The Dream Machine - RIP - ??? - 24hrs to Meltdown

[TheDreamMachine]

Dear All

Happy New Year

We hope everyone had fun.

Just a quick note to let everyone know the current situation with THE DREAM MACHINE.

The good news is that we successfully managed to weather the storm and reach the end of our contract/lease agreement without too many frightening moments, which is great.

The decision for us now, is whether or not we carry on where we are, or move on to pastures new.

THE DREAM MACHINE really is a magical place and there have been some amazing times over the last few months.

A personal favourite was playing drums with Will Carruthers ( Spacemen 3 + Spritualized ) and Fractured Waves one night when we had a sudden cancellation from a band.

Drumming with one of your musical heroes, it really doesn?t get much better than that.

We have made lots of new friends and even met some old ones.

There have even been a couple of occasions when people have walked into the shop and suddenly said ? I played on that record ? or ? I used to be in that band ?.

One of the best things about the shop is the encouragement it gives to people to go ahead and make music.

There have been some amazing bands/musicians/poets/djs/artists who have played in the shop.

Some people have played their very first gigs in THE DREAM MACHINE, which is fantastic.

We have had several local bands and musicians rehearse in the space.

One group is made up of 11 year olds, who save their parents and neighbours visits from the noise pollution police, by playing in THE DREAM MACHINE.

They?ll be playing the O2 Arena before you know it.

So, what next ?

Well, that?s down to you.

We have 24hrs until our next rent is due and also our decision as to whether or not we carry on.

We do love it, but to be honest, there?s no money in it ( which all of us knew from the beginning ).

It is a true labour of love.

If people want THE DREAM MACHINE to carry on, then the only way we can see that happening is by everyone who wants a record shop in the area, to commit to the project by becoming ? A Dreamer ?.

What is ? A Dreamer ? ?

" A Dreamer " is someone who believes in the idea of independence.

They are someone who is into what THE DREAM MACHINE is about and what it represents.

They are someone who wants to keep music live/alive/evil ( delete as appropriate )

How do I become ? A Dreamer ? ?

Well, it?s quite simple, you commit to donating either ?5.00 or ?10.00 per month to keep the shop open ( the money goes on the rent, you see ).

What do I get in return ?

Well, for ?5.00 a month, you get - Free entry to all in-stores + 10% off all purchases.

And for ?10.00 a month, you get - Free entry to all in-stores + 20% off all purchases.

You will also receive a DREAM MACHINE membership badge, sort of like the Freemasons, but without any aprons or nipple flashing ( look it up, they really do do it ).

So, now comes the BIG test.

THIS ALL NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE NEXT 24HRS.

I might be able to ask our landlord to extend the due date, but, that would only be by a day or so.

Have we left it too late ?

No, not really.

I know 24hrs is not much time, but, I think that makes it all the more exciting.

To be honest, the idea of a group of people all contributing to the shop to keep it going was put out there right at the start of the project.

Some, thought it was stupid.

However, some people embraced the concept completely and even paid their tenner.

Weirdly, it?s exactly the same idea that THE FORUM TEAM had to adopt in order to cover their costs for the new server ( which we were happy to donate to because it is an important part of the community ).

So, there you go.

24hrs to get either 150 people to pay ?5.00 each, or 75 people to pay ?10.00 each, or any combination of the two.

I don?t mind if it ends up being 1 person paying ?750.

Anything is possible.

After all, one day I wasn?t running a record shop.

The next, I was.

We?d really like to stay in the area and hope you, the community feel the same.

However, if we can?t pull this off, then we will have to move on.

Either way, we promise that whatever happens and wherever it ends up being, THE DREAM MACHINE will continue.

We?ll be in the shop today/tonight ( Thurs ), tomorrow ( Fri ) and of course all weekend.

Pop in and say hello.

Love

THE DREAM MACHINE

[char1ie]

Love the shop, and the gig or two I've been to have been fun. Can you find a way to make it earn you a profit without the charity angle?

Charlie

[TheDreamMachine]

Dear Charlie,

thanks for your kind words.

As you probably know, the shop has never been profit-motivated but we had hoped it might be able to pay its own rent.

Musicians can use it as a rehearsal space in the evenings for ?10 an hour (when we're not open ourselves obviously). If we were able to do that consistently for three nights a week every week, that would help substantially, but it's tended to be more like an evening here and there (all of which has been helpful but not enough).

We're closed on a Monday and Tuesday so the space would be available for quiet activity up until 5pm but so far no takers.

We have donations on the door for our musical evenings, which we normally share with the bands.

The three of us down there, John, Bertie and myself give our time free because we have a strong belief in the idea behind The Dream Machine, and of course we love music and what it can do for people and community but that doesn't pay the rent.

So there you go, if we're going to keep going right now we need help.

But as John says in his original post if we can't keep going, The Dream Machine will still happen but not as it is, and not in the heart of Lordship Lane.

So far it's been a great and wonderful experiment and hopefully will continue to be so..

Elaine (The Dream Machine) x

[HonaloochieB]

Hello Elaine

What's the procedure? If a fellow wanted to become a Dreamer, how should he go about it?

[Keef]

Love the dream machine. You couldn't have chosen a wrse time of year for this though!

[Sue]

The Goose will stump up a minimum of a tenner a month if that's any help?

How do we get this month's dosh to you?

Edited - sorry hadn't read the post properly :-$

[TheDreamMachine]

Going about it..

Well I'm optimistically opening a bank account (an extra one to my own) in the name of The Dream Machine, or a Post Office account

in the meantime if any Dreamers want to drop in to the shop, clearly we can start going immediately.

Obviously we'll be taking details of anyone contributing, and if it doesn't happen in time to keep us open for another month we'll return all with much thanks.

Thank you Sue, and anyone else who has embraced this in an instant.

See you over the weekend

Elaine xx

[HonaloochieB]

Dream Machine, not making light of the situation, but if you were to put Gene Pitney's 24 Hours From Tulsa on a loop for the next trading days so that people going past would be reminded of what's going on I think it might help.

Seriously.

I'll be seeing you.

[pablogrande]

Hi Elaine

I've not been down to the shop as I've had son and his pushchair lately but every time I've been past there a;ways seems a good vibe wafting out!

Is it just records you sell or CDs too? I don't know about everyone else on here but I've got stack I don't listen too any more plus a load of music mags would be happy to swap for a few free entries??

[HonaloochieB]

Or if you could get The Clash's 48 Hours to play at half speed...

Sorry, now I'm just having a Turkish.

Be seeing you.

[jim_the_chin]

Could I suggest that with this sort of thing you make it as easy as possible for people to donate. One of the reasons I donated to the EDF appeal was that it only took a few clicks of the mouse to do so. Even if this is just posting bank details online so people could set up a SO. I'm sure if you did this asap it would increase your chances of getting the necessary money in the short time you have.

[HonaloochieB]

That's what I'd be OK with on a longer term basis JTC, but I think the DM is perhaps a more 'seat of pants' operation than the EDF.

The DM is not a place that I've patronised very much apart from when it first opened, but I like it being around.

And I like the discount, free entry and badge proposition. Particularly the badge.

[woodie]

pls check your private messages DM

[MrBen]

Dream Machine - you are to be commended for bringing alive a little piece of 1969....in 2008. I like your hippy style. Where shit just "happens". You also remind me a bit of "old" East Dulwich. The bits I liked that is. I popped in a while back and bought a Jimmie Vaughan record too. Nice.

BUT....like the days of peace and love I fear yours are numbered as the cold laws of economics take effect. I think you could work on a non profit basis. But you might need to get your shit together as there are not enough musicians alone to make this viable. With a bit more organisation, marketing and a clearer product offering for joe public (shop by day, gigs by night, flyers in bars. It could be possible. All with Dream Machine ideals of course. Hey - this doesn't mean you become "corporate" maaaaan.

Good luck. And count me in as a Dreamer.

[TheDreamMachine]

thank you thank you for everyone's good thoughts and positivity

no time to write anything properly now because I'm in the video shop next door to TDM at ?1 for every 20 minutes internetting..

but will be somewhere online tomorrow and will respond properly and give bank details etc

in the meantime

Love and thanks again

all our fingers are crossed..

Elaine The Dream Machine x

[TheDreamMachine]

Greetings.

We now have a way of paying donations over the internet should you wish to.

Thanks to our friend Malcolm, we have a website!! Crikey.

It's called www.dreammachinerecords.co.uk

It's just a baby website at the moment but it will grow.

On it is a link to paypal.

I think paypal takes a 7% ish cut of anything that goes through it, but as people were asking for an easy method of donation, this is it for now until a bank account can be sorted.

Thanks so much to those who've popped down to see us over the last day or so.

Most heart warming.

As somebody pointed out, if the 750 people plus who've been interested enough to read about what's happening to The Dream Machine all put in ?1 a month, we'd be there!

And we'd have a fantastic music space for the community, of the community and by the community.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT

From Paola

who describes his sound as

philosphy-packed hip-hop based, fake-west African music

Sounds interesting!

?2 donation on the door for those who can afford it.

Music will begin around about 8pm

Elaine x

[Kingy]

Performers and promoters have agreed to donate the door receipts from the gig on Sunday night to the save the Dream Machine campaign. Steve Boltz will need something to cover his expenses (and he is providing the PA as well) but hopefully the rest of the money can go to help paying this months rent for the record shop

[dr_drewww]

I tried to donate on your web site but the paypal link, it no workie. might pop in later today and stick a fiver in your box !!!.

[Weegee]

Hey Elaine and John

It was nice to see you guys today. Me and Fran (aka Franster) will try and make it down

Sunday evening for the EDT gig.

My mum said it was lovely to meet you guys and wishes you the best of luck.

Chris, Fran and Hema (Chris's mum)

xx

[Jah Lush]

"You may say I'm a dreamer

but I'm not the only one."

[Keef]

I popped in to the shop and became a dreamer on Friday, hope it is going well!

I said to Bertie when I was there that I'm happy to bring my guitar down and jam with people in an inpromptu gig one night if that would help.

[malcomio]

the website was broken, but is fixed now.

There was a strange problem for people using Internet Explorer, but it should be fixed now. Also if you try this link it should work.

also, as elaine said, Paypal take a cut, so if you can go into the shop and give cash that's even better. or maybe buy some records.

[macroban]

Newspaper report.

[TheDreamMachine]

Hello there

full update coming soon, after a heady weekend of keeping TDM going and making plans

lots to think about

thanks again for all support

onwards and upwards

Elaine xx