December 04/06_



FreshFabrik are one of Hungary's leading hard-rock/alternative bands.  They have spent the past twelve years building a reputation as one of the most dynamic and vital live bands on the European circuit and have toured with German heavy metal maestros Rammstein, as well as supporting Muse and stadium-rock giants AC/DC. Finest is an album that we are very excited about here at Pure Mint.  The early pre-release reactions from both the press and some very important industry figures have been phenomenal and we sincerely hope that you will also love this album as much as we do. 

The record is a fantastic blend of alternative guitar/hard rock with sublime melodies, all produced under the careful hands and stewardship of internationally-renowned Smart Studios producer Mr.Colson (Smashing Pumpkins, Skunk Anansie, Nirvana etc.). Please click on the image above for further information.

The album is officially released on CD today (4th December 2006) and also available from iTunes.  All other good record shops and download sites should also have copies and stock soon.  If any record shops do not have stock, please order it, or alternatively you can always buy directly from Pure Mint by clicking whereever you see the BUY logo.  We send records all around the world and our secure credit card payment provider is Barclays.

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We are in the process of updating our catalogue and BUY links.  You will shortly be able to sample all the music for sale on our website before buying.  Please bear with us whilst we confirm all the links and add the relevant sample clip buttons.

Love n Peace x

Anthony 04.12.06
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November 24/06_

Christmas will soon be upon us and we will shortly be releasing a great album called Finest by FreshFabrik, that has already won over the ear of some very fine people indeed, and which we are very proud to have on Pure Mint.

For a limited time, if you have a Sony PSP, you can download for free a video to your PSP.  The video is for the song On 'n' On taken from the album.  Clicking the image below will take you through to Sony's PSP download site..... an early Christmas present for you lucky PSP owners from all of us here at Pure Mint ;-)

Click on image left to download video.

The album will shortly be avaialble in both digital and CD formats.  The images below are some examples of the wonderful artwork by David Vigh @ Vitamin.

Enlarge_

Anthony 24.11.06
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September 19/06_

Hi everyone.  A quick web-update.  We are leaving today to go to the music festival Popkomm in Berlin, Germany to launch a couple of new projects, meet with our distributors, and generally have a bit of a laugh and drink some BEER!  We will update the website properly on our return, but here is a little teaser of a small part of the artwork from an album we at Pure Mint Recordings are very proud to present and which is due to launch later this year.....  More soon.



Please also be introduced to THE CALENDAR OF JOY.  Feel free to become a friend, leave comments and/or help spread the Joy!  More on this madness soon!   Click image below for a link to the Calendar of Joy's myspace page:-



Full update on our return from Berlin.  Thank you for all of your wonderful continued support from all over the world, and let's together bring about a change (BLAIR IS GOING yipppeee!!!) and help forge a new start under the banner of;
 
Peace.

Anthony 19.09.06
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July 23/06_


Pilgrimage to The Cedars In Lebanon
Csontvary Kosztka (1907) - National Gallery Budapest
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About 15 months ago, Bevin Fagan (Matumbi/EMI) and I (Anthony Hall) started writing & recording an album, that, for the last year or so, has gone by the working title of THE CEDARS OF LEBANON. We are due to start mixing the album soon and hope to release it sometime in the New Year.  Bevin also contributed vocals to Heavy Deviance's SAFE & WARM, which is featured on the album A SLOW WALK DOWN THE STAIRS.

Bevin and I wanted to offer for free an MP3 monitor mix of THE CEDARS OF LEBANON, so if you click on the painting above or here it will take you through to our Pure Mint MYSPACE page - where you can download the track for free for a limited period, and please feel free to add your comments as we would love to know what you think of it.

This is not about taking sides; it is simply about stopping the bloodshed and violence. Pure Mint has been very outspoken against the horrors of the last few years (whoever the perpetrator), and this new war is no different. Either we are all going to start living together (and acknowledge and celebrate our differences), or, to coin a phrase, “whatever" - which seems to me an admission that we have all somehow failed.

Full web update soon.
Peace x
Anthony 23.07.06

July 17/06_

We apologise for the paucity of updates recently.....though this is an excellent opportunity for us to extend a very big thank you to everyone who has been dropping by our website over recent months- the web-user stats have been showing a dramatic month by month increase recently (and from all over the world, from China, to Japan to the USA, Africa and Europe and even (Mr Bush) Iran!)  Thank you and please keep passing a good word around about the label and its fresh 'ethos' as we very much appreciate this and are honoured by your continued support. 

Recently we have been very busy working away in the studio on some exciting new releases we have planned for the label and we hope to be in a position to provide a full update on these forthcoming releases very soon.  Please check back shortly.  We are also in the process of undertaking a slight revamp of the website, so that archive material (particularly) is easier to get to.  More soon.

In the meantime (and particularly if you are in the UK) I hope you continue to enjoy this glorious summer we have been having.

Peace

Anthony 17.07.06
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April 19/06_



Click on image above for full details.  All welcome.

Peace.

Anthony 19.04.06 x
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March 29/06_

"We will introduce ID cards . . . rolling out initially on a voluntary basis as people renew their passports" (The Labour Party Manifesto 2005 p.54 [emphasis added])

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Some of you may know that yesterday our second chamber, - The House of Lords - and for the 5th time - sent back to the House of Commons the proposed ID Bill (currently doing the rounds at parliament) for further revision.

The Lords have rejected the government's plans to introduce compulsory ID cards with passport renewals.  

Aside from the Lords' genuinely held concerns about the potential for the serious risk of compromising an individual's personal and private information (and their legitimate concerns about the sharing of “the collected data” in both the private and public sectors), the Lords have also decided to stand up to this morally destitute government by holding them up to their manifesto pledge!

And they are right to do so; in fact a failure to act in this way effectively negates the real purpose of having a 2nd chamber   i.e. a body of the executive that can act as a counterbalance and a check on the first.   It is an essential part of the democracy that Tony and George claim to love so much.

My tuppence – I am wholly against the ID card scheme, although I could live with the Lords' concession that it be available on an opt-in or voluntary basis.   I am against it for a simple reason based on the legal principles of confidentiality and privacy.   Many proponents of the scheme posit that ‘since all of us have to prove who we are many times a day', say when opening a bank account or signing a new tenancy agreement (or such like), or signing in at work, ‘that there will be no difference with an ID card'.   In this they are partially right , but really, they are somewhat 'missing the point'.  

Agreed - we do have to prove our identity on a regular basis and I have no problem with this and will happily continue to produce my passport and some utility bills when opening, say, a new bank account.

The issue I have with ID cards is not "proof of identity", it is just that that under the current system, the relationship I have with the passport office vis-a-vis my passport is to all intents and purposes confidential and personal.  I also have a confidential and personal relationship with my bank, facilitated by the existence of my passport.   My passport however does not have a confidential relationship with my bank, and nor should it!   Under the proposed ID system my passport and my bank are linked like they never really were before, both in time and place, and the traffic is in both directions i.e. from bank to passport and from passport to bank.   Under the current system, the bank can legitimately check with the passport office about the validity of my passport, but the passport office cannot find out if I have a bank account without going through the legislative/judicial body and applying due process.   And rightly so – this is confidential and private information.  

I would imagine that the technology will not be disimilar to the rather unimaginatively titled “chip and pin”, where presumably you are going to have to prove your ID by swiping your card, perhaps in situations that were previously fairly mundane; such as, buying a public transport pass, staying at a hotel, using your works' computer etc.

Every swipe will be logged onto the system   - where you are and at what time and with pinpoint accuracy far superior to satellite technology – as this is how computer systems work. There will also by necessity have to be some form of communication (in both directions), presumably down the telephony system (or its equivalent).   Your whole life will start to be recorded.  The possibilities for interception or misuse of the data are also clear.   Forget trying to protect the identity of your mistresses, those weekend-away hotels, the flights to Egypt to torture prospective Guantanamo guests!! Ha! Here comes Big Brother!

If you are a believer, then God is rightly the only one capable of keeping or entitled to keep a record.   I don't think Tony Blair is God, although perhaps Tony occasionally thinks otherwise!   And if you don't believe in God, then ask yourself this question, “do you really want Tony to act and behave just like he is God?”

Sorry for the strong words – kids look away – but this is bullshit legislation from a distrusted and provenly dishonest regime, who clearly cannot keep to their manifesto pledge.   Reject it absolutely.   The ID bill is important and its ramifications are huge and potentially very dangerous.   For once, although the Lords do have their issues, support them.   It might be their last most important act of defiance. 

For further information on the potential ramifications of the ID card, please click the link below.

Peace.

Anthony 29.03.06 x
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January 13/06_

A belated Happy New Year to you all.  Pheww! - What a fantastic response we have received to the Heavy Deviance album from all the major UK press and Radio 1 FM & Channel 4 TV etc., with still more coming in.  And it was only released a few weeks back! 

Big big thanks; and an especially big 'thank you' to M8 magazine for making A SLOW WALK their 16th favourite album of 2005 - alongside Basement Jaxx, Laurent Garnier, Royksop, Chemical Brothers & Scruff etc.  Wow! - quite simply takes the breath away.  But then we knew we had a great album when we put the finishing touches to it!

For a full list of press please click here.

I have finally gotten around to digitizing the "launch party" photos, so plase click here for some photos of Heavy Deviance in action live.  Please keep an eye on the web for more live appeareances soon, plus a fantastic range of t-shirts. Watch this space! 

Thank you to everyone who has gone out and bought the album (or downloaded it), and to everyone who has supported our fledgling label right from the beginning.  It is almost surreal to think that we are now 3 years old (in one guise or another) - and it has been quite some journey!  Plus more to do and more to see and more tunes to play and hear! - We have lots of great music and nights out lined up for your pleasure in 2006.
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If you are having trouble finding some of our records in some of the major chains then please note that there are alternatives; HMV and Fopp both have stocks of Heavy D in store and we are working on Virgin, who reviewed the record on their Virgin.Net site with a cracking 4 out of 5, yet currently, I am  told, are not taking stock.  I put it down to post modernist irony a.k.a bullshit!! So stock should be there hopefully soon, but if you are having any problems getting hold of any of our tunes or releases then please just drop me an email and we will see if we can help. 

The plethora of digital "saviours of the indies", iTunes (...a staggering 20 million downloads in the week before Christmas), Napster, Tunetribe, Karma Download all have digital MP3's of our catalogue and you can also always buy the physical records directly and securely from us here in the UK. 

I noted that HMV and their ilk were complaining this week about their sales figures being eroded by the phenomenal digital consumption uptake, but there are I think good reasons for this.  Firstly there are no ridiculous "returns" policies on digital.  And there's greater choice.  It is an uphill struggle for the "indie" labels to get product into the major retailers.  No such problems (on the whole) exist within the digital sector - once you are in.  It is not rocket science to realise that without better support for the independent sector from the major retailers (including the supermarkets), the indies will, by necessity, have to concentrate more of their efforts on digital distribution, where the risks are massively reduced and the labels are not at the whim and call of "head buyers" and their inevitable subjective opinions.  These, are the long nails the retailers appear only to keen to drive into their own coffins!

If you want to buy directly from us, please do. In fact it is better for our business model.  We ship promptly and securely throughout the world, and we look forward to receiving your orders soon! :-)  We are backed by Barclays so all of your transactions are protected and secure.

Here's to 2006 and England winning the World Cup! Yeah but no but yeah but no but yeah!

Love and Peace

Anthony 13.01.06 x
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November 25/05_

A big thank you to everyone who made it down to the Heavy Devance launch on Monday night in Shoreditch, and even if I do say so myself, what a most excellent evening it was.   Thank you all for the brilliant attendance, the Photon's for the superb visuals and judging from the hugely positive  'post-party' responses, the band, well, quite simply a total success; and for me personally, certainly one of my favourite Mint parties of the last 3 years.  Thank you to the DJ's and everyone who worked 'behind the scenes' to make the night go so smoothly.  I am going to post pictures and more here soon.

In case anyone missed it, Hea vy Deviance were featured in a 30 minute segment on Paul Thomas's "ONE WORLD" show on BBC Radio 1 last Sunday evening/Monday morning, discussing stuff and playing tracks from the new album.  You can here it again for a limited time on the BBC's Listen Again feature.

Anthony 25.11.05 x
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November 14/05_



We are incredibly proud and pleased to present the stunning debut album from Heavy Deviance "A Slow Walk Down The Stairs", which has already received fabulous reviews in the UK music press with many more lined up for November and December.  Watch this space!  Featuring collaborations with Crazy Penis, amongst many others, this album is both simultaneously groovy and chilled out, being a mish mash of many eclectic and tasteful styles, all put together under the careful direction and control of main Deviant, Mr. Wayne Roberts.  The album is now available to buy from all good record shops, on-line here, and also iTunes.  It is distributed by Revolver/Universal and please ask your local record store to stock it if they have not already!  Thanks.

To celebrate the launch of the LP, we are hosting a party at DUST in Shoreditch on Monday 21st November 2005.  Please click on flyer above for full details.

The party is free (by advanced guestlist) and with DJ sets from the fantastic Michael Morph and Rhys Adams, supporting a full band live appearance from the Heavy Deviance boys and girls, this is assuredly a night to put on your best dancing shoes and glad rags and come and join us in a toast to celebrate what some journalists have already tipped as "one of the best albums of the year".  All are welcome.  Festivities start at 8pm sharp.

Reminder - we are hosting another Room To Manoeuvre this Friday (18th November) at the Koba in Brighton.  This is the first of the new Friday night slots for this groovy little club. As with all the Mint (and Funky Beeva) nights, soulful genuine real music is on the menu, from start to finish! Full details here.

Peace. Anthony 14.11.05 x October 29/05_

To all of you who have either purchased or downloaded a copy of Baby's On Fire. ..we salute you!  Our sincere thanks.  The record is now generally available - at least in the UK - from all good record shops, and please remember that you can also buy any of our releases securely using your credit card through the website.  Please click wherever you see the button. 

Thanks once again to Rockamerica for featuring the BOF video on their October video pool across the USA from bars to clubs and shopping malls, keeping fine company along with the likes of luminaries such as Mariah Carey, Todd Terry, Faithless, Deep Dish and Paul Van Dyke (to name but a few)!!

For those of you in Brighton this Sunday (30th Oct), our very own DJ Attorney makes a rare outing on the decks; with guranteed 'boogie-on-down' soul and funky beats for all, and a set from guest DJ Will B who will also be spinning for your musical pleasure.  This Sunday is the last of the Sundays before Room To Manoeuvre moves to its new Friday night slot from 18th November.

Please click on the flyer below for full details:


Photos from past R2M's


Channel 4 Music recently commented on the Heavy Deviance debut album with the following kind words: "We tried to pick the best track from this record but we couldn't.  They are all quite wonderful."  Cheers.  DMC Update recommended it with (4/5) in their issue this week.  Thanks again;  there are many more reviews and features lined up in November and December across the UK music press, so please check back here for updates.

The album, A SLOW WALK DOWN THE STAIRS , is a real cracker/corker, and takes the listener on a 'full on' musical journey through a landscape fused from diverse musical influences.  It is distributed by Revolver/Universal in the UK and will be available to buy in the shops and on-line from 14th November 2005.  It would make an ideal christmas present for Granny! and all serious music lovers x

We are launching the album at Dust in Shoreditch on Monday 21 st November 2005 from 8pm til 12am, with DJ sets from Frankie Valley (Grand Central) and Miichael Morph (File Under Music) , together with a live band appearance from Heavy Deviance, which all of us here at Pure Mint are really looking forward to.   More details and flyer/guestlist soon and all are welcome.  It will be free :-)

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ANT's POLITICAL RANT FOLLOWS_ for those with too much time on their hands! (though I guess that's better than too much blood!)

So there you have it.  One illegal war, at least two lying heads of state - you know who you are - and now a senior official of the USA government indicted , for being, well, how do you put this politely; "A Lying Son of a Bitch" .
 
Interesting days- Someone indicted for lying about a leak, but no-one indicted for the leak....strange!  If you are not up to speed on this particular story - then I suggest you read some background here - as this case has got the good 'ole Attorney very excited over the last few months, if for no other reason than the likely fall out from the imminent public trial will, at minimum, be very damaging for the G reat W hore B abylon (and his cronies), and if extended, perhaps even be fatal for the Administration;  that is, of course, if we are not all sidetracked in the meantime by a war with Iran or Bird Flu, or an Alien Invasion, or...... 

DJ Attorney has a question: Does Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald actually have the balls to take this investigation a little further up the "chain of command", and disover, as part of that investigation, who actually forged the infamous Niger Uranium documents (i.e. the very same forgeries that the British  first, and then the US, second, relied upon to take us to war) and why?  If so, then this could all get very interesting.  The truth will out in the end, Mr. Tony and Mr. George.  Someone forged these documents....may I ask if if was perhaps either of you?  But of course, that would be just a "conspiracy theory!" Of course, silly me.

Which brings me neatly, Mr 'GWB', to Osama; we all know that he did not and could not have flown the planes on his own (unless he had an amazing remote controlled device - now there's a thought - in the "bat cave" in Afghanistan), so logically he must have acted in a "conspiracy" with others.  Please note the words .  "Your theory", George, of " his conspiracy ", has, absent proof, only as much validity as any other "conspiracy theory", absent proof.  Bush says "Libby is presumed innocent" .  I am wondering - Why does this funadamental (and proper) rule of law not similarly apply to Guantanamo detainees or even to Mr Bin Laden? Show me the money! (proof), George, and you get my support! Simple.

With lying statesmen at the helm, I guess the gullible will believe anything - but for me, simply repeating the mantra "The bad boys! It was them that did it" is far from sufficient and is actually pretty insulting to our intelligence.  Let us hope that we do not waste this fabulous opportunity to get to the bottom of this horrible affair and with God's grace, find the real answers, and thereby discover the truth.

Politics (and Ant's rants) over for now.

Webupdate imminent.  Thanks for supporting our funky little label. Love n Peace x

Anthony 28.10.05
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September 13/05_

Hi all – big apologies for the long delay in updating the website – it's been busy, busy, busy.   Pheww!   Baby's On Fire (BOF) on pre-release on iTunes hit #5 (UK dance), #33 (USA) dance and pretty much everywhere else in between, and is currently #5 on the Video-C on line charts and received 5 “dancing men” out of 5 in Update for two weeks running at the end of August!!! with other press here and other press there and soon to be seen on RockAmerica, USA!!   Thanks everybody.   For a current full list of press/support, please click here.

Illustrations by Sophie Henson
Heavy Deviance_A Slow Walk Down The Stairs


We are very pleased to announce that we have signed a deal with Revolver/Universal Music in the UK , so the full physical release of BOF is set for the end of this month.   In the meantime we have very limited stocks of the first pressings available to buy from our brand new web-shop, where you can now buy safely with all major credit and debit cards (using SSL secure technology through our electronic payment partners, Barclays) directly from us.   Thank you to our first customers who have already found the shop!   Cheers, your custom is very much appreciated.   We have also just finished our very own MP3 download shop - provided courtesy of DA Recordings - so if you would like to collect some of the earlier releases on MP3, please click wherever you see the MP3 icon.   We are also now listed on most of the major download sites, iTunes, Karma, Tunetribe etc.

Beata Pozitiva (DJ Tilos Radio Budapest) and I are just off to Popkomm in Berlin for a couple of days taking with us some of the great new works we have coming out on Pure Mint over the next few months.   T-Total & Marc, obviously, but also the wonderful debut album from Heavy Deviance, which has just returned from the manufacturer, looking ‘spankingly' cool and hot!   The illustrations above are a little taster from the front cover artwork by Sophie Henson.

If you keep a well trained ear to the ground, you will be hearing a lot more of this great album throughout the network of Swell bars up and down the UK during this forthcoming October.   Full physical and digital release to follow later this Autumn.

Proper update when we return from Germany.  Got to shoot...

Peace x
Anthony 13.09.05

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August 14/05_

Quick reminder that we are hosting another Room To Manoeuvre tonight at the KoBa in Brighton, with guest DJ Rhys Adams (Grand Central/ARP).  We are starting to get some great feedback on Baby's On Fire, and if you would like to view an excerpt from the video, produced by our good friends and 'grand masters of light', The Photon Shepherds, please click on the screenshots below.


Click image above to view Video

Love and Peace x

Anthony 14.08.05
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August 9/05_

Hooray.  Big shouts out to Apple (and Miriam in particular) for your fantastic support of the label.  Baby's On Fire is available from today on exclusive pre-release download from iTunes.  Please click on the graphic below to purchase your own copy of this 'kicking little pop/dance' cross-over single featuring the legendary Marc Almond (Soft Cell) on vocals.  Physical product release will be later this month, and I shall post a preview of the amazing video here on the web later this week.


Baby's On Fire/Take Me Away _T-Total ft. Marc Almond
4 track ep. exclusive pre-release download (iTunes) 9.8.05

To all who made it down to our recent funky night-out in Brighton (Room To Manouevre) , a big thank you!  We will post some photos very soon.  The night was a wonderfully intimate and groovy affair with Jim (from Crazy P ) and Wayne (from Heavy Deviance ) providing the night's funky beats.  We have another one set for this Sunday (14th August), so please click here for venue, admission, times etc.  All are welcome.

More soon.....and thank you for all of your continued support.

Anthony 09.08.05

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July 22/05_


ROOM TO MANOEUVRE _ 31st July 2005
Jim Baron (Crazy Penis) & Wayne Roberts (Heavy Deviance)

We are very pleased to announce the launch of a new regular party night, ROOM TO MANOEUVRE , at a club called Koba in Brighton.  In association with Funky Beeva, the first night features the most excellent Crazy Penis doing a DJ set and Heavy Deviance also spinning the tunes, including, I am sure, some from the forthcoming album A SLOW WALK DOWN THE STAIRS.  With Crazy Penis on something of a roll at the moment and an exciting new album out on Shiva soon with a tour of Australia planned in September and the UK in October, this is guaranteed to be a night of tuneful soulful funky ass beats.  All are welcome, and please click on the flyer above for further info.

What with the bombings, the shootings, the Olympics and the rather 'ill-thought out' rush towards more excessive executive powers, London seems, at the moment, to have been metaphysically transported somewhere into Terry Gilliam's extended alter ego (see Brazil ), and as a result a little out of sorts, but London is and always has been a strong place.  A wonderfully cosmopolitan city that has never been an easy city to live in, but has always remained a welcoming, artisically and intellectually stimulating place to live and be part of, and where "free thought" has always flourished, and is perhaps one of its stronger and more noble attributes.  It would be a tragedy if we were all to so unilaterally and unquestioningly give that up. History has countless records of evil lurking in the strangest places, with its multifarious tentacles, here there and everywhere.  All of us at Pure Mint extend our deepest sympathies to all of those affected by the recent terrible events.  It really is a cliche, but the answer is Love, and perhaps this particular cliche is true.

Peace. x

Anthony 22.07.05
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June 26/05_

Only time for a very quick web update before I go off on a small holiday.  The T-Total/Marc single is coming along perfectly - please come back soon, as we will be posting a link to see a special preview clip of the brilliant video (produced by the most excellent Photons ), and which is almost now complete.

Here is a taster of the artwork for the time being.


T-Total featuring Marc Almond _BABY'S ON FIRE/TAKE ME AWAY
Design by Vitamin.
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We are really pleased to announce that we have been accepted onto Apple's i-Tunes, so very shortly you will be able to get hold of our music to play on your i-Pods...

Here's some "food for thought" about the Live8 concert for July 2nd with Sir Bob;.......I was just wondering.....but you know how each act (U2, Coldplay etc.) is gonna be playing to literally billions of peple - 5.5 billion according to the Mirror Newspaper this morning - I was thinking, wouldn't it be a lovely and perhaps proper gesture if the record companies gave, say, 50% of their increased profits resulting from any increased sales made as a result of an act's appearance at Live8, to African aid agencies?  It would be a fairly easy task to prove "increased profits" by reference to the previous 2 months sales against the 2 months post Live8.  Just a thought.
 
Otherwise it looks to me that the Artists and the Labels are really only benefiting themselves, or is that a little harsh?  Only an idea, and Sir Bob, if you want one of my acts, I'll give you 50% of the increased profits for a 2 month period after the date of performance. Guaranteed.  Your shout...Sir Bob.

See you soon.  Peace.

Anthony 26.06.05
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June01/05_


T-Total featuring Marc Almond _BABY'S ON FIRE
Photo by Michelle Robek (c.) 2005
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Hello all and a "warm" welcome to everyone to the 'ever so slightly different world' of PURE MINT .  It is the first of June today and we have lots of exciting news for you ;-) - most of it of a fiery nature.....

First off, and in a very exciting move for the label, we have a single, planned for release exclusively on iTunes on Tuesday 9th August and physically released two weeks thereafter, from T-TOTAL featuring guest vocals from world renowned SOFT CELL vocalist MARC ALMOND .  We are really proud and happy to be working with both Robert and Tim and Marc, and we think you will also be very happy and impressed with the results.  The track is a double A side to be released on both 12" single and also on CD, and we have also shot a lovely video for the song with Marc and the boys, which we are currently editing, and which we are sure is going to help 'raise the temperature' significantly. 

Please check back here soon, but for the time being, I hope you enjoy the fun little JPEG teaser above, and the flames are intentional!!  I am told we are heading for a heat wave this summer (apparently), so it is time to make this baby burn! Burn baby burn....


A Beeva Night, in association with Funky Beeva.  Line up...

For all those who are around in Amsterdam next weekend (12th June), and fancy getting away from all the "constituional nonsense" gripping the Netherlands (and France), then please come along to our party at Bitterzoet .  It is on Sunday 12th with our regulars Heavy Deviance and Barth Fader.  Please click on the flyer (above) for further details.

The new HEAVY DEVIANCE album "A SLOW WALK DOWN THE STAIRS" is scheduled for a September 05 release, so please also check back here soon for updates on the album.  It is sounding and looking absolutely wonderful....more soon.
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Business News -
We are currently in the process of updating the SHOPPING LIST section of the website, which we will shortly be dramatically improving for your 'shopping pleasure'.  We have been very gratefully offered an electronic payment systm by BARCLAYS BANK, so very soon you will be able to deal directly with us using their SSL secure payment processing system, in the knowledge that your transactions will be fully secure and protected. 

The new shop should be up and running within the next few weeks and I would like to take this opportunity to thank ALL OF YOU who regularly 'drop by' our website each month. The stats are hugely impressive and have been very encouraging to this little indie label (that we are), so welcome everybody, whether you are accessing us from IRAN or INDIA, the USA or JAPAN, or pretty much everywhere in between.  We value and appreciate your support. Thanks.

MP3s
We are also currently in discussions with the major MP3 providers and you should, with a good tail wind, be seeing and hearing a lot more from us soon.

For now, please take care, and if you are minded to give praise, 'thank God'. Let's all pray that the next 4 years (under the stewardship of Mr Blair) involves a little less state sponsored genocide than the last 4 years.

Regards

DJ Attorney. 01.06.05

April25/05_

Hi all. 

Congtratulations are hereby extended to Wayne Roberts from HEAVY DEVIANCE for the hugely entertaining screening of his debut short feature WINFORD LOCKINGTON's HEALTH & SAFETY video at the EXP-TV "Short Film" Network event at 93 Feet East on Saturday 23rd April 2005.

The film, a wonderfully irreverent take on 'industry standard' corporate instruction videos, together with its main character (Wayne's "alter-ego" WINFORD LOCKINGTON ), went down an absolute storm with the audience, and I wish Wayne all the very best of success with it.  'Winford' will also hopefully soon to be getting his first television broadcast transmission on Sky and NTL shortly, and I will post an update here when I know more.  Please check back for details.  For the time being, here is the cover from the DVD... and a copy of the flyer from the event. 



Flyer......



EXP-TV - Short Film Network .


A big thank you is also extended to everyone who was able to make the HOLY BEEVASHIP party at Bitterzoet, Amsterdam on the 3rd April.  It was great to see all of you there and we will be back soon to hold another.  Please check the web for updates on all of our events and parties. 

We are 'mastering' a new 12" vinyl this Tuesday for an exciting new single from one of our acts (with special "guest vocals" to be revealed soon...!!), which we are also preparing a great new video for.   It will be released later this summer 2005 and I will update the web properly soon.  The long awaited debut Heavy Deviance album, which now has a name "A SLOW WALK DOWN THE STAIRS" , is currently being 'top & tailed' ready for your forthcoming listening pleasure.  Again, an update soon.

All best wishes for now.  Use your vote wisely.  My advice - Avoid Liars.

Anthony. 25.04.05
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March 25/05_

Happy Easter to everybody.  It's 'Good Friday' today, a bit of a 'misnomer' whatever your religious viewpoint.  But I won't start off on one.  Not just yet anyway.

We are having another party THE HOLY BEEVASHIP with the zany and wonderful Funky Beeva crew at Bitterzoet in Amsterdam on 3rd April 2005.  It all 'kicks off' at around 10pm with DJ sets from Amsterdam legend Bart Fader, the UK's Michael Morph and our very own Heavy Deviance headlining the night.  I hope as many of you as possible can come and "boogey on down" with us all.  Guranteed fun for all...;-)

Please click on the Flyer for further details / admission / address:


Funky Beeva in association with Pure Mint Recordings:
The Holy Beevaship

Canada has been and gone and I would like to thank everybody I got to hang out with, and all the great people I got to meet, for your hospitality and kindness.  It was a hoot.  Ta.   Canada is a wonderful country full of really great people and it was an honour to be invited by Canadian Music Week and the BPI to come to Toronto and let all you lovely Canadians know what we at Pure Mint have been up to, and give you a 'taster' of what we have coming up over the next few months......watch this space.  Exciting things are afoot!

Here is a picture of the CN Tower.  Unfortunately I left my camera at home, so there are only a few other photos that I took - with one of those disposable cameras - but please have a look.  I also got the chance to make a flying visit to Niagra falls - which was very impressive and definitiely worth seeing.



The CN Tower , Toronto, Canada
More Photos.....

Forthcoming Pure Mint releases are moving steadily towards the production line, including an exiting new single which we are currently keeping the wraps on.  Update soon.

Ant's Rants (new websection - Ed!) - Whilst everyone argues about the release of the Attorney General's advice, and whether it is a legally privileged document or not, it seems to me that somehow we are all missing the point,..... somewhat.  The question is not whether the advice should be released but whether the war was legal?   If it was, then we don't need to see the advice, if it wasn't then someone has been "negligent". 

Peace. x.

Anthony.  25.03.05

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February 12/05_

Hi all.  Quick web-update.  Just got back from a fantastically productive and hugely fun Midem (though admittedly probably the coldest Midem ever on record!!!!).  This year we had to keep drinking just to keep warm!  Honest!

I am very pleased to announce that we will soon be travelling again, as we have been invited by Canadian Music Week and the BPI to take part in a sponsored trade mission to Canada (March 2- 6) for the CMW festival in Toronto.  More info soon.


The Blvd.  Directed by Danny Minnick.  Produced by Friends Productions. 2005.  Movie features Crazy Penis - Fly (taken from Flowers in the Attic). 

We are also really proud to announce that we have just licensed the first of the label's tunes to a great movie, which has just been releaed on DVD in the USA and is scheduled for its Hollywood premiere soon (see image above).  THE BLVD, directed by "skate" legend Danny Minnick, takes you behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and features cameo appearances from superstars such as Quentin Tarrantino, Harold Hunter (Kids) and Max Perlich (Drugstore Cowboy), coupled with breaktaking footage of some of Hollywoods best "pro" skaters. 

Crazy Penis open the film in their inimitable disco house style, with the movie then taking you on a rollercoaster (Ed- skateboard!) high energy ride around Hollywood (and its back streets and the famous Boulevard itself), all bouncing along to a kicking soundtrack from the likes of Flava Fav, Weezer, Ralph Myerz and many others.  Produced by Friends Productions in LA, please check out their website www.friendsproductions.tv to get more info and/or order copies.  A big thank you is extended to Darryl at Universal/Geffen for helping to make this happen for us.  Thanks. 

For those of you who were able to make it to Lannie's gig in January, a big thank you also.  The evening was a wonderfully intimate session, with Run (Lannie) singing a variety of pieces from his past cannon/ouvre together with many of his newer orginals.  Please click here for a few photos of Run in action.

A new date for the party diary.  We shall be back in Amsterdam again at Bitterzoet for another party with our very good friends at Funky Beeva on 3 April 2005.  Full line-up and details to follow shortly.

The debut album from Heavy Deviance is currently having the finishing touches put to it and pre-release promo copies will be with us soon.

Peace. x.

Anthony.  12.02.05
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January 7/05_

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wish all of our regular and our new visitors a prosperous and successful 'fun-filled' 2005 - I don't know about you lot, but I have a suspiciously good feeling that this year will be a really great year for music.

With that in mind, our very own 'living-legend' Running Water (aka Lannie Fagan) - lead singer with world renowned reggae artists Matumbi (Trojan/EMI)- is kicking off the start of 2005 with an intimate session for London's 12 Bar Club on Tin Pan Alley.  The date is Wednesday 19th Jaunary from 7:30pm.   Please click here for futher details of the venue's address.

I would like to extend a big thank you to the editors of M8 and Notion magazines for featuring great profiles of the label in their January 2005 issues.

(c) M8 Magazine 2005	(c) Notion Magazine 2005

For those of you who were able to make it to our party in Amsterdam just before Christmas, I have posted a few photos below.  The Funky Beeva crew did us all proud and promoted an excellently enjoyable evening that was brilliantly attended and fantastically well "danced"!!!!  And that's what Life's all about I reckon;  it's not about blowing the shit out of the deserts (and the people) of Iraq in the 'duplicitious bollocks' of so-called "democracy", nor about 'lying' to the country (....whilst 'lying-low' in Egypt!)- it's just about spending as much time as possible boogying on down with beautiful people to groovy tunes.  Or at least it should be! 

More photos....	A Beeva Christmas...

We are off to Cannes for Midem in just over two weeks time to spread "more love" and to let loose some great new MINT tunes....so an update on my return.

Peace to all.

Anthony.  07.01.05
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November 27/04_

Hello all and welcome.

It has been a little while since the last proper web-update, and I am very pleased to say that in the meantime we have started supplying Cisco Records - a great chain of vinyl shops in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo. Welcome to everyone in Japan who has maybe bought or heard one of our tunes recently. Thanks for your support and I hope that you enjoy wondering around our website.

We are also pleased to announce that in conjunction with our very good friends - the Funky Beeva crew - we are having a little celebration in Amsterdam on Sunday 12th December 2004. It coincides almost exactly with our birthday 2 years ago, so please come and celebrate our 2nd birthday party with our friends and us. DJ sets from Heavy Deviance (Pure Mint), Frankie Valley (Grand Central), Michael Morph (File Under Music) and local legend Barth Fader (Fatbeats). The party is from 10pm til 3am, only 5 Euros entry and the venue - Bitterzoet - is excellent. All are welcome.


Full line-up/address

Industry Gossip.....

Apple Corps (Beatles) and Apple Computers are still @ log-a-heads and currently heading for the English High Courts to determine their fascinating dispute! - ok it's fascinating for me (DJ Attorney). Apple Computers recently changed lawyers in mid-stream going from Linklaters to Freshfields - which I must say seems an exceedingly strange thing to do. Maybe they were getting the wrong advice, or perhaps advice they didn't want to hear??! 

Full details of the dispute are thin on the ground, though it appears to hinge on a trademark settlement agreement - rather than a disputed trademark - which the parties entered into in the early eighties. Apparently, so the rumours go, Apple USA agreed not to enter the music industry - eerrrm; i-Tunes and Logic Audio come along! And U2 endorsed i-Pods; eerm....does anyone remember 'Zooropa' or perhaps Bono has selective memory?

I understand one of Apple USA's arguments may be that no-one then envisaged computers would be powerful enough to deliver music, such as they are now. Well - eeerrrm - what were the NED Synclavier, the Fairlight, and even the humble Mini-Moog all about then, if not a form of computer "delivering" music!…..and I am fairly confident that the Beatles wouldn't have taken too kindly to Robert Moog releasing, say, the Apple Moog in 1967/68; although I think the pair of them should seriously consider making one now!……and while we are at it, isn't an agreement once signed supposedly binding on both the parties thereafter, caveat emptor 'n' all! Or are we all heading into dangerous uncharted territory here - where technological improvements negate the legality or otherwise of previously negotiated and properly represented commercial agreements?! 

I sincerely hope that I have not bored you with this one, but our very own DJ Attorney is really looking forward to seeing how the case turns out (..he doesn't get out much!…) and "the nutter" is even considering booking a seat at the Royal Courts of Justice to see if the Beatles have truly got the [bottle/gall!] (delete as appropriate). I will let you know how it develops.

Enough for now. Early date for the diaries. Lannie Glenmore Fagan (Running Water) - lead singer with Matumbi and currently working on some great new stuff for Pure Mint - is playing the 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street in mid Jan 05. More details soon.

That's all for now.

Anthony.  27.11.04
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September 21/04_

Quick update...

Heavy Deviance has started picking up some excellent press for 'Make Me Feel It' with a loverly 4 dancing men out of 5 from DMC Update (09_04) and the rather pastoral quote "...a quartet of mixes of this deep and mellow number..bucolic impressions and dream inducing electronic in mind.  Nice one chaps!".  Lovely lovely. 

Bucolic according to the dictionary - means; 'of or relating to herdsmen' - which brings to mind Coleridge's opiate induced dream poems, such as; ..."in xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree...where alph the sacred river ran from caverns measureless to man.." and so on and so forth. - Editors note.

DJ Attorney was featured as a Tastemaker in the 11th September Music Week, quoted as the MD of Mint Source - not my fault BBH  - honest!

And Freedom Republic's StarShaking has started to pick up some fantastic interest from Zane Lowe at BBC Radio 1 (winner of the 2004 NME Best Radio Award) - who featured the band as part of the Fresh Meat segment of his show last week - and also from Steve Lamacq who recently aired the track on his BBC Radio 6.  Thanks guys.  Sure and solid quality support is beginning to grow for what we all at Mint know to be a great little band.

To hear exerpts from (or buy over internet) any of our catalogue please click here and then click more info.

All the best for now.

Attorney.  21_09_04

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August 27/04_

JAPAN_ well, what can I say?

When we landed in Tokyo, the next day Mount Fuji went red

Photo (c) the Japan Times /Kyodo Photos.

......which according to the Japan Times is an auspicious sign, which itself apparently means ñauguring good fortuneî and whose fundamental derivation is said to ultimately be taken from ïthe flight of birds'. Nice; though I digress somewhat.

It was an honour and a privilege to be a guest in Japan and I had a wonderful and amazing time in a truly hospitable country; and made some excellent new friends along the way....amongst both my fellow UK ñmissionariesî - all of whom were promoting some fantastic new music - and also with the many great Japanese contacts and associates we were fortunate to meet and be introduced to.

More Japan Photos.....

Karaoke Fun!

A very big thank you is extended to Wendy Wyatt & Crispin Parry from the BPI, Phil Patterson from UKTI and Keith and David in Japan for the superlative organisation and for your wonderful company throughout the week. On the label side, we have already been following up a number of interesting "avenues" and Pure Mint very much hopes to be back in Japan soon and certainly we shall be getting our records there even sooner.

Tokyo is a fantastic city and it was great to get the opportunity to meet up also with our Japanese licensee ageHa ( T-Totals - Feel The Rain/ Junior Vasquez ) and thank you also to Yuuki for the VIP treatment at Womb . There are too many others to thank individually so please take a blanket ñtaî from me. Ta. I shall though personally thank Taiyo Nagano from the Photon Shepherds for his help and friendship during my stay in Japan. I will see you back in London soon Taiyo.

MINT NEWS_

On the Mint front we are starting to pick up some interest for Heavy Deviance 's ' Make Me Feel It ' (a lovely 4 track 12" ep of dream inducing electronica/house) with, I am told, a forthcoming 4/5 review in the influential DMC update and wonderful support for the label from Annie Mac on Radio 1.  Thanks.

Freedom Republic 's Starshaking/40 Days is available on a limited edition 7" vinyl with a cleverly designed and very stylish sleeve from all quality purveyors of recordings.  A big thank you to Rick O'Shea for recently supporting the track with a week's playlist on his RTE show in Dublin in July.  Cheers.  Please ask at your local record shop if you are having trouble finding the vinyl and you can also hear snippets of the tracks here .

NAPSTER_

We have also started getting the Catalogue put onto various downloads. The first available Pure Mint tracks are "Starshaking" and "40 Days" by Freedom Republic and if you haven't got a turntable then maybe you might want to get an MP3 of both tracks. They are up on Napster UK . More downloads will shortly be available.

That'll do for now.

Anthony  27.08.04

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July 31/04_

Just a quick update of the news.   A very big thank you to everyone who came down and supported us on a horrible and seriously stormy night a few weeks back at Madame Jo Jo's.  It was a great fun night and thank you also to all the acts who performed.

I am off to Japan later today to make a presentation to the Japanese Music and Media industries with the kind support of the BPI and the DTI.  It is a real privilege to be offered the opportunity and I confess that I am really looking forward to it. 

I will update the web properly on my return.  Many thanks for your continued support.

Anthony  31.7.04

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July 5/04_

I thought I would update the web this time pictorially.  We are having a party this Wednesday (7th July).  All are cordially invited.  Freedom Republic , Khus Khus and MC Blaze are on live duties; Heavy Deviance and Frankie Valley (Grand Central) on the decks.  Festivities commence at 8pm.  Madame Jo Jo's.  Soho.  London.

Madame Jo Jo's _London 7th July 2004 (8pm-1am). Full line up _

Recording Sonic Flok . Soon to be featured on
ITV's Mixmasters with the Photon Shepherds .

I thought you might like to see the cover for the forthcoming 7" single Starshaking b/w 40 Days out soon on Pure Mint.  It's another wonderful design from David.

A:   Star Shaking B:   40 Days 7" vinyl disco bag.

MINT NEWS _ Some news in the Mint camp

The label has very kindly been offered an opportunity by the BPI and the department of Trade and Industry to make a presentation to the Japanese music industry in Tokyo at the beginning of August.  We are proud to be in the very good company of labels such as Fabric, Sanctuary, One Little Indian and No Half Measures.  All of us at Mint are very much looking forward to spreading around more of the Mint music (and some of the Hippie Punk ethic) to a wider base both in the UK and abroad.  More on the trip later.

Map of Japan (c) CIA. All Rights Reserved, including " due process "

Other news.  We are putting the finishing touches to a kicking little single from the Master Assassin, MC Blaze; there should be some promos doing the rounds soon.

I thought I would also take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been supporting the label from its inception and I feel confident that we can now build on some really solid foundations with some of the fabulous artists we are working with.  A special thanks to Daniel (our recent work placement student) for being so helpful around the office and continued thanks to Pete Norman at Heathman 's for making our vinyl sound so loud, punchy and wonderfully warm.

Daniel Sengupta	Pete Norman

Peace.

Anthony  5.7.04

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May 20/04_

The astute of you amongst us will realise that we haven’t updated the website in absolutely ages and that we have made some fundamental changes to Mint Source, including changing the colour of the website and establishing our new label Pure Mint Recordings Limited. Pure Mint is a wholly new sister company to Mint Source and the website
www.mint-source.com now redirects to www.pure-mint.com.

The question is why?

Out of good faith I didn’t think it appropriate that we keep updating www.mint-source.com during the last few months (although we have just had our busiest and most commercially productive three months) until we could determine whether this dispute, that we innocently found ourselves in, could be resolved. It doesn’t now appear that we can resolve that dispute. So let me introduce you to Pure Mint Recordings, a proverbial “phoenix from the fire”. Mint Source Recordings remains alive as a legal entity and will continue to remain so in order to enforce what we call “goodwill” in the name of Mint Source in the fields of records and music promotion. However, Mint Source will not put out any new material in the applicable territories until the “threat of legal action” it faces has either been removed from it, or determined by an appropriate court of law.

What happened? And when? For a quick précis of the dispute please>Click here

For a brief news update on what Mint Source was “up to” prior to May 1st 2004 and what Pure Mint has been doing since, please continue reading.

Mint Source’s music (with videos created by The Photon Shepherds) were also featured on 25,000 promo DVD’s “Sneak Preview” released through O2 by eyetoeye. I think most of these have already gone, but you might be lucky at your local O2.

Featuring... Heavy Deviance_Eastern Lights MC Blaze & DJ Attorney_Southside Crazy Penis_The Time is Right (Shiva) Videos by The Photon Shepherds www.eyetoeye.com

Len & Ant in full flow...		..in Londonderry with Radio1 FM

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February 28/04_

Sorry for the long delay in updating the news, but this has been as a result of all of us being a) rather busy; b) out of the country a lot; and c) making new music!
What's been happening....

January saw Len and Ant in Cannes getting up to lots of wonderful shenanigans, making some great new contacts both personally and for business, and generally just having a bit of a laugh in the South of France. We took a CDR of some new releases, which all went down very well, and here is a photo-op in classic "politician style" of me giving the Minister of State for Trade and Industry (the Rt Hon Mike O'Brien MP) a copy of the forthcoming release "Lifestealer" by Khus Khus at the Katie Melua party hosted by the BPI. I must actually write to him to see if he likes it but maybe everyone is too busy with Clare Short at the moment! The Rt Hon Member is in the privileged position of currently being the owner of 1 of only 3 promos! Apologies for the quality of the photo but it's from Len' Phone - and Len by the way asserts copyright!



It was great to be promoting both the label and our new legal endeavour Entertainment Advice (which is now, after some hard graft in January and February, very much "up and running") and some business has already starting coming in for both the label and the business. My most enjoyable party was probably the Danish night - where there were liberal amounts of free champagne and hors d'ouevres, but our night out with Sam from Aim will probably be best remembered if only for not getting thrown out of the club (and for being rather pissed on our last night).
Meanwhile Dash and Wayne were out in Australia living it up on tour with Crazy Penis; and I have seen the photos, so nuff said! Congratulations to the Photons as their Crazy Penis video is apparently on rotation on MTV Asia and some other far-east channel...hooray!

We have just got the whites back on Heavy Deviance and Lifestealer so you all be able to hear them soon. We have also started work on finishing off a couple of newer things - more later - and we are off to Miami at the beginning of March to the Winter Music Conference taking with us lots and lots of very sexy "sexed up" vinyl. Oh and the Carl Cox compilation FACT II is out in Australia featuring T-Total's "Feel the Rain" and the Mastercuts Chill is out and available to buy featuring Heavy Deviance's "Eastern Lights".
I would like to thank Melissa from the Renaissance Club and Mark Powell (bespoke tailor) for allowing us to put on the music and visuals for the party with you recently at the Mango. It was a great night of fashion music and wine and we got the dancing going with some solid low down Mint Source tunes!

We are in the process of updating the web properly soon (and particularly the artist pages) which we should have up and running some time soon after getting back from Miami. In the meantime enjoy the coming spring, and keep on dancing!

Anthony 28.2.04
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December 30/03_

As 2003 draws to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us through our first amazing year; to all who came to the parties, to everyone who has bought one of our records and to all the DJ's that have played Mint Source tunes on the radio and in clubs. A special thank you is also extended to the DJ's who have licensed our records for their own compilations.

It's been a great debut year for the label; and with lots of new stuff (parties/releases) planned already for 2004 I thought I would take a moment to list an overview of some of the highlights.

December 10th 2002 - We launch the label at the Bug Bar in Brixton. Music comes from London's Finest, Heavy Deviance, T-Total, Fire and Water and the Last Fast One.

January 2003 - a mad mental wonderful week in Cannes, with Running Water and the Mint Source crew. We partied as if the end of the world was coming (...better not wish to hard as it might still come!) and released our first press release - re. Mint Source's 'Weapons of Mass Delusion'!! Norman Jay MBE airs the first Mint Source radio play, 'The Healing Song' from The Hint of Mint debut double vinyl.

February 2003 - Parties in London. We take on office/studio space in London.

March 2003 - A trip to Budapest for our first overseas party. Heavy Deviance and the Carbon Fools provide the music. The head of the UK students' union Ents. body comes with us to see what we are all about!

May 2003 - 'Mint in the Loft' at the Rhythm Factory, Whitechapel. Another mad party night with music from Neon Heights, Heavy Deviance, DJ Attorney, DIY, Smokescreen and others coupled with 3 screens of visuals from the Photon Shepherds. Also, 'A Mint Night', our first party in Amsterdam.

June 2003 - 'Budding Stuff', a night of new audio and cutting edge visual talent brought to you in partnership with Saatchi and Saatchi. Norman Jay plays Crazy Penis off the pre-release 'Flowers in the Attic' album. We sign up with www.recordstore.co.uk for Internet distribution.

July 2003 - Parties in London and Amsterdam.
August 2003 - We sign with Amato for UK distribution, attend Popkomm in Koln and extend the Mint Source presence throughout Germany and beyond. 'Mint It!' at the Rhythm Factory is a sell out success with music supplied by Frankie Valley (Grand Central), Heavy Deviance, DJ Attorney/MC Blaze, Crazy Penis and our friends at Digital Dance.

September 2003 - Impressive PR start UK pr. MC Blaze and DJ Attorney play a gig for The Prince's Trust in Trafalgar Square, London.

October 2003 - Anthony goes to the States on business. Makes excellent contacts with some of the leading DJ's, promoters and labels working in America, with the Mint tunes being very favourably received. T-Total's 'Healing Song/Feel the Rain' released to critical acclaim from DJ's/press. 'Feel the Rain' is licensed to a Carl Cox compilation in Australia.

November 2003 - Excellent reviews for 'Flowers' in Mixmag, Record Collector, DJ, International DJ, Logo etc. More radio plays, including our first BBC Radio 1 airplay. Mint Source signs Benelux distribution with Fount Music in the Netherlands. Radio plays across the continent from Italy to Germany and in between. Flowers in the Attic released in the UK. Mint Source web site hits received from 54 countries (from the USA to Russia, Japan to Africa, South America to Europe...and still rising). DJ Attorney and DigiDub provide music for the Anti-War coalition's "Stop Bush" rally in Trafalgar Square, playing to over 100,000 people.

December 2003 - We finish off the year with Heavy Deviance's 'Eastern Lights" released. 'Eastern Lights' is licensed to the seminal 'Mastercuts' compilation series. Crazy Penis' 'Fly' is licensed to Norman Jay MBE's next compilation. Further BBC Radio 1 plays, XFM plays etc. Further licensing requests from Japan and Taiwan have also just come in, so please watch this space.

Thank you everybody; a busy, fruitful and extremely rewarding first year that took the company literally all over the world!!

I would like to especially thank Dash and Wayne and Darbs for making Mint Source a company we can truly be proud of and for committing so much of your time and energy! Words will not suffice! And also to David, Greg, Taiyo and Kay from the Photon Shepherds for all the party visuals and for creating the amazing Mint Source design aesthetic. Thank you's also to Sian and Pascale for your help.

The Mint Source release schedule is taking great shape for 2004 and my sideline career (independent legal consultant to the media industries) is also growing steadily. Len Bendel (another bass playing solicitor!) and I are launching a new specialist media law advice service called 'Entertainment Advice' in January 2004, to provide 'no-nonsense sound legal advice at inexpensive rates' to our growing client roster (which includes leading artists, actresses, independent television production companies, bands and producers etc.). The website for this will be up and running soon.

So I am left now only to wish you all a prosperous and successful New Year and hope that in 2004 we can put the liars, deceivers, and warmongers behind us once and for all, and together begin to build a better world for all based on the principles of truth, equality and justice.

Anthony. 30.12.03

November 28/03_

In 1963 Bob Dylan wrote the song "With God On Our Side" which included the lyrics:

"To hate them and fear them,
To run and to hide,
You never ask questions
When God's on your side."
(©Warner Brothers 1963)

Last Thursday, 20th November 2003, Mint Source was kindly invited to provide some of the music at the "Stop Bush Rally" in Trafalgar Square, which passed both peaceably and had a fantastic joyous "party" atmosphere to the whole day's event. DJ Attorney spun a few tunes and Helen and Lee from Digidub (see photo below) performed a couple of wonderful new numbers, including the first public performance of "Lifestealer".



I felt incredibly humbled and honoured to be able also to play the final song of the day (Primal Scream's "Come Together") to the many thousands and thousands of people crowded into Trafalgar Square (estimates vary between 100,000- 200,000 according to police and the organisers...and however which way you look at it, that's a heck of a lot of people for a "school day"). The 'sound and vision' of so many people singing "come together, as one" in unison will stay with me forever. Thank you Simon from Headancer for letting us take part in the day's events....and while we're at it; the diversity of groups and racial backgrounds that makes up the Anti War coalition is its greatest strength; notwithstanding the "neo-cons" suggestion that it shows its "rag bag" weakness. They are wrong, pure and simple! People can, and do, want to live together. It's just greedy individuals who want us to be divisive; and the time has now come, in my opinion, to tell them to fuck off! Go on - fuck off!

Flowers continues to pick up excellent reviews, including one in this December's Mixmag (4/5) with the quote; "....a gorgeous collection from the Loft dwellers...". All of us at Mint Source are absolutely delighted with the critical response the album has received in the press. We are starting to promote the record to a few key radio/specialist DJ's so we sincerely hope you will be hearing more of our hard work and endeavours on the nation's radio airwaves very soon. Thanks also to Seb Fontaine at Radio 1 for his support of T-Total's "Feel the Rain"/ "Healing Song".

Given that I started this update with a mention of God, and as our "glorious leaders" Bush and Blair often seem to emphasise their personal special relationship with the Almighty, I wondered how they both might interpret (theologically speaking) the following passage from the Scriptures (which on the face of it appears to relate to them/weapons of mass delusion/collateral damage etc.)

Proverbs 6 v.16-19
16. These six things doth the Lord hate; yea seven are an abomination to him:
17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among breathren"

Alright - bible studies over for this month. Back to the business of Rock'n'Roll!

Good friends of mine over at Grow Collective are having a little celebratory pre-Christmas party "Cohesion 11" in Shoreditch on 14th December 2003, where both Mint Source and the Photon Shepherds will be (respectively) spinning a few tunes and projecting some new visuals. Click here for details. It would be great to see as many of you there as can make it. A £2.50 donation is suggested to cover costs.

Anthony
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