A HAPPY NEW YEAR: And just time to remind you that ordering the exclusive limited edition fan club T-shirt via the Pay Pal link on www.alanburridge.co.uk closes at midnight tonight.
Thank you to everyone who has ordered so far, and be patient, you will be getting your shirts within the next 30 days or so.

John Carter: Has just been advertised for release as a movie here. 'Tarzan' author, Edgar Rice-Burroughs, also wrote series of books about Carter of Mars and Carson of Venus, which were the mainstay of my reading in the mid-1960's. And now, it seems that Carter at least has become interesting enough to be made into a film.
And the artwork for the covers of those books re-published in the 60's were obviously appealing to a 15 year old long before getting to read the stories behind them. In those staid times, just pre-the mini skirt, the pill, and the sexual revolution, it was rare seeing such captivating art of semi-naked females - almost like Boris Vallejo 30 years before his time.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/0450011631/ref=dp_image_text_0?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books
And when you realise that Burroughs died the year before I was born, it can be understood just how incredible his imagination was.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Rice_Burroughs

How It Happened: Fantasy author Terry Pratchett has been in the press, and the subject of a TV documentary, regarding his Alzheimers. In the TV doc, Terry wanted to learn about being euthanised, so he went to Switzerland, where it is legal to end your life early rather than suffer and lose one's dignity; for the price of £10,000.
In our Bournemouth Daily Echo, reporter Nicky Findlay wrote a feature about Cliff Richards, with due reference to Terry Pratchett, saying that should any of life's 'nasties' befall him, then he too would choose euthanasia.
Knowing Nicky from an earler feature when we met in Bournemouth, I jotted an email saying that most sufferers of a 'nasty' would choose the Terry Pratchett / Cliff Richards option, if they had the necessary £10 grand. Having MS (multiple sclerosis) since 1989, and now suffering its recent resurgence, it has become apparent that many know it to be one of life's 'nasties,' but not what it is.
So, the kindly Nicky asked if I would like to be part of a feature in the paper to inform people about this equally awful disability.
http://www.alanburridge.co.uk/pressandphotos/MSWontBeatMe-DailyEcho-23rdNovember2011.htm

And if you had the Kindle for Xmas, and need a darned good budget-priced book to read, look no further -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=alan+burridge

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR: To all Motorhead fans, Motorheadbangers members, and those who read my books - and especially those who embrace all three.
Have a GREAT time!

Guitar Stolen: http://tcellis.blogspot.com/
Link from Kent Age Julnes.

Not The Only Reason: To watch the Sky PDC Darts, but a very good one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPzjRESzBsI
There have been plenty amazing edge-of-the-seat matches, with new players, hungry for fame, fortune, and a reason to quit the day job coming through to beat many of the old dinosaurs.
35 year old Scott Rand is one such player, who cannot wait to give his lorry keys back to his boss to get onto the darting circuit to earn a living.
James Richardson, a 37 year old bricklayer, is another one who set the dartboard on fire.
It's a pity that legendary players like Raymond van Barneveld are being cast at the way side, but with such apathy in their playing, they have no hope against these young guns who are hungry to attain their world-class achievements.

The Postal Services: around the world are making a fortune right now. But still they bleat on about "being robbed" when email came into our lives, as they "lost a lot of revenue" because we stopped using as many stamps.
But on the plus side, EBay and Amazon, by their very electronic existence, have created work and revenue because whilst the goods are purchased and paid for electronically, they are physically delivered to our door by the postal services.
I would imagine that it evens itself out.
Now, I suppose they will be moaning about "downloads robbing them of revenue" as CD's and books are delivered electronically, and the physical items no longer need to be packed and sent.
And it's like the Amazon book for one penny, (usually 'Best Sellers' which have sold thousands of copies), which still have a £2-80 postage charge, and are again physically delivered.
Many of you have asked for 'Diary Of The Fans' as a physical book. When that option was provided in 2002, it cost around £600 to get the paperback into print. If it was in print again, it would cost around £1,000 to get into production; and would cost £12 to £15 per copy to buy, + postage.
The download is there for £1-10 (96 pence + VAT), Euros 1-29, or $1-72.
So you can download it ten or eleven times for the price of one physical book; or enjoy the Diary and ten of my other titles, (or somone elses), for the same price.
"But you cannot get a download book signed!" I hear you scream.
No, that's true, but what happened to the Autograph Book?
We have one here signed by Motorhead, Screaming Lord Such, The Drifters, Mud, The Troggs, Jet Harris and loads more Stars.
It's a pretty good alternative.
The guy in one of our now defunct Poole book shops told me a story a few years ago.
"A woman came in and found a book, and brought it to the counter. I picked it up, and was about to ring it into the till, when she said: 'I'd like the book, but not that one.'
'What's wrong with it? It's the only copy we have.'
'Someone's scribbled in it,' she said, indignantly.
'Madam, that's the authors' signature.'"

For Those Who Prefer The Printed Word: Some of my current "download only" books have come onto Amazon in their "Used" bookstore as the old paperback versions for around £3 a copy -so if you prefer 'the real thing'...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=alan+burridge#/ref=sr_pg_3?rh=n%3A266239%2Ck%3Aalan+burridge&page=3&d=1&keywords=alan+burridge&ie=UTF8&qid=1324451584
Some are being sold by a Colwyn Bay bookshop, and with my then publisher based in Wales, that makes sense. It's a better price, someone had a couple on EBay for £15 and £20 a pop recently, which is a joke; it's only me, not Stephen King!

The Great Frog Motorhead Silver Ring:
http://www.thegreatfroglondon.com/products-page/rings/motorhead-warpig-ring/
and the Ace Of Spades ring -
http://www.thegreatfroglondon.com/products-page/rings/motorhead-ace-of-spades-ring/

Motorheadbangers Diary In Amazon's Music Charts: Yes, it's #75 at this moment, so thanks to everyone who downloaded it, appreciated.
As you noticed, all of my Kindle books are bargain priced at UK £1-10, Euro 1-29, and US $1-72.
My theory is that these books were sitting on the shelf doing nothing, so isn't it better to let them go at a budget price so that more people can read and enjoy them.
I think so.
And if you live in America and subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can get 'Dark Eyes' to read for free for 5 days.
Meanwhile, check out the bargain buys on Amazon UK, America, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=alan+burridge

Words & Photos From The Motorhead UK Tour by MHB 3115:
http://www.motorsmell.wordpress.com/

Motorhead Vodka: was launched in Stockholm last Saturday.
http://gunshyassassin.com/news/because-everyone-needs-motorhead-vodka/

http://q103albany.com/motorhead-releases-their-own-brand-of-vodka/

Since Wednesday: when the fanzines began landing on your front door mats, I have been busy receiving in the orders for the new Motorheadbangers T-shirt, very busy indeed.
Pay Pal is the best method of payment these days, and I don't know how many will be sold via snail-mail, (Mick's side of things, and I appreciate that some still prefer cheque and cash transactions), but the Pay Pal side has been as you might say; very brisk.
Thank you.
For the last couple of T-shirt offers, many were outraged at not being able to just send their money quickly and easily using Pay Pal, so it has kept everyone happy.
Thanks to Sarmad Sheikh for his programming skills in setting up the on-line ordering, and Joe Manning again, for his excellent designs and sense of humour.
Keep the orders coming, the deadline is 31st December 2011, so plenty of time yet.

The concert is cancelled. Motörhead press release: "With regret Motörhead has to announce the cancellation of the show in Bergen. Unfortunately the singer and bass player, Lemmy Kilmister, lost his voice during the last show in Oslo and will not be able to sing. Some days of rest for Lemmy and not using his voice are needed to continue the tour as planned."

Bergen Show Cancelled: News from MHB Peder Lundin, the 7th December Bergen show has been cancelled, and there is one other message on the Net to the same effect. No reason why just now, but will keep you posted - or let me know if you hear anything alan.burridge1@ntlworld.com

A Unique Feeling: When all of your fanzines go into that letterbox, it's an amazing feeling. Maybe the same as when Motorhead take a bow at the end of a gig. Or how we feel, as we applaud after enjoying that gig. Or how I feel when I finish writing a novel. Or maybe how you feel after reading one. A clean and fresh feeling; of achievement. But it's something that we share. And maybe you do when you open the envelope, and see the fanzine for the first time.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=alan+burridge

The 92nd Fanzine: Went into the post box at approx 05.30 (call me insomnia man) this morning, Monday 5th December 2011. It was cold, dark, and raining, but worth it for my Motorhead family to get their fanzine's.
Rock On!

Fanzine #92: Will be posted / mailed out tomorrow morning, and should be with UK / European MHB's by Thursday, and those in 'the rest of the world' in about a week.
Sarmad will be uploading a Link to enable the exclusive fan club T-shirts to be ordered by Pay Pal. UK cheques and cash in Euros and $Dollar bills will also be accepted, at Mick's address, of course.
But many of you asked for the ease and safety of Pay Pal, and thanks to Sarmad's programming skills, this option can be offered this time.
The back and front T-shirt designs will only be shown in fanzine #92, not on the order form on http://www.alanburridge.co.uk/ and although we know that non-members order them, it's just a way of attempting to make them as exclusive as possible to legit MHB's members.
Please remember, and read http://www.alanburridge.co.uk/mhb/MHBTShirts.htm to make sure that you realise why your T-shirt WILL NOT be delivered until the end of January 2012.

Just a note in passing. Much like the other Motorhead European Tour dates, I have been informed that those remaining in Scandinavia up to the 15th December final show in Finland, are all Sold Out.
This gave one MHB and his wife the excuse of booking to go over to America for the Megadeth / Motorhead spring 2012 tour, so it can't be such a bad thing.

Book Prices Adjusted: The prices of my download books have been adjusted to £2-23 UK, Euros 2-99, and $3-44.
They are odd prices, admittedly, but the reason is that VAT is charged on ebooks, so you get quirky numbers.
Amazon's guidelines for pricing are $2-99 as the lowest price, and $9-99 as the highest. I priced them at $3-00, and Amazon's 'magic' calculator converts that into the £'s and Euro's equivalent; and are at the lowest possible price, (other than the odd 1 cent).
When the books were first uploaded, Amazon automatically placed them on the Amazon.de German site; and if it means MHB's can download the 'Diary' easier, then that's great.
They then placed them on Amazon France, and today, they have also placed them on Amazon's Italy and Spain. So if it means fans in those countries have accounts with their native Amazon site, and can download more easily, then that's job done.
If they download any of my other books and enjoy them, then I will be most grateful.
And whilst I also love the printed book option, ebook downloads are now outselling them; and rather like download music, it seems to be the way our lives are turning - instant music, and instant books; to go hand-in-hand with our impatient instant world.
From my point of view, the printed variety costs £300 to £400 (minimum) per book as a set-up charge; so if and when the download variety starts selling, then perhaps (?) we might be able to enjoy them in that traditional format.