Book Thoughts

As sales of my books continue to be strong (even the 1st Edition continues to sell!), it's left me with some thoughts on where to go next.

Finishing the 2nd Edition was a huge undertaking for me, especially as I was doing it all in my spare time. Consider the fact that I am married, have 4 children, a stressful and busy job, and a long commute to and from work each day, and you'll understand when I say that it put quite a lot of stress on me and my family. This is especially due to the fact that I was doing it for free (ie no one was paying me to write this book), and the money I make from sales just about goes to cover my costs for all of the printing, postage, etc.

Another factor was timing. The problem I ran into with the first book in 2009 is that I was constantly getting new material to add to the book, and could have postponed the publication indefinitely in order to include everything. This is what eventually led to the 2nd Edition. For the 2nd book, I set myself a hard and fast deadline (which in and of itself added more stress when I fell behind and had to push myself to eventually meet it!). Of course, right after I published the book, Blur announced their raft of 2013 and 2014 shows. Add to this the fact that I've gotten many recordings of these 2013 shows and you'll see that there *could* be the possibility for yet another book.

However, I think publishing a third book , so soon after the 2nd book, would not be prudent. Remember, there were 3+ years between the 1st and 2nd Editions. Also, I'm not sure how interesting reviews of 2013 (and beyond) shows that have set lists identical to the 2012 shows (included in the 2nd Edition) would be...certainly not enough to entice anyone to buy another book so soon after the last one.

This brings me to my thought...what if I write an addendum to the 2nd book, reviewing these 2013 shows and any other stray shows that didn't make it into the 2nd Edition, and offer it as a PDF? It would be very inexpensive (~$3) and basically an add-on to the 2nd Edition for anyone who has purchased it. That way, it wouldn't necessitate a completely new book, unless people think an "updated 2nd Edition" (would this be the 2nd and 1/2 Edition?) hard copy book would be a better idea?

I'll turn it over to you, my readers and customers...what do you think? Which would you rather have?

Black Book Pre-Order Bonus Compilation Track Listing!

Below is the final tracklisting for the bonus compilation the pre-order customers will be getting! I think it sounds fantastic overall and my friend Tom did a great job mastering and cleaning up the audio. I think those of you who have this coming to you will really enjoy it.

CD1:

1) Beetlebum (Melbourne 11/1/97)
2) She's So High (London 12/9/97)
3) Stereotypes (Dublin 6/22/96)
4) Bad Day (Reading 8/24/91)
5) Explain (Camden 3/30/90)
6) Colin Zeal (Melbourne 11/1/97)
7) Country Sad Ballad Man (Stockholm 4/7/97)
8) London Loves (Sheffield 5/21/94)
9) Movin' On (Toronto 3/13/97)
10) Chemical World (Glasgow 9/3/93)
11) Girls and Boys (Nyon 7/22/94)
12) It Could Be You (Amsterdam 3/22/96)
13) Luminous (Glastonbury 6/28/92)
14) Nite Klub (w/Terry Hall) (Dublin 6/22/96)
15) Topman (London 9/7/95)
16) Far Out (Mile End 6/17/95)
17) Repetition (Glastonbury 6/2798)
18) I'm Just a Killer For Your Love (Glastonbury 6/27/98)
19) Music is My Radar (Dublin 12/8/03)
20) This is a Low (London 12/12/97)

CD2:

1) Ambluance (Milan 5/15/03)
2) Tender (T in the Park 7/12/09)
3) Trailerpark (London 3/15/99)
4) Entertain Me (Hamburg 10/23/95)
5) Battle (London 3/15/99)
6) Colours (Dublin 12/8/03)
7) Fade Away (Hamburg 10/23/95)
8) He Thought of Cars (Boston 2/11/96)
9) Chinese Bombs (Hultsfred 6/15/96)
10) Song 2 (Dublin 6/22/96)
11) Globe Alone (Zurich 3/8/96)
12) Coping (Zurich 3/8/96)
13) Essex Dogs (Glastonbury 6/27/98)
14) You're So Great (Osaka 5/27/97)
15) Look Inside America (Amsterdam 4/29/97)
16) Strange New From Another Star (Tokyo 6/3/97)
17) Black Book (London 7/2/00)
18) The Universal (London 12/12/97)

Preorder Closed

The Black Book preorder is now closed! Thanks to everyone who participated...I'm humbled that you're so interested in the book, and I'm working really hard to make sure I meet those expectations. I think (hope!) that you'll all be pleased and excited by the finished product. As always, I'll keep you updated on the entire process as we march on to the targeted release in December.

Thanks again!

Black Book Pre-Order: IT IS HERE!

WHAT'S NEW IN BLACK BOOK 2nd EDITION: > Newly rearranged format and sections, breaking the live history into touring "eras" instead of years to better track their onstage progression alongside their musical evolution in the studio > Nearly 100 new concerts reviewed and written up, fleshing out their live history even more than the first book from 2009 > Corrections and revisions to many entires from the first book as further research has brought new information to light > Updated, corrected, and expanded tour date history > Updated, corrected, and expanded song live performance list > A collection of scans/photos of Blur concert ticket stubs throughout their history, from 1990 to 2012 > A "thank you" section acknowledging and thanking everyone who kindly helped out with this project (whether sending in recordings or scans of their tickets) > The FIRST EVER review of B-Roads, the lost Great Escape film from 1995/96, detailed and reviewed for the first time ANYWHERE If you can't wait until December to order the book, I'm running a pre-order special that will run from October 15 to November 15, 2012 PRE-ORDER SPECIAL: BLACK BOOKS 1&2 > Both editions of Black Book together for US $30 BLACK BOOK 2 > The new 2012 2nd Edition of Black Book for US $20 Everyone who pre-orders either one of these between October 15 and November 15 will get their copies of the book signed by me, as well as a live compilation I'm putting together (I haven't decided if it will be on CDR or download yet, I'll announced that as the release date gets closer). After November 15, 2012, I will not accept any more pre-orders...sorry, but since this is 100% a one-man operation (ie, I'm doing everything by myself!), I just can't handle it. TO PRE-ORDER: I'm accepting payment through PayPal (this way I can keep track of the orders): PLEASE ORDER USING THE BUTTONS BELOW AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: -Your name -Your mailing address -Your email address -Which book package you're ordering Please allow 3-5 days for orders to arrive after December 19 for US orders, and 1-2 weeks for the rest (give or take a few days since it will be close to the Christmas holiday season, which always delays the post). If you have any additional questions about the book, the pre-order, or anything else, please feel free to contact me at dkathans@comcast.net IF YOU HAVE ANY RECORDINGS OR TICKET SCANS YOU'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BOOK, PLEASE HAVE THEM IN TO ME NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31, 2012!! Thanks in advance for your patience with me! :)

Getting Ready and Tying Up Loose Ends: The Preorder Opens Tomorrow!

I'm finishing the last few logistical things I can think of to get ready to open the preorder tomorrow. I think I've got everything covered and it should run relatively smoothly, but of course you never know with these things and I'm sure issues will pop up along the way!

2013 Full-Scale Tour?

There's been a lot of speculation lately that Blur may play more than a handful of shows that they've already announced in 2013. Yesterday on my Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr pages, I posted a link from a promoter claiming they've booked shows all over Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America for 2013. It took of like wildfire across the internet, but so far nothing more has been said via official channels (of which that link certainly wasn't).

So hang tight, and as I find any info, I'll be sure to post it to keep everyone informed.

Otherwise, I've just been working like crazy on getting the book finished and the pre-order ready to kick off on Monday the 15th. Busy times, but exciting!

Black Book 2 Pre-Order Announcement

Black Book 2 Pre-Order Announcement

BLACK BOOK 2nd Edition PRE-ORDER ANNOUNCEMENT

I’m planning on the book being published and available for general purchase worldwide with a provisional release date of December 19. It will be available from Amazon sites worldwide (print and Kindle versions), as well as iBooks (for you fellow iPad readers). The price will be the same as the first book, US$20, which is a bargain considering there are nearly 100 new shows that have been added, as well as expanded sections and loads more info packed in the book, making it nearly twice the size of the first book (pagewise)!

WHAT’S NEW IN BLACK BOOK 2nd EDITION:

> Newly rearranged format and sections, breaking the live history into touring “eras” instead of years to better track their onstage progression alongside their musical evolution in the studio

> Nearly 100 new concerts reviewed and written up, fleshing out their live history even more than the first book from 2009

> Corrections and revisions to many entires from the first book as further research has brought new information to light

> Updated, corrected, and expanded tour date history

> Updated, corrected, and expanded song live performance list

> A collection of scans/photos of Blur concert ticket stubs throughout their history, from 1990 to 2012

> A “thank you” section acknowledging and thanking everyone who kindly helped out with this project (whether sending in recordings or scans of their tickets)

> The FIRST EVER review of B-Roads, the lost Great Escape film from 1995/96, detailed and reviewed for the first time ANYWHERE

If you can’t wait until December to order the book, I’m running a pre-order special that will run from October 15 to November 15, 2012

PRE-ORDER SPECIAL:

BLACK BOOKS 1&2
> Both editions of Black Book together for US $30

BLACK BOOK 2
> The new 2012 2nd Edition of Black Book for US $20

Everyone who pre-orders either one of these between October 15 and November 15 will get their copies of the book signed by me, as well as a live compilation I’m putting together (I haven’t decided if it will be on CDR or download yet, I’ll announced that as the release date gets closer).

After November 15, 2012, I will not accept any more pre-orders…sorry, but since this is 100% a one-man operation (ie, I’m doing everything by myself!), I just can’t handle it.

If you have any additional questions about the book, the pre-order, or anything else, please feel free to contact me at dkathans@comcast.net

IF YOU HAVE ANY RECORDINGS OR TICKET SCANS YOU’D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BOOK, PLEASE HAVE THEM IN TO ME NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31, 2012!!

Black Book 2 preorder is almost here…

I've got the pre-order announcement all written up and just about ready to share. I just need to sort out a few more details and then I'll post it for all of you to see!

A Work in Progress

Working on the cover for the book.

It Could Be You (reviewing the book…)

If you have Black Book and have enjoyed it, why not write a review for it on Amazon? The feedback helps me out to know what everyone likes/dislikes, and it helps the ranking on Amazon. This is my way of asking nicely (pretty please?) :)

Black Book original 1st edition price drop

In preparation for book #2, and because I still think book #1 is worth having, I've lowered the pricing on Amazon. Now, the prices are:

US $16.00
UK: £11.00
Europe: €12.00

The other Amazon sites (Japan, Australia, etc) will adjust their prices accordingly (those I couldn't change myself). Please give their website a day or two to show the new pricing.

And preorder details for book #2 most likely sometime next week!

Black Book 2 preorder details coming soon…

In about a week and half (probably right after the Labor Day holiday here in the US), I'll have full details for the preorder for the book. The only question is how many copies to limit the bonus stuff to (depends on the demand…need to get an idea of how many people are interested?).

Black Books 1 & 2

Maybe a little of a different type of post, this one, but the first edition of Black Book continues to sell well month after month, and I thank and appreciate everyone who has bought it, and if you have it, I hope you've enjoyed it. Even with the second edition coming out soon, I feel like the first one is different enough and of its time enough (written during the 2000s and finished the year of Blur's return in 2009) to make it a valuable and worthwhile book in its own right.

The new one will be greatly expanded, updated, and changed around a little bit, and has some new sections in it, and of course will be finished in the wake of this summer's triumphs for Blur.

I make hardly any money off of the books...really, just enough to (barely) cover my costs, and that's fine; I am not in it for the money (if I was, I'd be in the wrong business!). It's just a labor of love for me to give back something to Blur for all of the meaning and enjoyment their music has given me for half of my life (and counting), and to give something to share with fellow fans who can identify in the same way with the band.

So, again, thanks :)

Black Book #2 Update

Right now the manuscript for book #2 is being edited but is otherwise complete. As soon as Blur finish their stuff up in August, I'll make the final additions and then charge full-steam ahead to finish it and make it available. I'm tossing around a few ideas for a special "extra" or two as well…

New Dedicated Book Website is Now Live

I now have an official website dedicated solely to the book (courtesy of my friend Michael!). It's live now so feel free to check it out and bookmark it. We'll be adding more content to it in the coming weeks. This will be dedicated solely to the books, both the current one and the forthcoming one, while my other website/blog will still be for news, audio, videos, etc. www.blurblackbook.com

Coming Soon: Pre-Order for Black Book 2

Stay tuned for more details in the next couple of weeks...

It Could Be You!

If anyone has stuff for the book, I'm caught up enough that it'd be a good time to send it. Live tapes, ticket stub scans, etc. Feel free to email or PM me if you'd like to help out and as always, thanks in advance!

I'm also working on trying to get a proper publisher for the book...it'll be coming out either way, so stay tuned for updates!

Book Pre-Order: Gauging Interest

Who would be interested in pre-ordering the book if I set the release for sometime in November/December of this year? Perhaps with a bonus inventive included? (I'm mulling this last bit over...).

Let me know here in the comments, on the Facebook page, or on Twitter what your thoughts are.

100K

The website hit 100,000 visitors sometime between when I last checked the counter (on Thursday) and just now. 

THANK YOU to all who have visited and continue to visit, and I hope to have thousands more as I will try to pick up the pace adding news, information, music, and more to this site to make it the best Blur fan site I can possibly make it! Not to mentions as book #2 gets closer, I'll keep everyone updated. 

So again, MANY THANKS!

Archiving!

I had mentioned a while ago in an old post that, along with collecting audio and working on my books, I also intended to archive Blur's live audio, for preservation purposes as well as ease of use. After not having done much in the last several months, I spent some time today transferring more CDR audio to my hard drive and converting it to lossless flac format. As of right now, I'm about halfway through the 1995 audio, so by the end of the weekend, 1989-1995 should be completed. The crazy thing is, when I look at my boxes of Blur live CDs, I'm not even close to being halfway done, which gives you an idea of how much more they toured, especially in 1997, 1999, and 2003! Still, not only has it been fun revisiting all the stuff, but once completed, this will make it easier for me to access audio, go back and get info from shows, relisten to it, and also share some more with you, my fellow fans!