Explone had a full rehearsal last night, the first one in a few weeks since drummer Greg had gone off to SXSW. We’ll need to find a new rehearsal space for next week, as we’ve been borrowing our current space free-of-charge from other friendly bands for the past few rehearsals. But now that space has been rented out and we have to find a new permanent home.
I’m having a blast playing bass. I recently picked up an Ampeg SVT 200T amp head from Craigslist. It’s solid state (no tubes) and weighs a ton. Which is nothing compared to the 6x10 cabinet I got from one of Patrick’s friends. It’s the size of a small fridge, except instead of beer it’s full of ROCK. I guess it's just as well that we're moving to a new space, because I don't intend to lug this beast back and forth.
Along with the T-40 it’s a pretty devastating-sounding rig. The 200T’s ultra-low setting adds some crazy, glassy bottom end whomp without mudding up the sound. The first word that popped into my head was obsidian. I can't wait to try it in rehearsal.
We're not nearly ready to gig yet, but we have a date with a studio the first weekend in June.
The version of "Happy For Me" which appears on Save You From Yourself is more-or-less the original version I've been messing around with since, oh, about 2003. The version below is from 2005, recorded for the 3-song EP I made for my big rawkin' birthday show.
Whereas the CD version is relaxed with a hint of alt-country swing, this alternate take is faster, more driving, more straight-ahead pop. I had a hard time deciding which one would end up on the CD, and eventually decided the original was more -- interesting? Dynamic? I dunno, I like them both. Choose your favorite.
I'm playing a short-notice gig at Trabant. I'll be opening for Michael Trew and his band, the Sun Bears.
I haven't been playing out as much this year since I've been pouring all my energy into making the new album. I'm looking forward to getting back in front of some people again and knocking the rust off some of these tunes.
And I'll be happy to play your requests, provided they're songs I wrote and can play really, really well so as to spare us both the heartbreak.
Remember how I bought a Peavey T-40 bass? There's a reason for that. I've joined a band, playing bass for Explone. We rehearse once a week or so, and we'll be recording (in a real studio!) in June.
I've been a big fan of Patrick's tunes for a few years, so I thought the gods were testing me when I saw his ad on Craigslist for a bassist. It's taken me a little while to get back on the horse after being a solo musician for so long, but I'm learning to re-socialize myself. It's also the height of awesome to rock out again with a group, work on my chops and engage in music scene gossip with real, live beer-drinking humans.
That's something I'm not getting from kicking it with FL Studio in the Folkhole. Anyway, I'll be posting about my New Adventures In Rawk as they happen, but you can check out some current Explone tunes here.
So here's an update on my old-school publicity efforts for Save You From Yourself. I've been working on and off at it since February, mailing out CDs to press, radio and elsewhere, and I have to say: what a total PITA.
I started out pretty good. I did my research, carefully chose my targets, dutifully asked permission before sending anything, and diligently mailed out a handful of CD every morning or so. It felt good. Yeah! Gettin' things done! But things got hairy, fast.
For one thing, it's just so easy to fall off the wagon. You end up skipping a day or two -- oh, I don't feel like stuffing envelopes tonight, maybe I'll watch Lost instead -- and suddenly it's two weeks of nothing! In other words, it's a lot like going to the gym.
But that's easy to fix. You say "hm, I have fallen off the wagon," and get back to it.
No, the hardest part is following up. Which is also the most important part. For every CD sent out, you're supposed to follow up. Wait two weeks, send a message: did you get the package? Just checking! Wait another two weeks, send another message: get that package yet? Think you might listen to it soon? Rinse and repeat.
Eventually you reach a point where the energy you're putting into following up overtakes the envelope stuffing. Now you're spending those two hours each evening writing emails instead of sending more CDs out into the world. 98% of those emails will go unanswered. When answers come, they will be brief and often...terse.
Now, I'm not dumb. I know that writers have always on deadline, have slushpiles of CDs a mile high, and it can take weeks or months before CD gets listened to. I also know that releases being "worked" by known publicists and labels will take priority.
It's just repetitive, slightly demoralizing work. If I believed that CDs had a future, I'd recommend paying an expert to do this, next time.
That said, I'm going to continue. After what seems like weeks of work, it turns out I've only mailed out around 40 copies. Whaaa? That's not nearly enough to declare defeat. But man, it sure looked easier on paper.
This article at Coolfer pulls together recent examples of musicians asking their fans to help fund new album releases. Jill Sobule raised over $80K from her fans, while the venerable Marillion raised over $725K. By the way, I was a huge Marillion fan during my college years, but I fell off the wagon not long after Fish left. Sorry.
I learned a lot when I did my own fundraiser and I'm eternally grateful to the folks who chipped in to make it happen. My advice, if you care (and you might not), is if you have any sort of fanbase, it's totally worth a try.
And if you don't have a fanbase yet, write a bunch of songs and give them away for free on the internet.
I've been meaning to write about my publicity efforts for Save You From Yourself, but we have a FAR MORE SERIOUS matter to discuss, people:
I think my new album may be cursed.
Some evidence:
I sent a CD to a writer at No Depression. Two weeks later they announce the magazine is folding.
Then I sent one to an associate editor at a local arts weekly. She just got laid off.
And then I contacted a local radio show that features singer-songwriters, offering to send a CD. Guess what? They're discontinuing the show.
Coincidence? I have several theories:
My CD radiates dark magical energy that plays havoc with the fabric of the Universe
The album is so awful, whole media outlets would rather shut down altogether than listen to it
Traditional print and radio are having a tough time securing ad revenue these days as paying advertisers follow the migration of listener attention and music journalism to the Web
Leprechauns
I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Unfortunately I can't really use this to my advantage. "Hey you! You'd better review my album, or I'll...I'll...send you one." That doesn't even make sense.
...aaand, just a reminder that I'm still giving away bonus MP3s, posters and acoustic CDs to anyone who buys two or more CDs from Amazon, CD Baby or directly from me via Paypal. Just make sure to email me your Amazon receipt (with your sensitive info removed), because they won't send me your contact info.
This is a song that didn't make the cut for Save You From Yourself. Not that there's anything wrong with it. It's a perfectly good song! But I didn't think it fit anywhere on the album. It's also thematically similar to "You Are Loved," except it's way more unsubtle with the flying/falling hubris metaphor, and I liked that song better anyway.
I originally planned to record this as an acoustic demo with the ashiko, but I already had the "real" drum track finished so last winter I laid down rock guitars and rock bass and rock stuff. Then it sat for awhile while Jim and I finished the record. I finally recorded the vocals last week. Lyrics-wise I'm pretty proud of the verses.
You're up in the air again now
we lifted you up
and now you're coming back down
You're up in the air again now
and now you're coming back down
I wanted to see you stumble
just to see you in a less than perfect light
the jealous ones, when you caught their eye
you wrote them off with the perfect rhyme
pretending you don't care enough
but I think you just might
you set yourself up...
You're up in the air again now
we lifted you up
and now you're coming back down
You're up in the air again now
and now you're coming back down
I wanted to write this all down
so I'd remember what this felt like years from now
you slipped away like we knew you would
it's ten years gone and it still feels good
remembering how I lied to you
just to prove I could
you set yourself up...
You're up in the air again now
we lifted you up
and now you're coming back down
You're up in the air again now
and now you're coming back...
[gtr solo]
Did you really think they were gonna let you win?
you set yourself up...
Explone had a full rehearsal last night, the first one in a few weeks since drummer Greg had gone off to SXSW. We’ll need to find a new rehearsal space for next week, as we’ve been borrowing our current space free-of-charge from other friendly bands for the past few rehearsals. But now that space has been rented out and we have to find a new permanent home.
Remember how I bought a 