Book excerpt: Spearmint – “Sweeping the Nation” (Hitback records). Email to [email protected] 11.30 21/12/13. Hi, I've just finished the first draft of my book about the five years I spent promoting various genres of local music during 2002/2007 in and around Chorley, Blackburn and Preston, Lancashire. It champions all the bands and artists that never got to make it further than their hometown fan base...and a few that did. I found your track "Sweeping the Nation" on a Rough Trade CD and have been recommending it to anyone I meet/know as the best song I have ever heard that sums up what my book is about... I am 51 and Northern Soul was an influence on my growing up and appreciation of musical styles. How clever of you to combine the classic back beat sample with a list of the bands you knew about that never made it and then bound it all together with driving guitars and the thumping chorus of: "I've been wasting my life I've finally realised I've wasted so much time....! My book has made me understand that I didn't waste my life because I followed my dream, stuck to what I believed in and have some wonderful memories. I know what Mr Bradshaw meant in his words to Shirley as everything I wanted in life has come true! Thanks again and maybe I'll get to one of your gigs in the New Year. "I wanna hear you on that!" John Winstanley.