October/November 2001: Oops! Is it October already? Summer goes so fast these days. Blink and you miss it…Oh dear, we had such high hopes of bi-monthly updates for the Lovejoy website, and here we are, slipping into a quarterly pattern without even the slightest effort. 'Must try harder', as my old school reports used to say. And I thought my teachers never understood me…
Oh well… Time seems to fly in the heady world of pop, even if all is peaceful and not very much is happening, which briefly explains why there hasn't been an update of late. You see it has been fairly quiet of late at Lovejoy HQ, but in a way this is good, as we've been able to write some new songs and also spend more time outside enjoying the summer weather. But as we reach the tail end of summer, and the leaves are starting to turn, things are getting busier all the time…
First up is news of a brand new single: 'Lovejoy plays the hits of Biff Bang Pow!' IS finally available, having been subject to an endless variety of delays ranging from dodgy test pressings, to no one at the music publishing company being interested enough in licensing the Biff Bang Pow! back catalogue to actually do something about it ( I suppose if your biggest fish to fry are Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney et al, then you're hardly going to spend too much time on the 'sad old indie bands that no one ever listens to anymore' section of your international music biz portfolio). Anyway despite all the moaning, the record is out now. And it's on 7" only - Punk Rock! And the first 500 are on glorious red vinyl. Whoopee!
It's available through all the usual agents, mail orders, web sites etc… but if you do have trouble getting hold of a copy, contact Matinée or Lovejoy.
Actually, despite all the hold ups, we're really proud of the new record and we hope a lot of people get to hear it. Even if it only reignites an old interest in Creation and gets people to dust down their aging LPs and singles, or perhaps sparks an interest in newer (younger) pop fans, who aren't familiar with the label, then we will consider it a job well done. As a farewell and tribute to the passing of Creation, we wanted our versions of the songs [The Beat Hotel and Hug Me Honey] do justice to the originals, and hopefully they will serve to remind people just how good Biff Bang Pow! were at doing what they did.
Unbelievably, there is also news regarding another Lovejoy release, our first that doesn't appear on Matinée Recordings. The song 'Live Alone Forever' from the 'Songs in the key of Lovejoy' CD is featured on the 'Red Roses For Me' label's debut release, a 15 track compilation CD entitled 'A boy, a girl, and a rendezvous.' I'm not sure exactly how you can get hold of this, other than by suggesting you visit their website. The compilation features such bands as The Windmills, Aberdeen, The Sugargliders, White Town, The Aislers Set and The Lucksmiths amongst others.
The other very exciting news is that by the time you read this Lovejoy will have begun recording songs for a new LP entitled 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' to be released by Matinee. There is a slightly darker feel to this album, probably as we've chosen to record it in a windowless basement in Hove rather than the sunny barn in Oxfordshire that we've used in the past… The recording is likely to continue for a while yet, so it's unlikely to come out this side of Christmas, but there should be more details on the next (bi-monthly) update.
Important note: Anyone who has recently written to Lovejoy, Snowbound, Beaumont (whose new single 'Discotheque a la carte' is out now on Siesta), The Snowdrops, or any of their members at our PO Box in Brighton may not have had any reply, for which we apologise but stubbornly take no responsibility because the fault lies not with us but elsewhere. We are sorry, but it seems that a communications company as big as whoever it is that now runs our postal service, is mysteriously unable to communicate with the small fry that run snowbound international pop club. The PO box is temporarily unavailable, so the only way to contact us directly is via our email address: snowboundipc@yahoo.co.uk. We will try and rectify this situation ASAP. In the meantime, let us know if you wrote to us and didn't receive any response.
Finally, Dick and Keith are enjoying an extended summer break from DJing in Brighton, and are gradually working up to developing their long promised electronic version of the snowbound international pop club fanzine. Oh, and look out for a 7" single out soon on Matinee by a band called The Snowdrops…
Until next time....
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