It has been a life-changing experience, but a tricky one too as we've tried to shepherd the site through the many crises that have befallen the media in that time, from the collapse in online ad revenue to the fact that we can't afford to employ a tech person to modernise the site.įifteen years is a long time, and my relationship with music has changed completely in that period. On a personal level, it is quite strange to feel that I've now devoted over a third of my time on earth to The Quietus. When we lost our initial funding in September 2008 and carried on as an independent publication, we didn't think we'd last the year, let alone still be here for another 15. Back then, we had no idea if we'd ever get the gig running the site.

However, scanning through certain parts stand out: 'we will ignore the received wisdom that less is more,' and our plans for in-depth articles and going against the consensus – I like to think that hasn't changed one iota. In our pitch there's no mention of social media. Web 2.0, which we were setting out our stall in opposition to, barely exists in the form that it did then.

It's quite an odd experience, looking at these paragraphs of SWOT analysis, daft ideas (whatever happened to the planned 12 Inches Of Joy feature?), and determination thrashed out in a kitchen to think just how much, and how little, has changed. Trying to instil some order into my laptop's filing system recently I came across the document that John Doran and I put together when we were pitching what became The Quietus 15 years ago this month.

Wept 100 x 100 blue dream catcher