Newsletter February 2000

We have a big update this month, celebrating the first Stereo Society release since our launch of four CDs last April. BETTY’s Carnival is a 28-minute EP and costs just $9.99 (plus shipping to anywhere world-wide). More news of the fabulous BETTY and their home page expansion follows this serious note about shopping and distribution. We’ll give you a scrap of history showing the arcane way the CD distribution business works, then tell you the step we’ve taken to make sure that all orders are RELIABLE, FAST and SECURE.

The Stereo Society concept was originally a fresh joint venture with Music Boulevard. We would produce the site and music, and they would handle distribution, hosting, dull technical things etc. Just before our launch, they were swallowed up by CDNow. We had problems with the new management, so had to scatter our distribution to Amazon.com, CDNow and ezcd.com. Because of the antique CD distribution, we couldn’t even get our CDs stocked by CDNow.....what’s wrong with this picture?

Hospitals reported a surge in cases of writer’s cramp because you, the shopper, had to sign off on so many credit card forms in so many places. Bears with sore heads are calmer than frustrated shoppers. So from now on, everything you get from our site will be channeled through amazon.com’s shopping cart, and you can add anything else you want from their store. They will also take good care of the finances and delivery. Just click on any book or CD ‘Purchase Please’ box on our site, and you bounce to Amazon.com to complete or to continue shopping for anything you like. You can even buy books, if you’re clever and like that sort of thing.

Back to BETTY for light relief and serious fun. The latest Stereo Society interview was easy enough for us. Mike Thorne, who is reunited with them as producer on Carnival, asked a total of five questions and they kept going for half an hour. That’s efficient management. Except no-one can manage BETTY, as you will find if you read or listen to the interview.

We’ve given you full access to RealAudio and Liquid Audio previews of the Carnival pieces. Enjoy them loudly, please. However, they can’t give you a proper preview of this continuous, conceptual conundrum. For that, you have to hear the CD. You’re welcome to download the first single, Millennium Man. We’ll keep this available for a while yet. Hurry, hurry, step right up.....

Tons of other new BETTY features are gathered on their home page, including a commentary from Mike Thorne on producing their perennial bloomer of a first album, Hello BETTY!, another tasty recipe, some photos from the archives (that hair!), some more press and fan notes (genuine, of course).

Don’t forget the BETTY release party shows. Please get advance tickets, as we expect them to sell out.

Wednesday, March 1, 2000, 9:00 pm
The Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street, New York, NY
with special guests Toshi Reagon & Big Lovely (7:30 pm) and Mary McBride & The Pancake Party Boys (10:30 pm)
For more information: (212) 533-2111

Friday, March 3, 2000, 7:30 pm
The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. Alexandria, VA
All Ages. For more information: (703) 549-7500

We’ve also added a Site Index. At well over 400 pages, the site has too much treasure that is buried. We’ve started the compilation, which will be enlarged steadily. Read Lene Lovich’s fiction, relive the production of Tainted Love, or listen to White Cliffs Of Dover played by 120 saxophones.....