The time has come after twenty years of running the site to down that last drink.
Not an easy choice to make after so long in the chair, but the time is right, and new opportunities await outside of the music world.
When starting the site as a bit of fun, never did I think it would end up taking up so much of my life, from a hobby, to a part time thing for a while, then to a full time business for many years. I’ve been super lucky, and have endless memories.
It’s been a blast being able to work with something I love day in day out, and being able to share it via the various sections that graced the site over the years. It has allowed me to travel, and check out all the sticky carpet band rooms around the country, making many great long standing friendships along the way.
The past few years have been challenging in the media world financially, and the way people get their information has changed in a big way seeing many outlets unable to continue. One more for the list!
It’s now so much easier for the type of bands the site covers to get their music and news out directly to the world, and the fact that we are seeing so many local acts both making waves overseas, but also filling up major venues on home soil regularly without the need for an international headliner to draw heads proves it is a change for the better. Power in the right hands.
There are a handful of reasons behind the decision to call stumps, but mostly, it’s just a lack of time to commit to keeping things running at the levels I’ve set, and people have come to expect over the years. Do it right, or not at all. There are only so many hours in the day and other priorities and opportunities started pushing the site to the back seat.
It’ll be different, but nice to have a few extra free hours a day, and just be a fan again.
A thank you list would go on for a week, so in short, the readers, old and new, amazingly there are still folks who have been there all the way from the very start. Regardless of when you came on board, thanks a bunch for coming back / sharing articles etc. The bands, many of whom who have gone from submitting their first bits of news and gig dates, to now killing it both here and abroad. Watching artists and labels grow has been a real pleasure. The contributors who over the years when we had them, took care of interviews and reviews for very little in return. The labels, publicists and managers who have kept me in the loop with plenty of fresh content to share, and put up with my often slack reply time on emails and the promoters, who over the years made it possible to tick off just about every band on my wishlist for Bombshell Presents tours.
I’ll keep the site up for a short while until the hosting runs dry if you want to grab anything. I know the Gig Guide is a tool many of you have relied upon for a long time to keep in the loop. If anyone has the time and energy and wants to use the data there to start one of their own, feel free to have a crack.
If you want to keep in touch, fire an email to [email protected], or use the Contact form and I’ll send along my details to you.
Thanks again, it’s been a time.
Rock.
Bomber
