I’d rather be one in a thousand
Are you trying to be one in a million?
I grew up with that phrase knocking around in my brain, instructing me to try and be so brilliant, so very special and so unusual that I would achieve the very highest possible level of success.
Or what – failure???
What if you don’t want to be the very best? What if, like me, you don’t believe that fame and luxury are concepts fitting of a world where there’s so much of a gap between rich and poor?
I’d rather be “one in a thousand”.
Over the past 15 years I’ve found a role for myself as a community artist, creating music for people who live outside the mainstream – like me. Music for underdogs.
And now I have a new album to share with you, a creative collaboration with my friend Rat from Ned’s Atomic Dustbin.
It’s been described as “21st Century 90’s Indie”, which I am delighted with!
If you know me already, you know that independence has always been at the core of everything I do – and this album is no exception. We made this whole thing ourselves: I produced the record from my home attic studio and I asked Chris Sheldon – yes, that Chris Sheldon! – to mix it for us.
It sounds incredible, and it’s coming out on 24th February 2023 on my own super indie label My Big Sister Recordings.
Order “One In A Thousand” directly from my shop and you’ll get access to the full range of limited edition music and merch, plus you’ll receive four songs in your inbox immediately, with another one sent to your email before the release date.
Instead of clawing our way up to a lonely pedestal to be one in a million, we can stand together and be one in a thousand.
Thank you for supporting independent music.
NEXT
Thank you for visiting!
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.
See you soon xo
PS yes, my songs are available everywhere else you listen to music online.
Just search for Penfriend, She Makes War and Obey Robots.
You could even subscribe here to send a message to the algorithm overlords that Penfriend rocks!
Better still 