A very quick midweek Hello. A few exciting things to announce, a couple of things to remind you about and the usual attempts to get you to renew or join. You know the score!
Let's start with a few LP reveals, updates and what not. This all has a very Jason Shaw flavour as the Fairlie Wizard has had a sizeable hand in all of them.
Those of you lucky enough to attend either Steven Lindsay at The Poetry Club or Mull Historical Society at LNFG Towers would have likely enjoyed their first introduction to the sublime talent that is Vickie Paxton. Well, many of you were asking, so let it be known.
We will bring you the brand new album in February 2027 and the album is available to pre-order now on two shades of beautiful signed vinyl.
Vickie will be performing songs at The Glad Cafe on 20th September, tickets will b available from LNFG shortly!
A couple of weeks ago we subtly alluded to the fact that Stu Kidd would have a brand new album in May 2027, we also subtly slipped this into the shop for pre-order and I guess we were far too subtle. So let me be more bold.
This is a stunning study in the art of songwriting, a couple of LNFG artists have heard the finished mix - with one proclaiming - "It's Like Fucking Harry Nillson"
I've know Stu from a far for as long as LNFG has been a thing, I first became aware of him when his band The Wellgreen played a show (somewhere) with another band I loved JR Green. Then I spotted him in Joe McAlindens "Linden" outfit. Then there was time with the BMX Bandits and then, on and off our paths would cross. I first booked Stu to play support for The Gracious Losers in 2021. In 2024 he turned up as guitarist on The Soup Dragons tour. I met him backstage - he was simply delighted. From Guitarist with The Soup Dragons to this year playing Drums and Backing Vocals with Friends Again - let that sink in ...
It was at the Friends Again after party that Stu and I finally spoke properly.
"When are you going to make an album ?" I asked!
"As soon as I can find the time and the person who can pull the ideas from my head!" He replied.
"If I had the guy and booked the space - fancy making an album for us?!
And so it is that Stu and Jason spent a few weeks in Ayrshire in the summer making - what I think will be the closest we ever to get to the majesty of Paul McCartney's Ram!
Let's circle the square shall we? The "Harry Nilson" comment was uttered by none other than the infectious ball of energy that is Charlie Clark, his album (also produced by Mr Shaw) is out in about a months time.
If Stu's album is Ram then Charlie's is Transformer!
Let's make it a tidy 4 shall we. On Saturday past Charlie shared a joint headline with young hopefuls Bogle! Their debut vinyl record will be out in the autumn.
4 Totally different LPs, 4 magical albums, all recorded in the best part of the best county in Scotland! Do yourselves a favour and grab at least one of them tonight. If you do, we will stick something nice in your parcel!
Our own Charlie and I had a long chat today concerning plans for 2027. The most exciting is our intention to really try and maximise the potential for events. Over the next couple of months we will soft launch some ideas, perhaps the most fun being our idea to have Ticket & Taco nights in partnerhsip with our new friends in the Lane. A Wednesday Night early evening gig with dinner and a drink, home by 9.30. We plan to host 52 a year but lets try for the one or two this year as a tester.
You can see how hard we work to bring you albums we think you will love, why not return the compliment and buy a membership. Some of them are stupidly inexpensive!
You can still seek 4 installments if you ask before the end of this week. We have only 11 Unobtanium Slots left for 2027.
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It's been a chunky week for sure.
Life at the Towers has been rather challenging of late, our inability to catch a reasonable sleep has made much of the working week more difficult than normal, stress levels have been high, patience very low. Probably not the best time to run 3 double headline shows at a new venue.
That said, we were never meant to be running three shows, we were simply meant to be providing the acts for a series of shows promoted and managed elsewhere, when that programme fell through, we could have pulled the plug and made life easier for ourselves but that's not our style. So we moved from No Hire Cost and a level of guaranteed income to around £1000 of Hire Costs, £300 Backline Costs and a couple of thousand pounds worth of artist payments. Not the most comfortable position to find yourselves in.
We explained much of this in last weeks email when we cajoled many of you into coming. As it happens nearly 400 of you turned up in the end and by all accounts had a marvellous time. Thanks to everyone who played and special thanks to Billy Reeves for coming all the way from Staines and to James King and His Lonewolves for stepping in and killing it on Friday.
I think the venue - which needs a little work - could prove to be a really good addition to the local scene. We are very keen to explore a long term relationship. You have to love a ground floor load in!
A few things occurred to me, though, in the run up.
I've mentioned this before, I'm sure. What is the obsession with telling people stage times. We have always been dead against it. Why? Because we are going to the trouble of paying a support artist or, in this case, joint headliners. So from our perspective, tell folks when it begins and when it ends. They really do not need to know what time they can turn up and barge past folks who were actually wanting to see the opening act. I understand an opening artist wanting their fans to know when they might play but there really is no need to publish headline stage times, it simply encourages folks to be disrespectful. Tell folks when the doors open and when they close and let them work out the rest, they are adults - it shouldn't be tricky :)
Secondly - why are folks so scared to ask people to buy tickets? It's not just artists, we have the problem in LNFG also. I'll send a staff email telling someone to push concert tickets and they will respond with a 20 minute redesign of an existing advert. When what I meant was- "email Kenny or email Brian and tell them to buy a fecking ticket"
I end up fielding ridiculous discussions about obstacles rather than actually seeking solutions.
"Oh I think we would sell more Brontes tickets if the venue info was more bold and the poster had a different font!"
"Do you now? - I think we would sell more Brontes tickets if we asked more people to buy Brontes tickets"
"let me spend three weeks making sure the depth pespective of the poster photograph perfectly resonates with my artistic vision"
"How about you spend three weeks emailing everyone you know saying that they need to come to your show or the promoters won't put you on again"
The let's find something to distract us rather than let's find a solution way of life. Nothing is more infuriating than time wasted on such stuff.
I use this analogy a lot when describing this pretence. I was always great - as a kid - at designing beautiful study rotas, I could spend all my bloody study time drawing charts, did I ever lift a book and study for an exam, once - nope!
You can draw as many nice posters, make as many fabulous gifs as you like but nothing is more effective than saying "Hey Jane - you said you were coming, have you bought that ticket yet?"
Be honest about the numbers, why sugar coat the harsh reality of gigging these days.
I know of one artist famed for the bullshit success story. Tickets were selling "so fast" for a headline in Leeds that noone bothered buying any and they played to 3 people!
Anyway I'm sure you'd rather hear about some new releases so lets do just that.
In late summer 2027 we will bring you the brand new album from Montjuic. Why are we telling you this now? Well because we have an extra special variant available - a mere 25 of them and you might want to know.
In 4 weeks time Valerie and The Week Of Wonders will play a small stripped back set and sign copies of their album at a Big Blue instore. Signed Pre-Orders will ship after this event and you can secure yourself your own signed copy by ordering before then. Full details will land in the next newsletter.
We took delivery of Davey Woodward's marvellous new album The Bristolian this week. If you are quick you can snare yourself a signed copy of this also. A mere 4 or 5 remain.
2027 LNFG Membership Pricing will take effect from September, so if you want to snare renewal at 2026 prices, best jump in the next few days. You can also still secure 4 installments but this facility will disappear at month end. Simply hit the early bird button below. Only 11 Unobtanium Slots remain for 2027
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Have a Gig on Us!
We (and many other promoters) have been talking a lot lately about how hard it is to pull audiences for smaller shows. For many promoters and venues this is a life or death of the gig issue. We are a little more fortunate, the commercial viability of a show is not the be all and end all of things.
That said ... Noone wants to lose money. That said ... If we are going to lose money, id rather lose money and have a full house. So with this in mind, we bring you tonight's offer.
If you buy a ticket for Thursday Nights show with F.O. Machete / Billy Reeves or Saturday Nights show with Bogle / Charlie Clark - we will refund the ticket value as a gift card. Once you have attended of course :) So basically is a free ticket (or as many as you want) on us!
We will extend this offer to Brontes shows in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester. London is sold out but if there's fifty folks who fancy a Matinée - we could be convinced to run a second :)
We are not offering free / gift refunds on Friday Nights Sister John / James King show but if you have a ticket and would like to bring a pal - we were happy offering you a guest pass.
Our facility to act in this manner, our capacity to underwrite losses, our ability to direct merchandise and income to artists is an immediate and direct result of our Patronage. I say this a lot too.
Over 20,000 names are on this mailing list, around 9,000 of you will read it and around 8,000 of those (So 88% of you) will think - No I don't want support this company, I just want to get the things I want.
Well allow me to say that if it werent for the 1000 people who put others first, none of you would be able to get those things you want.
£5 a month means we are able to underwrite massive losses and still pay fees to 4 bands whilst ensuring a terrific event takes place.
£8 a month and we will throw in 6 LPs for you
Jesus for £30 a month we will send you two LPs a month all year.
Members also get to bring a pal / loved one / sworn enemy to this beauty
This One Goes Up To Eleven - 30.04.27
On April 30th 2027 we will celebrate our 11th Birthday
Performances from Quad 90, F.O. Macehete and a headline performance from The Anchoress.
The event will take place at Cottiers Theatre and will be hosted by Mull Historical Society
LNFG Members can claim 1 free ticket when buying 1 ticket
20
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EWCH YMLAEN DY HUN
If you have to explain a joke ...... Hearty congratulations to Catherine Anne Davies securing her first ever number 1 album. Massive kudos must go to our fellow Scots for recognising actual talent and buying the album in bucketloads. This might be a good time to tell you all that she will headline our 11th Birthday Party in April. Catherine will share the stage with F.O. Machete and Quad 90, and the whole event will be hosted by Mull Historical Society.
Last night Steven Lindsay took to the stage at Glasgow's Poetry Club and delighted an enthralled sold out audience with songs from his recently released Chords and Colours LP. We held back a few rare variants of the album for this show and are delighted to make these available on the link below.
We are thrilled to be releasing the brand new album from multi instrumentalist and general all round top bloke Stu Kidd. Stu will be behind the drums and providing backing vocals tomorrow night as Friends Again take to the stage at Kelvingrove's Bandstand. You may also have heard Stu playing live ovr the last year or so with The Soup Dragons, or perhaps you know him from BMX Bandits or The Well Green. Stu's album will be released in May 2027, shipping in March 2027 - it is available to order now. It is an absolute pearler of an album!
Tom Donnelly is also back, The Close Lobsters axe man brings us the fourth volume of motorik landscapes, we will release this on CD later this year and next year will bring you a very limited edition LP featuring the best tracks from his 4 solo albums to date. You can sneak an early vinyl pre-order above.
And Finally - quite a few exciting new releases coming and don't forget - buy 3 and claim a free LNFG release:
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I had intended this being a very straightforward email, give a big push on The Anchoress, let everyone know what albums have just landed, maybe try and nudge some of you into a membership, you know the usual stuff, However as we walked home, readying ourselves for a night of chart reporting, our 10 month old Sprocker Midge decided to snap her ankle in two, attempting a 360 mid air manouvre which would have scored 6.0 at the winter olympics. It must be a Smith curse ... Two weeks after we picked up Midge, Bennett grew himself a 3kg Tumour, Two weeks after we pick up Cus, Midge fractures her ankle. Anyway, now that is out of the way ...
Did you know we had released the new album from The Anchoress on Friday, did you know it was jostling for serious chart positions, would you like to help?
The Anchoress - As We Once Were - Vinyl LP / CD / Cassette / Lossless DL
We had thought of running a CD giveaway but you can't report gifts, so we have had to have a rethink on that front. If you visit the link above, you'll find the CD available to buy for a reduced fee, this special variant also attracts free UK shipping. This means, you could send someone you love or someone you moderately like a copy of the album, they would thank you - for it is wonderful, it will cost less than one of those Matcha things the kids like and you might help Catherine up the charts.
All three of these beauties landed yesterday, on a pallet, from Seabass. Tomorrow we hope to pick up these beauties ...
Finally, we have had to make a change to our line up for next weeks Art School shows. Milltown Brothers have pulled out, replaced with local legends James King and the Lonewolves.. The usual story goes here, small gigs struggle to make money, we really need you to get behind our shows. At a time when one prominent Glasgow Venue and Promoter is finally having its money grubbing arse handed to them on a plate, there are some of us trying to make it possible for bands to play decent shows.
An average customer at the afforementioned venue will pay say £15 for a ticket plus £20 at the bar and the average band will be lucky to see £3 per ticket. They will be expected to do all the promo and if they manage to sell 100 tickets at full price, they might, just might pocket £300. The venue who do pretty much nothing at all to promote, will grab £12 and all the bar revenue.
Whereas ....
We have assured each band of a £500, this means that each member of a 5 piece band gets £100. Hardly a huge sum for 5 hours or work and expenses. It means we have committed £3000 in fees plus over £1000 in Hire Fees and £400 on Back Line. Before we start we are £4400 in the red, with tickets at £15, we need to sell 120 tickets per show to break even. (Don't forget we lose 20% VAT on every ticket)
So - please buy a ticket - you will fin all of our events HERE
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According to our records, you have not opened and email from us in over 4 weeks. We wanted to check you still wished to remain on our mailing list, and the best way to do that is to send you something that might make you engage. So here is - just for today a 50% off code to be used against any of our releases.
Use Code - I'mStillHere - to claim the discount at checkout!
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I'm writing this whilst sipping my first coffee, caught in an almost perpetual bewildered yawn. Trying to fathom the chaos of the last working week.
At one pint yesterday I actually considered renting a fourth premises because we were so short of space, the 4.00pm Royal Mail collection and 4.30 phone call to tell me the third pallet of the week would be delayed until Monday brought some temporary relief.
We had set aside some Beer and Wine for our Royal Mail fella because we had probably bagged close to a ton of records and cds, we reckoned he deserved the thank you. We saw him pull up, we began carrying the first sacks to his van, we watched as he sat in his van, waiting for us to do all the manual labour, we even loaded them into his van. The thank you note was destroyed, the beer and wine was then distributed, where it mattered, to the staff doing all the work.
There is something curious about LNFG, you can bet your bottom dollar that when we announce that we are cripplingly busy, that's the very thing that will prompt a member to think, ach I'll pop in for a pick up. Now, we are always delighted to see the vast vast majority of our members, we are especially delighted to see those who understand when we groan at their arrival. It does mean we love you, unless of course we actually are groaning in which case ....
Yesterday was no different, 7 members of staff, hard at it without a break for the entire day and endless procession of visitors and customers and then ... Jerry Burns popped in. Jerry's Brother Gerard had already been in on Wednesday for an album chat (Valerie and the Week of Wonders) If you don't know Jerry, let me say she is an absolute delight and probably one of only a handful of people whom - even on the busiest day of our 10 year history - we were happy to see. Jerry is the type of person who would bring a costume change on a dog walk, her eneergy is infectuous and it's likely that the tag team chat we had going was the only thing that saved us from a complete melt down.
Did I also mention that we are breaking in a new pup this week ...
Now I mention this really as a precursor to another short story, in one moment, when Ash and I were chatting with Jerry, everyone else was either in our shop, warehouse or in between the two. We were discussing the crazy emails and phone calls we get, when Ash said something that made me sit bolt up right - "WHAT?" "Aye" she says "Twice when you were in Norway" As each member of the staff returned breifly to the office I would ask them "Did you know this?" "Each would say - "oh yeah I was here when they called" My increduality knew no bounds, I could neither believe it had happened - TWICE nor could i grasp that I was last to know ... Twice, I repeat Twice, when Julia and I were in Norway, folks phoned up asking to buy ..... our dogs!
"I'm phoning about the springer spaniel puppy on your website"
The LNFG Unobtanium Puppy Plan, one different puppy delivered to your door every month for 12 months.
Anway - in other news, actual label news - Steven Lindsay was prevented from securing his first ever number 1 album by someone called Ariana Grande, apparently she is quite popular. We shipped over 900 units of Anchoress LPs and CDs and Cassettes yesterday.
On Monday, our delayed pallet of albums lands - Billy Reeves, Paul Leonard Morgan and Len Pennie, I Will Take You Hunting, and Valerie and The Week of Wonders should all hit the shelves by Tuesday.
Later this week we will reveal the line up for our 11th Birthday Party in April 2027. Finally, we have fewer than 20 Unobtanium Memberships left for sale, These are definitievly capped this year so if you hold one and have not renewed it yet, or fancy grabbing one, I urge you to tell us you want to keep your space or make a deposit payment pretty quickly.
Puppy not included but please click the image of Bennett if you want instalments
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