Hello Dear Reader I’ve always wondered about the term ‘gentleman doctor’. It baffled me as a child, it being so close to ‘gentleman caller’. Was it a doctor who took payment from ladies in something other than money? Were they pretend doctors, like those nutritionists who get their qualifications off the internet and are unnaturally obsessed with what your bowels have been up to? It was only as an adult that I learned it wasn’t actually a euphemism for something rude; rather, it was a doctor who didn’t do his job because he needed the money, but who did it for fun because he had pots of the stuff to begin with.
Hi Nerina. Beautifully written and carefully considered, as ever. By the way, I am about to be 50% older than you are about to be - and yes the chariot is winged, but it's also liable to shed the odd wheel in later life, so don't waste a moment. But don't worry about out the money thing: we wouldn't make it available if we didn't value what we get from you in return, which is a lot. Can't wait to hear what you have in store for us. Keep being purple, love, Mike x
Always a pleasure to receive one of your amusing and heartfelt newsletters. Really pleased to hear you are currently in a purple patch.
I have never thought of you as anything other than authentic, which is evidenced to me by the way you self-analyse here. To me, it's as much about who you are and how you relate to your fans, as your music. I totally agree with you that an artist should create for themselves firstly, as it is clear that you do, otherwise its just formulaic and pretty pointless. Please keep doing what you do, in just the way that you do it!
Looking forward to opening my wallet when the time comes! 🙂❤️
Since you love Downton Abbey I recommend The Gilded Age on Max. Same show but with the American edge, rich folk all bitter that they're not British anymore.
And hey let's do another year of EPs that was awesome 😎
I recall the first time I saw you, June 27 2003 In Sailsbury, you were supporting Susan Vega!
Don’t worry, that date is significant for me I several ways, June 27th was my mum’s birthday, the day I degree result and the actual day in 2003 that I picked up my new Mini Cooper S
You were quirky, quite awkward but funny and absolutely brilliant, I was hooked…
Your post resonated with me, I didn’t come from an artistic background and basically gave up in secondary school, nothing made sense to me, I now know I was dyslexic and the teaching method was for the teacher to stand with his back to us and write on the blackboard so we could copy into our notebooks.
I was almost 15 when I left school with art O level but managed to talk my way into technical college. Got my diploma in construction and a job in the local council architects department. Three years into that, we had built the new art college just down the road from my parents house, I enrolled on the industrial design course.
They told us you had to do well in history or art otherwise it would pull you down on your main area. I really wasn’t interested in reading what others had done, I wanted to work it out for myself. I always used a lot of leeway in meeting the briefs and after the first year the tutors left me alone. We had to submit our general studies work in the last term and my tutor tried to fail me!
Thankfully another tutor had to read it and there was a meeting, the head of general studies called an early end to it as it was turning unpleasant. They awarded me a third but being true to myself, my design work held up and I took a first class honours degree, one of two that year, my Norwegian friend Sigrid , the other.
I moved to America 17 years ago. A few weeks ago, a long time friend of mine in the UK and I were chatting about Prince. The catalyst of this conversation was that Man City's Bobb had scored and I was telling my friend that whenever I hear Bob, I think of Bob George, a Prince track from the Black Album. My friend told me that he now had a vinyl version of the Black Album that was pressed in Germany in 1994. (We used to listen to a copy of a tape that he'd bought from the NME ads). He's become a vinyl collector, I learned (as opposed to someone that had a lot of records).
I remembered Nerina mentioning that Team Nerina had pressed green vinyl LPs of IDKWID and I came up with an idea. My friend loves collecting vinyl and I have had this need to actually pay for the enjoyment (understatement) I have received from Nerina's work. So, I sent my friend Nerina's LP. Two birds one stone.
Here's the small problem. This friend knows of my Nerina fandom and doesn't really share it. I wanted him to know that the album in the mail wasn't because I was trying to bully him into liking the music. I had other motives. So, I used the Gift Message on the website to explain I knew she wasn't really his thing. To my horror, I learned that Nerina saw the gift message!
So, fellow Nerina fans, it is with great relief that I read that Nerina believes "artists should make work for themselves first and for their audience second". It doesn't matter whether my pal likes the album. It's not important if he chuckles every time he hears "it's a shame that Brando died, I lay that one on you". Nerina made the music and put it out there for us. There's a magic to that which I feel but can't explain.
It's a little harder to spend money for the music if, like me, you don't have a CD player or a record player anymore but I intend to keep finding ways because the above is only one of several stories I can tell where Nerina Pallot's music made my world a little bit better in small but, a couple of times, very big ways. It's very important to me that that continues.
Loved this, it’s clear you’re in a great creative space and that’s so exciting. What ever comes from it, you’re having a good time and I’ll come along for the ride even if you make a drum and bass album. Rick Rubin is incredible. Didn’t you write with him? So, hypothetically speaking if you were a Nerina Pallot fan who didn’t want to miss out, would you need to save money from this payday or will you be able to buy ALL THE NEW THINGS, with end of Feb pay?
Nerina, "Artist" is a tricky word, and yes a bit wanky. I collect studio pottery and run a FB group of similarly minded nerds. The artist/craft debate is a heated one, frankly I don't care both are admirable. I would always put you with Kate and Joni, as a singer/songwriter (that should get me some brownie points). I met Michael Foot once, he was a customer! Lovely man, although I would have guessed nutty professor. 50 is fine.... 60 though!! Still trying to deal with that bump in the road, regards John. PS And I realise this is too late, but you really do not look your age
We are happy for you to take our money in exchange for something sometimes profound, sometimes whimsical, always beautiful. And that you should make it for yourself first sounds just right. Authenticity is in short supply and always worthy of support.
Really love reading another introspective and thoughtful Nerina newsletter. Easily one of the most open and engaging artists I can think of.
I am pretty disappointed to see what appears to be an AI generated creation plastered at the very top of this, though. You might be unaware of what fuels those sites and systems, but they generally are trained on the works of unconsenting artists.
From one of your gentleman listeners, I say TAKE MY MONEY for whatever it is you’re selling. I find that people only buy what they can and want to, and that nothing in life is free (sorry Janet…. and oooooh Luther)
Hi Nerina. Beautifully written and carefully considered, as ever. By the way, I am about to be 50% older than you are about to be - and yes the chariot is winged, but it's also liable to shed the odd wheel in later life, so don't waste a moment. But don't worry about out the money thing: we wouldn't make it available if we didn't value what we get from you in return, which is a lot. Can't wait to hear what you have in store for us. Keep being purple, love, Mike x
Always a pleasure to receive one of your amusing and heartfelt newsletters. Really pleased to hear you are currently in a purple patch.
I have never thought of you as anything other than authentic, which is evidenced to me by the way you self-analyse here. To me, it's as much about who you are and how you relate to your fans, as your music. I totally agree with you that an artist should create for themselves firstly, as it is clear that you do, otherwise its just formulaic and pretty pointless. Please keep doing what you do, in just the way that you do it!
Looking forward to opening my wallet when the time comes! 🙂❤️
Wonderfully chatty and catty
Since you love Downton Abbey I recommend The Gilded Age on Max. Same show but with the American edge, rich folk all bitter that they're not British anymore.
And hey let's do another year of EPs that was awesome 😎
I recall the first time I saw you, June 27 2003 In Sailsbury, you were supporting Susan Vega!
Don’t worry, that date is significant for me I several ways, June 27th was my mum’s birthday, the day I degree result and the actual day in 2003 that I picked up my new Mini Cooper S
You were quirky, quite awkward but funny and absolutely brilliant, I was hooked…
Your post resonated with me, I didn’t come from an artistic background and basically gave up in secondary school, nothing made sense to me, I now know I was dyslexic and the teaching method was for the teacher to stand with his back to us and write on the blackboard so we could copy into our notebooks.
I was almost 15 when I left school with art O level but managed to talk my way into technical college. Got my diploma in construction and a job in the local council architects department. Three years into that, we had built the new art college just down the road from my parents house, I enrolled on the industrial design course.
They told us you had to do well in history or art otherwise it would pull you down on your main area. I really wasn’t interested in reading what others had done, I wanted to work it out for myself. I always used a lot of leeway in meeting the briefs and after the first year the tutors left me alone. We had to submit our general studies work in the last term and my tutor tried to fail me!
Thankfully another tutor had to read it and there was a meeting, the head of general studies called an early end to it as it was turning unpleasant. They awarded me a third but being true to myself, my design work held up and I took a first class honours degree, one of two that year, my Norwegian friend Sigrid , the other.
Be true to yourself, principals are essential!
I moved to America 17 years ago. A few weeks ago, a long time friend of mine in the UK and I were chatting about Prince. The catalyst of this conversation was that Man City's Bobb had scored and I was telling my friend that whenever I hear Bob, I think of Bob George, a Prince track from the Black Album. My friend told me that he now had a vinyl version of the Black Album that was pressed in Germany in 1994. (We used to listen to a copy of a tape that he'd bought from the NME ads). He's become a vinyl collector, I learned (as opposed to someone that had a lot of records).
I remembered Nerina mentioning that Team Nerina had pressed green vinyl LPs of IDKWID and I came up with an idea. My friend loves collecting vinyl and I have had this need to actually pay for the enjoyment (understatement) I have received from Nerina's work. So, I sent my friend Nerina's LP. Two birds one stone.
Here's the small problem. This friend knows of my Nerina fandom and doesn't really share it. I wanted him to know that the album in the mail wasn't because I was trying to bully him into liking the music. I had other motives. So, I used the Gift Message on the website to explain I knew she wasn't really his thing. To my horror, I learned that Nerina saw the gift message!
So, fellow Nerina fans, it is with great relief that I read that Nerina believes "artists should make work for themselves first and for their audience second". It doesn't matter whether my pal likes the album. It's not important if he chuckles every time he hears "it's a shame that Brando died, I lay that one on you". Nerina made the music and put it out there for us. There's a magic to that which I feel but can't explain.
It's a little harder to spend money for the music if, like me, you don't have a CD player or a record player anymore but I intend to keep finding ways because the above is only one of several stories I can tell where Nerina Pallot's music made my world a little bit better in small but, a couple of times, very big ways. It's very important to me that that continues.
Loved this, it’s clear you’re in a great creative space and that’s so exciting. What ever comes from it, you’re having a good time and I’ll come along for the ride even if you make a drum and bass album. Rick Rubin is incredible. Didn’t you write with him? So, hypothetically speaking if you were a Nerina Pallot fan who didn’t want to miss out, would you need to save money from this payday or will you be able to buy ALL THE NEW THINGS, with end of Feb pay?
Nerina, "Artist" is a tricky word, and yes a bit wanky. I collect studio pottery and run a FB group of similarly minded nerds. The artist/craft debate is a heated one, frankly I don't care both are admirable. I would always put you with Kate and Joni, as a singer/songwriter (that should get me some brownie points). I met Michael Foot once, he was a customer! Lovely man, although I would have guessed nutty professor. 50 is fine.... 60 though!! Still trying to deal with that bump in the road, regards John. PS And I realise this is too late, but you really do not look your age
We are happy for you to take our money in exchange for something sometimes profound, sometimes whimsical, always beautiful. And that you should make it for yourself first sounds just right. Authenticity is in short supply and always worthy of support.
Help yourself from my wallet ... just leave enough for the mortgage, dog treats and poo bags ...
(And 10/10 use of the word ‘wanky’.)
I hate instagram…
I hate facebook…
let me live my own life and have my own thoughts and mistakes.
You are the only one I follow ( not as in stalker) you have ability to be fab pop star.. and yet keep a friendly connection too
It’s never a chore… always a bloomin pleasure
April soon… see you then… don’t dare pull a sickie!
Keep safe
I can confirm my wallet will always be open to your creative output.
Always a pleasure to read and digest your emails. They make me smile in these dark times.
Can’t wait to see what will be on offer. It’s exciting and you are worth it in every way.
As a Shropshire resident, I'm concerned about that salon...
Really love reading another introspective and thoughtful Nerina newsletter. Easily one of the most open and engaging artists I can think of.
I am pretty disappointed to see what appears to be an AI generated creation plastered at the very top of this, though. You might be unaware of what fuels those sites and systems, but they generally are trained on the works of unconsenting artists.
From one of your gentleman listeners, I say TAKE MY MONEY for whatever it is you’re selling. I find that people only buy what they can and want to, and that nothing in life is free (sorry Janet…. and oooooh Luther)