EP release

This last month or so has been insane, hence the reason my blog has been somewhat neglected. A few months ago I decided that I wanted to do something with all the experimental recording Jered and I have been messing around with in our basement studio. I was booked for a show at Axis Cafe for July 18th, so I decided to make that show my deadline for an EP (“extended play” sort of a mini album). My usual musicians Jered and Ryan are on tour this summer with Shane Yellowbird (a canadian country artist) and were/are out of town that day… so I rounded up some new musicians and started rehearsing.

Now that show is 23 days away and I’m just finishing up recording (probably officially finished next week). I found an incredible mixing/recording engineer named Randor @ a local studio called Turnkey Studios (friendly plug – http://www.turnkeyaudio.com) who is going to clean it all up and get it ready for my release. So hopefully by this time next week I’ll have that all turned over to Randor and then can take a little breath. But not for long because I want to make some cute t-shirts and magnets to also sell at the release. I also still have a few rehearsals left before the show.

This great singer/songwriter from Red Deer Bryan Torwalt (another friendly plug –www.myspace.com/bryantorwalt) will be opening up for me.

It’s going to be a very exciting show! And I will FINALLY feel like I’ve accomplished SOMETHING by having a recording that I can use to apply for grants to make a full length recording soon. I have a little two – three year plan that’s been cultivating inside my head over the last few weeks, here it is:

• Summer 2008 : Finish EP and use it to apply for fall 2008 Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Canada Council and Rawlco Radio grants.
• Winter 2008/2009 : Receive grant (relying on the power of positive thought) and start recording.
• Spring/Summer of 2009: Full length Album Release show somewhere in Edmonton (perhaps Myer Horowitz Theatre?? Again positive thoughts)
• Summer/Fall of 2009: Apply for touring grant.
• Winter 2010 GO ON TOUR. Of course I’m just planning this all on my own, so I’d probably just travel to where my family has been scattered across Canada and get them to help me with promoting a show. Cafes, restaurants, halls, churches, wherever will take me. I’d like for it to be at LEAST 3 months (which means I’ll have to grow some balls & quit my job or take a temporary leave)
• And when I’ve finally accomplished these things, I’ll come home… start working again, and start trying to make a baby (or two: twins).

So there it is! I thought by maybe physically writing/typing it down somewhere that it would encourage me to get this stuff accomplished. I’m excited for what’s in store.

cheers!