April 2005

Volume 3, Number 3

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First of all, I'd like to announce that Dene Bebbington, one of the reviewers here at Wind and Wire, has launched his own ambient and EM review site. It's called Melliflua, and here is what he has to say about it:

"My new instrumental music review site Melliflua (www.melliflua.com) will provide regular reviews of EM, ambient, spacemusic, adult contemporary, and new age releases. I will also occasionally take a more personal look back at a classic album, starting with Kitaro's Silk Road I. I welcome submission enquiries from artists and labels who have previously submitted music to Wind and Wire for review. Feedback from any reader is always welcome."

For now, Dene's reviews will appear both here and his new site. Please stop by and visit Melliflua. All you artists, label people, and promoters out there, please show the same level of support to Dene that you did to me through the years, okay? I'd personally appreciate it and I know Dene would too. He has my complete confidence in continuing the fine work that he has shown he is capable of here at Wind and Wire.

Which, of course, leads me to make it official that there are big changes coming to Wind and Wire. In either July or August of this year, Wind and Wire will cease the uploading of new material, effectively going dormant. This is because I'm leaving music reviewing for an extended period of time, perhaps even retiring entirely. At the very least, there will be no new reviews or updates uploaded to Wind and Wire until the fall of 2006. Sometime in the summer of 2006, I will evaluate whether or not I will return to reviewing and in what context, e.g. merely re-starting Wind and Wire, starting a new venture online, or resurrecting the printed version of the magazine (for those that don't know, Wind and Wire was a hard copy magazine from April of 1997 to October of 1999). I won't be making any decisions about my return until I see how my leaving "feels."

There are several reasons I've decided to leave the music scene at this time. First and foremost is the personal reason of needing to devote more time to my home and my wife. Kathryn has been as patient as a saint since 1997, and it's high time I paid her back. There are so many house repairs to see to, as well, and I can't spend the time with Kathryn and working on our house and also keep the site running, even if I stop reviewing and only perform webmaster duties. Some people have suggested this solution, but it's not viable because of the other main reason for my leaving.

Simply put, I need time away from reviewing. I have written somewhere between 800 and 1000 reviews since 1997. I won't use the phrase "burned out" but I can't remember the last time I could enjoy music just to enjoy it, not keeping part of my mind on "what do I think of this for a review?"

I'll say my good-byes in that last issue, so I'll spare you for now. I'll also have a lot of "thank you's" to pass out at that time. Until this summer, things will be status quo here, and in fact, I plan on doing at least one interview before I fold up the tent. That would be with Kevin Kendle, who also happened to be my first ever interview back in the first issue of Wind and Wire in 1997. Talk about perfect symmetry.

Drop me a line when you get the chance if you have any comments about the above or whatever. I always enjoy hearing from you.

 Bill Binkelman