10 Years WoNoBlog

Yes, it's ten years ago today that the first message was posted, announcing the blog, as an extension of WoNo Magazine. The one that was released when it was released. It started in the winter of 2001 at a Dutch institution called OPTA (1997 - 2013). For the love of music and as a bit of joke, as we, Wo. and .No, could not get a page on music in the OPTA personnel magazine. "Then we make our own", .No said and in the first year had 8 issues, forever the record number. The last issue saw the light of day at the end of 2016. The blog is still here and going strong. The most diligent followers have seen over 3700 posts come by in those ten years.

It has been and is a pleasure to do. To be able to share our love for music with you and providing you with a tip to listen to, preferably buy, as that is the only way to truly support the artists on this blog!!!, is great fun to do.

Through the blog we have gotten to know extremely talented musicians who have shared their music with us and received well deserved attention on the blog in return.

All sorts of spin-offs can be noted as well. Because of relationships with some artists, living room shows could be organised that, due to the pandemic have stopped, but are so special. To hear and see music from so up close, to become one as it were with the performer and his/her performance, is one of the pleasures that has spun-off of this blog. Hopefully in a few months we can organise the next one once again.

There is the radio show, 'Kairos', broadcast each first Thursday of the month on Concertzender, that is not so much a spin-off of WoNo Magazine but definitely a part of the WoNo family and for years a constant presence on the blog. Not to forget WoNo Productions releasing records. To be fair, this is all .No's work.

Another highlight are the interviews that we were able to do with artists in the past years. Being able to learn more about the artists and their work is on the one hand awkward, as it certainly feels like invading their privacy, on the other hand extremely interesting to learn more of what drives and inspires them.

To have a post's content quoted on a cd's artwork was another special occasion. The LVE from Belgium did just that in 2018.

And what about being invited by the Italian band Bongley Dead to come to their rehearsal studio? We were welcomed as if we were lifelong friends, listened to the band play, and then made music together until deep into the night, with lots of beer involved.

Having a blog comes with a few perks. Thank you for the music coming my way and thank you for the shows we could attend, sometimes with a "+1", who is grateful as well. It is a privilege to have that. At least that is the way we see it and not as something taken for granted.

Ten years. It is a long time and we can't promise another ten. Who knows what happens in the meantime? As long as it remains fun, WoNoBlog will be here for your and our own pleasure.

The editors of WoNoBlog, the former Wo. and .No.