M4tr blog

This Window are now available from 7digital - preview the latest tracks on the player above

‘Marriage and Other Games’ has been listed in the final top 20 for a literary award. A starting list of 158 novels, from twenty-four publishers, were submitted for the first round of judging and on the 14th of December 2010 the Romantic Novelists’ Association published the ‘longlist’ of authors who are nominated for the ‘Romantic Novel of the Year Award’ for 2010. 2010 is also the Association’s Golden Anniversary year. Below is a section of their announcement.

‘The long list of twenty novels, announced today, includes an impressive selection of best sellers, among them Erica James, Veronica Henry, Santa Montefiore, Katie Flynn and Sarah Duncan. They share the list with some exciting new names in romantic fiction, and the only male to make the long list, Nicholas Sparks…’ The full list can be seen here.

Marriage And Other Games Dowload ‘Fallen Angel’ by Veronica Henry

When girl-about-town Charlotte discovers her husband has been arrested for fraud, she flees to the wilds of Exmoor to nurse her broken heart. Yet despite the slower pace of life, she finds she’s not the only person whose life is in turmoil. There’s Sebastian, bad boy of the British art scene, determined to drink the local pub dry while his wife lives it up in London. Then Fitch, who married the high-spirited Hayley thinking he would find wedded bliss, but is struggling to keep up with her outrageous demands. And finally Penny, recently divorced and quietly determined to have more fun second time around - but who with? As Charlotte adapts to a life without LK Bennett and Starbucks on the doorstep, she turns to her newfound friends for advice. Can she find it in her heart to forgive her husband for what he did? And if she does, will it be too late? ‘With bags of style, they are young members of the middle class have-it-all clan.’ Christine Williams (Daily Express) read more…

Veronica Henry

Two tracks recorded by Veronica Henry in the 1980’s have been released by M4tr Productions is available for download from all major Internet stores. “Fallen Angel” and “Memories” were recorded on domestic analogue recording equipment and give a unique glimpse into a very creative mind.

Here is the link to the original article: Playlist 7 - The solution to illegal downloading?

During the Summer of 2009, Windows and ReverbNation created a strategic alliance that enabled independent musicians and artists to give away their music for free - but be paid by sponsorship of these songs. This was a radical ‘win win’ business proposal - the sponsor, Windows, were able to embed advertising into the graphic (cover artwork) of the downloadable mp3 and the artist was paid. The payment per download to the artist was low in comparison to iTunes, Amazon etc. but the value in exposure, reaching a larger market, was generous compensation. These participating artists have been given the opportunity to let their ‘Sponsored Song’ continue as a free download in a new archive as part of a new initiative called “Playlist 7”

“Playlist 7” is again a joint marketing venture between Windows and ReverbNation but this version of the same idea has a few twists. In principal it follows the same methodology, giving away a pool of free music to whoever is interested. Fans, friends and followers on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter of Windows have special access to a weekly pool of 50 new ‘Featured Artists’ to sample. Fans can download up to 7 of these songs free, and those downloads help decide which artists’ songs will be available for everyone to download the following week.

Reverbnation have without doubt the best tools and philosophy of all the music ‘fan site’ websites out there in webland and this partnership with Windows is a true contender to take over the crown in the download wars. This maybe embryonic but this could be the business model that knocks iTunes et al off the top of the ladder and enables the consumer to have free music. This strategy could be indirectly the solution to illegal downloading.

TW

This program is a shot in the arm for the independent artist and could maybe enable everybody to make an honest living!

The democracy of the Internet has again proven that there are alternatives to monopolies and that the day of the large record company is finally over.

Veronica Henry is better known as an author and TV script writer, her work is available all over the world and has been translated into several languages. The tracks on the player include,”Fallen Angel” and “Memories” which were recorded on domestic analogue recording equipment in the 1980’s and give a unique glimpse into a very creative and perhaps dark mind.

She was expelled from school and was asked to leave University - she spent too much time DJing in a Bristol nightclub, which was described by ‘The Face’ (a 1980’s glossy magazine) as one of the best venues outside London.

Don Campau interview on SystemCulture by This Window

* You also host a (fantastic) radio show (”No Pigeonholes”) how did you get started in this?

I started in non commercial radio in 1971. My friend, Geoff Alexander, had a radio show even when in high school and he brought me in for an interview and I became intrigued by this type of freeform expression. Soon afterward, Lorenzo W. Milam, bought this station ( KTAO in Los Gatos CA) and became a lifelong mentor influencing me ( and many others) with his vast knowledge of literature, music and personal relations. My KTAO experience ran from 1971-4 ( the station was sold), continued for a very short time at KUSP in Santa Cruz ( I was fired for being too esoteric) and then in 1978 my show at KKUP in Cupertino began. For a few years I did a program of avant garde, punk, jazz and ethnic music. Then in 1985 when I got enough home tapes, I started the “No Pigeonholes” format which continues today.

* Do you think the future of the Independent Artist is assured or do you think the best times have gone?

Well, I think “independent” means something different today. In the 70s and 80s it meant totally underground and almost unobtainable. One had to search it out at libraries, record stores and through rare mentions in small publications. There really was no such thing as independent rock bands then. Of course the landscape has changed dramatically now. Almost everyone calls themselves independent now. The distinction seems to be the fact that almost no band gets signed to a major label anymore. And major labels themselves are dinosaurs on the brink of extinction. I think Facebook, MySpace and all the other social networking sites have been a godsend for artists. It is easy to connect now. However, I have seen a trend of what I call “one way” communication these days. For example, I get quite a few emails now ( many times sent to dozens of other people) of “here’s my mp3s, play them on your show, no time to ask you how you are ( my words here)”. I can understand people trying to spread the word of their art but how about at least a small dose of civility and caring toward others?

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