Electromancer is no more....

Electromancer.com, the site where I first put my music on the internet, is to close. It's run by one man, Marvy Mills, and has been going for quite a few years now, giving unsigned artists the chance to promote their music in a non-threatening, non-competitive environment. It's not about people chasing record labels, it's a place where musicians can share their work with like-minded people. Marv cites increasing running costs, increasing "free" membership numbers, but fewer members who are prepared to pay for "Platinum" membership (I hold my hand up to that!), and the fact that it takes a helluva time to manage and maintain it all. Marv also makes music under the name FBF (retro, 80s electronica - he's a fan of John Foxx, well worth a listen).

I first came across Electromancer in December 2003, when I'd started to think about doing something with my music other than playing to my family. A few people had said that "Never Alone" and "I travel" were good enough to go on the web, and I had a look around for some sites to help me test the water, and where I could be anonymous enough if people thought my stuff was rubbish. In fact, I got quite the opposite reaction! Everyone who heard the tracks and wrote a review or comment was really positive. One reviewer said that Never Alone was "worthy of a small record label release". That hasn't happened yet, but the track has since been played by a number of DJs in clubs up and down the UK. The same track got to Number 2 in the Electromancer download chart in its first full month. It's since had nearly 300 plays, which is pretty good for a small independent website.

I've uploaded quite a few more tracks since then, and the plays and downloads keep coming in. There's also a really good forum on the site where members can make comments about the tracks and talk about whatever else they like. The site has also inspired a number of collaborations, most notably (for me, anyway), the Croydon Library remix project, set up by Fudgedubnofunk. My version has become my most popular track in terms of film/tv licensing. It's been used by O'Neill and Ripcurl in 4 promo films so far. Hopefully all the artists can find a new home for their music.

The site, its owner, and members have had a massive influence on me and my music. They've written some great reviews (I'm hopefully going to quote some of the best ones sometime soon), and really inspired me to keep making music. I wouldn't be where I am today with my music if it wasn't for Marv and the Electromancer people. Things have really taken off for me recently, with a new-found interest in what I'm doing, and I've felt I've been moving away from the Electromancer-type sites for a while, but it still feels like "home", and I'll miss it. It's definitely the end of an era, as there aren't any other music sites like this around anymore.

Electromancer will close on 3rd October 2006. In the meantime, please visit the site and support some great musicians. My Electromancer page can be found here until 3rd October 2006.

Thanks Marv, it's been a real pleasure.