Happy Second Birthday

Have two years past since the birth of SlowdiveMusic Blog? This year posed its own problems and growing pains; from sadly parting with collaborators to personal obstacles making it impossible to be consistent for two months, I have truly learned how difficult running a blog can be. But it at this point that I need to pause and thank everyone who has and continues to read these pages and has supported SlowdiveMusic Blog.

There are many things I enjoy about running this blog, but I have to admit that reaching out to bands for interviews is one of my favorites. It is never a random process, they are always artists that intrigued me, made me scratch my head, and/or whose music / craft I admire. Of course not everyone accepts the request for an interview, but those that do really make my day! So I need to take a moment to personally thank the artists who took the time to Answer 5: Baddies, Fossil Collective, JB, Microfilm, My Luminaries, New Concept, Northern Portrait, Orphan Boy, The Silent League, Sudden Death Over Time, Via Audio, Viking Dress, VV Brown, Windy City Gentleman, and Young Michelin.

Massive thanks to The Android Angel for being the first to sit down with “Mirage” and film an interview (any other takers?).

And of course to Steve Moore and his band The Unravelling. Though indie proliferates through these pages (I can only image what Moore thinks about some of these bands!), The Unravelling, an amazing progressive metal band, not only agreed to interviews, but also has supported the blog. My thanks to them over the past two years is immense, and I would like to give them a small warning: when our paths cross, I do plan to put you in front of a camera and film an interview!

And before I carry on, there are four others I need to thank. First, DJ Chauncey D – you keep me on my toes about music! Second, Charlie Vazquez – your consistency and passion inspire me. Third, The Candyman – thanks for making me remember tons of great music I had not thought about in years. And of course, Mirage – thanks for sticking around and investing your free time on the blog.

Last year at this time, there was one video I really wanted to share with everyone, but it was no longer available. As I have stated before, when I decided to start my own blog, I wanted the name of the blog to represent musical history; I wanted the name of the blog to reflect my own discovery of music. I think that many people expected me to name the blog somehow after The Cure, which continues to be my favorite band of all time. But, oh how wrong they were!



[Siouxsie and the Banshee’s “Slowdive” from their YouTube Channel: bansheesofficial.]

Inspired by the above song, Siouxsie and the Banshees were one of those bands that really helped define a generation of musicians and my own musical tastes; from punk to post-punk, from helping to lay down what would be goth rock and “alternative,” if ever a band existed that deserved much more credit than it got, it was Siouxsie and the Banshees. And their music continues to speak to a new generation, but that is thing about all great music: it is timeless.



[The Cure’s “Primary” from TheCureVEVO Channel.]

So as a new year starts to unfurl, I am thinking of how the blog is going to grow; I am not going to make predictions, though I am more than considering a few things. One thing for sure is that I don’t want to plan it to death; I think that things work out best when things are allowed to happen naturally and on their own. But some things will never change: Tuesday reviews of new music (as long as there is a release we can’t resist), videos twice a month, a strong quality of writing, official links and embeds, and no unauthorized downloads. I continue to want to be a legitimate site, with credibility that will allow artists to be comfortable to want to accept an interview and share their own music when they like, which a few have in the past. I guess I continue to use the word “journalism” in what I do, and for that reason I am really considering for the first time writing a few pieces on a few things I really do not like, for the sake of balance. (It is only a consideration at this point, and one that is more likely to follow the format of an editorial than a review.)



[Erasure’s “Ship of Fools” from the MuteChannel YouTube Channel.]

Here are two conventions that we use at the blog quite often. As of 9 October 2009, when there is blue colored text before the post, it is simply a bit of editorializing or a personal message to someone out there. When there is red text before the post, usually thanking an artist for keeping us in the loop, it means that something (usually music) has crossed from one hand to another. It is all in line with legal disclosure laws; any reader has the right to know when this or any blog (or any media outlet of any sort) has directly received anything for review. I want to state that we have chosen not to review items that we received, as neither a collaborator nor I could stand by the product. So if we reviewed it, we liked it … period.


Parklife

Blur | Myspace Music Videos

[Blur’s “Parklife” from their MySpace Videos Page.]

Two of the things I really want to devote more time to this year are a few more retrospective and genre posts. Retrospective are single album reviews of important albums in a band’s discography that is at least ten years old (hint, a specific sophomore album hits the ten year mark on 17 July 2011). Genre posts surround one genre of music and five albums, and I have been working on a darkwave (which includes my favorite Dutch band of all time) that I have not yet finished but will find the time. But there are tons of genres out there that never get covered properly, such as Electroclash, Electronic Body Music, Glam Punk, Intelligent Dance Music, and Synthrock.


Everything Counts

Depeche Mode | Myspace Video

[Depeche Mode’s “Everything Counts” from their MySpace Video Page.]

Suggestions are always welcomed. If you have an idea, a band, a suggestion, or a topic you would like us to cover, leave a comment here or any of our sites (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube). We will definitely consider, as we have in the past, any suggestions. Recently, I got a good suggestion from a reader who said that we should include iTunes links, especially when there are no videos to share. Not that we favor iTunes over another vendor, but their platform allows you to preview the songs; it was a brilliant suggestion that we have started to incorporate.


Hysteria

MUSE | Myspace Video

[Muse’s “Hysteria” from their MySpace Videos Page.]

In case you are wondering why these videos, as there is always reason behind my madness, it is quite simple. Other than the first one, which I could not post last year, these are singles from band’s third albums. Somewhere inside my crazy mind I thought “third year of the blog” worked nicely with “third albums of bands.”



[Eurythmics’ “Here Comes The Rain Again” from the EurythmicsVEVO YouTube Channel.]

On that note, I would like to say once again thank you for the support!