Wind and Wire

A website for the fan of acoustic and electronic instrumental music

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August 2004

Volume 2, Number 6



IN THIS ISSUE
REVIEWS
NEWS

UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THIS SITE/WEBZINE
 
This is the last monthly issue of Wind and Wire for awhile (at least a year). Beginning next issue (approximately October 1), I will begin uploading an issue every other month while I am on sabbatical from reviewing. You will still see the occasional review from me during this time, but these are reviews I had promised to artists before the start of the sabbatical. If you are an artist, label rep, promoter, etc. and are concerned about a review that you hoped for from me, just drop me an email and ask. I'm going to do my best to fulfill my obligations to you all. I am no longer accepting new material for review, although you are free to contact me and plead your case. Note: send money...it helps! ;-)
 
Seriously, please refer your queries for reviews to my other writers, all of whom have pledged to do their best to keep this website viable and current during my absence. Because of the situation in my personal life which is dictating the need for this sabbatical, the "NEWS" section of this site will be considerably trimmed down. I simply do not have time to search for news on the 'net nor to weed through the informational emails that are sent to me via many mailing lists from artists and labels. As a result, PLEASE, if you want me to post something about a new release, a concert, or the birth of your pet bird, email it to me personally with a very short "Hi Bill, please post this for me, okay?" and word it exactly as you want it to appear so I can cut-and-paste it. I will not edit it. If you wish to imbed a link, just go ahead and type out the link info and I will convert it.
 
Contrary to public opinion, I am not taking this leave of absence due solely to reviewing burnout, although that is certainly a condition that afflicts me these days. Due to a change in my and Kathryn's employment situation (which is temporary) I am going to have to work more than one job for a year or so. This will cut deeply into my free time and, as a result, the reviewing will suffer. Rather than just plod along, I have decided to take this time to also take a break. I have been at this since March of 1997 without a real break, so what the hell, I guess after all that time, I deserve to listen to music for "fun" for awhile, doncha think so?
 
There are no immediate plans for my leaving my radio show, but I will not rule that out either. If I do pull out of radio, I will announce it here, of course.
 
You will doubtless find out that Wind and Wire will be somewhat lacking in new age music (and similar genre) reviews during my sabbatical. I have plenty of ambient and electronica music reviewers, but for some reason, new age music reviewers are few and far between. If there are any of you out there, and you don't mind working for free, I am open to your contributions. Send me a review sample and we can go from there. Otherwise, please don't interpret the lack of new age music reviews as an indication I am personally abandoning the genre. Nothing could be further from the truth, as I remain steadfast in my love for this type of music which I feel has always been ignored by many of the other sites out there.
 
Well, that's it for now. I turn 50 this week, and it sure feels like 50. On the other hand, maybe it's more as Indiana Jones once said "It's not the years, it's the mileage." Regardless, I hope you're all faring well in these troubled and troubling times. As always, I wish you well and happy trails, wherever the journey takes you. Hopefully, everything will go back to normal in a year or so.
 
Do good work.
 
Bill Binkelman,
founder, editor and webmaster

 

info@windandwire.com
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