Dear friends,

Many of you may have noticed that I have failed to release my album 'The Desert Breaks' on Spotify. Eventhough I did manage to release my EP 'The Tarpeia Suite', some of you have noted that it is becoming frustrating to have to visit Soundcloud (a rather unfriendly platform, I agree) every time you wish to listen to songs from 'The Desert Breaks'.

I apologise for such inconveniences. After all, the times that we live in require that artists/ musicians become their own managers and marketing coordinators – roles that, admittedly, I am awkwardly married to. 

So, it is time for me to explain, finally, why I have been unable to release my album on Spotify.

As you may know, two of my songs are musical adaptations of poems by Dylan Thomas. What this means is that I selected two poems that I was fond of, and used them as librettos, or lyrics, for two songs that I composed.

These songs are: 'The Force that Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower' and 'Lie Still Sleep Becalmed'.

For some odd reason, I was under the impression that Dylan Thomas' œuvre had been released from copyright. I was wrong. The poems are not in the public domain (as of yet). I therefore was confronted with the problem of potentially releasing material which partly belonged to someone else (someone dead, but someone important enough to have copyright holders).

Long story short, I have been in touch with the Dylan Thomas estate -who hold the rights at present-, and they have agreed to allow me to release my two songs for an advance against royalties of £100 for each poem, totalling £200.

While for some this may appear to be a small sum, the poor flâneur that is me opines otherwise. These days, those of you who know me personally will know it can be difficult to make ends meat, or to make meats, period.

Facing thus my lack of funds and the prospect of having to (further) delay the release of my album on Spotify, I was unexpectedly given the suggestion, amidst friendly conversation, of starting a crowdfunding campaign in order to ask my friends, family and anyone who has been following my ventures in musicianship, for a helping hand.

I therefore ask if you could please assist your esteemed friend. Your contribution would allow me to pay the fee to the Dylan Thomas estate, and finally release the totality of my album on Spotify, which would give us the comfort of forgeoing Soundcloud (at last). This would also spare me the life of anxiety promised by a looming risk of having to engage lawyers further down the line - I have enough legal problems as it is.

I hope all of this makes sense.

A thousand thanks in advance!

Your friend,

Livan