
FdM will be there in a very modest capacity, but the gig has only just been confirmed so I'll be having a think about what we can do to add to the fun
meanwhile CLICK TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE
HEADING TO A SELL-OUT?
Based on advance orders, it looks very much as if I'll be declaring a sell-out at FdM Towers on the June 5th release date - that's unless the pressing plant do me a huge favour and overdeliver in style! But it's not too late to get your order in here on the FdM website - if you're in the UK - or via Shiny Beast, Norman Records or Resident Music if you're not.
SCHIZO FUN ADDICT RETURN
Jet Wintzer and Schizo Fun Addict will be making several appearances on the FdM label later this year - all centred on their next LP, 'Love Your Enemies'; there'll be a ludicrously-limted lathe-cut, a slightly less limited LP and something exclusive for everyone attending the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival. More news soon.
CESAR MANRIQUE
Here are The Chemistry Set with a new video showcasing the Mellotron-drenched intro to 'Self-Expression Trinity,' an 11-minute track that is one of the highlights from their new album 'Pink Felt Trip', released by Fruits de Mer Records in June...(Cesar Manrique is a hero of Dave McLean!)
IT'S PINK AND IT'S VERY FELT
A large delivery of pink felt at FdM Towers might have something to do with a very limited run of special editions of The Chemistry Set's new LP that will be on sale from the FdM stall at the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival - be there or be forever lacking in fluffy pink stuff
18th DREAM SPECIALS
Two 'FdM specials' that we'll have on the FdM stall in the Cellar Bar... - 100 copies of Fuchsia's 'Barrett's Allsorts' 7" - white label, black vinyl, each one signed by Tony Durant. - 25 copies of Custard Flux's 'Echo' LP, plus the bonus CD AND a CD of the 'Helium' album AND a postcard signed by Curvey!
More festival specials to come - lathe-cuts from Moon Goose, Anton Barbeau, Taras Buba and Hanford Flyover....a bumper crop, if ever there was one
7"s FOR THE PRICE OF 12
I've just been quoted for pressing a 7" single that probably won't be released until early 2023 and it looks like a quote for an LP - pretty scary stuff, I'm probably looking at a selling price of £8/£9 to make any sense of it
PROG MAG ENJOYS THE TRIP
Kind words in the latest issue of PROG magazine for The Chemistry Set's new LP - entirely justified, of course
18th DREAM LINE-UP CONFIRMED
A couple of changes to the line-up for this summer's festival, with Elfin Bow and Z Machine replacing Babal and Psychic Lemon, otherwise it's exactly as we planned it all those years ago. Bands from Australia, Finland, USA, Italy and Fleetwood will be heading to Wales for three days of sun, sea and sangria - oops sorry, make that bands, beer and more bands (and more beer).
Less than four months until we meet again!
REMEMBERING SGT. KIPPER
The late, great Todd Dillingham was a true rock'n'roll eccentric - recording DOZENS of albums as well as being a great supporter of Fruits de Mer through his radio show. Sadly, Todd died in 2018 but his brother Mick very kindly put this compilation CD together for FdM as a way of us remembering Sgt. Kipper.
'Whales of Toddographic Oceans' will be part of the free Fruits de Mer Records goodie-bag for everyone attending the festival, here are a few excerpts...
SUGARBUSH RECORDS OPENS A SHOP
Congratulations to Sugarbush Records' boss Markus Holler on making the brave move of opening a shop! Early visitors might have picked up a complimentary FdM 7" for supporting the new shop and there's now a nice little competition running amongst everyone on an FdM mailing-list to win a bundle of Sugarbush LPs.
WHEN IS FREINDS OF THE FISH 53 NOT FRIENDS OF THE FISH 53?
...when it's Sendelica's bootleg vol 2 double CD. I originally called it FotF54, but I'd already given that number to 'Diving for Pearls', so I renamed it FotF53 and sent out a corrected credits sheet with volume 3. UNFORTUNATELY, there was ANOTHER FotF53 in existence - so I've decided it is now officially FofF 52-and-a-half....so there
WE'LL SOON BE TRIPPING THE PINK FANTASTIC
The Chemistry Set's new LP 'Pink Felt Trip' will be on sale in early June, but we'll begin taking early orders well before that; the release includes a bonus CD and will be pressed on pink vinyl (that's the LP, not the CD - CDs aren't pressed on vinyl, in fact they're not pressed at all); meanwhile here's a track from it just to get you warmed up...
LORD LITTER'S 'HEADS TOGETHER' SPECIAL
DJ Lord Litter has devoted his entire one hour show to the FdM 4CD set 'Heads Together'. featuring Jay Tausig, Psychic Lemon, Saturn's Ambush, The Lost Stoned Pandas, Mac of BIOnighT, Blue Lily Commission, Revbjelde, David Oakes, The Love Explosion, Jack Ellister and Anton Barbeau
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
WHAT THE BEST-DRESSED FdM FAN WILL BE WEARING THIS SUMMER
Currently in production, a trial batch of polo shirts that we'ee planning to flog mercilessly at £10 a time at the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival this summer, and maybe after that (especially if we can't sell the ones we have for sale in Cardigan)
AS ONE DOOR CLOSES...
...you get your fingers caught in it; the Royal Mail are putting up their prices from the start of April, which is a pain but no great surprise, but I've now heard that vinyl prices might be set to rise yet again as there is a world shortage of nickel - critical in the pressing process - AND there might also be further production delays as a result of the shortage...happy days
IAN McCANN REVIEWS ARNALD PAUL
Ian gives his view on the Arnald Paul 10" lathe-cut in the new issue of Record Collector and gives it his blessing..."the psychedelic gods look down on Arnald Paul and smile..."
WE'RE IN THE PINK
The Chemistry Set will be back in June with a stunning new album called 'Pink Felt Trip' - more news soon
HORIZONTAL LISTENING FROM ROB GOULD
Rob has recorded two albums of late-night kosmische sounds - with a 15 year gap between them - and we're putting them together as a 2CD set - more news soon
SPRING BREAK
After the St Kraut and Arnald Paul releases at the end of February, FdM will be recharging its somewhat corroded batteries from March to May, but we'll be back in June with a new album from some FdM favourites, a double CD of horizontal listening and a free members club bonus that's our biggest (not to mention costliest) yet.
KOPF A LOAD OF THESE
..or at least one; originally produced for our festival in Germany back in 2017, I had a new batch of these 3CD sets reproduced inclusion in the 'Big Head' extravaganza and I have a few spare; containing almost everything released on FdM of a krautrocking nature prior to 2017, they are £10 including P&P from the FdM SHOP if you're in the UK; if you're not in the UK, please email me and I'll try to sort something out for you
EE BAY GUM
eBay sellers have struck it rich lately, with copies of the Pinhdar lathe-cut LP and The Big Head box-set selling for £150 each, the Fishheads special edition 'parcel' fetching £100 and a 'Heads Together' 4 CD set going for £75. I sometimes wonder if my pricing might be a bit...off.
CDs - PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE?
all three here at FdM Towers - we started out as a vinyl singles label and still love vinyl more than anything (except Liz and the kids, maybe Villa too) - but the crazy timescales for pressing records and the rapidly increasing costs mean I'm having to be 'flexible' when it comes to releasing music that I really want to share - so 2022 will see a mix of full-run vinyl, lathe-cuts and CDs and it will continue that way until either the major labels get bored with vinyl again, or a new batch of pressing plants come on-line geared up to handle indie labels and runs of 300-500 /h4>
OUR FIRST GIG IN OVER TWO YEARS
...and it was a cracker!
Big thanks to the bands, to everyone who came along to support The Honey Pot Collective - and to Crystal Jacqueline and Steve Hallam, who made it all happen.
Here's to the Dr Sardonicus festival in August - live music is back!
TRYING TO KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES
As we head towards 14 years old, sulky as hell, writing band names in ballpoint on the backs of our hands and with the first signs of acne, it's an increasing challenge to do something different on Fruits de Mer without drifting too far from what made the label so unsuccessful in the first place. But the first couple of months of 2022 ring the changes a little with Darryl Way, nice nicely, the ghost of Reg Omeroyd, a Russian progressive rock band, a massive box-set, a triple cassette pack, a little-known US singer-songwriter whose influences are all British, our first Led Zep covers, a 20 minute+ version of 'Spirit In the Sky' and the first gig we've had a stall at for over two years all making an appearance.
Whatever next? (I've no idea)
REG OMEROYD WOULD BE SPINNING IN HIS GRAVE
...if he had one.
We first exposed the Reg Omeroyd archives in 2019 with an 8" lathe-cut, but that was just a taster for the 'Pilot Episodes' LP, which followed a year later.
Now we have a ludicrously-limited run of 33 LPs plus exclusive bonus CDs, with the LP sleeves signed by both archivist Greg Healey AND the mysterious (some say entirely fictitious) Reg Omeroyd himself.
How do you get hold of a set? They will be on sale at the Honey Pot's Half Moon gig on January 30th, direct from the FdM stall.
Not all of the 33 copies will make it to the gig - there have to be some perks to running the label, so I'll be keeping a handful - but I'll bring all the copies I have to spare and it will be first-come-first-served, one-set-per-person
A BIT FISHY
I received about 20 spare sleeves to The Fishheads 7" from the pressing plant and I've just noticed that a few of them aren't the 'authentic' 60s flipback sleeves - they have the flaps glued inside not outside the back cover. I wonder if these are the only ones (or should I just get out more?).
ARNALD PAUL JOINS FdM
At the end of February, we'll have a very-limited 10" lathe-cut + DVD from US singer-songwriter Arnald Paul - more news soon
KRAUT BY NAME
St Kraut are a Russian band, but they definitely have Germanic influences in their music, and we've got quite a lot of it on Fruits de Mer at the end of February - a 3CD set, no less (and even less of a triple cassette version, as it happens) - more news soon
WHAT DOES 2022 HAVE IN-STORE AT FdM?
Hopefully not too much as we don't have a lot of space to store stuff (building up the Big Head sets was a challenge!), I'm going to try to curb my enthusiasm more than usual and be less 'prolific'; the pressures on vinyl pressing plants means I'm also going to have to be flexible regarding formats - so the first half of the year will include 7" singles, an LP, CD sets, a lathe-cut, a DVD and even a very short-run cassette.
As for the music - which is what really matters - new artists, old artists, covers, new songs - I'll do my best to keep things interesting.
MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
...at least to the extent that I've been able to come up with a few more sets of the 'Heads Together' 4CD set for people already on the waiting-list; it's unlikely I'll be able to cover all the outstanding requests, but I'll know for sure in a few days time.
HOBBIT (HOUSE/QUEUE) FORMING
Some bad news to end the year/start 2022 - it looks like the pressing are going to underdeliver against my order by 60 copies. All pre-orders that I've already received are safe. but I've had to start a waiting-list from now on, in the hope that they find a box or two hidden away in the factory.
THANKS FOR ANOTHER FISHY YEAR
Thank you everyone for all your support during another 'difficult' year - hardly any gigs, indie labels pushed out of pressing plant queues by the majors, Brexit making international sales a lottery...thank you for sticking with Fruits de Mer and its artists, without whom this would be one long John Cage tribute; special thanks to master of the mastering Fran Ashcroft, to Record Industry, GZ and and Ben at Breed Media for squeezing us into those vinyl queues, Phil the demon lathecutter, Graeme at VP Online for all the CDs, Dale Simpson for so many designs, Paul Meggs for keeping the website above water, Clear Spot/Shiny Beast for making sense of European and worldwide sales, Nick at Heyday, Colin at VOD, Phil at Norman, Sean at Rough Trade for stocking and selling our wares...
THE STRANGE BREW INTERVIEWS THE HOBBIT HOUSE COLLECTIVE'S JACQUI AND ICARUS
Jason Barnard has quizzed Crystal Jacqueline and Icarus Peel about the background to the collective, how the recordings came about, Darryl Way's involvement and their plans for the launch gig at the Half Moon in Putney
READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
FISHHEADS - SLIGHT DELAY
I've just heard that the pressing plant is a week or so late shipping out copies of The Fishheads 7"&CD set; UK copies are not going to get to FdM Towers until after Christmas and international copies may not get to Shiny Beast until they open up again in the New Year; more news as soon as I get it but I guess vinyl delays are commonplace these days so a week or two delay isn't too bad.
AND THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A QUIET YEAR...
as it turns out, we've released something like sixteen albums-worth of music - half on vinyl, half on CDs - knocking on for 15 hours of music that's new to the label in the last 12 months; but never mind the width, what about the quality? Sendelica's double LP has picked up the band's best reviews ever, Rob Gould's remake of VDGG and Superfjord's live album have got the critical thumbs-up, while Record Collector's Ian McCann has waxed lyrical over our recent flurry of singles - and the FdM back-catalogue cupboard is looking remarkably bare, so I'm hoping you've liked the look/sound of what we've been up to.
We might still be in a geographical lockdown, but I've been able to seek out new artists to work with in Poland (Kazarus), Australia (The Love Explosion), Italy (Pinhdar, Anandammide), South Africa (Seven Rivers Of Fire) and Russia (St. Kraut), as well as reconnecting with Insektlife Cycle from the Philippines; and discovering a group of Swedish students playing orchestral versions of Tangerine Dream tracks on youtube was rather nice.
It's always good to do something a bit different too - so our biggest-ever box-set (Head Music) and Mark Brady's scarily-complete 'Diving For Pearls' discography have been highlights for me (The Big Head is officially released in Jan 2022, but the boxes have been getting on Liz's nerves in the hall so they had to go out early)
2021 also saw our first die-cut sleeve, with Sendelica's 'And Man..' set, our highly-innovative/very silly CD-that-thinks-it's-an-LP format and our first mono release - the Fishheads single, which even had an good old-fashioned 60s EP style flipback cover (I say this without actually having seen any finished copies yet!)
THE HONEY POT COLLECTIVE LIVE AT THE HALF MOON
block out January 30th in your diary - The Honey Pot and friends will be playing a Sunday afternoon and evening of great live music at the iconic Half Moon in Putney - and Fruits de Mer will be there with a few vinyl and CD goodies to tempt you, as well as lulling you into a false sense of security by giving everyone who pre-books an exlusive Hobbit House Collective CD
SMALL PHOTO, BIG HEAD
Club member Ian Quann kindly took a photo of the contents of the Big Head box-set, unfortunately my internet design capabilities are somewhat limited and this is as big as I can get the photo on the page - the real thing is much bigger.
THE FISHHEADS HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES
There are only 90 special edition sets of The Fishheads' single, replete (ooh, good word) with beanie hat and t-shirt, but one set seems to have found its way out of FdM Towers already (thank god I don't have a photo of him wearing the t-shirt)
HEYDAY MAIL ORDER'S TOP 10 FOR 2021
Heyday's Nick Leese has put together his personal top 10 releases for this year, and it's really nice to see FdM and FdM artists featuring on six of them, with two more 'bubbling under' - cheers Nick!
CLICK HERE
BIG HEAD EXPLODES
Big Head sales, that is. I offered the 99-copy box-set to club members and sank under more than 250 emailed requests, so the infamous FdM virtual hat has come into play once again and a lucky draw is taking place for copies.
WAY TO GO
We've had a few 'big names' grace the grooves of Fruits de Mer Records over the years, but surely none more 'prog' than Darryl Way? Darryl was one of the first progressive rock heroes, his violin was at the heart of Curved Air and then his own band Wolf, and he is a very special guest on one of the tracks on the Hobbit House Collective's double 7" that will be released at the end of January.
FdM'S BID FOR WORLD DOMINATION BEGINS HERE
...with the new issue of Record Collector, to be precise - reviews of The Fishheads, Rob Gould plays Pawn Hearts, An Orchestral Dream by
Eskilstuna Kulturskola, plus two competitions and a half page ad - next stop Women's Weekly.
NOW SPINNING REVIEWS SENDELICA 'CROMLECH CHRONICLES IV'
A cracking review by Now Spinning magazine's Phil Aston of Sendelica's double LP - available direct from the FdM SHOP page - cheers Phil!
FROM DAVID AXELROD TO THE LONDON PUNKHARMONIC
Check out the 'Orchestrated' heading on the FdM contents list for loads of examples of bands roping in orchestras to embellish their recordings; some are stone-cold classics, some are guilty pleasures, some make a good case for compulsory mellotrons in all studios, but they make for an entertaining hour or two of viewing/listening - and you can thank FdM club members for them - they're the result of a recent competition.
GET JANUARY 30th IN YOUR DIARY
actually, it's probably in there already - if it is, write 'Honey Pot gig' against it as there are plans in place for Crystal Jacqueline, Icarus Peel and their pals to descend on the Half Moon in Putney for a Sunday afternoon and evening of great music.
We'll be there, armed with a few choice items for sale on the FdM stall, along with maybe a few giveaways - more news soon
SPOTIFY THAT TUNE
FdM club member Andy Pernet has done a rather fine job of compiling a Spotify playlist of 55 original songs that have been covered by FdM artists over the years; for three-and-a-half hours of fun,
CLICK HERE
HAVE A PLEASANT SUNDAY
courtesy of The Fishheads - here's a clip from their forthcoming FdM single...
...better buy a copy?
HEADING YOUR WAY
We call a halt to our krautrock obsessions (for a while, at least) with a final 4CD gathering of artists who've appeared on 'Head' releases over the last 10 years - a reunion/farewell. And we invited a special guest to join the party. On sale in January - more news soon
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET ANY BIGGER
It just did. 'The Big Head' pulls together A LOT of FdM music and puts it in a box. Very big, very limited, but not very expensive. On sale in January - more news soon
NOW SPINNING SUPERFJORD
Many thanks to Phil Aston from Now Spinning for his review of Superfjord's new album 'For The Moment vol 1'. Very interesting to hear Phil's perspective on the album, and the band...
CLICK HERE
CASSETTES, I HAVE A FEW...
...but then again, too few to mention on the FdM SHOP page.
I have a handful of copies of Insektlife Cycle's 'Superstrung!' EP, released by PAWN Records in the Philippines on cassette (they only produced 50 in total).
If you'd like to buy one, please email me.
PALLAS FIXTURE
The continuing 'challenges' in getting vinyl pressed within a reasonable timeframe mean that FdM will be testing out a new plant next year - Pallas, in Germany. They're not cheap (far from it), but they have a good reputation and they apparently offer firm production slots that you can book ahead with some confidence; fingers crossed...
DIVING FOR PEARLS
A complete discography of everything released by Fruits de Mer over the last 13 years, including every single track and pics of all the front covers - it's all been put together by club member Mark Brady, with a little help from a couple of fishy friends. It runs to 60 pages and is a real labour of love.
If all goes according to plan, it will be free with all vinyl orders placed direct with FdM in December.
AN ORCHESTRAL DREAM
It's an everyday story of a Swedish music teacher getting his students to recreate three tracks by Tangerine Dream on acoustic instruments - a natural for Fruits de Mer Records, surely? It'll be a very limited 10" lathe-cut and it'll be available in December
A LOAD OF POLLOCKS
...will be heading into the hands of DJs during December, in the hope of persuading them to give a second listen - or maybe a first - to some tracks that might have escaped their attention during 2021.
A futile gesture in all probability but we live in constant hope that someone on the FdM label will push Adele, Abba and Andy Stewart off their Christmas playlists.
RECORD COLLECTOR REVIEWS INSEKTLIFE CYCLE
...and it's a bosting review too - many thanks to Ian McCann for waxing lyrical over this piece of wax that has no lyrics "...it's out there, people. In so many senses"
PINHDAR - ALMOST UNPLUGGED
Pinhdar celebrate the launch of their album on vinyl with a 'live in the studio' version of one of the tracks from it...
STAY AWHILE
Returning to FdM sometime in 2022, after too long away, will be Stay - who are currently working on a new single for the label
SUPERFJORD 'FOR THE MOMENT VOL ONE'
We asked for 300 copies on orange vinyl and 200 on black; the pressing plant produced around 25 extra so we still have copies in-stock here. If you're in the UK, please head over to our SHOP page (and if you're desperate for one colour or the other, please email me first and I'll try to oblige - fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com).
If you're not in the Uk, please visit www.shinybeast.nl
PINHDAR 'PARALLEL'
We've already sold out of copies here at FdM Towers, but you should still be able to find a copy at:
VOD Music
Norman Records
Rough Trade
Shiny Beast
- good luck!
FISH HEADING YOUR WAY
The Fishheads - Fruits de Mer's summer of love single, and it's only six months late.
Astralasia's Swordfish and his fishy friends revisit two classic songs from the sixties on a 7" single, and there's even a CD included for all you trendy types who think vinyl is past it.
more news soon
PAWN HEARTS - 50 YEARS ON
'Pawn Hearts', VDGG's remarkable album, is recreated a half-century on by Rob Gould, with the help of a few friends. One hell of a project to take on and about two years in the making, FdM loves musicians who embark on the foolhardy/impossible and then somehow manage to deliver.
'Rob Gould plays Pawn Hearts' will be a limited-edition 'CD-that-thinks-it's-an-LP' release - simply because if we'd waited until we could get a full vinyl release, it would be 51 years on and it somehow didn't have the same ring to it.
SENDELICA 'AND MAN' SPECIAL EDITION
we produced 100 special edition sets - black vinyl, prints signed by the band, 8" one-sided mystery lathe-cut, bonus CD - and they all sold out instantly; 50 through Sendelica's bandcamp page and 50 snapped up here by FdM club members.
Another good reason to join the club - if you needed one!
INSEKTLIFE CYCLE ARE BACK!
The boys from Manila are back on Fruits de Mer in October with a four-track, 8" lathe-cut of all new songs; but there's more - we are also including a two-track CD featuring covers by them of songs by legendary Filipino guitarist Wally Gonzalez, who died very recently.
Very limited and even more essential.
JONATHAN MORGAN
I was shocked to hear that Jonathan Morgan, who contributed the track 'Perseverance' to our 'Bare Essentials' members club CD earlier this year, has died - I don't know the circumstances.
You can hear 'Perseverance' and more of Jonathan's music
CLICK HERE
SENDELICA 'AND MAN CREATED GOD' - SOLD OUT
They came, we packed and posted and we're already sold out of the new Sendelica double LP. But you might still be able to pick up a set from Norman Records, Rough Trade, Shiny Beast or VOD Music.
IT'S AS IF THE LAST 50 YEARS NEVER HAPPENED
It's been a half-century since Van der Graaf Generator released 'Pawn Hearts' and Rob Gould has revisited the album with a bunch of friends, to pay tribute to a landmark album. We're working with Rob to release his version on CD - in our world-famous 'CD-that-thinks-it's-an-LP' format.
It'll be very limited, more news on how to join the queue for a copy very soon.
18TH DREAM OF DR. SARDONICUS FESTIVAL
It's time to start being really positive about 2022, not least about our "annual" festival - which will take place from August 5-7 in the Cellar Bar in Cardigan. Almost every artist who originally planned to play in 2020 has confirmed that they'll be there; your 2020 tickets are still valid and if you haven't got a ticket yet CLICK HERE - but don't take long about it!
AS FOR THE REST OF 2021...
No summer festival, but no peace for the wicked either - so there'll be plenty more releases from FdM in what's left of 2021. Probably only one more full-run vinyl release beyond everything already listed on the website but no shortage of lathe-cuts and another one of those CD-that's-pretending-to-be-an-LP releases to keep you (and me) occupied.
The strangehold the majors cuurently have on vinyl pressing plants, and the crazily-long schedules for everyone else, are forcing a bit of a re-think until things calm down - but we'll have some fun along the way.
...BUT THE GREAT REVIEWS KEEP COMING
"...like Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir' if it was blitzed off its turnip on ayahuasca" add Classic Rock magazine to the cracking reviews already given to Sendelica's 'And Man Created God' by Shindig!, Record Collector, PROG, Electronic Sound and Acid Dragon magazines and it seems like the critics are really getting to grips with our favourite spacerockers!
SENDELICA BOOTLEG ON THE BLACK MARKET
No sooner have Pete Bingham and I sent out the double CD sets and one of them appears on eBay, selling almost instantly for £99.99! Good grief, we really should go into bootlegging ourselves.
THE CELLAR BAR REOPENS
An impromptu and very small acoustic gig, featuring Elfin Bow and Sarah Birch on August 7th, but it's a start and really encouraging for the 2022 festival. And the Cellar Bar looks all the better for losing the big pillar in the middle of the room which tended to restrict viewing - all part of the refurb that the 'Cellar Bar Restoration Society' LP/CD helped fund.
SIGNED PINHDAR PRINTS
Cecilia and Max have kindly signed a bunch of 12" prints of the new Pinhdar LP and we'll be slipping them randomly into copies ordered direct from FdM (the signed prints, not Cecilia and Max)
We're all heart, aren't we?
HEAD RUSH - LATEST NEWS - ONE STEP FORWARD...
...half a step back.
UPS have now delivered 81 of the 100 missing sets to Clear Spot, our European distributor. 10 weeks late, with no explanation, no apology, no news on the missing 19 copies - but good news all the same, except...
...almost all the copies have the outer covers battered so they are unsellable as it stands - they might not have worked out how to get them to Clear Spot, but UPS clearly sent them for a few trips round their warehouses. However, Breed Media, who have been handling the pressing for us, have stepped up the plate and are getting a fresh run of covers produced.
So sometime around mid-August, we will hopefully have some really good news to share - watch this space.
SENDELICA - BOOTLEG THEM!
Pete Bingham has unearthed recordings of two gigs from the Sendelica archives - one from Glastonbury, the other from Russia - and dusted them down for a very limited double CD release - due around mid-August. It comes housed in a crudely hand-stamped plain white gatefold LP sleeve (mainly because I found some white gatefold LP sleeves in the FdM warehouse, had a stamp made and got stamping). Sendelica sold out of their share within a day and I've just put the 'sold out' sign up on the FdM SHOP page, so you've missed out on this one but maybe there'll be a volume two at some point...
PINHDAR INTERVIEW
It's Psychedelic Baby's editor Klemen Breznikar interviews Cecilia and Max about their new album, 'Parallel'... CLICK HERE
SENDELICA..."THEIR MASTERPIECE"
Don't ask me, I'm might be a bit biased, but this is Record Collector's review....
MORE VINYL HOLD-UPS (any excuse, eh...?)
I was getting fed up with being quoted six months turnaround on new vinyl projects a short while ago, well that now feels like nirvana as I've now been told that eight months is the new standard and one company I work with has put a hold on ALL new orders until things settle down.
Expect more CDs and lathe-cuts from FdM in 2022 - I can't think eight weeks ahead, never mind eight months.
THE SCIENCE OF NUMBERING
FdM catalogue numbering is about to go even more off-road than usual - partly because I keep losing track of things but mainly because the ludicrously long production schedules for full-run vinyl mean that lathe-cut and CD releases keep overtaking them, after I've committed to the catalogue numbers. But never fear, they will all escape, sooner or later.
SUPERFJORD LIVE
Finnish instrumental rock favourites Superfjord return to FdM this autumn with a live album - more news soon
THIRD TIME LUCKY
Looks like we were right to pull the plug on this summer's festival early on - uncertainty and restrictions of some sort are going to impact on gigs and international travel for months to come. But we're regrouping and fully focussed on Agust 5-7, 2022 - almost everyone who was originally due to play has confirmed for next year - and we're already down to less than 30 tickets - available now from SENDELICA'S BANDCAMP PAGE - CLICK HERE
SENDELICA 'AND MAN CREATED GOD' - TAKING PRE-ORDERS NOW!
FdM club members have been busy placing their orders for the new Sendelica double LP (on sale mid-August) and the main FdM SHOP is now open to take orders from anyone in the UK, while Shiny Beast will be more than happy to take orders from non-UK customers
"LOCKDOWN MASTERPIECE"
A cracking review in Record Collector of Pinhdar's new album - we're releasing it on vinyl in mid-September - keep watching this space (or better still, join out mailing-list, so we can do the watching for you)
HANFORD TAPE SESSIONS - SOLD OUT AT FdM TOWERS
All our copies have been grabbed by FdM club members, but all is not lost - Josh and Holly now have their supply and are offering some copies via their bandcamp page CHECK THEIR BANDCAMP PAGE - CLICK HERE!
LOST TUESDAY SOCIETY - LIVE AT DR. SARDONICUS
Sendelica's Pete Bingham has put together the Lost Tuesday Society's set at the 17th Dream festival on CD and very, very limited run lathe-cut vinyl - get in quick, there were only two copies left when I last checked
CLICK HERE
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER
One more review of 'Head Rush' that I wanted to share is by Jeff Archuleta, who runs the Eclectic Music Lover blog; not only does Jeff really like the set (which always helps), he digs into some of the artists involved and gives his persepctive on them; excellent stuff - thank you, Jeff
CLICK HERE
THE RUSH IS ALMOST OVER
'Head Rush' is now on sale - and it's sold out at the same time. All pre-orders placed with us here at FdM Towers are now on their way to their new homes, while Shiny Beast, Heyday, Norman and Rough Trade should get their supplies in the next few days. Do join our waiting-list - email fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com - as we may get hold of a few extra copies, or you might still find a set available from an online store.
HANFORD TAPE SESSIONS
Holly and Josh from Hanford Flyover, who you may remember from our 'Sunny Spells' EP, have been locked in a studio with time on their hands. They have come up with an album's-worth of songs that would cheer up even a Sheffield United supporter. There'll be a very limited CD release by Fruits de Mer at the end of June - in highly inappropriate packaging; I suspect they'll be snapped up by FdM club members as they'll get priority, so if you're not one already, maybe you should join the secret society now?
OK, SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY NEWS
but someone has made and posted a video to the Orb remix track on last year's 'Windmill' 12" and I don't need much of an excuse to remind people that The Orb have appeared on Fruits de Mer Records.
The bloody Orb...on Fruits de Mer!
NOW WE ARE 13
Club member Phil Rogers has just pointed out that Fruits de Mer Records is (or are) now officially a teenager. This of course means that my future emails will consist entirely of acronyms and emojis, nothing will be my fault (it never was) and I will be spending most of my time in bed or down the park with a 2ltr bottle of cheap cider.
STOOPING AT THE SHRINE OF WEIRDOS
Always nice when a new review site gives an FdM release the thumbs-up, so thank you Weirdo Shrine's Jasper Hesselink for picking up on 'Head Rush'
CLICK HERE
18th DREAM POSTPONED - AGAIN!
We have had to admit defeat on the this year's Cardigan summer festival - we just have no way of knowing if or when the restrictions will be lifted on the Cellar Bar, which - it must be admitted - doesn't exactly lend itself to social distancing. But we'll be back - August 5-7, 2022 - and it'll be a good 'un.
COE IN FOR GOLD
Another medal for BBC 6music's Gideon Coe for flying the flag for FdM at Broadcasting House - he has now closed his show (not literally) by playing Son Of Ohm's 'Telefunken Baby' from 'Head Rush'. If only there were more BBC DJs like Gideon, less of my promo CDs would end up on eBay.
AROUND THE WORLD WITH FdM
Did you know that 'Head Rush' features artists from Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Peru, Russia, Australia, Wales and England paying their dues to bands such as Can, Kraftwerk, Neu!, Harmonia and the motorik beat?
Well you do now
SUMMER SPECIAL - 1
We have our fingers crossed our summer frestival can go ahead - if it does, this will be the first of our Dr. Sardonicus exclusive 7" lathe-cuts - two tracks taken from the 'Bare Essentials' compilation CD. If we can't go ahead as planned, it'll become a members club exclusive - so everone's a winner (or not)
COE FOR IT
BBC 6music's Gideon Coe has now played the Silver Vials track on our 'Head Rush' set three times in the space of about 10 days - unheard of (for FdM, anyway!). He's described the set as "excellent" so I've got my fingers crossed he'll dig a bit deeper into it over the next couple of weeks.
Make that FOUR times in two weeks - he's just played it again!
MORE HOLD UPS
We had planned to release the new Sendelica double LP in late-July but the huge demand for new vinyl is putting pressing plants under increasing pressure so we're having to revise our projected launch date to August 13th (a Friday, naturally)
PINHDAR 'PARALLEL' SOLD OUT HERE, BUT...
FdM's very limited supply of digipak CDs have been snapped up by our club members, but it's worth checking the Pinhdar bandcamp page in case they still have any copies available
CLICK HERE
HEAD RUSH - SOLD OUT ALREADY? SURELY NOT
Well, maybe...we've had to declare an advance sell-out here at FdM Towers - orders from our regular customers have gone way over expectations. We're hoping to get an overdelivery from the pressing plant, so we've started a waiting-list (please email fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com to join it), but Shiny Beast, Norman and Rough Trade get their own supplies, so feel free to order direct from them (unless they run out too): SHINY BEAST NORMAN ROUGH TRADE
NEW FACES
Over the last 12 months, I've been trying hard not to rely entirely on artists who've been battered into submission over the years and have become FdM inmates; the members club compilation CDs are great fun to put together, with lots of new names appearing, but 'Head Rush' has its fair share of new faces too, including Motor!k, David Oakes, Oslo Tapes, Psychic Lemon and Audio Cologne Project; Giacomo & Carolina and Sonic Trip Project might also qualify but in reality they feature artists who've graced FdM's grooves before and who still came back for more (even if they insisted on recording under assumed names)
...IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK
At last, I can start promoting and selling copies of a new release - 'Head Rush' (news on Pindhar's album very soon). It feels like months since I had a new release to talk about...mainly cause it's been months since I had a new release to talk about. Although it's going to be a relatively quiet year here at FdM Towers, I hope they'll be more than enough to keep you and your record-decks occupied
'PARALLEL'
Here's a preview of Fruits de Mer's first release of the year - this is a track from the new album by the Italian trip hop/dream pop duo Pinhdar, called 'Parallel'.
The album will be available as a download from the band from late March, Fruits de Mer's main vinyl edition won't be on sale until late-summer...but we will have a very limited CD version for sale to coincide with the digital launch - more news soon.
REPRESSIVE MOON GEESE
Both their Fruits de Mer releases sold out sharpish, so the band have stepped in and organised their own re-presses - available direct from their bandcamp page
HERE
SENDELICA'S NEXT ALBUM
I am more than a bit pleased to say Fruits de Mer will be releasing Sendelica's next album - it's been two years in the making it's a double LP and it's very, very good indeed. It won't escape our clutches until late-July but it'll be well worth the wait.
MAY VINYL FROM FdM
Our first full-run vinyl release of the year will be 'Head Rush', a triple LP+bonus CD set of music that owes a debt to bands such as Can, Kraftwerk, Neuu! and the motorik beat - lots more news soon
VINYL PRESSING DEMAND AND FURTHER DELAYS
I've just been quoted 26 WEEKS turnround from supplying mastered tracks to delivery of finished vinyl for a new project - that's a further four weeks added to what were already unprecedented production timescales; so be prepared for a few delays to the usually bang-on-schedule Fruits de Mer programme of releases in 2021 (I am joking about our ability to keep to deadlines, of course).
FdM ON THE RADIO - AGAIN
Roger Nicholls is obviusly a sucker for punishment as he invited me back onto his Rock Radio 'Imaginarium' show, to have a bit of a chat during an hour-long Pretty Things special - all the way from their early 60s Sidcup beginnings through well over 50 years of great music - live and on record
LOUD CITIES INTERVIEW
Blackout Radio DJ Mike Pougounas interviewed Fruits de Mer late last year - a wide-ranging job covering the early days, what FdM is all about, plans for the future and a few episodes along the way. If you need a break from your copy of 'Where's Wally', you might want to give it a try.
OK, so it's still a long way away, the Welsh government is yet to announce its plans and all English dates are provisional/"at best", but there's now every chance of this August's festival in the Cellar Bar, Cardigan being on! More news as and when we have it.
SOUNDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND
Rene - a friend of the label from Clear Spot Distribution - has put the whole of our 'Sounds From The Underground' members club compilation CD up on youtube (I did check with all the artists that they were ok with this first!); I thought you might enjoy taking a listen to the sort of thing club members get free and for nothing from us when we're in a good mood...
FdM ON THE RADIO
If you can cope with my droning monologue as Roger Nicholls fought valiantly to interview me on his recent Rock Radio 'Imaginarium' show, you'll at least get to hear some great music, from the likes of Robyn Hitchcock, Egg, Touch, The American Breed, Julian Cope and Sendelica, among others.
...and you might get to hear more of me - next time doing my best to ruin a Pretty Things special from Roger - in a few weeks' time
AN UNEXPECTED EARLY ARRIVAL?
Just as I was settling down to a quiet start to the year, a new project comes along thanks to Kris Needs. We've got to find ways to move quickly on this one as it's an album that's due to be released digitally by the end of March - so it could be a limited CD release, a super-limited lathe-cut and a bigger run vinyl release in the summer; more news as soon as I can confirm things.
18th DREAM FESTIVAL - NO NEWS IS...
well, no news. A few people have rightly asked me about the 18th Dream Festival - all I can say is that we've got our fingers firmly crossed for this August but it's anyone's guess at the moment what the situation will be with regard to travel/pubs/live music in six months' time.
Pete Bingham and I discussed things a couple of days ago and we're going to make a decision in early May - we'll do our best to go ahead with the three-dayer as planned (virtually everyone we had lined up for 2020 says they'll be there this time round) but if there's too much uncertainty we'll look at options (for instance, postponing for 2-3 months to the autumn would be possible)
KICK A MAN WHEN HE'S DOWN
Postal problems/delays continue - I heard at the weekend that a small parcel I sent to the Netherlands in mid-November has finally arrived two months later; I can only apologise to anyone still waiting on their copies of 'Head Music 2' - I'm sure the Royal Mail are doing their best.
That said, it's felt like rubbing salt in the wounds to find that UK and overseas prices have increased by up to 10% from January 1st - and I didn't even get a forewarning.
GIDEON COE PLAYS STANLEY...AND (UN)WINS
Many thanks to Gideon Coe for playing 'Life of Stanley' by The Arthur Park and Stanley Unwin on his BBC 6Music show last night - you can listen in
HERE
it seems to be getting harder to get BBC airplay every year, thank god for Gideon!
THE PROFESSOR GOES ONLINE
If you missed out on the 'Life of Stanley' lathe-cut - and you probably did, The Arthur Park have now made it available as a download HERE
EASING GENTLY INTO 2021
After a hectic, maybe crazy, second half of 2020 we're slowing things down for a few months to give everyone some breathing space - but rest assured we'll be back in the spring with something suitably overblown to do some serious damage to your ears...but hopefully not wallets
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
...or it is in the case of deliveries of 'Head Music 2' - a combination of pandemic restrictions, pressure on the Royal Mail and Brexit has created some serious delays in delivery of parcels, especially from the UK to the rest of the world; supplies are gradually getting through, but it's slow!
IT'S ALL FOR CHARITY
The Arthur Park have auctioned one of their copies of the 'Life Of Stanley' lathe-cut on eBay for a local charity and it sold for an impressive £135 - nice work, lads!
THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN NONE
copies of 'Head Music 2' are on sale now - some are a sort of translucent 'Brain green', some are a slightly splattered white, but they are all full of lovely covers of classic krautrock. All orders placed direct with FdM are in the post - but do please be patient, the Royal Mail is overrun at the moment
SACRILEGE - FdM GOES DOWNLOADABLE
...or at least 'The Darkest Voyage' is - Astralasia and Chris Hillman at their main record label Magick Eye have organised everything - so whether your service of choice is Spotify, Deezer, itunes, or some other names that aren't Harvest, Vertigo or Charisma, you can listen to over 6 hours of music in the comfort of your inner ear. Proceeds go to the Red Cross, so it's all good - but don't except to see future FdM releases following suit - I wouldn't know where to start!
Find out more HERE
HEAD MUSIC 2 - TOO LATE?
'Head Music 2' is our somewhat-delayed follow-up to 2012's 'Head Music' - and we've sold out within a couple of weeks of starting to take pre-orders from our club members (what do you mean, you haven't joined the members club?); the triple LP set is due out on December 31st, please email me - fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com - if you'd like to join the waiting-list as I hope to get a few extras from the pressing plant, or do try Shiny Beast, Norman Records or Rough Trade as they will all get their own supplies
MASS PANDA SIGHTING
The latest issue of Electronic Sound magazine includes a rather splendid four page feature on The Lost Stoned Pandas, courtesy of legendary journo and honorary panda, Kris Needs; Kris even describes FdM as, "...the UK's foremost psychedelic imprint", which shows just how lost he is.
A LOAD OF...
A motley CD collection for BBC radio DJs of tracks from a Fruits de Mer year that on one hand seems to be never-ending and on the other has just flown by. I've just picked out a few recordings from 2020 that I think might have escaped their attention in the hope they give the artists responsible a bit of much-deserved airtime. The CDs are going out to DJs and their producers and few might find their way randomly into parcels I send out in December - but then again, you've got all the tracks already, haven't you?
WHATEVER NEXT?
Just one more Fruits de Mer release to go before the end of 2020 (unless you're a club member, in which case we'll be in touch very soon) and we're going out in style - or, more accurately in this bizarre year, we're staying in, in style, with a vinyl set that follows up on one of my favourite releases in 12 years of the label - Head Music; watch this website.
AUNTIE AUBREY'S EXCURSIONS VOLUME 3
The Orb are releasing a new compilation of the band's tracks and LX's mix of 'Windmill' from last year is on it. Having The Orb feature on an FdM release was pretty amazing, but having an FdM track on an Orb release comes close!
SHINDIG REVIEWS THE NEW FUCHSIA SINGLE
Jeff Penczak runs his diamond stylus over Tony Durant and co's tribute to the late, great Syd.......
...AND SHINDIG ALSO REVIEWS THE SUPERSTARS' EP
more kind words from Jeff as he gets to grips with some rather glorious Italian prog....
OUR NOVEMBER RELEASES
It's been a bit hectic here at FdM Towers as we've packed and posted all the November release pre-orders. The Fuchsia 7" is long-gone here, although it's worth trying Norman Records, Rough Trade or Shiny Beast.
We've just sold out of both the 'Darkest Voyage' 6CD sets and double LP 'edited version', but do try Astralasia via their facebook page, or Shny Beast.
But the good news is that we DO still have some copies of The Superstars 7" - get in quick!
TALKING OF THE SUPERSTARS...
...here's Ian McCann's review of it in the latest issue of Record Collector - and he knows his stuff!
US and THEM - ANNABEL LEE
'The Darkest Voyage' 6CD set explores some wild places, perhaps none more so than this wonderful retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's 'Annabel Lee' by Us and Them...
...and to think all the music across this set is based on the same original backing track from Swordfish. We're already running short of copies, based on pre-orders, even though the set isn't due on sale until late-November - so don't wait too long before visiting the FdM SHOP page
WHAT ARE NON-CLUB MEMBERS MISSING?
The next members club exclusive CD compilation - 'Sounds From The Underground' - is another 60+ minutes mix of great music from artists new to FdM plus a few more familiar ones. Here are just a few examples...
...joining the members clubs is pretty painless - as long as you can put up with all the irritating emails - find out more on the members club page and then click on the 'mailing list' tab
THE SUPERSTARS
Classic Italian progressive rock - except these are brand new recordings, on a 7" EP from Fruits de Mer - and we're already having to create a waiting list with the actual release date still a month away...
. Read all about it HERE
THE MAGICIAN
a sneak preview of a track from 'The Darkest Voyage' - the Blue Giant Zeta Puppies take Marc Swordfish's source tracks and do something unexpected to them...
...just one of the journeys taken by friends of Fruits de Mer and Astralasia in a huge 6CD, six-hour set that will be on sale soon. Read all about it HERE
THANK YOU TO TODD AND JET
Many thanks to US artist Todd DiCiurcio and Schizo Fun Addict's Jet Wintzer for the super-limited, handsparayed cover to the Schizos' latest LP' 'The Last Wave' - taking pride of place in the record collection here at FdM Towers
FdM's NOVEMBER RELEASES
If you're in the UK, you can now pre-order our November releases - a 7" EP of classic Italian prog rock by The Superstars and a huge SIX-HOUR, six CD set by Astralasia together with friends of their family and FdM's - 'The Darkest Voyage' - it's huge!
IF YOU MISSED OUT ON 'HEAD IN THE CLOUDS'...
check out the new (November) issue of Record Collector for a chance to win a copy!
NO FUCHSIA
OK I've used that line before - and I'll no doubt use it again - but we've sold out of the Fuchsia 'Barrett's Allsorts' 7" here at FdM Towers on club member pre-orders alone. But all is not lost - head over to the Shiny Beast website (the retail arm of our distributor 'Clear Spot') and you should be able to order a copy from them
SOLD OUT!
Our late-September releases - 'The Continuing Escapades Of The Soft Hearted Scientists' and 'Head in the Clouds' - are on sale now - or at least they were - we're already sold out of both releases, although it's worth checking out places like Norman Records, Shiny Beast and Those Old Records.
I'd like to offer the opinion that they've sold out so quickly because they're both a bit good, but I might be biased.
MORE CLOUDED JUDGEMENTS?
Timeloard Michalis is an FdM club member so he might not be entirely unbiased in his views, but he has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and when he kicks off his review with, "...Wow! This is absolutely bloody stunning! A FANTASTIC COMPILATION of 2 LPs plus 2 CDs with 3 hours 54 minutes and 26 seconds of Electronic Music...", it means rather a lot. You can read the complete, unvarnished truth in his Time Machine Productions review
HERE
DJ Astro in his Astral Zone blog is waxing lyrical about it too - another guy whose musical taste is pretty impressive.
SCHIZO FUN ADDICT VIDEO
I somehow managed not to post this rather fine video by Jet Wintzer and co, taken from their latest album, 'The Last Wave'...until now
SINGLED OUT FOR NOVEMBER
We'll have two 7" singles for your listening pleasure in November - a Syd Barrett tribute from prog/folk cult heroes Fuchsia and some original but wonderfully retro instrumental prog rock from Italy's The Superstars. More news soon - but please bear in mind FdM club members get first chance to pre-order them
ALL ABOARD FOR A VERY DARK VOYAGE
also in early November (I hope), there'll be a double LP and 6CD set from Astralasia and friends that I'd suggest is out-of-the-ordinary, even for FdM; both sets will be very limited and of course club members are at the front of the queue - more news soon
OUR AUGUST RELEASES WERE DELAYED BY ABOUT THREE WEEKS - BUT THEY'RE NOW ON SALE!
After some manufacturing problems with these sets, for which we can only apologise (but we simply couldn't send out cases that weren't up to scratch), we've now shipped out all UK pre-orders and the supplies for Heyday Mail Order and Shiny Beast havecreached them too, so they can start to fulfil their orders.
THE WAX MONSTER IS STAYING IN HIDING A LITTLE LONGER
I've just heard from the band that production delays mean they're now aiming to start shipping out pre-orders from early/mid-October; apologies for the delay, more news as I get it
NEW RELEASES UNVEILED SOON
I was looking for an excuse to use this cartoon as a teaser for our November releases, but forgot all about it until I'd already posted the cover shots on the website. Never mind...
MORE CLOUD HEADS
...so much great music to share from this set - but you'll have to buy it to really appreciate it! Read all about it HERE
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
A massive 2LP+2CD set will be unleashed in late-September - with 200 minutes of music influenced by German synthesiser/kosmische artists from the early 70s; you can read about it HERE ...and sample a few of the tracks here...
THE CONTINUING ESCAPADES OF THE SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS
...and the Soft Hearted Scientists return with an equally enormous release - this time a 4LP set! - including 2LPs of tracks taken mainly from their most recent albums plus 2LPs of instrumentals by the band mised into sidelong suites by Astralasia's Marc Swordfish. Read all about it HERE
LATEST NEWS : WE'RE NOW SOLD OUT ON PRE-ORDERS, BUT HOPE TO GET A FEW EXTRA COPIES IN - MORE DETAILS ON THE SHOP PAGE...
THE CELLAR BAR RESTORATION FUND GROWS
Thanks to your pre-orders of the 'Cellar Bar Restoration Society' double CD, I've been able to add another £1,250 to the 'Justgiving' campaign, which now stands at just short of £4,000. The Bar's guv'nor Steve tells me he'll be asking for planning permission for the first phase of the redevelopment work very soon.
Check out the fund and feel free to make your own contribution... HERE!
VIRTUALLY THE 18th DREAM FESTIVAL
Right now, we should be in the Cellar Bar - selling records, giving away goodie-bags, catching up with old friends, drinking Mantle bitter, listening to some great music.
But we're not.
We've rescheduled the festival for summer 2021 and we can't wait to get back to Cardigan, but meanwhile I've put together a page of videos by the artists who would have been playing as a reminder of what we're missing and what a great line-up we had - and Will have next year.Check it out
HERE
WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE
...is good for Fruits de Mer, Moon Goose have a new 12" + CD package out in September - it's a joint release with FdM (Friends of the Fish 42, if you're counting), and the band are handling all pre-orders and sending out copies - you can get your order in by clicking HERE
It's called 'The Wax Monster Lives Behind The First Row Of Trees' - the orange vinyl 12" runs to over 30 minutes and the bonus CD is their set from last summer's Dr. Sardonicus festival; there are only 300 sets being produced and there are less than 60 left already!
FdM's LATE-JULY RELEASES...NOT QUITE SO LATE AFTER ALL
copies of all three albums have now arrived at FdM Towers and we'll have all UK pre-orders in the post by first-thing Monday; Nick at Heyday and the Shiny Beast team should have their copies by Monday and Norman, Tor and Rough Trade will get their supplies early next week.
If you're on the waiting list for copies direct from FdM, I should know whether I have copies available by the end of next week
CELLAR BAR RESTORATION SOCIETY T-SHIRTS
We're also in the process of packing and posting the Cellar Bar Restoration Society t-shirts; we're already sold out at FdM Towers but the Cellar Bar have a batch and you might be able to buy one by post from the guv'nor Steve. Check out Cardigan's Cellar Bar on facebook for details.
SNAKE IN THE GRASS
Stray Owls have put together a video to accompany their track, 'Snake In The Grass', which is on the new members club CD 'The World Is Our Lobster'...
GENTLY AS YOU FEEL
and I've just received a video from LoveyDove of their tracks from the 'Band for All Seasons' set - a great take on a lovely song...
YOU ARE THE CELLAR BAR RESTORATION SOCIETY
thanks to Fruits de Mer Records' club members, the Cellar Bar crowdfunding appeal is now £1,500 better off, from advance sales of the Cellar Bar Restoration Society LP. We've got a waiting list in case we get a few extras from the pressing plant, but there will be a limited number for sale at the Cellar Bar itself - hopefully in August.
Check out the fund and make a contribution HERE
SCHIZO FUN ADDICT - SPECIAL EDITION
Starting to put together the FdM copies of the Schizos' new album - i'll have 50 copies on vinyl, all of which will include hand-numbered inserts from the band's Jet Wintzer.
OUR INSEKT FRIENDS
I'm really pleased to be working with The Insektlife Cycle and Phil at 345rpm again on a 'Friends of the Fish' project in August/September - a new 7" lathe-cut single that Phil will be releasing on his new label, alongside Friends of the Fish. And - as with all the best FOTF projects, someone else will be doing all the work - in this case, Phil will be cutting the records, taking the orders and sending them out, while I....er, I'll my coat. More news soon.
FdM HALF-TERM REPORT - BACK STRONGER
Not your typical six months in the life of Fruits de Mer Records...
Things started well with the first appearance of the Lost Stoned Pandas on the label and the release of possibly the biggest blast of music that's ever escaped from FdM Towers in the shape of 'A Band For All Seasons' - a sprawling 4CD set (4CDs? Ha, you ain't seen nothing yet).
As I was planning the May release schedule, the pandemic took control and everything went on-hold; the result is the May releases are now coming out in July, everything following that is running about three months late and our annual festival has had to be put into a large refrigerated storage container (bands, beer, goodie-bags, FdM's stall team) with a 'not to be opened until August 2021' label attached.
The limited-edition releases that would have appeared on our stall in the Cellar Bar are being offered to club members by mail order - and the festival tickets are valid for next August.
We were starting to look at the possibility of a European gig later in the year, but that is something we'll have to revisit when life gets back to normal-ish, but the Cellar Bar Restoration Society project that looked a worthy cause at the start of the year has become even more 'current' as our festival venue is having to cope with months of no customers, no events and no money on top of the much-needed building work to the cellar itself (and yes, I know many clubs and pubs face similar problems, but the Cellar Bar is our home-from-home).
As usual, unexpected projects have come along, and the good response to 'Band for All Seasons' has encouraged me to look at CDs for more 'big' outpourings of music where vinyl would weigh a ton and cost a bloody fortune - there are a couple of whoppas in the pipeline that mean the second half of 2020 will probably see more music being unleashed by FdM's friends and family than ever before!
I promised myself that I'd try to involve more new artists in FdM projects this year than I have in the last couple (it's called sharing the pain) - and that's how it's working out - the 4CD set brought in about a dozen new artists, the 'Friends of the Fish' projects have introduced a dozen more to our endearingly-shambolic approach to the music business (well, I like it anyway), and our September releases will rope in a dozen more.
And I hope FdM is still springing the odd surprise along the way, sharing some terrific artists and music (new and not-so-new, well-known and underrated) that you might otherwise have missed out on and having some fun along the way.
WE ARE THE CELLAR BAR RESTORATION SOCIETY T-SHIRTS
As well as the members club LP, we're raising more money for rebuilding work on Cardigan's home to our summer festival with a highly fashionable range of t-shirts. If you're in the UK, email me - fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com - for more details. If you live outside the UK, please contact Nick Leese at Heyday Mail Order via the Heyday website.
POSTAL COST HIKE TO THE USA
Nick Leese at Heyday has alerted to me to a big increase in Royal Mail prices from the UK to the US, starting July 1st; it's due to a 95% fall in the number of flights and resulting increase in their freight costs. You have been warned!
SHINDIG REVIEWS 'THE LAST WAVE'
**** Despite being saddled with a godawful name more suggestive of adolescent skate metal, Schizo Fun Addict hark back to the dreamy guitars and stoned vocals of ’80s indie psych, that point where Byrdsian jangle bands discovered more interesting drugs. It’s an enticing sound, if overplayed. ‘Peace Walks By My Side’ sets the scene nicely, Perfect Prescription-era Spacemen 3 on pep pills, while ‘Dream It All’ suggests that MGMT circa Congratulations is also a key reference, Ilona V’s child-like vocals fringed by echoing guitar. The come down gently psych of ‘Crossing Over’ approaches the ecstatic shoegaze of Slowdive – similarly, the West Coast flashback of ‘Sun Daze’ floats downstream with mind turned off. Sameness threatens to creep in, but the infinite tremolo and cosmic angel vibes of ‘Expressway’ move things onto a higher plane, before the swell of ‘Shadow Mantra’ brings a little darkness to the party
This is a joint release with Flicknife Records - their CD version is sold out, we'll have a limited supply on vinyl in early August - club members will get first chance to pre-order, so if you're not already a member, maybe you should click on the MAILING LIST tab and do something about it
SCOTT WILLIAM URQUART/GIDEON COE
many thanks to Gideon for playing Scott's 'Ballet Dancer' on his BBC 6Music show last night.
it's taken from his album 'A Recipe For Reverie’ and is a track on the new Fruits de Mer Records members club CD 'The World Is Our Lobster'
There's a link to Scott's album HERE
and one to Gideon's show HERE
JAMES MCKEOWN/GIDEON COE
and thanks also to Gideon for playing James' 'Life Aboard the International space Station' on BBC 6Music last night; it's from James' album 'English Dream' and again is a track on our 'The World Is Our Lobster' CD.
It's also on his album 'English Dream’ - there's a link to it on bandcamp HERE
and there's one to Gideon's show HERE
FdM's LATE-JULY RELEASES ...ALL THREE ALBUMS SOLD-OUT ALREADY?
With the summer festival on ice for a year and the coronavirus here to stay, at least for many months to come, it's time I got focused back on the day-job - releasing vinyl records.
I'm being cautious about pressing numbers for the rest of this year as I appreciate money is tight for everyone and record shops in the UK still have their shutters up, but in July we'll have a double LP AND a single LP of live recordings from the 17th Dream festival (no duplication between them!) and an LP called 'The Cellar Bar Restoration Society' - FdM club members get priority and they've already claimed almost all of the copies of all three! I've started waiting-lists for '17th Dream Live' and 'Cellar Bar' as I may get more than I bargained for (if you're not in the UK, please contact Nick Leese at Heyday). NB Shiny Beast and Norman Records will get their own supplies of the '17th Dream Live' double LP, so it's worth trying their websites.
LOBSTER DISC
Club members who ordered the July LPs early will also get a free compilation CD for their trouble, It's called 'the World Is Our Lobster' - and here are just a few of the tracks on it....
'A BAND FOR ALL SEASONS' EXPOSED
Our 4CD set has been reviewed by Henry Schneider for Expose online.
"...the high points for me are Bhopal’s Flowers’ excellent raga rock cover of Cream’s “I Feel Free,” complete with tamboura and sitar, The Mysterious Cloud featuring Your Friend’s cover of H.P. Lovecraft’s “Mobius Trip,” Echo Train’s cover of the Hunger’s “Portland ’69” that starts out repetitious and grows to a fantastic psych jam, Elfin Bow’s beautiful acid folk rendition of The Small Faces’ “Autumn Stone,” The Telephones’ jangly psych pop cover of The Move’s “I Can Hear the Grass Grow,” Mr. Armageddon and The Suicide Society’s superb cover of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band’s “We Are Normal,” Nathan Hall’s cover of the Bee Gees’ “Please Read Me,” the Alain Pire Experience’s cover of The Beatles’ “Only a Northern Song,” and Crystal Jacqueline’s exquisite reading of Pink Floyd’s “Grantchester Meadows.” But the pièce de resistance of the entire set is The Lemon Clocks’ 17-minute extended psychedelic journey cover of Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Crimson and Clover.” If you were not one of the fortunate few who snagged a copy of The Three Seasons, make absolutely sure that you invest in A Band for All Seasons. FdM has certainly outdone themselves this time."
Kind words, to read Henry's full review, click
HERE
INSPECTOR YOOHOO CALLS / MIRIAM and ROGER
Here's the Lounge Bar Orchestra - a loose group of journeymen musicians who recorded the music of composer Reg Omeroyd for Ousewater Television between 1968 and 1975 (perhaps) - with two tracks from 'Pilot Episodes', the LP that's being released on Fruits de Mer's 'Friends of the Fish' label
Library music, from a library that never quite opened, the LP hit some production difficulties but is now in-stock and available direct from the artists - just click
HERE
MARK McDOWELL 'STARSTREAMER'
and here's a new video to a track taken from Mark's new album, 'Breakthrough'.
The LP is released on Fruits de Mer's sub-label 'Friends of the Fish' and is available now - on lovely blue vinyl - direct from Mark HERE
"THE GREATEST MUSICAL SECRET OF THE 21st CENTURY"
Schizo Fun Addict’s album ‘The Last Wave’, reviewed by Dave Thompson for Goldmine Magazine...this is a joint project between Flicknife Records and Fruits de Mer; Flicknife's CD release has sold out, but you can download the album HERE and Fruits de Mer will have a limited number of copies on vinyl for sale in the summer - but they'll all get snapped up by our club members, for sure (so maybe you should be checking out the members club page and considering joining?)
THE FINAL BOW
Very sad news that The Pretty Things’ Phil May has died.
A great singer, songwriter and frontman, who was still in fine voice after more than 50 years of leading the UK’s finest psych/R&B band.
There’s one more studio album from the band in the can, although seeing them in brilliant form at the O2 in London at the end of 2018 was a great way for me to remember Phil, with Dick Taylor and co.
They happen to be my all-time favourite band, so being able to release some of their music on Fruits de Mer was unbelievable
18th DREAM FESTIVAL POSTPONED TO SUMMER 2021
Much as we all hated to do it, postponing the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival to August 2021 has become our only option as the UK lockdown is being maintained (more or less), thousands of people in the UK continue to pick up the virus, hundreds die every day and the Cellar Bar is not exactly designed for social distancing... Our apologies to everyone who was planning to come along, Pete Bingham is doing his best to keep the 2021 line-up as close to this year's intended line-up as possible - in fact, seven of the bands have already confirmed they'll be there!
There's a bit more background on the FdM website HERE
CD OR NOT CD?
FdM is a vinyl label, so was 'A Band for All Seasons' an aberration? I'd like to think there's room for both, I've had a lots of great feedback to the music and 8LP sets might be seen to be a bit of an extravagance in these difficult times. I have to admit to loving how the CD set came out - thanks to John Hurford and Dale Simpson for the art and design - and I'm looking at two more 'big' projects at the moment that will go down a similar route, if they happen.
So, if it's vinyl-only for you, please bear with me - there'll still be plenty of vinyl releases in the second half of 2020 and, in the end, the music comes first, right?
WHO NEEDS A SIX-STAR REVIEW, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE TWO?
I think Kev Rowland at the Progressor website rather likes the Sunny Spells 7" and 'Band For All Seasons' set, "... sheer joy from the beginning to the very end". We still have a few copies of 'Sunny Spells'in-stock, but the CD set sold out a while ago - his reviews are a bit late arriving, but to be fair, Kev lives in New Zealand and we send everything by pigeon post. Read 'em and weep
HERE and
HERE
PAST IS BEST
Kev also took quite a shine to the Past Tense 7" EP + CD set..."something any lover of great psychedelic rock really needs to track down"; I've sold out but you ought to be able to pick them up from a decent mail order service. Check the reviews out
HERE and
HERE
FREAKZONE
Many thanks to Stuart Maconie for playing Anton Barbeau's version of Donovan's 'Sunshine Superman' - taken from 'A Band For All Seasons' - on BBC 6Music's 'Freakzone. You can check it out HERE
GRAB A GREEN PANDA
I'm down to my last 20 sets - the lesser-spotted green vinyl variety; just saying...
CUSTARD FLUX 'ECHO' - ON SALE NOW
The Custard Flux LP 'Echo' - a Friends of the Fish exclusive - is on sale now from the Custard Flux bandcamp page - but don't take long in ordering - the two-colour vinyl copies are sold out, and there are only a few deep blue ones available
THE SECRETS OF 'TOMMY' REVEALED
Tommy Histon, that is - Andy Bracken's new novel about the ground-breaking musician that no-one has ever heard of (other than Andy) is on sale now via Amazon - but if you're on a Fruits de Mer mailing list, Andy is running a competition to win a free copy; if you already know about this, then you're presumably on one of our mailing-lists; if you didn't, you're not - and maybe you should ...?
I OWE JEFF PENCZAC
many, many thanks to Jeff for a cracking review of 'A Band For All Seasons' for Terrascope...
Jeff heaped praise on many of the artists involved and ended with, "...A Band For All Seasons is an historical and instructive overview of the psychedelic ‘60s heyday some 50 years removed, featuring 21st century approaches to an excellent and eclectic mix of the usual suspects (Cream, Stones, Donovan, Small Faces, Traffic, Yardbirds, et.al.) and beloved underground unknowns (H.P. Lovecraft, July, Simon Dupree, Marc Brierley, Neon Pearl, Kaleidoscope and many others). In fact, a companion 4xCD set of the originals would rival or surpass any Rubbles, Nuggets, Perfumed Garden, or Chocolate Soup For Diabetics box as a definitive overview of what the UK/US psychedelic, acid folk, progressive, garage ‘60s music scene was all about"
After being a bit gutted to get a rather lukewarm review for the set in Shindig!, I really felt that Jeff took the time to get under the skin of the whole project for Terrascope and appreciated the huge amount of work that the 50+ artists involved put into their contributions.
read all about it HERE
A BRIEF RESPITE
For fairly obvious reasons, this isn't the best time to be announcing more releases - shops closed, magazines struggling to get distribution, everyone with more pressing issues to focus on - so we'll be taking a short break until July and we'll then be back with a vengeance (and a double LP). Meanwhile, the FdM SHOP is still very much open for business if you'd like to take a look around....
A BAND FOR ALL SEASONS - THE SEASON HAS ENDED
I've put up the 'sold out' sign at FdM Towers, but you should still be able to get a set from Shiny Beast, Norman Records or Rough Trade
I FEEL FREE
...but it's worn off already.
That said, Canada's Bhopal's Flowers have posted their version of Cream's 'I Feel Free' on youtube - and you can hear the whole track for free (but if you want a physical copy of it, you'll only be able to find it on the 'Band for All Seasons' 4CD set)
BAND FOR ALL SEASONS + LOST STONED PANDAS ...ON SALE NOW
We've now taken delivery of our stocks of 'A Band For All Seasons' and The Lost Stoned Pandas, and all pre-orders that were placed direct with FdM are now in the post. Nick Leese at Heyday and Shiny Beast should receive their supplies before the end of March - ie we're on schedule for once.
We're already sold out of orange vinyl vinyl copies of the Pandas, but we still have a few sets on green vinyl.
We're waiting on a final delivery of 60 'Band For All Seasons' sets, so any new orders will be delayed for a few days, but once they've gone, that's it!
18th DREAM UPDATE
Obviously, the future is uncertain for all events over the next few months, but we're currently all pressing ahead in the hope that, by August, life will be returning to something approaching normality and we'll be able to celebrate with the annual meeting of the clans. We'll keep you posted, meanwhile the FdM goodie-bags are growing by the day!