Club Fandango In London / Camden - Why?

Is Fandango still running at The Dublin Castle or has it migrated elsewhere? Either way, whether it's Simon or not, anyone suggesting that a few (big) magazines won't review bands that have played at any of the Fandango nights because of his attitude sounds suspiciously like they're a. full of shit and b. pissed off with the promoter for some reason other than his personality.

It's hugely unlikely that a magazine would veto an entire night - and which "big" magazines are they talking about anyway? I can't imagine the likes of Uncut or Q reviewing a tiny Camden show in the first place, and Bang/X-Ray aren't yet sufficiently established to be so picky or petty.

Also, bear in mind that to ban reviewing *all* former fandango artists would most likely include some pretty big bands! It's been going a good while, and the Fierce Panda connection means they've no doubt nurtured some burgeoning talent in their time.

On the subject of Fierce Panda, it is something of an indie trojan horse isn't it? I notice they're putting out a single by the distinctly mainstream Keane for example. Like Embrace/Hut before them, it seems that Keane's major label wants to use FP to give them a bit of indie cachet later on.

Simon can sell out however much he puts out of Keane/Coldplay.. keep rereleasing them when he needs the money, and then put the money he gets in to putting out other more obscure artists.

So does this sit perfectly comfortably with the indie ethic nowadays? A friend of mine who runs a small label was offered to act in a similar fashion for the occasional Hut band and rejected it out of hand. I'm sure the money would have come in handy, though...

Equally - surely there are legal issues to releasing old singles by a band when they are signed to another label?

Why is no one accepting that Keane or Coldplay might have had records released on Panda because Simon Williams LIKED them?

On the other hand, if Simon released a single and the band went on to sign a major deal LATER, he would own the copyright to the first single and would be due a big wedge should they subsequently want to license it for a greatest hits.

But come on: how could he possibly like Keane?

I said exactly that Matt... it strikes me that Simon has the sort of ear for a future to-be-huge band that could see him employed by any major on the planet, but that's not the point.

But come on: how could he possibly like Keane?

A glance through the FP back catalogue will tell you the answer to that one, I think.

Hmm: for every Embrace and bluetones there's been a KaitO or Magoo. To be honest, knowing his taste from his writings in NME, something like the Furtureheads would be more his bag than Keane. He was the king of "minged out of their mong quirk-pop. On drugs"-type nonsense.

note that FP are completely independent now. if it takes a Coldplay single (which was only deleted recently, i think there are quite a few thousand copies of the CD single out there) to keep them afloat then so be it.