Hello everyone – I hope you’re all well and safe.
2020 was… well, a nightmare, wasn’t it? Not least for us musicians – as if following our passion for music wasn’t already tough enough, COVID-19 caused arguably the worst global disruption in a generation, and removed the ability to play live music completely. All this just a few short years after our industry was upended by the advent of streaming and a huge fall in physical record sales. You have to wonder if the Universe has got something out for those of us who love making music.
Whether you’ve had paid gigs cancelled or you’re just missing the raw beauty of live music, you are not alone. Summer 2020 was looking pretty good for bookings with the function band I’m in – now it looks like it won’t be possible to return to playing live until 2022. I miss going to Plymouth’s rock dives, meeting people, and banging my head until my neck falls off even more than I thought I would. I miss the noise, the chaos, and the joy that belongs exclusively to live music, and I know I’m only one of the millions of people across the world who feel the same way.
However, I’m glad to say that thanks to your kindness, strength and wisdom, Vein-Tap.com has been able to pull through. I already felt like the luckiest guy in the world before COVID-19, being able to do something I genuinely love as a career. Now, when I think about how devastating the pandemic has been, I feel doubly fortunate that people still choose to visit Vein-Tap.com and add its pedals to their collections. It’s humbling, it’s brilliant, and it’s no exaggeration to say I would have been lost without my wonderful customers. So thank you. Seriously. Thank you.
Fuelled by the gratitude I feel, I’ve got loads of improvements, upgrades and other madnesses in the pipeline. Dark Arts is just weeks away from having its v2 upgrade announced, and both Holy Era and Dark Waves are getting long overdue updates. Other dreams are floating around my melon, but I’ll see if I can realise them before making any promises.
My point is; Vein-Tap.com is still here. I’m still receiving and shipping orders every day, and I’m grateful for every single one. Thank you three thousand.
Now, let’s stay healthy, stay safe, and when the time is right; make so much noise that they can hear us in space.
We have work to do.
Ben
Vein-Tap.com
