My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
Two days ago a member of my online gig audience asked why the sea has been a recurring theme in my music since I wrote my first water-based song “Scared To Capsize” in 2008.
“I think there’s so much rich metaphor in waves, and depth, and sailing, and stuff…”
Deep.
It’s Bandcamp Day* – hooray! – and I’m celebrating by sharing a FREE / pay what you can live album of all my sea-themed songs, performed live on the internet on the 4th anniversary of the Penfriend launch^!
13 audio tracks, 8 songs, 1 “Gremlin interlude” and a lot of love.
I performed 8 songs that mention the sea in some fashion, PLUS had a chance to answer your burning questions, including:
• what’s my choice of ice cream flavour? • am I sand or pebbles when it comes to beaches? • if I could only visit one beach ever again, which would it be?
and
• did I *really* swim in the sea at Blackpool last week?!!!
* This album is FREE / pay what you can for the next 10 days only AND today is Bandcamp Day, so all proceeds come directly to me instead of paying the platform.
^ This sort of thing makes me appear incredibly organised, but was in fact a complete fluke.
Thank you for your support – have a wonderful weekend!
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
Four years ago TODAY I launched my Penfriend solo project after 10 years of releasing music under another name.
People told me it would ruin my career, that starting a new music project at the age of 39 was a doomed endeavour, that no-one would be able to find me online any more. But I knew I had to make a change – and with that change, my creativity blossomed again.
I have no regrets.
Sometimes I wonder whether fans of my previous project She Makes War think I fell off the edge of the planet, but then I remember they probably know how to use a search engine.
PS tonight I’m celebrating sea-themed songs from six solo albums in a FREE online gig called “She Sings Sea Songs”. Sailor hats optional, lispy tonguetwisters definite.
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
I’m here today with Penfriend’s monthly missive #1: a mini-essay on my latest attempt to get better at life, an audiovisual celebration of saltwater and the wind in my hair, some dates for your diary, music, book and TV recommendations plus 15 songs I love.
Over the years several recurring themes have arisen in my songwriting, so “She Sings Sea Songs” will bring together (almost) all my sea-referencing songs.
Sailor’s hats are optional, hearty singalongs are encouraged. See you there?
It feels so good to have finally put visuals to the music, and I no longer have to feel annoyed with myself for waiting so long to get round to it. In a world where we’re conditioned to think that 700 views on a video in 4 days is a big failure, I’m very thankful for every person who takes the time to join me in the “Seashaken” bubble.
2. “Why I’m not pretending to be perfect and amazing” – trying out a different version of my a capella vocal loops song “Delete” for my latest livestream via a brief discussion of perfection and being a flawed human
Huge thanks to all the OCs (Original Correspondents) who made the leap with me, and warmest of welcomes to all the new Correspondents too!
(Thank goodness it turned out NOT to be a stupid thing to do!)
This month, members received:
TCC #015 – an 8-track members only experience + 24 page zine. My personal highlight of this new art and music bundle is a new recording of “I Deny”, a song I demoed in my flat above a cafe in East Dulwich in 2005!
An invitation to the Patreon launch party Zoom, where a white tiger played the acoustic guitar and I showed everyone the new album song list scrawled on my whiteboard – full video replay available here.
Phone lock screens in four different colours featuring the new TCC logo! WHY NOT EH
Penfriend’s Picks
Book: “The Chain” by Chimene Suleyman
TV series: “Baby Reindeer” (Netflix)
Album: “Wall Of Eyes” by The Smile (keep reading for this month’s playlist)
It reminded me of the quote I try to keep in mind whenever I talk myself into setting aside 10 minutes per day to meditate: I don’t meditate to get good at meditating, I meditate to have a better day.
Getting better at life is something I think a lot about, read a lot about and listen to a lot of podcasts about.
It’s why I’m sitting here in Blackpool, sipping coffee and looking at the sea. My dear friend Jane Claire Bradley – poet, novelist, therapist and all-round superstar human – performed at Blackpool Central Library on Tuesday for World Book Night, celebrating the paperback launch of her beautiful debut novel “Dear Neighbour” – available here.
I was due a trip to the North West, so we arranged to stay on together after her performance for a proper catchup and some co-working slash life and career planning with someone smart to bounce ideas off. It was so helpful to create space specifically for that, away from my usual surroundings and distractions, and I’m feeling much clearer about what my plans are for the rest of 2024. Thanks, Jane!
The time spent squinting at calendars and notebooks yesterday has led to this very email – this “Monthly Missive” series is one of a few ideas that have languished on my To Do list for many moons. After a morning of seeing the sights here by the sea, I’m setting off for home galvanised and enthusiastic about making my next batch of ideas a reality.
Before heading up to Blackpool I spent a day and a night with my Gran at the house she’s lived in for 34 years. I slept in the bed I slept in as a little kid, stood in the garden I roller-skated in after picking up cheap skates at the car boot sale in the mid-90s. Everything seemed huge to me, then, and now it’s normal size.
This house is more familiar to me than any other relative’s home. But I didn’t think I’d ever see her there again.
Last summer we nearly lost her, and she’s been in and out of hospital ever since. She’s a trooper. She’s a marvel. And now she’s getting used to her new normal: she’s pretty mobile, still, but with carers checking in four times per day, a stairlift to whoosh upstairs on and walking frames kept within arm’s length.
I was relieved to see how steady she is – falls being a big worry for us – and we were able to take a trip out to the local shopping centre for sausage rolls and a detailed perusal of the homeware aisles of TK Maxx. It was delightful, and I now possess two delicious scented candles, a window cleaning scraper thing, a fridge organiser and some gold heart earrings. I refused to let Gran pay, so she stuffed a twenty pound note into my hand as I left. Thanks, Gran!
As I drove away from her house on Tuesday, waving in the rear view mirror, I started listening to the aforementioned podcast, recommended by my PT. She recently started sending me links to information on midlife hormonal fluctuations and how strength training and supplements (turmeric, magnesium, Vitamin D, oh my!) can build and maintain vitality. It’s brand new information for me, and it’s important.
I turn 43 on 1st June, and I feel absolutely fine about that. But I have, just recently, begun to take my health more seriously, and taking a longer term view of things. The phrase “I can’t be bothered to go to the gym” still pops into my mind regularly, but I’m more aware than ever that fulfilling my responsibilities to my body now will pay dividends in the future.
I remember being impressed with my Gran’s mobility when she was in her 70s, but I didn’t connect that thought to anything I was doing for my own health at the time. I presumed some people were lucky with their bodies and some people were unlucky – and that’s certainly true in a lot of situations – but the more I read and watch and listen to information about preventable health issues, the more I resolve to take as much into my own hands as possible on that front.
My super Gran is a huge inspiration, but I’m not willing to leave my future mobility completely to chance. However much I feel I have to get done, I am resolving to put my health first every day.
As I sit typing these words, Blackpool Tower rising up to my left, the North pier to my right and the comedy carpet in the middle, I am feeling grateful for my luck, and determined to keep putting in the reps to get better at life.
I truly hope this first Monthly Missive finds you well.
Love, Laura xxx
EDIT 26/4/24 – 10 minutes after publishing this post yesterday I found out that Gran had fallen in her kitchen and was in an ambulance headed for A&E. Luckily I was still only an hour away, so I went to join her and my cousin while she waited for a scan. Her fractured hip (her second in 9 months) is being operated on today – thank you thank you THANK YOU NHS staff xxx
Dates for your diary
Monday 29th April – London – Brittain Ashford at The Green Note A duo show with my friend and musical collaborator Jay Chakravorty Tickets (I am not performing or attending, just recommending!)
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
And oh look, the livestream is embedded in this very post! Handy. Yes – this link also works for watching later (unless something terrible happens and I delete the livestream off YouTube!)
Music starts at 8pm on Wednesday 3rd April but you’re very welcome to pop along early to chat in the comments. If you have any questions for me please type QUESTION at the start of your comment so I can scan through and find them.
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
I’m Penfriend aka music producer and solo artist Laura Kidd. Half of Obey Robots, ex- She Makes War.
I make heartfelt indie rock, synth pop and sad songs to make you feel better, sharing stories, photos and artwork as part of my ongoing creative practice.
Through my videos, essays and weekly forum posts I seek to support and encourage others along their own creative journeys. We’re all in this together!
Thank you for visiting this page – you clearly have great taste x
In 2019, my fingers burned by crowdfunding platform Pledge Music disappearing with £6000 i.e. ALL THE PROFITS from my 2018 album “Brace For Impact”, I decided to try my own thing.
I set up a subscription club I called Supersub Club. 100 analogue memberships sold out within a week, and I created CDs packed with demos, rarities, cover songs and voicemail recordings PLUS zines of stories, photos and artwork throughout the year to send to generous music fans around the world.
In 2020 I launched my new solo project Penfriend on the same day as opening up The Correspondent’s Club: a new and improved membership offering with analogue and digital, monthly and annual options plus a community space. It worked, and it was magical.
Over the past four years my members have received 18 analogue / digital bundles of music, stories, photos and artwork, made up of:
• 101 songs, demos, exclusive live tracks and podcast stories • 18 zines packed with stories, photos and artwork • plus postcards, bookmarks and stickers
So far, Correspondents have supported the making of: • 2 studio albums • 233 YouTube videos, including 9 official music videos • 50 podcast episodes
Earlier this year I knew it was time for a change. We’d outgrown the cobbled together WordPress plugins I’d assembled in spring 2020. I researched all the other options, comparing fees and features with a far longer view than anything I’d ever set up before.
Would this work for us for the next 5 years? If not, it was a no.
I chose not to use Patreon in 2020 because it didn’t have the capacity for people to pay in their local currency, and I didn’t want my majority UK-based fans to have to pay conversion fees. When Patreon came out on top of all my research, I was surprised and delighted to find out they’ve spent the past four years making their excellent platform even better.
While it was frankly nauseating sitting in my kitchen and clicking “cancel” on 235 recurring payments on Thursday morning, I knew I had to operate from a mindset of abundance rather than poverty. I don’t want people to subscribe to The Correspondent’s Club because they forgot to cancel a recurring payment. I want them to actively want the things they get from it.
On Thursday lunchtime I launched the new home of The Correspondent’s Club to existing members.
On Friday lunchtime I launched to the rest of my mailing list. Fifteen minutes ago I launched to YouTube and social media.
At the time of typing, I have welcomed 152 paid members on Patreon.
For the past five years I’ve been building The Correspondent’s Club into a community that reaches far beyond the songs I make and the videos I share.
People are amazing. Music fans want to support the artists who provide the soundtrack to their lives.
• downloads of my entire back catalogue (7 albums + 1 EP)
PLUS
• the entire Correspondent’s Club digital archive (101 tracks + 18 zines)
Then, whichever membership tier you choose, you will receive:
• weekly Airmail messages • monthly Voicemail / Facemail recordings • complimentary downloads of all official Penfriend album releases • VIP invitations to bi-monthly private online events • previews of my regular videos and personal essays before they go public
PLUS extra member perks detailed in each tier.
My last two albums went into the Official UK Albums Chart at #14 (#1 Independent) and #24 (#5 Independent) – completely powered by music fans. No labels / agents / managers / pluggers / middlepersons. No games.
I’m independent on purpose – so that I never have to compromise my artistic vision. I’ve never pandered to fashion, and I never will. I’ve never waited for permission from anyone to do this.
I’m not interested in where my music might take me, I’m interested in where I am right now.
Right here, talking to you. Hi!
The Correspondent’s Club has not only changed my life as an artist, but has become a joyful space for my members to connect with each other over their shared passions.
After 5 years of DIY-ing this I’m moving to Patreon in Spring 2024 because I love this platform and wanted to find a friendly home for me and my beloved Correspondents for the next 5 years.
Since my club started in 2019, members have received 18 bundles of music, stories, photos and artwork, made up of:
• 101 audio files – a mix of songs, demos, rarities, live performances, podcast style voicemail recordings delivered on beautiful vinyl-effect CDs and download • 18 zines packed with stories, photos and artwork (printed or PDF) • plus postcards, bookmarks and stickers
I share my writing, photographs and artwork, plus song demos, rarities, exclusive live tracks and podcast stories, and over time these CD and zine bundles have become embedded in my album making process. It’s very satisfying to see this little stack growing!
You also receive: weekly Airmail messages, monthly Voicemail or Facemail recordings, previews of everything I make, first access to pre-orders and, depending on the tier you choose, complimentary downloads of all Penfriend releases, your name in the album credits, your name at the end of every YouTube video, bespoke merch, and money off in my shop.
And there will be more – all will be revealed on launch day, 29th March.
In return, Correspondents have supported the making of:
• 2 studio albums (“Exotic Monsters” and “One In A Thousand”) • 233 YouTube videos, including 9 official music videos • and 50 podcast episodes
…so far! That’s a lot of stuff. Thank you!
The music industry can be a pretty shady place, and without financial backing from labels it’s incredibly difficult to create music at a professional level, let alone make a living doing so. The Correspondent’s Club has freed me from any requirements to play any game other than my own – which is simply to make the most truthful music I can and share it directly with the people who might enjoy it.
No games, no bullshit, no way.
Remember when I changed my artist name from She Makes War to Penfriend in 2020, after 11 years of releasing music and touring? That felt scary too, but I’ve never regretted it. We have to act on what we think is right.
What else is there?
So, why the move to Patreon?
Because life is too short to reinvent the wheel.
For the past 4 years I’ve been running my membership using a WordPress plugin which comes with a surprising amount of extra admin, during which time Patreon have been consistently improving their platform.
I’m better off spending time writing music rather than wrangling extra spreadsheets, and as an enthusiastic subscriber to several other artist’s Patreon clubs, I’m a fan.
The Correspondent’s Club is an idea that reaches beyond me, and beyond whichever platform it currently lives on. It’s about people, connection, creativity and empathy.
The Correspondent’s Club has not only changed my life as an artist, but has become a joyful space for my members to connect with each other over their shared passions.
It’s really lovely!
I’ll admit, writing the sentence “In 7 days time I am going to cancel all 235 recurring payments attached to my monthly subscription club” makes me feel a little bit sick, but I know it’s the right thing to do.
I’d always rather regret the things I have done than the things I haven’t.
So…are you with me?
Click here to register your interest and you’ll get access to a special, limited edition joining offer. I’ll send you more info next week before the Patreon goes public.
Thanks for reading, and have an excellent day!
Love, Laura xxx Penfriend / She Makes War / Obey Robots
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
A brief explanation of why I haven’t been posting videos via some thoughts on sustainable creative practices and getting over ourselves to be able to do the things we enjoy, beaming to you from the northernmost German island, Sylt!
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
** It’s FREE / pay what you can for the next 9 days only **
This warm and welcoming live experience includes 7 songs performed on ukulele, vocals and loop pedal PLUS very real talk about:
• my Sliding Doors moment: the songwriting crossroads I find myself at following the success of the Obey Robots album “One In A Thousand”
• 5 years on: the exciting next phase of The Correspondent’s Club
• my favourite jam – will its name ever be revealed?
and
• the real reason I’m still not touring…
In the spring of 2008 I was feeling Very Cheesed Off.
“Making an album one day” had been a dream since I was 15 years old, and it didn’t seem like it was ever going to happen.
Newly resident in East Dulwich/Peckham Rye, I was wandering the back streets, trying to work out what was what and what was where, when I happened across a tiny music shop. A little red instrument waved at me from the window, and I was immediately sold (read on for evidence!).
Moments later I was back in my studio flat, sitting on the bed (no sofa, no table, no room) and putting my fingers on a baffling new fretboard.
I tried a simple guitar chord shape – the one for E major / A minor / etc – and it sounded nice. I kept two fingers where they were and took one off. Also good. I put the third finger back in a new spot and wow – “Scared To Capsize” was born.
I had just bought a loop pedal, after seeing KT Tunstall’s career-changing performance on Jools Holland, and soon discovered that uke + vocals + loops worked together beautifully.
“Scared To Capsize” became a key moment of nearly 700 live sets I played over the next 11 years, and my collection of thoughtful songs written on the ukulele grew along the way.
I recorded my debut album “Disarm” the year after the ukulele brought it’s colourful cheer to my life.
In my latest livestream I decided to celebrate that journey, hence “Four Strings Good”.
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Clubon Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
Tap to get your FREE 12-track album + 31-page PDF zine of stories, photographs and artwork here.
My new Penfriend album “House Of Stories” is available to order NOW on super limited vinyl, CDs and KiT hybrid digital albums, with accompanying tees, hoodies and books. Get two songs in your inbox immediately, with another every month til the release date in April (before anyone else).
Join The Correspondent’s Club on Patreon to receive quarterly bundles of art and members-only music plus extra perks + immediate access to my entire digital archive (digital and analogue memberships available)
Listen to my first Penfriend album “Exotic Monsters” and browse my back catalogue here.
If you make things too – or want to know more about the creative process – I’m sharing thoughtful weekly essays here on my experiments in art, music and life on Substack (and I won’t be at all offended if you prefer to read my stuff there rather than on this absolutely gorgeous website).
Chat with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
A brief explanation of why I haven’t been posting videos via some thoughts on sustainable creative practices and getting over ourselves to be able to do the things we enjoy, beaming to you from the northernmost German island, Sylt!