Half-News

Dear Friend,

You probably think this is about money. And it's true that letters which address you as "Dear Friend" are usually designed to lever you momentarily out of your chair, the better to whisk away the wad of cash which you are incubating under your bottom, like some sort of cash chicken. Not so, in this case, however. Rest assured that the content of this communiqué is purely informational.

(That said, you may be familiar with the curious psycho-economic phenomenon known as "half-cash". Half-cash is the money in your pocket that you consider to be as good as, though not yet actually, spent. Half-cash is no use to you. Always desperate to get away, it will only hurt you in the end. Please be aware that if, thanks to the opening of this letter, the contents of your pocket have attained the status of half-cash, then feel free to shoo it in our half-direction.)

Here is some news:

(i) By way of tribute-to/half-cashing-in-on this weekend's Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF), Rollers/Sparkers will be DJ-ing all Friday night at the Neuromantek club, located in Bodkin's of North King St. A startling range of sounds will be heard, including punk folk, oxter-pop, burbletronica and common music. The wheels of steel will commence their rotational clockwisdom at approximately 10.30pm. Admission is free. Do join us.

(ii) Rollers/Sparkers are currently hard at work/play on their debut album. Progress is slow but sure. Are you, for example, aware how highly the hare now speaks of the tortoise...? Thusly, it is hoped the album will be released in early 2004.

(iii) The first ever Italian review of "Geography For The Leaving" has appeared. Written by Michele Benetello, it can be found at the following Web address: http://www.kathodik.it/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=731

An English translation of this review can be found here.

(iv) Barbara Taylor Bradford, a Rollers/Sparkers solo/side-project, has released a single track by way of a debut release. It appears on the forthcoming DEAF compilation, available to anyone who buys a weekend ticket for the festival. The double CD can also be purchased in selected retail outlets around Dublin. The track, entitled "Power of a Woman", will also feature on a forthcoming release, "25 Years of Literary Excellence". Please note that Barbara Taylor Bradford is no relation to the well known novelist.