The Process of Making an Album

We did preproduction and researched a little bit of contact info for press. What we didn't  plan for was working out Agreements! We're aiming to make this this as legit as possible, and so once we drafted an agreement between us and the producer we set off to get it checked. I luckily was able to find friends of friends who were experienced in this. That being said, remember to budget in for lawyers! It also depends how much you want them involved. At least just consider it.

Also, been drafting an Agreement for the band itself. I always want to make sure everybody understands what is happening with money. Money if handled improperly as I'm sure we all know at one point or another can rock the boat. Taken care of properly though it can really clear a secure path. Even if it feels uncomfortable to talk about, work it out. In the long run that little discomfort will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

That's all going well tho. I've learned a lot for sure as I scoured the web on how the industry works. The Internet is an amazing resource. Blows my mind.

Beyond that we've begun research more contacts and data on press outlets. We plan on releasing the album in the spring of 2014, so we want to hit up press 3-4 months before to have it all build up to that release party. We are also researching contact now to contact venues in January to book on an East Coast Tour in October! Plan ahead!

People have this idea that being in a band is just fun. You see a band just jumping around on stage, but you don't realize the amount of work done before they hit the stage. As its been for me, working on booking, scheduling, rehearsals, composing parts, arranging songs, filling out forms, networking events, research, data upkeep, distributing compensation, writing contracts, making ads, promoting, making preproduction, creating and up keeping the website, among other things, hitting the stage and performing is just 3% of the job...and I may be generous in that estimate. You gotta love what you do!

We're making an album

There's a video of the morning I found out we nailed our Kickstarter. Happy, and overwhelmed I could care less that I hadn't shaved, eyes puffy with sleep, and that my hair looked like some rabid road kill. It had been minutes since several texts from good friends woke me up congratulating me, "congratulation you made it!". Since I was still basically asleep I could sense the urgency and excitement but thought to myself "what is haaaappening!!"

I'm still delirious from that news (by the way, that video will surface at some point). Since then we've been getting all parts into play to put this into action. I thought I had all the preproduction done, but apparently I didn't. We decided to retrack everything we had stated with about 4 years ago! This means we're reallocating funds to make it work and also researching studios. Also, what I didn't think would take as much time as it has has been working out contracts. Two of them to be exact: The contract between the band, and the contract with the producer.

You can bet I've spent hours upon hours researching percentages, rights, and typical deals. It's actually been very interesting, but I still cannot wait to get this done (and done well) and moving on to the actual recording process.

Step by step. Things are in motion so that is awesome!

Supamayng Promo Video for Kickstarter Campaign

I'm a huge fan of things that are nonsensical and random. Usually media/comedy that is overly and obviously belligerent strikes me as hilarious. 

I was searching thru an online archive of media that is now in public domain. I came across these classic cartoons, which actually are some incredible work. after sitting with a few keeping my mind open for inspiration the idea striked me. Hope you enjoy it:

http://youtu.be/JIKBO_uV65A

My friend Robin who is the voice of Lois Lane came in and we had the best time recording the most random shit you've ever heard. Too bad we couldn't fit it all in. Such a great day.

Heroes and Fools

What do they have in common? They both do "crazy" shit nobody else will do!

In the 3 years of testing and crashing experiments, if the Wright Brothers quit before they succeeded some people would think it was a foolish endeavor. Nay-sayers would've had a hay day! (That is, in a fantasy world where the other people experimenting around the globe failed as well)

I would bring up Joseph Swan, Ford, Da Vinci and other inventors blowing things up in their labs, warehouses, and basements to no success to illustrate my point, but most of us being familiar with their former merits would have to exercise our creativity with a little more effort. What I mean is you all get the point.

What makes a ballsy move different from what YouTube has dubbed a "-fail" in those countless videos of people doing stunts. Daredevils are heroes at any degree from skateboarders to trapeze performers to people like Evil Knievel. Knievel busted himself up but kept coming back! What?!?! That's crazy! But the dude is celebrated and he for sure inspired everyone watching in one form or another.

Is that what it is? Not giving up? The test of the human spirit that makes the difference between a fool or a hero?

Now, I use these extreme examples because everyone for the most part knows them. So pull back the scope. Bring it back to our own plans, hopes and dreams. There is something that we want that involves risk. Some people prepare all their lives and never make the jump. Some people have a fairly reliable path they can follow that ensures they can obtain their goal. Some people are too scared to even begin to prepare.

Personally I'm trying to find a balance between leaping in faith and preparing myself intellectually. Also, I'm managing my train of thought and perspective so I don't "self sabotage". For instance, as long as I continue towards my goal, sacrifices of commodities that most people my age enjoy are investments rather than liabilities.

Why am I writing about this? Because recently I took a risk that may kick me back to square one (I can lose my apartment and the humble financial comfort that I've been slowly building in the past 6 years) or it may propel me further into my career. I guess you all get front row seats to this show that is my life.

I realize I must have a solid job as I build my music career on the side until its strong enough to strike out on my own. That being said plenty of people around me have gone out on their own to open their businesses and projects before they fully felt comfortable. They took leaps of faith. I had a solid job and was climbing the ladder financially. I finally hit some goals of mine. 1, I saved up 4 months worth of cost-of-living should I find myself without a job somehow. 2, I had 1,000 set aside for car repairs. 3, another 1,000 for emergencies. 4, I paid off my credit card debt. My following financial plans were to finish paying off school loans, begin to invest money, and finally have money to live a "normal" life. I was kicking ass and I'm still proud of that!

As it turned out I went to work and long story short they laid off my boss that I was assisting. She was an amazing person, and the programs we worked on were fulfilling. I loved it there. It was a mess in the office. People were scrambling. Honestly though I felt a lot of excitement because I felt like this was the push I needed to have a other full-on pursuit of my career in music! To my surprise a couple of the directors and managers came to speak to me asking me to stay and work in different departments. Even the president of the company spoke to me! I was honored but for some reason I felt like I was at a great spot to make a other go at my personal goals. I took the week to think it through while I continued to work there under a new department. Believe me I considered all the risks and it was overwhelming. This would be the hero/fool moment where I make that initial decision to make that jump, start that engine, ignite that spark, or strap myself into the cockpit.

I left on good terms. Out of it I made some great contacts. One of which was a SVP to a Universal Music department. What happened in the next month was incredible. Fruition! I was booked composing and arranging for 6 songs, 1 live action short, creating charts for 1 project, and 2 graphic design gigs. Another proud moment. This is my Kitty Hawk moment only 12 seconds in! A glimpse of what is possible! I won't deny myself that success, but I'm still pursuit of that consistency. That longer more controlled flight. In YouTube terms I'm still the dude on a skateboard on a rail. It's all in the dismount. Am I gonna rack myself or pull off that awesome stunt?!

In the meantime I kept taking advantage of this momentum. As publicity begets publicity, I sent out this business to get more business. With those projects completed I am still in this process. I've always been. So, the end of this YouTube video is yet to be seen. I may rack myself into homelessness, or make an amazing landing only to make another engine that's bigger, more sustainable and efficient.

What it comes down to maybe is if I know how to fail. The nature of all things I'm sure it's a constant flux, different seasons, cycling phases. To navigate through these is key. Maybe this is my 9,999th light bulb to Edison's final 10,000th! Maybe this is my 2nd crash of the Kitty Hawk. It's no question that we are all going to fail. It's if we fail successfully. Meaning a lot of things. One meaning is to learn and come back with that new approach willing and inspired! Is it that we don't give up? Is it that test of the human spirit?

Or maybe, just maybe, this could be the time I can truly make a go of this!

A fool or a hero? Keep watching to find out. Either way, be entertained.

Leaving a Question in Your Mind with Randomness

We're gearing up for our Kickstarter Campaign and its been quite a ride! Lots of research, revamping the approach and details, and creating promo videos. 

These videos are cracking me up. mostly because they lack any coherence or sense. It's been fun making these videos!  I recruited the help of my friend Robin to do a voice-over of Loos Lane. hearing her make up dialogue on the fly was hilarious in itself to an animated Superman getting down to our music. The idea is that they are small vignettes. Teasers in a variety of styles. Mostly they include parodies of works in public domain. Each 30 to 50 seconds long. Certain people will get one or the other. The plan is to get people to watch it and think in a slight-amused an entertained manner "what. was. that?" 

I'm no marketing master. I'm just staying creative and productive. Keeping this ball rolling. Putting actions to ideas. We can't wait for you to see them!

5 Year Old Me and the Record Player

It must've been before Kindergarten. I must've around 5. My focus was a lot sharper back then on smaller details. I remember the Michael Jackson Thriller record. For some reason the texture of the record itself always felt funny to me and I was always nervous about breaking them. I'd sit and watch the different reflection of light that would come with each different strip of song. It was clear to me that the different strips were individual tracks,but I had nooooo idea how a simple strip could make such a miraculous sound. How it could contain so much life. I would watch the needle run along the grooves and notice the subtle rise and fall of a slightly uneven record. Kind of like breathing. And that sound, that music that would come out of those two speakers, holy shit!! It was like another world just broke through into mine. It was like magic. Whenever I'd hear a Michael Jackson tune I'd be up on my feet. I'd be swept up in that world. Nothing could interrupt. I was the youngest in my family, easily outwitted, outrun, overpowered but when I'd dance I would be all that I thought I lacked. I knew Michael Jackson's every move. In my head, I would take his place in his music videos. Completely immersed and feeling that back beat and bass. For those intervals of 4 minutes each I'd be fearless. I can still get lost in the music like that today, and often do.

The title of the last post was a lie

The cold was the kind of cold that got into your bones and made them clatter. The van was throwing fits, but it was so cold even the clouds said, "fuckthis shit!" And bailed. It was absolutely clear night sky at 4am in Aurora, NY. Too bad I was so damned tired I passed out for another 4 states.

I woke up in the middle of what looked like a blizzard. Just in time to take my turn behind the wheel. This ridiculous winter storm stretched across 3 states! It been ages since he seen this kind of storm. Every 30 feet there was a car stuck in a ditch and semi trucks overtturned. Im barely even exaggerating. Crazy shit!

We rerouted and decided to go to my parents home in McPherson, KS. It was about 10pm when we reached the border of the state when Tiff said the words that would forever change the course of my life. "You want to find a Cracker Barrel?" I quickly texted and Facebooked an open call to my buddies that lived in Kansas City. Short notice but I was worth a shot. That food was ridiculous. The name still makes me snicker. Miss it. Ingredient ever meal needs: butter.

It was 2am by the time we got to my parents'. The car looked like the Delorian on Back to the Future by the time we got there. I was so stoked to see them and be home. It had been 4 years. Tiff went straight to bed. My dad was concerned as usual that I get enough sleep before the next day. Being a parent in other words. Also as usual, instead of getting rest, I was too excited and chatted them up, then dug through some old photo albums of my parents and sketch books of mine. It had been a while since I saw them and didnt know how long it'd be till I saw them again. You can't blame me. We talked about all the crazy things that happened around the house growing up. Surprised that house is still standing. My parents have to sell the house so it was good to be able to go back and see it. It's strange to have to sell "home", but it just redefines what I think of "home". It'll be a good change. My parents will be moving to L.A. Closer to us. It'll be nice to have them close.