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http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1073633_for_the_love_of_ruby

Hi there.

I got some new singles in the post today from Roque Cloudberry, it's a delightful little CD with our cover of "I'm in love with a girl...", Puzzle's "Songs about someone", Bonee Idee with "Glassbaton", Sugarbears (I had to look twice as I thought it said "Sugarbabes") with "Nothing but love" and Lisa Bouvier with "I can't make someone love me".

We recorded it in maybe 1991 or something, and it's live so it's not a great copy, but Roque liked it.  In the little envelope was his words, in capital letters "DON'T SPLIT UP!"

well

Anyway, you may remember the picture competition to get to my birthday party, well there were two winners, little Casey Cockroft who drew a lovely strawberry I used on the back of the "fanzine" we made for indietracks (did you get one?  treasure it, there were less than 100 made) and some great photos of strawberries came in from Stephen Maughan - they really were very good photos, and he also told me we'd played together at the Heaven records birthday, as he was in the band "Bulldozer Crash".

Neither Casey (being only 6) nor Stephen (not so keen on techno) turned up at my birthday but it was the best gig we've done in ages.  Really was. After playing I got drunk and danced like a nutmonkey until I was dripping in sweat.

It's sad, but it's necessary you know - the band split.

Well Rex is doing well, you can get his CD on his website soon - it's all for charity, and there's a song on there with me on bass, James on guitar and Hayley on backing vocals, so if you're a fan and gotta catch them all...

So, what's next?

Rex will do his stuff, he's got a gig lined up in Manchester and me and James will be his "session musicians", and then we will release a CD of all the new Strawberry Story stuff since Sci Fi Guy, old stuff we found behind the settee on dodgy tapes, maybe a video CD and a live one, all in one packet.  You know we won't be charging much...

This blog is getting a bit long, going on for longer than necessary.  You've got to know when to quit and do something else.

So my dears, keep listening to songs, keep loving indiepop but don't become a pretentious twat, use gun barrels as vases, ruffle a dog's ears, tell your mum you love her, enjoy your own company because one day you will be alone, look after your health because without that you have nothing, remember your girl/boyfriend/husband/wife's eye colour and tell them it compliments their choice of clothing/hair colour and be nice to other people.

That's the date the final Strawberry Story single comes out.

The last one.

It's coming out on Anorak records featuring:

Summer Scene - James' take on his childhood
Molly Ringwald - The Anorak guys have said this is better than Ashlands Road
Kiddie - the words taken directly from a letter sent by a soldier to his loved one from the trenches during the first world war
Andrew - A slow one.  Listen to the words...
For the love of Billy - "Billy" being Billy Liar

After that all the new stuff we've done, like Sci Fi guy, the Anorak single and other songs we've found behind the settee will all go on a final farewell album.

Don't fret though, we still have Clamming for it plus available, and the flexi and hard single that you can get on the website.

Also take a look at Rex's website, he's doing some stuff, and Strawberry Story are featuring on his album as session musicians and backing singer.

See ya

Paul

Remember Clamming for it?  Well now Vinyl Japan have put together "The Man With the Stereo Hands", "Lucky Aubergine" and "Clamming for it" in one 24 track ultra album – "Clamming for it PLUS".

It features "Ashlands Road", "Gone like summer", "Behind this Smile", "Simple" and, as they say on TV many, many more.

All for £4.99, and that's FREE postage ANYWHERE in the world.  Sorry if you're on the moon, that's £2.50 extra.

First 20 orders get a FREE Strawberry Story badge!

Or get your hands on the first flexi Strawberry Story ever did with the songs "Buttercups and Daisies" and "Midsummer's Day Dream" (these are also available on "Clamming for it Plus").  This comes in the original sleeve as shown below all for the meagre sum of £2.99.  Did you know you can't get flexis anywhere?  Well you can from Strawberry central!

All for £2.99, and that's FREE postage ANYWHERE in the world.  Moon rules also apply to this flexi.

AND…

You can get your hands on the first single Strawberry Story ever did, "All for you" and "Thinking of Julie".  You also get original flyer with it (that's what that picture is)  Flip, it's only £2.99 and then postage is FREE anywhere in the world (moon prices still apply)

Our cuddly little friends in Japan; Vinyl Japan, have come up all Hiro style and put together a compilation of our Vinyl Japan work - "Clammed For It" - can you see a similarity there?

Anyway my lovely, cuddly and fluffy chums, this maxi CD thing (8 tracks) will soon - like next week - be available on our website.

So that's the "Man with the stereo hands" - single of the week in the NME, and "Lucky Aubergine" the title of which is based on a Japanese documentary we watched while over there.

So what about Rex?  Well he's been writing more songs than an early 90s Smiths.  Check out his website (in our friends list) it's Louder than Bombs.  All of his songs are deep and heartfelt, like a good strong Shiraz, whereas Strawberry Story are your sweet strawberry wine.

You can grab his songs for 99p each on download.

He'll be welding an album together soon, all for charity.

AND

Don't forget we've still got our first flexi - The literary achievements of soft fruit and the FIRST EVER SINGLE Strawberry Story did with Matthew singing, the guy who kissed Andrea from the Darling Buds all on sale on the website.

AND

Badges to be available soon.

AND

Don't forget the free gig pass to my (Paul's) birthday party - just send a picture of a strawberry to strawberry_story@hotmail.co.uk.

If you can then you're in with a chance to win exclusive entry to a dodgy pub in Darlington where Paul's birthday will be held.

Want to know more?
That's like "Starship Troopers" isn't it.  A great film I think.  Lots of arachnids being blasted and US pretty-boys and girls shooting guns and that.

Anyway, I'm sure the "more" you wanted to know wasn't that.

On 2nd August Strawberry Story will be performing for Paul's birthday (Paul is the bass player, and me, but I'm writing it in the third person to make it sound like I'm a journalist)

The band will be performing at a secret location in Darlington and there will be Rex doing his solo stuff and another band playing that isn't yet announced (anyone interested?).  There'll also a disco thing and lots of cheap beer.

Want to come along?

All we need (look, I've dispensed with the third person thing) is a photo of a strawberry.  I fancy using a few photos of strawberries for stuff and that, so that would be great.

The band (third person again – shall I start mixing tenses too?) will decide on two people from the list of entries who will win a FREE pass (for up to three people each) to the gig.

Send your photos to… strawberry_story@hotmail.co.uk

Closing date is July 14th.

Beans!