Still here - I just popped by now because I suddenly received two orders for the Dorothee album in the space of 20 minutes this evening (!) and wondered if this had been triggered by some activity on the forum here.
To explain: Dorothee's album release, such as it was, coincided with the relaunch in 2010 of Afro Celt Sound System, which had been my 'day job' and as an original core member required a lot of my time to get re-started - there was a double best-of album to assemble and remaster and re-tooling for resumption of live work. I had got a distribution deal lined up with Proper in the UK for the Dorothee album, but then asked to put it on hold until I could give an official release my full attention after ACSS was under way. We agreed that I'd meanwhile sell it to the surround community off my own bat, which I proceeded to do. Dorothee eventually appeared as a live vocal guest with ACSS a while into the band's touring so I asked to invoke the distribution deal, whereupon Proper told me that I'd have to take down the amazon page via which I'd sold a few copies and which was hosting a few reviews, some of them originating from members of this very forum... this turned into a sticking point. I felt they were now displaying the 'body language' of no longer being very interested in the project (despite Dorothee's appearing with ACSS and there now being a story promotion-wise) so I decided not to go with them and to look elsewhere for distribution. A few months later I had to take over the management of the band (as I'd invested some money in the re-launch and no-one was going to step up and get me my money back), which, added to my existing responsibilities, became all-consuming, and Luminary Records stayed on the back-burner.
Cut to a few years further on, and I got embroiled in a very nasty legal situation after a departed band member trademarked the band name behind everyone's back - initially it was a clear-cut IP situation, but he was backed by a multi-millionare and represented by a particularly aggressive law firm, who proceeded to 'widen the scope of the case', which lasted for just under two years. My fellow band-mate and I had to become litigants in person after our money ran out, which meant being on deck 24/7 to react to whatever legal stuff was happening, and being unable to work on anything else. Inevitably the wheels came off financially for me and I ended up having to move myself and my studio out of London. Getting re-established has taken quite a while - I'm almost at the end of converting a barn building into a studio / musical HQ, but as I've been doing literally everything myself it's been a slow process and the motivation bus hasn't always arrived... the studio will combine my 5.1 setup and my stereo setup into the one space, which will mean being able to re-commence working in surround on an everyday basis. I can't wait to get back to making music again after a number of years away from it!
Long answer to a short question (sorry), but the fire is still burning and there will eventually be surround activity once again.
All the best, Martin
Looking forward to it 
