please give my band some money

This is quite interesting. Anyone who wants to send me a few quid is welcome to...

From the Guardian's Culture Vulture Blog:

"It's not unheard of for a band that's a bit on its uppers to ask fans to help out. A few years ago, Marillion and John Otway made successful appeals, raising enough cash to fund albums and tours. And it didn't involve standing outside Sainsbury's, shaking a tin - the money poured in by post, with one Otway acolyte sending £7000. For that kind of outlay, you'd expect to have a song written about you. Which, apparently, was the deal offered by veteran art-rocker Momus - who has also been down this route - a hefty contribution got you your very own tune.

As established entities, Marillion, Otway and even Momus were relatively safe bets for their investors, who stood to make a bit of money if the albums and tours did well. But would you hand over thousands of quid to a group nobody had ever heard of?

Surprisingly, a Leeds band called Four Day Hombre, whose first album isn't even out till next week, managed to get several dozen very optimistic fans to bankroll not just their debut record but also the next two. By selling shares in their own label, they amassed "more than we would have got from a good independent deal. In fact, let's say we raised a lot more," says the singer, Simon Wainwright."

If I can raise enough to buy my first guitar pedal I will be happy! Or a pack of strings. Or even a few spare plectrums, thinking about it.