In regards to the famous email (sent on the 31st of December 2009 to Adam, Johan, Dagmar and Christiaan) that Gary sent about the total lack of `response or respect` received from them, there were no questions at all (none at all Pieps), it just contained observations of how unprofessional and how unsupportive Sellaband were to me, Gary`s wife.

Sellaband doesn`t have the decency to reply to many emails that I`ve sent (addressed to all of them, Christiaan, Dagmar, Adam and Johan) asking for updates. Not even just a courtesy email to say that there were no developments at present to report. That would have been better than ignorance or abuse.

Is this how Sellaband wants to conduct business? Many artists and believers already think much of what I have said, and have done for some time. Many of the believers have been dropping off like dying flies.

Here is Adam`s reply to that email:

I’m speaking purely for myself and not my SellaBand colleagues here, so FUCK OFF GARY! I would have answered Mandyleigh’s note she sent to me earlier this week after the Christmas and New Year Holidays were over.
 Happy New Year.

Perhaps Adam is suffering from some sort of depression? Perhaps from Tourette’s syndrome? It definitely threw me and I am still amazed by this disgusting, and unprofessional reply considering I felt that I had a pretty good rapport with Adam in my 6 weeks in London recording the album.

Gary merely wrote in desperation for his wife’s health. Someone that he sees day in and day out, struggling with not only the unprofessionalism, ignorance and lack of conscience from Sellaband, but from a business (one that there is a biding contract with) who doesn`t seem to care at all and takes no responsibility for their initial advice and expertise they had given me.

In my opinion, I feel that Sellaband`s role is like a pimp. They are there to take the money once the hard work has been done and that is where the cold relationship ends. Wam, bam, thank-you Ma`am. No smile, no thank-you, no responsibility, no support, no conscience.

written by Mandyleigh \\ tags: adam sieff, conscience, fuck off, Gary, pimp, reply, responsibility, support

This is for you Adam from one beautiful man who I have had the pleasure to know, write to and feel like he is a close friend & brother. I met him on a website called Stereofame. Bless you Mark and thank-you for caring. XXX

Sis one last thing,I wrote this and sent it to Mr.Adam Sieff,Punk,
To Adam Sieff,
I am writing you Mr.Sieff in regards to a very close Frind of mine,Mandyleigh Storm,and the words you had for her Husband,quite frankly I don’t see where you care to much what I have to say,BUT,we’ll see if you have the guts to get back to me,as soon as possible as your site so describes.
Sometimes people can’t see their hand in front of thier face while they slap themselves silly,you Sir are an egotistical self centered little twit,I am a Christian man so I am to refrain from using such gutter language as you use.
If there is a problem,then I;m sure that things could’ve been worked out without such stupid filth,why man,why treat people this way,are they not the same as you? You are no better than they are,maybe a little below them.
You will find out some day soon,that your words of wisdom do not taste as good as you thought they would,one last thing,Do you eat with that mouth? SAD!!!!

To be given a gift on Christmas is pretty nice, don`t you think?

What sort of gift would you get for New Years then?

- A lovely pair of used underpants?

- A pair of cheesy socks?

- A snotty old green handkerchief?

These are things you could really do without… don`t you think?

My husband Gary was given a gift on New Years from the Global Head of A&R at Sellaband (my so-called record company).

He was told by Adam Sieff to “FUCK OFF”.

How professional and how glorious it was to receive such a gift. Thank-you Adam!

This kind of language is from the gutter. This type of manner is no way for any `head` to act.

Adam, you need to get it together and apologise man. I`ve lost all the respect that I did have for you. I think you need to make some New Years resolutions right away, whilst there is time. One being decency and the other acquiring professionalism to suit the title that you hold.

Don`t let it all go to your `head` now…

Happy New Year every one! XXX

written by Mandyleigh \\ tags: a&r, adam sieff, christmas, Gary, gift, global hear, gutter, happy new year, manner, professionalism, respect, sellaband

So it was full-on. Wanting to have the faith that every day a new `believer` would indeed invest/believe in my music… in me. When the `red bar` of the 50k money tally would go up and up some more, it was a fabulous feeling. A feeling creating so much excitement in me and some of the family and friends around me. Although the life of a Sellaband artist was a time juggler most days, for many hours of the day… something very positive was happening. Maybe this ordinary homely gal, wife and Mother of two (and one on the way)`Mandyleigh Storm` may get to go into the studio afterall and get her debut album recorded and pursue some dreams that she thought were on a boat that sailed past years previous.

After the tears and early hours of the morning, waking up to a 50K total… I was literally gobsmacked. When I saw the stars and fireworks that are a display of anyone who has reached the 50K, I just sat there bewildered and still half asleep, looking through blurred vision and just happily crying tears of that tremendous joy. It was a brilliant feeling. I could now get a chance to let some of the world to listen to an album of Mandyleigh Storm songs, done by a top producer ,get some brilliant musicians to relay and colour each song on the album and have as much or no imput from Sellaband at all. I chose to have as much advice and assistance from Johan, Dagmar and the team as I could. Adam Sieff (A&R), was a very important part to the Storm Jigsaw. He was the man who eventually organised alot of what was going on.

August brought about a lovely sponsorship for not only myself but my partner Gary to take a trip to Holland. Alot of my believers did this for us. How wonderful and again after all of the investment in me as `the artist`, then more investment for us to go the `Dutch` way of life for about 5 weeks. I had been invited to three separate performances. One was the “Almelo Meets Nashville” Festival which comprised of many Nashville artists, and a few European artists. I was able to perform with “Thomas Blug”, the `strat king of Europe` for 2004. We did cover songs, never rehearsed them at all, just stood on stage and felt the music moves through us. We were joined by Jeroen Simmons on drums and Dave Pomeroy, a world class bassist on over 400 albums. He is a writer and producer also based in Nashville. It was an awesome moment for me to spend the wonderful time I had up on stage with all three of these talented and warm people.

Then there was the 1 year “Sellabration” event of a Sellaband. Held at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. A music venue which was converted from an old church and been transformed into `the temple of music`. Artists such as The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, John Cale, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Beth Hart, Suzanne Vega and Mandyleigh Storm have performed there.

Then there was another festival gig which I had the honour of performing 5 songs and thoroughly enjoyed in Groningen the night before we were scheduled to leave Holland and fly back to Western Australia.

One of the biggest highlights on this trip (apart from having the chance to meet/greet, hug and kiss many of my Dutch/German/English believers), was to make the decision whilst having my meeting with Johan and Dagmar of Sellaband HQ that I could nip over to the UK, meet with a potential producer “Mick Glossop” and keep him in my options for recording my album.

I was introduced to Mick on the day of the Sellabration but to be honest with all of the sound-checking for the event and the noise level at the Paradiso, I totally missed who he was. He actually was the first person to meet with me after my performance. I spoke with him on a few ocassions not knowing who he was. I just thought, “This guy is very nice, genuine…” He`d only been the producer/,mixer for Van Morisson for the past 25 years, recorded artists such as Frank Zappa, Sinead O`Connor, PIL, The Waterboys… Oh my! Didn`t I feel stupid when my partner Gary told me who he was!

As you can imagine my meeting with Mick at his lovely home studio also accompanied by Adam), was very successful and the rest is history when you listen to my album. I am so proud of it. I trusted Mick almost straight away after making the choice to work with him. He carefully picked all of the musicians except for the keyboardist/percussionist. That choice was helped by the lovely Adam Sieff.

And the musicians were ;
Johnny Scott (Van Morrisons guitarist/musical director for many years)
Liam Genockey (drums… Steeleye Span etc)
Tim Harries (bass…. Katie Melua, Brian Eno, Steeleye Span etc)
James Lascelles (keys/percussion/dulcimer…. has played support for Rolling Stones etc, teacher).

The album was recorded in Soho, London, in November 2007, at Dean St Studios. The album was mastered on the 20th of December by `Kevin Metcalfe` at “SoundMasters”.

My whole adventure was going to begin on a flight taking me to the UK on the 20th of October 2007. I would leave my girls, and my husband pursue my dreams. I would also be carrying another child. Two creations and much happiness…

written by Mandyleigh \\ tags: adam sieff, james lascelles, johnny scott, liam genockey, London, mick glossop, Recording, sellaband, tim harries, travel