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And now, almost 5,000 articles, a Miss Black America tour, war of the worlds, Electrelane winning album of 2001, a Biffy Clyro tour, far too much to drink, championing the likes of Kinesis, Engerica, Span, The Rock of Travolta, The Cooper Temple Clause, Oceansize, Jetplane Landing, Gemma Hayes, Aereogramme (and loads more!!); and TWO YEARS on, we're still here, grinning, getting around half a million page impressions a month, 1,000 users signed up, no marketing money spent yet (mostly cus we've not had any money!), with all sorts of new-fangled technology all over the website. This seems like an ideal opportunity for a bit of a speech from Sean Adams…
...I'd like to firstly thank all the staff - especially the wonderful Matt our designer - who've volunteered their time and knowledge; all bands who've played at our gigs, been interviewed by us, helped to spread the word; all the labels and pr's for their support with tickets, promo's and putting up with the chaos of one man contacting 60 writers via a virtual office. THANK YOU for reading this site. Without a community around the site and readers who are as passionate as our writers, we're nothing. I'd also like to thank Ian Grenfell from Silentway who've invested a small amount of money in the newly formed Drowned in Sound Limited to keep us afloat and begin marketing. Thanks to Steve Zapp (full-time music junkie and booking agent for the Cooper Temple Clause, Biffy Clyro..) for giving me a job when i needed money to eat! Big thank you to our lawyer Penny Ganz and to the very special man that is Simon Scott for his help, support and positive imput over the past year. Thanks to Adie Nunn, Tim Perry and all the staff at the Windmill for having us and making our "noisy Wednesdays" possible! Thanks to Tony Willson and the people at In the City for allowing me to voice my opinions on their panels a few weeks back. To my mum and family for putting up with me and to anyone who's been bored by my endless excited jabbering about music or felt my wrath, affection or too-many-southern-comforted-ness...
So, what will the next year bring?
We're planning several things. Firstly, the users area is going to be improved with an mp3 downloads club, a messenger service, special user discounts, user-only events and alsorts of other coolness. A record label is being set-up as we speak so we can start a singles club, release compilations and maybe get some of the bands who're going un-noticed into the studio and unleash very special albums, maybe license some bands from abroad and stuff like that too. We're planning to do a big of an awards doo. Some bigger gigs, alldayers and tours! Launch dis showcase nights in other cities. To actually do this bleeding magazine that was meant to of hit the streets at the start of September but due being busy, the troubles with advertising for a first issue of a magazine (otherwise it costs us too much to do it!) and wot not, it ain't out yet. But it will be. Oh yes! And it may even be a lot broader than just music (kinda like a gender-less, proactive, slightly political, version of Dazed, Elle or Loaded..) Obviously we're gonna keep on doing what works, add a few new features to the site and over the next week or so we're slowly introducing a new design to the site. We hope you like it. If you have any suggestions or wanna get involved in any way drop us a mail.
That's it. Two years down. Line the rest up, we're more ready than ever… oh and come spill a beer with us on Thursday @ the LSE, London for a dis-approved, oxford-flavoured show with The Rock of Travolta, Meanwhile Back in Communist Russia and Dustball. Or at the Kerrang! Weekender this weekend at Camber Sands. Ouch too much drunkeness - no change there then!
Byeeee!
Sean
The Bossman
