Criminal Recordz Diary

Apart from this one...

2006-10-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

Just in case there are any of you out there still, who may have been living in the tora bora mountians or Norfolk for that matter ;-)

Our main site shop, forum and blog are online now at

www.criminalrecordz.com

www.criminalrecordz.com/forum/index.php

www.criminalrecordz.com/BLOG

www.criminalrecordz.com/shop

A special note to the forum, it is a collaborative work of pure genius!

no more soon...

This is most definately the last post...

2006-09-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Howdy all, just a quicky to let you know the site is up and running - its pretty basic right now - in so far as the shop wont be online for a week or two yet. But we have a nice sparkly new blog and a forum, along with some pretty pictures and of course Nineee's video. I am sure the look of it will change a fair bit as we go along, just as the myspace pages developed over time.

So good by blogger.com and hello www.criminalrecordz.com - i'll keep the diary going on there after I had several letters saying they would slit their wrists with cucumbers if it ended. ;-)

Its been fun living on here for the past few months , but am looking forward to stretching my legs on the new site.

Oh and one more thing - A HUGE WELL DONE TO THE LEGENDS , REVOLUTION 74!! Who wiped the opposition off the surface of the planet last night on BBC Southern counties radio! There are links on our site for edits of this show and other radio highlights :-)

So till next time and oh and thanks for all the sting rays - I won't take it personally, I'll just whip up a tasty batter ;-)

Trust vs Faith...

2006-09-03T03:24:00.000-07:00

I had a feeling things were not gonna be easy this week and as I predicted in the last entry the completion and uploading of the site has not gone according to plan. Our designer is still attempting to resolve some issues with the main crux of the site.

Whilst this may not matter in the long run, I believe that a deadline is a dead line - not a floating point to meander across. Everything else is in place a rarring to go but the main structure that will hold it all together isn't. I have spent a large part of this weekend trying to sort something out in the mean time, unfortunately to no avail.

This has been a week about learning to accept that I cannot fix everything that goes wrong, on a business level and a personal level. I had hoped that getting a semblance of the site working over the weekend - which somehow might redress the balance, I was wrong. I shall simply have to wait for the bullshit to subside and leave others get on with their work.

Apologies to all who were hoping to see the site up and running by now, I can only hope that these issues will be resolved soon.

I'll keep you posted :-)

The last post...........

2006-08-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

So with last the week is upon us, where barring any minor technical glitches (fingers, elbows and spines crossed people - it could be a bumpy ride ;-))
Our main website will be online : if this is the first time you have read this blog (where have you been - you missed free Shampoo and Canopies last month) - here it is for you guys! www.criminalrecordz.com

Fear not, regular readers and cyber stalkers of Criminal Recordz Music Limited - for we will be sending out our first newsletter at the beginning of September, however make sure that we have your email address or you will miss out :-(

Simply send a quick mail to either : Criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk or alternatively Kelvin@criminalrecordz.com

We have some exciting developments in the pipeline over the next few months , so whilst this feels a little like the end of something it is by no means over :-) In the coming months on top of great new artists heading your way, there will be merchandice for ya and for a sneaky preview - here is one of our hoodies - teenage robbery has never been so much fun :-)

Also exciting collaborations between our current group of artists, new material from Yamasaki, Revolution 74 and of course the mighty Riboflavin!

It has been an interesting journey this blog and many thanks to all of you who have joined me along the way. I aluded to something on the last post that , perhaps there would be consequences to being so heavily immersed in the business - and how I did not yet know the cost. So that you might gain some closure I shall say simply this :

"Setting up a record label can seriously damage your relationships - but as the value of relationships can go up as well as down - who really gives a fuck! :-)"

Onwards and upwards far far away from the tethers of the unimaginative and the banal who only hold us back for fear of their own inadequecies!

Its the final countdown...der ner ner ner...der ner ner ner ner!!

2006-08-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

This is potentially the penultimate blog entry before launch and the blog transforming into the news letter. Its very delicately poised right now with the last few pieces falling into place, the site is coming along by all accounts - however as time passes by I am loosing the sence of stress which had begun to consume much of my time. Essentially there is nothing that i can do about any of the outstanding matters, so it has turned from a test of patience - essentially to a test of faith. Besided which there is nothing that cannot be fixed and we know that what we are doing will be a slow burner. We are very proud of what we have achieved so far, I am hard on myself and others - perhaps in part because I loose a sense of where we have come from sometimes, out of an absolute focus on what is needed to be done. I suspect aspects of my personal life have led to this in a way, like an ostrich burying his head in the sand I tend to bury myself in the business - at what cost, I do not yet know.

I keep wanting to read the blog from start to finish, yet i promised myself I would wait till things are up and running fully, so I can read a complete story as it were. is suspect I shall make the odd post once the news letter going out - if only to keep my brain from thinking to much ;-)

I hope this hasnt been too serious for ya, as always I want to be open about whats going on in my head - otherwise this is little more than corperate shpeel ;-)

Ah well, I'll keep you posted on any exciting news that comes up - we are still talking to another amazing artist - although I am assured things are coming along , I am very excited about this guy - he has something about him that we havent got yet - so I really hope things work out with him.

As always you will be the first to know :-)

"Everything is proceeding as I have forseen..."

2006-08-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

Its an odd moment today , as on the whole other than the site being uploaded all of the big things are in place, which is quite satisfying. Whilst we still have work to do and promotion is the highest priority right now, speaking of which Nineee's video is getting lots of plays and hopefully the word will spread. :-)

In a way I am unsure how to feel, I am excited in part but fear lurks there waiting to pounce upon any thought and turn it into an concern. I think our selection of bands are excellent, not just for their talent but also for their input - as our discussions took place it has insidiously shaped the project. Our vision was that it would be a focus for all of our energys and it will grow in accordance to the direction of those energies. Already the artists are talking of collaborations and are producing some amazing new material, it feels like I am watching an football (soccer) team come into form :-D

The podcast is in production is just at the editing and post production stage, so should be up in a week at the most. I have uploaded a real basic nineee video, called the organic mix - it is on criminal recordz music page on my space or criminal recordz on youtube.com. Dont forget you can still get free subscription to our site by sending an email with the subject title "mailing list" to criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk. You will also recieve a monthly(ish) newsletter and access to exclusive news.

More soon chaps and chappesses

HOT OFF THE PRESS - NEW NINEEE VIDEO!!

2006-08-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

Use this link to check it out - has only been up a couple of hours :-D

I hope you like it, I have heard back from Nineee himself and he loves it and says he thinks I must know him very well - If Nineee is Happy then I'm Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTslg9NTWqA

................................Clung!.........................Clung!..................

2006-08-06T04:07:00.000-07:00

Do you happen to know where i can get some tumble weed? Only its pretty quiet here at the moment and i just need a church bell and some tumble weed to finish the picture. ;-)

I met up with three of Revoultion 74 on thursday night, which was really cool - if kinda odd, seeing as we have only spoken on the phone or via email - to put a face to a name and to meet the other guys was brilliant. I am really please to say they are as cool as their music, not arsey like perhaps others whose talent is so obvious could be. Was interesting hearing some more about what to expect in the new stuff, they have the look of a band with a knowing glint in their eye - lets strap our self in for the ride :-)

Also check out YAMASAKI's page on my space a cracking new track up there - I recon our man here must have made a pact with the devil as he is knocking out quality tunes for fun now! Effortless genius some would say is the only true genius.

The hosting is transferred now ,WAHOOO!! only 3 weeks after it began :-/ So hopefully the rubbish siteparker page will no longer be there in the next couple of days as the nameserver change takes effect.

I uploaded nineee's video over a week ago and it is still showing as processing , bah! I think i may have to try and alternative :-) Will keep you posted.

More soon

567-7

2006-08-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

Pretty much took the day off yesterday after firing off a few salvoes of venom to those who spite us ;-)

Have returned today to a much brighter picture :-) Its wierd but I keep thinking about how it is all like a game of cricket. Apologies for you cricket haters out there - there are cricket references coming up!

Its easy to get your tails up at 234-0 at lunch but how easy it can become 234-7, from a really positive position to desperately diggin in whats left of your batting. And of course in the end event that 234-7 might look impressive at the end of the match when the opposition scrape say 135.

Cricket aside, our position today has come on leeps and bounds, with many of the holdups moving forward a little and restoring confidence in us all that these things are moving along slowly. Also we recieved a fantastic demo yesterday from a uk artist - I am very excited at what I have heard, I cant say too much before the wheels start moving. Needless to say I shall keep you posted on any news as i hear it :-)

The pic by the way is the album cover for YAMASAKI's forthcoming E.P Sunshine in a teacup. Which is going to be a cracker!! Recieved the back catalogue from revolution 74 yesterday and have been working my way trough them, some great tunes amongst them and facinating hearing how their sound has developed, although one of the tracks on the E.P released at the end of the month will be "up" - which was off their 1st record and is spine tinglingly fantastic.

The pod cast is coming along slowly, although we are sitting pretty on 567-7 , i think we can give it some more of our time.

More soon...

If you hear a scream followed by a loud wet thud...

2006-08-01T03:47:00.000-07:00

Sweet Jeebus yesterday was one hell of a harsh day...

In the first instance I began working on the PPL registration stuff, only to discover that we cannot register with our current contract! ARG!! We have been so careful to have an artist friendly contract that doesnt rob them of any rights or nail them to a coffee table for the next 24 years - we have neglected our own position a little. So we are now in negotiations (again) in order for us to proceed :-/ I have a little more perspective today and can see it is nothing really to worry about, however I had no idea how everyone would react. So fear got in the way yesterday, however I am really chuffed at the supportive reaction from all, Once again I am always harder on myself that anyone will ever be - :-/ add to list of personal development chores ;-)

The domain transfer I have had to send yet more communication, I am severly bored of the hassle this is causing and will be far more careful when considering how i proceed with domains names in the future! Three weeks now is beyond a joke.. Am glad i work to tight deadlines that allow for crap like this to occur.

On the plus side, I am gonna hook up with Jon off of Revolution 74 fame on thursday, which will be great - after all this business stuff I am a fan of our music so shall have to practice not being too excited ;-)

The plays on the new page are really interesting, like the stock market on races ahead only to be caught up - really fasincating to see who is getting the most plays!

Check it out your self at www.myspace.com/criminalrecordzmusic

Hopefuly some GOOD news soon :-)

R + R...

2006-07-30T04:03:00.000-07:00

First of all , things are looking a little more peachy this morning than they were. Whilst there are still issues outstanding, which are troublesome to say the least, it is looking like we are in a better position than it had appeared. I have to remind myself of what we have achieved in a relatively short space of time and ease up a little on myself and others. :-)

I have two weeks away from the real job now, so it gives me the chance finish up my last few bits and concentrate on preparations for the launch. With a month to go it is exciting, terrifying and at the same time unbelievable.

We begin recording our pod casts this week, so I expect there will be an update in that regard over the next few days. We'll be sending off our contracts for the PPL chaps this week which will mean another huge cog in place.

Thats about it for now, more soon...

War in the art of War...

2006-07-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

With virtually a month to go there are a lot of loose ends that need tying up, the domain transfer is still rumbling on - note to self easyspace are not overly keen on releasing domains when it comes to transfer...i say that out of experience...the issues i alluded to earlier in the week hopefully are nearing conclusion after further documents were sent out last night. As for the rest of the stuff left to do i cant list them here or i suspect my brain will cave in. However I have a couple of weeks away from my regular job , so i can focus on stomping on anything thats prooving too problematic - as my patience is running out in some respects - i need to be moving stuff forward, whether those doing the tasks like it or otherwise.

Once again I am probably letting my impatience get the better of me , however we have a time table and if it is not adhered to we could face big problems. Its one of those things where i start asking myself , could I sort it myself if our man chooses to be problematic...by hook or crook we shall get it done with or without them.

I was reading this blog the other evening and its quite funny how it swings from bizzare to bullish and back again :-) I think sometimes this is a way of bringing things together in my mind and helping me focus on whats required. I hope somewhere along the line it will entertaing for you guys also.

Hot news by the way, we should have our 1st 'criminal recordz pod cast' in place over the next week - so stay with us for more news!!

New *'Turin Shroud' Found!!

2006-07-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

"In the beginnning there was the word...that word was does any one here know how to make a nice sandwhich...then a load of stuff happened and now we are here."

Which is great because we are barely one month away from our sites launch! 31/08/06, incase you had forgotten. And as you can see from the latest pictures of the *'turin shroud' found near doncaster , 'tup north - it is our evidence stating, nay prooving that it by divine providence that you should join our mailing list by:

sending an email with the subject title "mailing list" to our email address criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk.

Nuff said in that regard i feel, after all it is your destiny. ;-) I think the heat has gotten to me as I have quite clearly gone mad - reading this entry so far. Its been a tough few days in reality, it has been a crash course I can tell you! At present I cant really say too much as the situation is still current, however i shall say its been one of the hardest situations i have faced. A real conflict between the head and the heart, as time passes by our deadlines become increasingly inflexible. All this said I am positive the outcome will be all good! I shall keep you posted. In the mean time do check out our page www.myspace.com/criminalrecordzmusic if only to check out who is in the lead in terms of plays from our rosta - currently it is Yamasaki! Check often as it is really close between him and Nineeee , with riboflavin and revoultion74 in hot pursuit!

More soon dudes!

* any references to turin shrouds , past or present hitherto are not based in any fictional or real turin shroud or turin shroud industires these statements are made under section 176 of the turin shrouds indemnity act of 1745 - any content here in is covered by the said act.

Think the Chilli peppers , think madness, think the sex pistols, think riboflavin.

2006-07-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

YeeeHawwww the boys from San Diego California have hooked up offically with Criminal Recordz!! The contract arrived today ! I hope you have had the chance to check out their new songs on their page - also Front page of the times is on our new artist page at www.myspace.com/criminalrecordzmusic

I am personally very excited to be working with these fellas, their raw energy with a sheer genius like quality that drops magnificent music as a bird drops feathers. Think the Chilli peppers , think madness, think the sex pistols, think riboflavin.

I am starting to come to terms with the fact that no matter now hard i work now, it will not alter the work that will need to be done ahead. I feel a little revved up with nowhere to run at the moment. I thought it would go , that feeling of excitable fear - nope , infact it just gets stronger :-? Gonna maybe switch to cammomile tea ;-)

JOIN THE MAILING LIST NOW AND FREE SUBCRIPTION OFFER FOR WEBSITE!

mail "mailing List" to criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk

Cheerz!!

New myspace artists - page !! www.myspace.com/criminalrecordzmusic

2006-07-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have felt like we are floating in limbo awaiting the completion different aspects to the project. I am finding it quite frustrating that I can do nothing to expediate matters - once again i face my old nemesis patience.

It is now looking like a week at least before the domain is transferred and we can start putting stuff up. We really want the site to have a feel of an online community to the chat and forum elements will be integral.

We are getting very close to group number 5, it is so close yet so far - i have all joints and limbs crossed we will have some news soon!

yamasaki's new tracks are very exciting, he has been spured on like a demon this week and perhaps produced some of the best work I have heard!

This week should herald good news and stuff for you to read :-) Also will begin the build up to the news letter and introduce some of our writers and the sort of contents you can expect.

Check out the new myspace artist page, it will have exclusive tunes from our bands and start to give you all a flavour of what our site will hold, in terms of the unique style and energy that we believe is missing in the current music marketplace.

Thanks to Alabama for the Pic - you fellas are worth your weight in lawsuits ;-)

More news as we get it BONG!

What is it?

2006-07-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

Just a swift one today, firstly to point you in the direction of how to get FREE SUBSCRIPTION to www.criminalrecordz.com - site for the launch on 31/08/06. Just send an Email to :

Subject Title "mailing list"

criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk

You will get a monthly news letter and free subscription!

That bit of corperate blurb out of the way, had a cool chat with Jon , off of Revolution 74 fame - needless to say by the sound of things we have good reason to be really excited about their new material - ready for their recording sessions in the coming weeks - see you when you come out of the lab chaps :-)

Yamasaki has been in over drive this week and has a load of new stuff on route! To get a flavour of what to come check out his new track on his myspace page!

Video for Ninneee is just about finished, we'll hopefuly have a cut for you on myspace in the next few days :-) as they said on police 5 - keep em peeled !

More soon!

Phew its a scorcher! - I havent seen it on the sun yet so thought i'd use the annual head line myself :-)

2006-07-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

Its not working out entirely as planned this week :-/ Still not up there with the potential disasters but its all up in the air at the moment. In short we are seeking to transfer our domain to our host provider, only there have been delays, account checks, transfer crashes...a bedewin tribe in the gateway or a wotsit on the t-switch. Like I say , hardly ground shakingly awful, just frustrating having all these false starts.

This said we are getting closer to hopefully getting our 5th act in to the growing clan of criminal artistz and bandz. These guys I think could surprise a few people , they are unique as I would argue all of our acts are. We are also hoping to work with another more local group, however this in its infancy.

On the plus side also, we have recieved in the mail a contract from our man in France, Nineee :-) (To clear up the pronunciation it is Nee neeee.) We are so happy to be working with him - he ooses genius from every pore. With the wind behind us hopfully we'll have his video up on myspace by the end of the week, assuming the pocahinus re-route doesnt mix with the chimmychanga main frame ;-) I am getting quite proficent at this techno blurb ;-)

There is a long way to go and by *ZEUS, everything will be cool in the long run and in reality , all is cool now - or at least a good distance away from decidedly uncool.

* Owing to modern religions all going a little crazy in the heat I am gonna be experimenting with some old skool godz for a while and right now it is the main man
ZEUS 'Two Skoops' ZEUS.

I knew I should have worn a hat today :-/

More soon!

ARRGGGGRGRRRRRRGGGGGG Phew :-)

2006-07-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday has to be the biggest highlight to this project so far, Revolution74 were on quay FM during the evening and played live in the studio and were outstanding. These fellas are brilliant songsmiths, lyrics that sit in your brain for day. I hope the response they recieve will be equal to my experience listening to them. We are looking forward to catching up some time in the coming weeks.

On the other hand there have been some unfortunate difficulties, which I feel had to happen sooner or later, perhaps better sooner I think. In the larger picture it barely registers, however after coasting high yesterday it felt like a little bit of a wipe out. I think it will work out to our favour in many ways, spurring us on even more to make this project succeed.

In other cool news, we have a first cut of our first music video from Criminal Recordz Music Limited Productions, for our artist Ninneee and his track I'm Happy. Its an early cut, yet already we can see some brilliant promise and we believe it could be the rocket to make every one know what a legend artist this guys is.

Also be sure to check out some of Riboflavins myspace page, two new crackerz!! And Cheerz for the pix fellas, Genius!

Must dash...

Criminal Recordz Artists Reviewed!!

2006-07-13T00:07:00.000-07:00

as criminal recordz burst onto the scene and our artists enjoy radio play in two continents more good news as criminal recordz artists are reviewed by just like music we have enclosed the reviews below and the links to original source so you can check them out yourself

stay tuned for more news

Yamasaki - http://www.myspace.com/therealtomedwards

Trip-hop from sunny Portsmouth, England. Yamasaki blends the sounds of; funk, soul, big-beat, and jazz, to create his lounge trip-hop style. Any of the Yamasaki tracks from his page could be the soundtrack to a summer vacation, its real uplifting stuff and the track Brazil has been getting a serious amount of plays on my laptop. Imagine a consistently lounge sounding version of Fat Boy Slim, but signed to Ninja Tune, then you might be somewhere close to knowing what Yamasaki sounds like or you could just listen to his tracks yourself.

NiNeee - http://www.myspace.com/nineee

Electro/Hip-Hop/Punk, that is NiNeee from France! Talk about catchy! Imagine if Mr. Scruff had cared less for jazz and more for crazy electro sounds and samples, well to a certain extent that could be NiNeee. The track BinarY Machine will probably grab the ears of fans of the more punky/electro sounds, whilst Im Happy might appease the Aphex Twin and electronica heads. Regardless of your genre preferences, NiNeees music is damn catchy and addictive. Make sure you also check out By Plane 15, electro-pop at its finest!

(as featured in just like music)

to check out these reviews and more go

http://jeej.wordpress.com/

or check out the just like music myspace profile at

http://www.myspace.com/jlmblog

BONG! Tonight on news at 22.26...

2006-07-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

Just recieved this by email, had to share as promised :-)

I hope you like it as much as us :-)

I awoke four weeks later...

2006-07-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I had the strangest sensation this morning, when i logged onto myspace as usual to check in on whats happening there, we now have a cracking looking picture for the profile. This is not all that exciting you may wonder? How about the hosting sorted for the next two years and would appear to give us lots of functionality, now its in the hands of our master craftsman webdesigner. :-)

Then there is Yamasaki, whose side project tune with the legendary Emerson is getting air play across the globe?! I have to say on occasions saying that out loud sounds like madness, yet it as it becomes more concrete the less real it feels? I think its the pace that is making the birth of www.criminalrecordz.com so exciting/scary!

This week will be a very busy one again, although hopefully by the end of it we will just a week or so away before seeing the site up and being tested :-) As my business partner said today, "The future is bright, the future is Criminal."

Thanks also to all the comments and mails, I really appreciate and are tottaly surpised that any one reads this at all :-) Big up to you all and I am working my way through your tracks!!

All the best and more soon

Swings and Roundabouts

2006-07-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

Had my first peice of mail as 'managing director' today - which amused my girlfriend highly. Dissapointingly it was junk mail, I suspect it wont be the last :-D

The Logo is still in development, only it has swung from a unanamous delight at what we had as a starting position - to a contention over how it should be tweaked, how much it should be tweaked etc. It became particually contentious today and in part has become even more complicated with addition input from collegues working in other aspects of the company. Still I am hopeful we can
move this forward in the next few days as I want to get the contracts out of the way and start sending out press packs - which of course need a logo on them. Perhaps the most positive thing at the moment is how great the logo is looking, the potential avenues it could offer us are very exciting. I would love to share what we have now, although I suspect it would be my last entry! ;-) Rest assured I will post it up here as soon as we have it all signed sealed and delivered.

As an aside we have had so much attention via the myspace page it has become difficult getting round to check everyone out and give the a fair chance - also we all know Myspace's tendancy to throw its toys out of its pram for no reason. So if you are reading this and have a demo you want to send us then you can either email it to criminalrecordzadmin@hotmail.co.uk

Or if its a large file size we recommend you use www.yousendit.com - use the email address above and we will get a link to be able to download your file. This will be a fast track system with our aim of listening to and responding in 7 days from reciept.

Thats all for now

"There Were Transucent Fractal Spheres of Reality..."an insider is thought to have said.

2006-07-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

Every now and again these fragments for reality bounce up and bite you on the bum! Today was one such day, the initial concepts for the logos arrived today :-) At first glance I am extremely impressed at what we have as a starting block. I am unsure what everyone else thinks but I am starting to lean to towards one , only to start leaning completely towards a different one.

Is fantastic to see another physical reality to this thing fall into place, firstly the Limited Company status and now the part that we hope will represent us, our values and our direction in a blink of an eye... easier said than done ;-)

As an aside it is gutting for England to go out in the world cup, once again we were like the horse that gets shot at the end of the national. Still Hargreves proved me wrong over and over again in that match, cracking stuff.

I wont make a habit of such comments, it seems appropriate in the circumstances in this day - 0001 PB (Post Beckam) ;-)

Should be an interesting week ahead :-)

A day off...

2006-07-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

We are supposed to be taking a couple of days off as we cant really push the big things forward until we get the logo back. It should be all sorted in the next week or so, but my impatience is getting the better of me. I just have this nervous energy that i need to channel :-) So a couple have been busying myself quietly and could not resist approaching a new arist. We have been watching them for a while now and they have recently uploaded more tracks, amazing stuff. Very early days but I have my elbows crossed for this one.

We have also been discussing how we hope the artists working with us will also perhaps look to maybe collarobrate together, to breed a sense of unity and solidarity. With the view that if our energies are focused on the same thing we will be able to achieve far beyond the sum of our parts! Riboflavins Alabama and I have discussed exchanging some lyrics or working line by line, I love the idea that we are as much an online community for artistic exchange as a simple old record label, seeking to cream as much profit from artist and listener.

Ah well had better turn this thing off and go and sit in the garden or something...will probably be back later ;-)

Set in stone.

2006-06-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of things today. Firstly its official we finally have recieved the confirmation of our registration as a limited company. Is quite freaky seeing the name on offical certificates and documents - Criminal Recordz Music Limited. :-) As they say up in demm hills - deep fried gold!

Finally got to have a good chat with Jon of Revolution 74 fame, as we had hoped they not only have the talent musically but they have a certain flair to their approach that is infectious. Their new site is excellent and you must check out the forum, if only for the noel edmonds clips. More importantly they have a whole stack of tunes to listen to.

Well all thats waiting now is the finished logo and we are virtually all set - in so far as what we can do right now. Leaving our selves time and energy to work on spreading the word and recruiting the last couple of acts. We also have a couple interesting/exciting happenings in store for you, the first of which will begin in the next few weeks...

Watch this space!!

Jinkies! %@!

2006-06-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

As i predicted earlier in the week, it has been a very busy and very productive couple of days. After the excitement of monday and REVOLUTION 74 joining RIBOFLAVIN and YAMASAKI under the criminal recordz umbrella :-) We have submitted our brief to the design team for the company logo - which will be very exciting when we see the first drafts and no doubt contentious at some point. ;-)

It is also looking like we will recieve the documents detailing out Limited company status, which of course is another piece of the puzzle. Of course at the moment as we nail one bit to the board we discover a whole part of the puzzle that needs completing. So far beyond the actual task, this has been a fascinating experience and a brilliant way learn a lot about yourself. It is a feeling of life without any limitation, we are only limited by our imagination and our ability to focus and work hard on a task. Like in Indiana Jones III, you have to take a leap of faith to find the grail. ;-0

There has also been the amusing phone tag game with Jon from REVOLUTION 74, we keep missing each other for one reason or another :-) But fingers and elbows crossed we can have a chat in the next day or so and we can start things moving for them.

There are also new artists on the horizon, all at very early stages but some exciting stuff I can assure you!

More as we get it :-D

Its...

2006-06-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Was a tricky old day today. We had a meeting to try and resolve the issue over the bands we were considering - in so far as do they stay or do they go? It has been surprising how attached (and a little protective) of the two of them. In many ways it was one of the hardest things I have done to say to one of them that we would not be pursuing them any further. I know its part and parcel to the business, I am more surprised at my reaction. I suspect I shall read this in a few weeks and laugh at my own words!

I have yet to contact the other guys to give them the good news but i'll leak the information up here - Check out www.revolution74.co.uk.

To find out more about criminal recordz latest addition 'REVOLUTION 74' - you heard it here first!

Stay with this week for more exciting updates!

"Always fight within yourself..."

2006-06-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

It is the beginning of what i hope to be a very busy and productive week, by the end of which we should have a lot to smile about. Tomorrow will be interesting, in so far as we will be looking to progress with the bands we have been working with and start working with the latest round of talent. It is truely incredible, just as you begin to feel you have seen the best of the best, an artist or band hits you with a sly right hook! We havent begun negotiations with any of them as of yet and we have tightend up our approach system. On the one hand we want to make sure we are in the game, yet not to get caught up in the game - if that makes sense. We have our targets and they are there for a reason, so ensure we can make this thing a success - by not reaching beyond our means.

Will keep you posted as much as possible this week, should be exciting!

I am really very excited today!!!

2006-06-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

The news that we have been waiting for has come to us today :-) A band called RIBOFLAVIN from San Diego California have agreed to join our merry throng! This may not mean much to you however but check out www.myspace.com/riboflavinsd - We think that they are amazing. Band members are Sir Conan Doyle, Felonious Punk, Alabama and Gringo Starr. Lyrical genius, pounding foot stomping bass lines and a sense of punk that I thought was long gone.

We will bring you updates as to the first release for RIBOFLAVIN on Criminalrecordz.com - but in the mean time check their page , things change daily so is always worth dropping by.

Outside of this news, we are very close to taking on a couple more acts, however there is some contention about their suitability, which feels very difficult to take on board. The head however says we owe it to the bands we sign not to just sign for the sake of it, to make up numbers. If only for the reason that we may not be able to give all of the artists the attention and support that they deserve. Whatever the outcome I hope to keep in contact with as many people as possible as you never know how things may develop.

Laterz

Consolidation after creativity.

2006-06-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

We have been given a breather after all the action of the past few weeks, it is giving us time to consolidate and consider the way forward. One of the bands we have been speaking to, might not be looking so positive after all. To an extent its bad timing, they want to concentrate on touring and playing live and for us that is far too soon. We need to bed in and establish our presence before taking the whole thing out on the road...although watch this space for news.

Its looking like we are looking all set to have the majority of the big tasks in hand and the design and build of the site ready for testing and tweaking. Our big focus at the moment is on our marketing strategy, overall as a company but more importantly each bands individual plan. This is proving very valuable in focusing all the blue sky thinking of the past few months, into a way forward and a trellice for the business to climb.

Exciting stuff...

www.criminal recordz.com - the countdown continues...

2006-06-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Must have been about a week now since i started this (diary - my girlfriend has made a ruling that the word blog is rubbish - i cant argue against such a well contructed thesis) ;-)

Things are going brilliantly, although there is still so much to do its almost a little overwheming - hence the bizzarre ramblings you read up here on occasion. Yet we certainly have good cause to celebrate, our target for signing acts is way beyond our expectaitions for this time. We are considering taking on more , simply because it is very difficult to leave some out.

Later this week we have some more serious nuts and bolts to take care of coupled with contract completion with two, possibly three bands and artists. It really feels like we are gaining some momentum and it increases by the day, it is exciting but scary. There is a long way to go but if the beginning is anything to go by we are well placed to succeed.

Much more, very soon

A pound of feathers or a pound of coal.

2006-06-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

Do you recognise that feeling you get just before you think everything is working out fine?

Somewhere between virtigo and mania, I am trying not to get bogged down in negative thinking, which would be a nice easy way out ;-) Relatively speaking the project is in its early days, certainly in regards to the phase one and the overall development of the team.

The problem is on there a few variables that we are relying on others skills, so the patience and considered approach is the key - yet deep down i want everything done yesterday.

Not realistic obviously , but it is a little frightening how well things seem to be going so far. We are well within our targeted areas for this time and things are looking really very strong for phase 2. The quality of the music we have been speaking with is simply outstanding and it keeps on coming.

Writing things down like this is helping i think, certainly in helping focus our intent and direction. Should have a cool news flash in a day or two :-)

B Vitamins are very Important in your diet...

2006-06-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Some excellent news today our band from San Diego are ready so sign up with us :-) I am so excited about these guys, I would like to give their whole blurb but i'll save that for when its offical - not just a gentlemans agreement. But in short they are fu*King amazing - they play well crafted pithy anthems on the one hand and rabble rousing rock on the other with beautiful ballads some where in between. I have been chatting with their main man who is hilarious and we are hoping to speak via a conference call (wow when did that happen i have to make a conference call!!) which will be excellent and wierd at the same time for certain! Will give you the full details soon.

Our french man is all good also, we chat daily and he always compains about his english but its a damn sight better than "Mon Mere Et Explonde" - which is vitually the sum total of my french :-)

We have just started talks with a uk band who I think have massive potential from what i have heard so far, am looking forward to how things develop.

I get the sense that we are in for an exciting few days...

Thursday is the new friday...

2006-06-11T03:47:00.000-07:00

Its been a hectic couple of days, had a meeting on thursday evening, wedding on friday and a blinding night last night checking out the SUMO Night down at the Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea, Portsmouth. It was an evening of pure class, from the best version of riders on a storm by the Doors to E.M.F and everywhere from funk to hiphop and rave along the way! I sat and watched as the croud filled the dance floor and tried to resist the urge to dance, after all this is business. That was fine till the second beer and tune after tune after tune dragged me onto the dance floor where i proceeded to dance as if i were at a wedding, i.e like a loon!

For me you can tell the quality of an evening by the croud and i got the sense that they were a a great bunch, who were there to lap up and relish the quality of the dj's before us. Very rare is there a night where everyone is a winner!

I am hoping us here at criminalrecordz could work closely with them somehow as the qualities to host an evening of such good fun - seemingly effortlessley - are not easy to come by!

Well back to business next week, and back to bed now!

And on the third day...

2006-06-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

So far so good on all fronts in the basic report, as i know a lot of your lives are starting to revolve around this :-) Was chatting to a guy at work today who is looking to his old radio show again only via the internet, we were discussing how the nature of space and use of it has changed in the last few years. Its quite a tired issue in a way, however we are both looking to make best of the use of 'cyberspace' - before the huge corperate diggerz work out whats going on and carve it all up into homogenous cyber macdonalds. And we all know the consequences of that happening in the physical world eh? Exactly.

Sweet jeebus I am quite philisopical today i think, I am finding this 'bread head' thing a little odd, but in a wierd way it feels like a personal journey. I am having to re-visit my patience for example, not everything can be done now.

Ah well, more soon :-)

Slowly but surely...

2006-06-06T02:59:00.000-07:00

So its day two of the blog and already things have changed since yesterday! This business is really exciting, but all the time i feel like i am on a razors edge. That on the one hand if you fall its all good on the other side its a nightmare leaving you to start from scratch all over again. But i have to say that at the moment its looking very positive. (I am trying not to get too excited, i'll save that for when the contracts are back)

The rest of the business is chugging along nicely, am hoping to catch up with the design team in the next week or so. Much of the idea around the company is that we work like a co-operative, helping others who in turn help us. That in many ways sums up the philosophy of our business, we like to think of ourselves as the robin hoods of the music industry. :-)

In so far as our contracts are designed to put give the art back to the artists and good standard of payments as well. From speaking to musicians who have had big contract deals, they soon found themselves without a penny and without the music that they created also - everyone had taken a slice for themselves.

I hope in the next day or two I will be able to confirm the first few acts on the label, so please have all things crossable crossed as we wait for the results!

More soon...

www.criminalrecordz.com

The Vision becomes a reality...

2006-06-05T04:22:00.000-07:00

I have never kept a blog before, but as i prepare for the launch of www.criminalrecordz.com, i thought it might be cool if i tried to document our progress. Things are starting to gather pace now we only set up a page on my space www.myspace.com/criminalrecordzpromotes, last week and already we have had almost 150 views and nearly 60 bands and artists. We are in talks with three brilliant artists and bands - the contracts are out just waiting and hoping we get the signitures. I am really excited about all of them as they are great talents ranging from geniusoriginal rock tunes to a guy who sounds like Daft Punk on some very heavy medication! I'll be updating this blog as things develop - exciting times ahead i feel for all :-)