Hello, this is Todd at A Different Drum.  I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

It is time for a quick update, which includes a couple of very exciting things– a new CD from Cause & Effect, and a huge CD clearance!

First of all, this is now in stock:

Cause & Effect “Artificial Construct Part 2″ (CDEP) $8 — The first part of this new project from the synthpop masters was excellent, and so is the new set of four songs!   You can watch a music video for one of those songs, and order this collectible CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/88450156697-1/Cause-and-Effect-Artificial-Construct-Part-Two

Now…as I continue to work through A Different Drum’s business and evolve it into something that I can run part-time (due to time constraints with my other full-time job), I’ve just gone through my entire inventory and decided to clear out a lot of CD’s.   As you know, I’ve tried throughout the years to keep A Different Drum’s online store as a reflection of what I actually have in stock, sitting on the shelf.   Well, with less time and less money, I have to continue to down-size the number of CD’s actually kept in stock.

Once again I have moved many classic CD’s and even relatively new releases into the “discount bin”.  These CD’s are on clearance, which means they will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Once they are sold out, they will be deleted from the store’s website.  If you order one of them, and somebody else beat you to it, I’ll simply refund the amount for the sold-out CD and it will not be back-ordered.

HERE IS A LINK TO THE DISCOUNT BIN :

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/catalog/discount/

As I continue to trim-down the size of the store, I will turn my focus onto stocking hard-to-find, independently released synthpop CD’s only for a short time after they are released.   Thus, the store will be a valuable service to the CD collectors who want a one-stop source for the independent new releases.  I will not stock many CD’s that are available through many other online stores, but instead focus on the unique, boutique synthpop releases from around the world.  In other words, I probably won’t carry many 80’s re-releases, or titles from industrial cross-over bands that show up for $10 on Amazon.com after a month or two, or older albums by synthpop bands, etc.  I want to focus on the stuff that flies underneath the radar.   I’ll throw the spotlight on those releases, keeping only the newest items in stock.  I will probably announce pre-release orders more often as well, giving you plenty of chance to get a copy of the CD’s that interest you.

Whenever a new synthpop release is announced and brought into the store, I’ll also consider revisiting their older CD’s as a service to those who may have missed those previous titles, but I won’t stock things indefinitely.

I hope that makes sense.  I think it will help keep the store alive, interesting, and manageable as well.  I hope that I’m not scaring you away as a customer due to the down-sizing, because I really do appreciate your support, and I hope that I can keep A Different Drum interesting as a destination for the few, the proud, the synthpop crowd.

Now, as a little teaser for synthpop CD shoppers….there is an old 90’s act from Idaho called Trans Atlantic Crush.  Remember them?  Well guess what– they’re back!  A Different Drum’s store will have their CD in stock soon!   Also, there is a new, limited edition promo CD single coming from Rename for the ultra-collectors…and it’s even called “The Collector”.    More on those soon…

Thanks for your support, and I hope you find some valuable gems in the discount bin before they’re gone!
-Todd

PS.  I have two more “mystery boxes” left, if anybody wants to use this button to buy one:

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/box.php

Hello friends of A Different Drum!  Welcome to the weekend!  Well, this summer has proven to be very busy for me…at my other job, so I’m a bit slow with the updates. I’m sorry that you don’t hear from me as much as in the past.

There are three new titles to mention in this update, but I also want to throw something special at you for the summer.   So, for the next week I’m offering a special “mystery box of 25 CD’s” because I still have too many CD’s in storage.  Now I know many of you have been collecting CD’s for a long time, so if I throw a bunch of CD’s in a box, you’ll likely get some repeats.  But if you want to take the chance…maybe you’ll get some new ones to try, and you can give away the extras.     You can go to this temporary link and click on the button to order the box.  Sorry if you’re overseas, but the cost to ship a box there is about 4 times the cost of shipping in the USA, so I had to adjust the price up quite a bit for overseas customers.

Anyway, if you want a box of 25 CD’s, take a chance and see what you get.  Go to this page to buy it :

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/box.php

NEW ARRIVALS:

Rational Youth “City of Night 2011″ (MCD) $10 — In a continued effort to revamp and re-release classic tracks from this legendary Canadian synthpop act, you can now order the “City of Night” single which features all new versions in two different languages, plus the original.   See the track list and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/YUL13CDEP/Rational-Youth-City-of-Night-2011

Qkumba Zoo “letthelightin” $10 — This is the latest album from a pop band that has had a nice international following.   They play a poppy, sometimes synthy style with a little bit of an ethnic flavor.   You can play the video presentation to listen to a bunch of samples and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/82917110142-8/Qkumba-Zoo-letthelightin

Technology “Nachal nik Vselennoj” (MCD) $11 — This is the newest release from the popular Russian synthpop act “Technologia” (I can’t write it in the proper Russian alphabet).  There are several mixes and bonus tracks included on the CD totaling 11 tracks, which you can order here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/PMR010/Technology-Nachal-nik-Vselennoj

That’s all for this brief update.  If any of you order the special mystery box, I’ll ship them as soon as I can.  I admit, I’m a bit slower in order fulfillment at the moment, but I’m doing the best I can with my limited time.

Also, I’m just completing sign-ups for the 2nd year of the VIP Subscriber program.  The first year was a great success with 11 unique, collectible CD releases (the last of which is yet to be shipped to original subscribers).   It looks like I may have about a dozen openings left for the new year of releases.   If you are interested, then be sure to let me know so you can subscribe in time to receive the new stuff.

Once again, A Different Drum’s label has turned almost entirely to the VIP release program now.  Of 13 releases from August 2010 - 2011 only 2 of them have been available through the website or through the general market.   The others were automatically shipped to subscribers and instantly became rarities, with only a few remaining copies being available directly from the artists to their fans.

Because of the nature of the current CD market, this is the option I’ve decided to take to allow A Different Drum to continue releasing new artists and new music to an audience that really wants a physical product, but without driving the business further in debt and creating unused piles of extra inventory.    I’d rather see fun synthpop CD’s that gain more value to collectors over time than CD’s that diminish in value because of overstock.   Anyway…that’s why the VIP program is becoming the heart and soul of A Different Drum’s label.

Thanks for your support!  It is very much appreciated!
-Todd