The Sisters of Mercy
Not long after we entered 2001 - the twenty-second century - I was lucky enough to get an email from the sisters of mercy. Really. It was offering me a job.
Now, unlike most of the freaks in the great mates section, these people are real stars. So I am going to have to hide their email address so that stalkers don't get on their tails. The email has also been edited for length. And content.
Hello Philip,
Came across your webCV, whereupon I'm writing to you on behalf of a rock band, which has a vacancy in its small entourage. Please check out the URL below; it may (or may not) surprise you.
Needed: someone with computing and language skills to work at least half the time at a rather pleasant estate on the Mediterranean shoreline and the rest of the time in a converted factory in Leeds. The band's singer wishes to delegate some of his jobs, and most of the time the successful candidate would be working with him directly.
The band manages itself and has no outside interference from record companies and the like.[...]
We're looking for someone thorough and conscientious who nevertheless understands the 'artistic' mentality and appreciates the informal working environments that go with it. I hesitate to use the word 'relaxed,' as the band is fastidious (and has, by the way, little sympathy for religious believers, the squeamish, or anybody with right-wing politics).
Best regards,
Michael Ashnikov
The Sisters Of Mercy - General Business Department
Well! A bit of a surprise eh? Really, this was a very pleasant mail; so I decided the best thing to do was to shamelessly plug the coronets:
Hi Mr Ashnikov
Many thanks for taking the time to email me, but I'm afraid I don't think I am quite the man for you. Not only am I almost definitely too squeamish for the sort of things the sisters probably get up to, but I am also pretty focussed on my own band, the mighty CORONETS currently, so I don't feel I could move to France.
Many thanks again for getting in touch and best wishes
Phil
http://www.thecoro.net/
Despite this subtle yet nonetheless enticing plug, I don't think the sisters ever visited the Corra site. They certainly didn't sign the guest book anyway.
Normally, I give a fully justified warning about the low quality of sites I can link you to; however, this one is genuinely very good - apparently done by the man himself too. Alternatively, you can check out a really good website about Cud. I wish they were mates of the Coronets.
p 16/01/01