News - Sam Isaac Breaks Himself Up!

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Sam Isaac has posted the following update on MySpace:

"Hello,

this blog has taken a long time to build up to. And I’m not sure that I’m doing the right thing, but this is what I’m doing anyway.

The last three or four years of playing music as "Sam Isaac" has been the most incredible thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. My friend Will Howick and I started making music in his bedroom. I remember a conversation we had recording the "Sticker, Star and Tape" mini-album during the Christmas of 2006 when we said that if things didn’t move up a level, and by that we meant me doing another tour, or a tiny indie label releasing some of my music, that we would give up. Those recordings went on to get played by Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq, Colin Murray and Jo Whiley on Radio 1. We definately thought it was worth carrying on. I went on to play over 400 shows in the next 3 years, got to travel all over the world including America, Canada, South Africa and Europe playing my music, played on MTV and Channel 4 and did the BBC Electric Proms, Glastonbury, loads of other festivals and played with bands such as Scouting For Girls, KT Tunstall, Noah and the Whale, Athlete and loads of other cool stuff.

The reason why I mentioned all the things above isn’t to boast. Its because in the last few months I’ve increasingly found myself having conversations with people that go along the lines of "why aren’t you famous yet?" or "why aren’t you more successful?" Whether its certain fans or people who are interviewing me, some people seem to think I have failed in some way. I haven’t failed. If you look back to the conversation I had with Will, everything from then on was a bonus. I was a kid from Malvern in Worcestershire. I made recordings in a bedroom. And from that I got to travel the world playing hundreds of shows. I’ve been on TV, played loads of radio sessions on national radio and done some seriosuly cool things. We’ve had amounts of radio play that signed bands having thousands of pounds invested in haven’t been able to get any way near. My music is on Match of the Day all this season for heaven’s sake. I’ve had the best three years I could possibly have wished for. There seems to be this thing where you’ve either "made it" or you’ve "failed at trying to be famous." Actually, I’ve not been trying to be famous, I’ve just been doing the thing that I love regardless of the outcome and I’ve spent three years having the biggest whale of a time ever. I am happy and proud with what I have achieved.

So this brings us to the present. Despite the above, I have always been someone who leaves the party when it’s good, rather than waiting for it to die down. My friends at university who would often realise that I had suddenly disappeared from a night out will testify to that. I have decided to stop "Sam Isaac" as a going concern in terms of an act that tours and plays shows and promotes. I may do some more recordings at some vague point, but the Sam Isaac that you all know is done. The main reasons for this are the party analogy and the fact that I really think I am just about done with it.

So that’s it. There will be one last tour in December. I will release one last single, "Annie, Why Are You So Angry?" I will go to Australia and release my album there on a label called Low Transit Industries just before Christmas. The album will not be re-pressed in the UK, meaning that there are very few copies left. If you haven’t got one, I would really advise buying one before they go which will be very soon.

To celebrate breaking myself up, I have made all of the recordings I have ever done available for you to download from Bandcamp. This includes things that have been unavailable like the "Sticker, Star and Tape" mini album. They are cheaper than on iTunes, come with loads of free, amazing extras like the artwork, and any money made from the downloads will go towards paying back all of the lovely people who have lent me obscene amounts of money and on covering the costs of my van that just got stolen.

So! I would like to say thankyou to everyone. I am not going to list any names, they’re all in the album sleeve notes for you to see. The people who have genuinely helped me know how thankful I am for their endless time and support.

Action points?

1) GO TO BANDCAMP AND DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE BACK CATALOGUE. (Make sure you click "show all" on the right hand side to see all the music that is available).

2) BUY THE LAST FEW BITS OF MERCH FROM THE ONLINE SHOP. I won’t be getting any more made and when it’s gone it’s gone.

3) BUY THE ALBUM. IT’S GREAT.

4) BUY TICKETS FOR ONE OF MY LAST SHOWS EVER. Manchester, Ruby Lounge, Thursday December 3rd. 2 or 3 more shows to be announced very soon.

5) I am up for doing any random acoustic living room shows or normal shows for old times sake. They will be acoustic. Let’s do it, I don’t care. But only before Christmas. If you are interested, just send me a message. Why the hell not.

6) Write something in reply to this blog. It would be great to have a good old natter.

Lots of love,

Sam
xx"