The Question of the Month is asked of an everchanging group of artists; you never know who you'll find here, so check with each upload. 6 Months' of Pre-1999 QOMs have been enshrined in the AmbiEntrance Archive. Anticipation "What do you most look forward to in 1999, musically or otherwise?" Growing, learning, getting better at being me. Also, all the new music that will come out in 99, a small percentage of which I might actually have the privilege of hearing. Also, all the sounds that will happen in 99, a small percentage of which I might actually be in a position to record (assuming I get it right ).     - John Michael Zorko: AdAstra Records Musically, I'm looking forward to a lot of the same things that most music listeners are looking forward to- more great releases! There were so many good ones in 1998, that I'm hoping 1999 will be a good year, too. To narrow things a bit, I'm looking forward to the further "breaking of the rules" in the realms of ambient and space music. There were great releases in 1998, such as the Jim Cole and Spectral Voices disc, that REALLY took the "formula" for space music and TOTALLY disregarded it- no synths - just pure voices. Also, I'm looking forward to a more growing sense of "community" in this field of music. We inhabit such a small pond, I believe that it's imperative that we be helpful and supportive of one another whenever it's possible for us to be. There's this sad "attitude" that if I, as a musician, help another musician, then I have hurt myself in terms of sales, etc..... I hope to see this attitude disappear in the coming year.     - Jeff Pearce: ambient guitarist More self-publishing, ie: artists releasing their own CDR's...and the proliferation of the mp3 format... I'd also like to see like the portable mp3 players be able to read files off of CDR in addition to reading out of RAM, that way you could burn a CDR with dozens of files and set your player to stream them directly off of disc... Also, looking forward to seeing how eCommerce progresses in the next 12 months... the combination of eCommerce and mp3 is a real threat to the mainstream music industry and that make me quite happy...     - kim.cascone: sound.designer Completing the new Amoeba CD.     - Robert Rich: Soundscape Productions / Amoeba Music Musically I want to release more, otherwise I just wish happy end of the century!     - Katsuya Hironaka: Electronician Playing with my drum machine and releasing my first beat music cd - a techno cd!     - lk: (audiochrom) TRYING NOT TO GET FUCKED SO BAD AS PAST YEARS. LEARNING TO LOOK AT PEOPLE MORE CAREFULLY AS TO WHO IS USING ME ETC. OR WHO IS GENUINE. AND TRYING MY HARDEST TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. I DONT LOOK FORWARD TO ANYTHING NOMORE, HAVENT DONE FOR YEARS. LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT????????????????????? GETTING AWAY FROM CERTAIN LABELS AND PEOPLE RELATED.     - Mick Harris: of Lull, Scorn, etc. As a listener of music I would like to see more interesting ethnic jazz or electronic fused instrumental music as well someone out in radioland promoting the material. As a musician I seem to be heavily drawn to ethnic music and jazz since I believe them to be the only true improvised forms that I find remotely interesting to dwell into. I would like to release another Open Canvas disc drawing upon Indian and of course Eastern influences.     - Gregory Kyryluk: Alpha Wave Movement/Open Canvas As with almost every year I'm looking forward to a series of new recordings and collaborations. 1999 specifically is going to be a year of collaborative projects while simultaneously I'll try to focus myself on the new solo album for the upcoming millennium. An enthusiastic and inspirational turn in my music will be the influence of more contemporary and progressive components, as my fascination for this genre has been increasing over the past several years. To explore my interest and experience in other appealing genres is something I sincerely hope for in 1999.     - Vidna Obmana: ambient artist I am looking foward to releasing a new album as the followup to 2297. As EMIT have ceased trading I am looking for a new deal. Any ideas? I am also looking foward to seeing some of my work published in the forth coming book on csound released later this year by MIT press.I am working with Davide Rossi a violinist who has studied with Robert Fripp on his guitar craft course.     - Derek Pierce: aka Beatsysytem New developments, new energies, new millenia Punk stirrings, the Tour of the Elements, the next Ambient incarnation, becoming older and wiser, working with video and web media................onward !!!     - Martin Franklin: of Tuu Musically I'm looking for further explorations of the Foundry's different musical directions, so there will ventures further afield, but also some integration of the different techniques and styles...projects intersecting in interesting ways. So, hopefully another set of CDs and our first vinyl release (if all goes well). On the personal side, I hope to spend more time with my sweetie...ah, sweet romance...     - M. Bentley: the foundry I live in Cornwall, and there's due to be a Solar Eclipse over here in August. Word is that this small, thinly populated area is going to be absolutely overrun with visitors and emergency services will be stretched to breaking point. New-age crusties will be having raves all over the place; all the ancient stone circles will be stolen, and they'll probably have to send in the army. I'm looking forward to that.     - Nigel Ayers: of Nocturnal Emissions This QOM posted January 27, 1999