Current Status

[koelling]

Since the release of the CD (which one would think would clear our plate of so many responsibilities) the band has been dealing with the daunting tasks that are attached with the business and marketing end of things. First came the Release Party on December 15th (which, thanks to so many wonderful people, was a smashing success). The Holiday Season was upon us immediately, so we had to allow Christmas and New Years to temporarily halt our progress while we took a breather. But, once the year turned over to 2008, we were immediately back to work: Sorrell in the studios recording the guitar and bass parts for the songs we are re-recording from our first release, Logan and I going back to work on the website, and Jax taking care of the forum (with Deron) and so many other things. Although the website looks pretty good, we still have things to tweak, but that was a huge hurdle to get over.

Currently we are still looking for someone to step it up and fill the role of bass player. Sorrell's talents provided us with bass lines that are not making it easy for us to accomplish this task, and we are not planning on scheduling any live dates until we do....so this is the biggest road block we are faced with. But, while Jax is diligently helping us with this obvious problem, we are working on a possible radio interview, as well as finishing the new recording of "Diary" (see above) and getting ready to write the first few bars of the follow up album to "Shadows" - which has Sorrell and I both excited.

There are a lot of behind-the-scene things that most people never realize are even there (marketing the CD, getting displays set up in local stores, sending out promo packages, buying bubble-envelopes, addressing them, putting stamps on them and shipping off CDs, etc., etc.) that are also consuming a lot of my time. But, I assure you, the wheels are in motion, and this band doesn't foresee us falling into the same trap as we did last time.

We really need this forum to get booming, and we need are faithfuls to spread the word. There's a lot of work to be done, and a lot more music inside of us. These next few months are going to be fun!

 

[TFX]

..warming up my tambourine for the next recording..

 

[dcdelux]

Currently we are still looking for someone to step it up and fill the role of bass player. Sorrell's talents provided us with bass lines that are not making it easy for us to accomplish this task, and we are not planning on scheduling any live dates until we do....so this is the biggest road block we are faced with.

I can play "Welcome To The Jungle" on the bass. Do I qualify?!?!?

 

[Sweet]

I can definitely help with spreading the word, in fact while I’m home still I will make a call to the local music store and see what they will let me put up and maybe how many CD’s I can get in the store. I live in a small College town so not much big radio play but we do have a few local bands and we seem to always welcome more, so it should be a good move.

I could be facing a move soon I hope within a month but after that I would be willing to help with anything else where I was needed. I know it sucks me being all the way in Colorado but I’m reliable.

 

[Sorrell]

We are now set up with a distribution company called CD Baby. They will be handling digital distribution (Itunes, Rhapsody etc.) as well as setting us up with many other on line record stores.

We will be handling the CD sales from our site, but they will be handling other online traffic. I'm very excited about this relationship.

SRS

 

[stryder]

I did a show the other night with this band on tour in a van. They have there gear in the trailer ,and they have a road box that unfolds into a tee shirt C.D. display that they put out front of the theater, we set up , sound checked , they went out front , sold merch then went in and played , then went back out front and sold there merch ,after that they broke down their gear, loaded the truck and headed to san diego , they get $50.00 to cover gas from show to show and live on T shirt and C.D. sales as they tour ( they were trilled to get pizza and a hotel room), freakin hard working bunch of kids , time to hit the road boys.

 

[BadMoose]

I did a show the other night with this band on tour in a van. They have there gear in the trailer ,and they have a road box that unfolds into a tee shirt C.D. display that they put out front of the theater, we set up , sound checked , they went out front , sold merch then went in and played , then went back out front and sold there merch ,after that they broke down their gear, loaded the truck and headed to san diego , they get $50.00 to cover gas from show to show and live on T shirt and C.D. sales as they tour ( they were trilled to get pizza and a hotel room), freakin hard working bunch of kids , time to hit the road boys.

Sounds like 'Fair to Midland'. They do pretty much the same thing, and it's gotten them far.

 

[Mindshift]

Can't help with the bass (I can play the opening riff for Dazed and Confused, and Smoke on the Water...), but if you guys need any help in the customer service department, I can spare a Saturday here and there for mailing CDs or whatever. Seriously, I would love to contribute. Let me know...

 

[Sorrell]

I did a show the other night with this band on tour in a van. They have there gear in the trailer ,and they have a road box that unfolds into a tee shirt C.D. display that they put out front of the theater, we set up , sound checked , they went out front , sold merch then went in and played , then went back out front and sold there merch ,after that they broke down their gear, loaded the truck and headed to san diego , they get $50.00 to cover gas from show to show and live on T shirt and C.D. sales as they tour ( they were trilled to get pizza and a hotel room), freakin hard working bunch of kids , time to hit the road boys.

Wow! As great as it sounds to leave our families and lives to live in a van and go broke...uhhh....no.

If we were still 20 years old and had a great manager to get us $50 gigs, we'd do it! We'll do our best to take this thing as far as we can. But, we're not naive kids who will follow some dreamer into obscurity and poverty.

SRS

 

[stryder]

My point is that playing live is what has to be done to take things to the next level regardless of how many CD's you sell etc. I have seen you guys live and it is unbelievable you pull off the music with such detail , it would open up a new set of fans if you could at least open for some bands for the exposure value or headline in a small theater tour in the summer up and down the west coast, seeing is believing , bottom line is you guys kick ass live.

 

[Jax]

Live shows are also where the bulk of the merch is going to be sold, & THAT is where the actual money is for pretty much any band these days.

I'm looking forward to seeing our boys live, that's for sure.

 

[koelling]

Hey, I have kids and I am very willing to adjust my schedule to do whatever we need to do to play a few gigs. My only fear is, away from home, who's going to want to come see us? We are virtually unknown outside our little town and this internet circle

 

[SharkBlack]

..warming up my tambourine for the next recording..

More Cowbell!!

 

[SharkBlack]

Hey, I have kids and I am very willing to adjust my schedule to do whatever we need to do to play a few gigs. My only fear is, away from home, who's going to want to come see us? We are virtually unknown outside our little town and this internet circle

Not for long!

 

[Jax]

Not for long!

Yeah, what he said.

 

[dcdelux]

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a show and the opening act(of unknown origin and genre) totally blew me away and I became an instant fan. You gotta give yourself more credit than that, Koelling. You get out and play a few in other vicinities and the music will do the talking. Doesn't matter if they know you or not.

 

[koelling]

Well, as I said, I am very willing to play live. You can't even imagine what an honor and how much fun it is to be on stage with the front man extraordinaire, Sorrell. But, as I think he was trying to say, we are too old to take a chance on a huge gamble. If we are not received well enough to make this a living, we'll both go back to broken lives. We'll play. But it can't be a gamble. Shows like Progpower or Barfest that have other bands drawing in the fans are going to be our best bets. Of course, we'll also play a lot locally where we always seem to draw a great crowd.