It's pretty out of date, but here's the preamble from the last Fisheye catalogue;

It’s blabber time! 5 October, 1998.

At last those final few moments where I desperately sprawl my mind out at the keyboard. Trying to find adequate words, and the correct way to spell them, to fill this, some sort of editorial.

Well it has been a longer than long time, since a Fisheye catalogue of this size last made an impressive dent in your welcome mat. Some two years I wager. Last summers Catalogue #9.1 was supposed to be a stop gap. But well, as usual, a lot of extra life activity got in the way.

Besides the everyday hum drum of a steady 9 to 5. Sitting in front of a computer monitor frying my eyes and often my tired brain. And of course trying to run a semi-reliable mail order operation. I’ve been beavering away at a much needed stock control system that can more or less generate the bulk of this catalogue and/or a web site. So fingers crossed, once the amount of titles Fisheye carries reduces I should be in the market for producing a catalogue every three months or so. The web site may actually be maintained a little more regularly than that. Once I’ve got into the swing of things.

Big news this catalogue. Fisheye and I have finally moved. I was served a timely notice on my house in Farnborough. As I was thinking of moving anyway it just sped the whole process up. Fortunately I’d found romance at around the same time so moving in with my girlfriend, Angela, just seemed like a good idea. It took about a month of weekends to slowly move Fisheye up to Sutton and a month of Sundays to get everything ticking over squarely again.

Please keep using the PO Box. I have paid an extortionate amount of money to have mail redirected. Senders of parcels however will need to send items to my street address. Please confirm where you’re sending items before shipping as our local parcel depot has a penchant for mislaying stuff.

Other great news is that Fisheye has released two records in the past six months, doubling our release rate. The much delayed Bottom of the World 7" and the just out John Clyde-Evans - [For: ht/rp/j&s] solo LP. So that’s where most of my efforts have been absorbed these past months.

The Fisheye 5.5 years event didn’t happen. I did talk to a couple of club promoters about doing it but my enthusiasm simply ran out along with time. Maybe if we reach ten years ......

As I mentioned above. There is much hope to set Fisheye up upon steady rails once again and start making these things a regular event. Angela is helping out a little with packing orders and may take a more active role once this catalogue has disappeared into the void known as the British Postal Service. And maybe even some orders start to come back in.

We’re currently stocking titles from the current Domino catalogue. If there’s anything that you might want to get your hands on that we’re not stocking, enquiries are welcome. I’m sure we can get hold of it for you.

Again there's a lot of stuff in here that's been knocking around for a while and I've reduced it and placed it in the Sale section towards the rear of the catalogue. There's also an awful amount of stuff that's only available in minimal quantities, 1-3 copies if you’re lucky. The majority of these have been placed in the Clear Out section, again towards the rear of the catalogue. You’re advised to use this section wisely, I don't want to see those tearful letters from some poor loser who's been looking for something for ages only to find that it's just gone out of stock. It's first come first served as always.

During the house move I discovered a whole stack of stuff that I’ve been meaning to sell for ages. Lots of titles from Fisheye catalogues of yore. Plus things that I’ve traded over the years and no longer feel the desire to hang onto them. It is a small room Fisheye has moved into and the cost of storage is quite costly around here too. I’ll be producing a list of these items over the next few weeks. If you want a copy then please send a SAE/IRC and you’ll be sent one on completion. Alternatively please check the ‘White Elephant Items’ page on the web site, it will be updated.

There are spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. No matter how many times I proof read this I'll still find more mistakes when it comes back from press. I've also given up trying to strive for the perfect description. Older stock still has blinkered text from years back, so what ? Write and complain if you have to.

The usual stuff : Labels, bands, fanzines and anyone else who may be submitting stuff for Fisheye to sell. If you are going to ask me to try and shift some 'units' for you. I'd appreciate it if you could provide a few simple pieces of information including wholesale price with shipping. Sample copies would be nice but are not obligatory. White labels and advanced cassettes tend to float to the bottom of the pile. Some details about the product may be useful although I'm not too interested in full blown press releases or pages and pages of reviews. And one final thing I'd like you to note, questions such as 'I'm sorry it's crap but would you consider stocking it' really answer themselves don't they?

If you sent me samples and have yet to hear back. They're probably sitting on the pile. No doubt I will be in touch when I have mustered up the enthusiasm to confront your product. I'm still falling behind with the 7"s and cassettes at the moment.

On the other end of the label, bands, zines thing. If your product is no longer listed in this catalogue. I've either sold out or have a pile of them waiting for return. I suggest you get in touch sooner rather than later for your returns. Otherwise they'll make their way to the recycle centre, charity shop, or be given away to deserving punters. What ever is most fitting.

Again how to keep me happy. A huge plea, please read the ordering instructions at the back of the catalogue. Also remember make your order as readable as possible, putting you order on the back of a fag packet is not big or clever and will result in your order being delayed, if sent at all. You must always include your name and address with all correspondence, don't assume I know where you live. The mailing list is huge. Cheques and P.O.s to P. Wild, please. These little things will make my life just that little bit more bearable.

Please don’t take these few points to heart just think about them.

There is loads of stuff that goes through here in-between catalogues. Some items don't actually make it into a catalogue as they go so quickly. If you don't place regular orders then a SAE/IRC will get you the latest update. Referring to any sold out lists that appear after this catalogue before you place an order could save you time and much heartbreak.

If you wrote requesting a catalogue some time back. But didn't have the common sense to include a Stamp or IRC. I probably couldn't be bothered to send you one. I understand this is like charging people to come into your shop, but you must understand there's very little profit involved here and I've got to cover my arse. Typical postage of a catalogue to the USA is over £1. Multiply that by fifty and see what I mean. It's a small and exclusive shop. We like to drink beer at the weekends.

I shall be extensively rebuilding the mailing list between now and the next catalogue. Catalogues will automatically go out to anyone who has placed an order with us or supplied us with stock over the past 12 months. If you don’t come into either of these categories but still wish to remain on the mailing list then let us know.

The Fisheye cultural exchange.

Recent listening pleasure; Apart from ploughing through most of the recent acquisitions in this here catalogue there has been Long Fin Killie, Beastie Boys, LKJ, Mogwai, Damon & Naomi, Robert Wyatt, Dial, Disco Inferno, Velvets and loads of the usual suspects.

Latest Catalogue Highs; Pram - The North Pole Station. Third Eye Foundation - You Guys Kill Me. Omit - Quad. Kleine Wohnen - La casa del conde lombillo. Quasi - Featuring "Birds". Bovine Over Sussex W - Solid Space, Inverse Universe. Kjetil D Brandsdal. Climax Golden Twins - Climax Golden Twins. Dead C - Harsh 70's Reality. Eltro - Information Changer. Hood - Rustic Houses Forlorn Valleys. Sandoz Lab Technicians - Let Me Lose My Mind Gracefully. Small Things - Keep Calm-and Dig. We'll Sail Out Far ..... Maybe a Little Too Far .. Wio - I Can See Where I Am Now. And of course john Clyde-Evans - [For: ht/rp/j&s].

I’ve really been a hermit these last nine months and not seen too many live bands at all. Hood’s sell out show upstairs at the Garage was amazing. Ascension, Dial and White Winged Moth at the same venue and all on the same bill really cleared my ears. Dial are as powerful as a bunch of navies tooled up to the teeth with pneumatic drills. I’m off to see Linton Kwesi Johnson this weekend, someone I’ve had high regard for some years now. I hope it’s good.

Eternal thanks to friends lost and found, those who I fail to keep in touch with and those I wish would get in touch, friends of friends and everyone else who has helped Fisheye along the way.

Happy squinting.