Hi, thanks for looking at Ashamed and Bored, especially if you bought it! Regular readers will have noticed that things look a bit bigger here at A&B, what with the hard copy of this issue being 26 A4 pages, rather than the small A5 size I've previously used. I was quite keen to make this is a big issue, because I've got a bit more time to work on the zine now my exams have finished (until next year!), but the main reason this issue is so big is that there's so much brilliant new music to write about, and all the bands I've interviewed have been great, and given me some decent-sized interviews. For those of you who haven't read A&B before, I love all types of alternative music, and I hope the zine reflects this. I don't want to become an indie-obscurist though; while I genuinely feel that the best and most innovative music comes from the underground, I still want to cover any band that excites me, big or small. There, I hope that gives you a bit of an idea about why I write a zine, and what you're going to be reading. Hope you enjoy it!
Unless I've put another address, everything I've reviewed is available at Heaven Sent Records, Haydon Place, Guildford, which is a fantastic shop and the guys there are really nice and will always help you out if you're looking for something, and won't rip you off like HMV. Collectors Records on Woodbridge Road is pretty cool too. A&B #5 will probably won't be out until early next year, because what with A-levels and stuff I think school's going to take up a bit more of my time. However, please email any details of records, demos, fanzines, flyers, contributions, letters and stuff to me.
If anyone's interested, there are still a few copies of A&B #3 available, just send me an SAE. Issues one and two have now gone for ever, but if you would like to read the interviews with Penfold, Snideline, Dustball, Twister, Winner or Abdoujaparov, just get in contact and I'll send you a photocopy. Also, if your band would like an interview, write to me, and we'll try and sort something out.
I've got loads of thank-yous for this issue; cheers, you've all been really helpful: Jess for continually helping out and contributing, Heaven Sent Records, Rough Trade and Chalky's for selling the zine, Planet Sound and Adrian Creek for more publicity, Jan and Pete from Monkey Island, James and Ed from Snug, Hedgehog and Cay, Pete and @tomika, George and Fantasmagroover, all the bands who have given me material to review, all the zines which have mentioned A&B and kept in contact with me, the cool people who've talked to me at gigs and everyone who's read A&B in the past.
Monkey Island Interview
Issue 4 Contents
Issue 4 Summer '99 © Tim Bragger