Tortuga News And FAQ

A. I think that this name serves at least one good purpose, Jeffrey. It is hoped that the company's label and logo depiction of a Kemps Ridley turtle will help draw attention to its plight as the most endangered sea turtle species in the world. (See the Tortuga Links Page.) Call me a "bleeding heart", but I have been concerned about these animals for more than a decade, ever since I first discovered that they are drowning in Gulf Of Mexico trawler nets. Having been brought almost to the brink of extinction, the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (T.E.D.s) in fish nets has helped ease a rapid decline in the number of nesting females. T.E.D.s are rather expensive so, once Tortuga Music eventually becomes a money making concern, a portion of the profits will be donated to the Gulf fishing industry for purchases of these devices. A second reason for "Tortuga" as a name is because I like the way it rolls off the tongue. Besides, I have always liked turtles.

Q. "Where do the Tortuga recordings come from?"

- Sidney Joiner, Enid, Oklahoma

A. The vast majority of the recordings come from the Tortuga vaults, which are also known as The Tortuga Archives. These consist mostly of recordings made over the years by yours truly. The tapes feature groups that I have either participated in as a member or that I have done sound work for, and there are a number of my own solo works as well. I also take on special projects for solo and group artists from outside the Tortuga Music banners.

Q. "Your site has no sound clips and none of your "products" are for sale. When can I expect to hear some of this stuff, much less purchase something? What gives?"

- Rodney Aldridge, Santa Ana, California

A. Sound clips will be available for certain songs, so please check back soon to the News section for updates. After considerable research, it appears that the MP3 format will be used for the clips. The Real Audio format also was under consideration but it was determined that MP3 is much "cleaner" and besides, it is most widely used by Internet "surfers". If enough interest is generated after the clips go up, certain Tortuga Music items may be repackaged and manufactured on "real" CD's, as opposed to the "CDR" medium currently in use. At that time they will be available for purchase here, or perhaps through Amazon's "Indie" distribution services or through MP3.com. Updates will be found here on this page, in the Tortuga News section.

Q. "Who designed your label?"

- Sara Thompson, Orlando, Florida

A. The initial Tortuga design was rendered by John Bockelman and intended for use on vinyl records. This design was modified by yours truly for use on Compact Discs. Please see the Brief History section of our site for the complete story.

Q. "I have a band and we are interested in the possibility of having you produce and nationally distribute our new album. Any chance of this?"

- Jack Wilkins, Cleveland, Ohio

A. National releases are not a part of Tortuga Music's immediate foreseeable future. However, submissions of (copyrighted) demo tapes are welcome and, if deemed viable, may be seriously considered for such a release. Uncopyrighted submissions will be rejected and none will be returned without inclusion of an S.A.S.E.. Proof of copyright must be enclosed. Please contact me, Colin Kennedy, at vigilant@earthlink.net for more information on how and where to submit your demo. I will also want to know what type of music your band plays.

Q. "What kind of music do you Tortuga people have on these CD's? I can't hear any of it."

- Gail Jackson, Lawrence, Kansas

A. The music in our current catalog varies from original "rock", to blues, to "progressive country". I dislike using the word "rock" here because it is such a general term and the sound varies from decade to decade. In certain cases, a suitable "tag" does not exist for some of the original material. Future releases may feature examples of all musical genres including jazz, classical and rap (so long as such rap is non-violent in nature). As mentioned in my answer to another question above, sound clips will become available soon. Meanwhile, thanks in advance for your patience while we get those clips ready.

Q. "What is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?"

- Mark Allen, Los Angeles, California

A. Ah, Mark, my old friend and fellow Douglas Adams fan! I thank you for asking but you know very well that the answer to the Ultimate Question is "forty-two". On the other hand, I have recently read that a cult of European thinkers now believes that the answer is "thirty-nine", but only on Wednesdays. I trust their calculations, too, as they were made using Apple computers. (You know that Adams himself wouldn't have it any other way.)

Q. "If I write to you, will you sell my email address to other companies?"

- Todd Brooker, Seguin, Texas

A. Absolutely not. Tortuga Music respects the privacy of its visitors and particularly those whom take the trouble to write. This policy will remain intact and shall not falter.

This F.A.Q. will be updated as more questions arrive. Once again, please submit your queries to Colin Kennedy here: vigilant@earthlink.net