February/March 2001:   Welcome to the Lovejoy website, and the first update of this new millennium! We seem to have missed out January on the way, but it's a bit of a quiet month really, isn't it? Anyway, we were all out enjoying ourselves away from the world of pop music. I'm sure no one really noticed, let alone cared. At least I hope not. That would be rather worrying.

So what's new? Well the first really exciting piece of news involves the forthcoming release of a brand spanking new Lovejoy 7" single. This time its a two song acoustic affair, featuring covers of the Biff Bang Pow! songs, 'Hug Me Honey' and 'The Beat Hotel'. The first song features Keith's debut lead vocal on a Lovejoy record, and the second one features the voices of Dick and Ally. The record might be out around April time (possibly before) depending on how quickly we manage to get the sleeve designs to Jimmy. Check here or at the Matinée site for more details at the time.

But why release a single with two cover versions on it? Well, the sleeve notes attempt to explain this, but briefly and simply, the songs are excellent, and in our own small and humble way we also wanted to do something to acknowledge the passing of Creation records. And after the full on production and layered guitars of 'I Dream of Angels', we thought it would be good to make a pop record which sounds just as powerful, only in a more subtle way.

Actually, if things go to plan (which, lets face it they rarely do, but we live in hope anyway) this will be the first of several Lovejoy releases this year. There should be a couple of songs coming out on compilations here and there, and in a few months we should begin recording some brand new songs… possibly for a mini album and maybe even another single. We'll post details nearer the time. There should also be some news on another new musical project for Matinée in the near future.

Unbelievably, the last single, 'A Christmas Wish' EP, has still only been out for a few weeks. It's been very well received, and despite being a Christmas record, it's still the best record Lovejoy has released so far. Like our previous releases ('A Taste of the High Life' 7", and 'Songs in the Key of Lovejoy' CD) it's still available (contact us or Matinée for details). Apparently it's in rather limited supply, so don't hang around…

Elsewhere, Dick and Keith are busy writing a new Snowbound fanzine, and still DJing under the name 'Crepescule' in Brighton, with more DJing further afield coming up soon in London (late January) with Pam Berry, probably at the Chapel in Islington, where Lovejoy played in November as part of the Matinée Pop Spectacular. Contact Snowbound for details. The Snowbound Empire is growing very slowly and very shambolically (and in all honesty is probably best avoided). When the new fanzine is out, we plan to develop an electronic version, plus there are plans to actually release some music this year, but don't hold your breath as like many of our plans, the best this one can hope for is to be substantially delayed… At this stage we need to apologise to Jimmy for not even getting our catalogue numbers right. Again. Finally, Beaumont are recording a fine new single for Siesta Records, and some acoustic live dates for Lovejoy are being talked about, possibly to coincide with the release of the new single, although equally possibly not. Phew.

That's about all for this time, there should be more news again in March / April or thereabouts.

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