Author Archives: danzp

Post-Game: Greenhouse Theater Center, Chicago, 2/6/2012

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[Photo by Rafael Franco-Steeves]

Not Pictured: The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band

Jenn and Tony, the hosts of this monthly variety show (called the “Ceyx Series“), were as sweet as could be, and it was a fun, eclectic evening.  But I would like to start with a simple criticism.  I was told to be at this thing at 6:00, and this turned out to be Super Dumb.  Amy was not feeling great Monday, so she really hadn’t planned on attending.  However, since she wasn’t sure she could get the car home in time for me, we just met at the theater at 6:00, her coming straight from work with my equipment.

We sat there and read for over an hour, listening to sound and lighting people ask each other where various plugs and stands and outlets were.  Clearly, I could have easily come at 7:15 to check my amp, and Amy could have therefore skipped out and given me the car, as she’d initially wanted to do.  As it was, Amy left at the intermission, and I had to take the train home, and it was just kinda sucky.

So seriously, guys: Don’t ask people to be places WAY earlier than necessary.  I know musicians and performers are supposedly less than punctual, but not not all of us fit that description, and it kinda blows to essentially be penalized for respecting the wishes of event organizers and, like, showing up on time.  Right?  RIGHT?  Anyway, whatever.  I have no lingering ill will, just wanted to get that out there.  RANT OVER.

I can now officially say I’ve shared a stage with a hip-hop artist.  And a dancer.  And a poet.  And a performance art troupe.  Most interesting to me was this last act.  Two members of the Synapse Art Collective presented short, solo, improvised, silent dance-like routines, scattered between the rest of the acts.  “Silent improvised dance” might sound pretentious, but it was actually very compelling, combining athleticism with an almost actorly level of facial expression, and a healthy dash of humor.

It was after one of these pieces that I took the stage.  I just did five songs:  “West of Western,” “Terrible Things,” “Lisa Pruett Will Have Her Revenge on Coventry,” “The Oldies Station,” and “You Are Not Your Own.”  The stage lighting was odd; I haven’t felt that unable to see an audience in a long time, but in a way it helped ease the jitters, just staring out into a black void.  I also was keenly aware of where the camera for the live stream had been placed, and for some reason I decided to make the last lines of “The Oldies Station” the ones where I looked into the lens, saying hello to whoever was out there.  (My mom and my brother-in-law, among others, as I found out later.)

Also part of the evening were poet Terry Jacobus, dancer Alka Nayyar, and rapper Ruby Yo.  All stuff that I normally wouldn’t seek out, but I suppose that’s the point of a variety show like this, and I was delighted to take it all in, and (ultimately) glad to have been a part of it.  Thanks to the Halcyon Theatre folks for letting/making it happen.

Waiting, Checking, Boxing

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So I’ve long since finished the work for the first Record Club “deliverable” — the “Buildings vs. People” vinyl EP which will drop in February.  All’s I’m doing now for that particular piece is waiting for United Record Pressing to send me the test pressing, which I’ll listen to and (hopefully) approve.  Then it’s another couple weeks of waiting, and then they’ll be sent to me…and then I’ll mail them out to the appropriate backers.  If this sounds like I’ll barely squeeze this into my February window, you’re hearing correctly.  I’m sorry it couldn’t be swifter; the turnaround time just got the best of me.  The good news is that I’m already assembling artwork for the NEXT record, set for May, and I plan on having THAT sent to URP by the Ides of March.  I should have a preview of the sleeve soon.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

While waiting, I’ve had some administrative stuff to do.  I surveyed you backers for addresses, and I downloaded those into a single spreadsheet for easy envelope-addressing.  Also in that survey, I asked the people who are commissioning me for a cover song if they wouldn’t mind me SHARING that song with the world.  Remember, per the initial Kickstarter video, the deal was that the songs would be “for your ears only.”  But then my friend (and backer) Jessica, said,  “No, I want people to HEAR what I forced you to do!”  (I’m paraphrasing.)  (Hi, Jess!) I imagined maybe other people would feel the same, and I was right.  So look forward to future updates containing cover songs.  I figure I’ll let the commissioners dig them for a week or two alone, then I’ll unleash them for general download…

Also in the survey, I asked poster-receiving “deluxe” people if they’d like a random gig poster, or a poster specific to the record club.  Most votes were neutral, but enough people (three) supported the club-specific poster for me to head in that direction.  I have a wacky visual idea for the CD and I think the poster will be similarly themed.

SPEAKING of CD’s, I’ve decided the CD’s — both the vinyl-roundup and the outtakes disc — will be packaged in Jewelboxes.  The jewelbox is a sort of design-minded, round-cornered update of the standard jewel case, dreamed up right here in Chicago by Coudal Partners.  Years ago, I ordered a box of 30 of them, thinking I might use them for some special project down the road.  While crunching the numbers last weekend, I had a real V-8 moment, realizing that THIS was the project I’d been waiting for.  So I ordered some more, and I’ll be picking them up downtown in the next few days.  They really do look sharp, almost space-age.  I think I have a picture of one in here somewhere…

I think that’s about it for this time.  I’ll send a picture of the test pressing once I get it.  Meanwhile, enjoy the mildness of our winter…

A Place for My Stuff

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The Unassuming Exterior

I finally got off my backside this weekend and assembled a proper merchandise box in anticipation of the arrival of my records, and the gigs I’m trying to get for the springtime and beyond.  I already had the CD suitcase, from back when I still thought those things would continue to sell at the same rate…

CD's Securely Packed on the Left, Records Inside Padded Envelopes and Under a Thick Foam Pad on the Right. The Bar Above the Foam Holds It Down TIGHT!

So first, I had to knock out one of the “bars” in the suitcase to make room for the records.  I’d keep one “rack” for CD’s off to the side.

The Lights CAN Blink, But It's Pretty Obnoxious, So I Don't Let Them

Then, after figuring out the cheap foam-and-padded envelopes solution for carrying records around IN that section, I drove up to the amazing American Science and Surplus store — a sort of Army surplus store for geeks / science teachers.

(Old Records for Modeling Purposes Only)

They had a battery-operated string of super-tiny LED lights that I took home and stapled to the inside of the lid of the suitcase. They were PLENTY bright for inside a dark club, and they run on 3 triple-A’s…

Prices Subject to Change (But Probably Not)

I mounted the record and CD inserts with velcro (also available at American S&S). As a finishing touch, Amy gave me the idea to use these cool serrated scissors she has to make “price starbursts”, which I cut out from yellow crack ‘n’ peel sticker sheets (also picked up at — you guessed it — American S&S, for just 25 cents each).

I’ve wanted to check this off my Zapruder Point to-do list literally for years.  I celebrated by sitting down and giving a serious listen to Kiss’ Music from “The Elder”.  Which…man, what a weird, terrible record.  Anyway:  MERCHANDISE BOX GO!

Here to Make Friends

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I'll never read all these books.Well, I have listened to the five songs for the first record on the office stereo, the kitchen CD player, the fancy Tivoli in the living room, the iPod, and in the car.  I’ve tweaked the mix and applied compression sparingly and judiciously.  For comparison, I listened to my last CD, and in some ways, i think this one sounds better.  By “some ways,” I guess I mean vocally.  I’ve gone all-in with the doubling of vocals — four out of five songs have it.  It thickens what I sometimes think of as a thin voice.

What’s more, I really think this collection of songs is solid.  I’m especially excited about the side two opener, “Get On With It.”  It’s an extremely simple song (even for me), but the way the bass drum came out was a surprise, very surging and deep.  I am also very thankful that I got that tambourine last weekend; since then, it’s sounded better with each listen.  Lastly, one of the songs has a sample in it.  It’s kinda silly.  For the sake of variety-in-updates, I’ll share the video I used; maybe you’ve seen it?

Oh, and I’ve pretty much locked down the cover, and I’ve included it in here somewhere…

Next, I have to do my research on RPM, and what exactly the pressing place needs from me.  You see, the two sides of the record are about 4:10 and 4:48 in length, respectively.  That’s just about the upper limit of what they recommend for a 45 RPM seven-inch.  Anything past that, and the quality of audio starts to suffer.  I could go to a 33-1/3 seven-inch record, but I’m kind of assuming that is, in and of itself, a notch down in audio quality.  I have to confirm whether or not this is the case, and place the order accordingly.  So yeah, it’s probably going to be 45, and I’d like to make that a constant across the records.  But I make no promises…

Record Club Update #5: Post-Holiday-Blackout Bulletin

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The Set-Up. Pretty Much.

With the exception of a show on the 23rd, I allowed the final days of 2011 to slip along in holiday / relaxation mode, not getting terribly much done for the Record Club.  Most folks lay low for this period of time, so I didn’t feel too bad about it.  However, I did start to worry that I’d never reach the funding goal.  On the way to Christmas Eve celebrations in Cincinnati, I was around $450 short, and for the whole week-long trip, the pledge level stayed frozen there.

And then seemingly all at once, between Amy and I returning on the 30th and New Year’s morning, the final few backers stepped up and put the Record Club into the black, officially.  So first and foremost, I want to give a sincere and humongous THANK YOU to all of you for throwing in for this hare-brained scheme!  In 2012, I promise to make all the products and prizes as special as I can.

Starting, of course, with the first record, due in February.  I’m firm on the tracklisting now:

Side A:
Come for the People, Stay for the Buildings
Lisa Pruett Will Have Her Revenge on Coventry

Side B:
Get on With It
Exterior, House
Come for the Buildings, Stay for the People

I’ve made solid starter mixes, and listened to them through my big ol’ office stereo.  I have some bass concerns there, but I have yet to take notes and chip away at them in earnest.  Ditto a couple of strange clicks I heard when listening via iPod.  Some idiosyncrasies I love, the “imperfections” of the recording bulging out like the browned edges of home-made cookies.  But some of them are straight-up glitches; I know the difference.  Spare the former, smooth out the latter, and make the whole thing sound as full as possible.  Such is mixing.

So today, my last vacation day before going back to work, I plan on getting those glitches fixed and then start listening with spiral-bound in hand on as many devices as possible — kitchen CD player, living room Tivoli, car stereo, cruddy basement computer speakers, etc.  The goal is to have the audio and artwork ready to mail for pressing on my next payday — the 16th of January.

Why is my payday important?  Well, for one, after the 5th, it’ll take Kickstarter a couple of weeks to funnel the pledges into my bank account.  But secondly, as you may have read in the FAQ section, I purposely set my funding goal somewhat  shy of the actual budget for this project.  After Kickstarter and Amazon Payments take their cut of the $3200, I should have somewhere around $2900 to use.  But the project, in full, will end up costing closer to $3500.  I knew this going in, and I can absolutely cover the spread — otherwise I wouldn’t have set it up.

Naturally though, it would be nice not to have to do so.  The project closes at midnight on Thursday.  If you haven’t joined up yet, please consider doing so.  I genuinely think $30 for four records mailed to your door is a straight-up deal, and the CD levels — regular for $10, regular-n-outtakes for $20 — are also reasonable for an independently produced physical product, if I do say so myself.

And if you’ve already joined, sometime between now and Thursday, if you would consider joining me for one last link-blizzard — via Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or even a good old fashioned email — I’d really appreciate it.  Here ’tis:

http://kck.st/rrXpFN

Stay tuned for a peek at the actual artwork and updates on the mixing process, plus the exciting world of 45 RPM vs. 33 1/3rd…   HAPPY NEW YEAR!

p.s.  It feels really silly to even say this, but…  If by some miracle I end up grossing more than $3500 in the next three days, I promise all funds will go to the project — an extra page in the CD booklet, a thicker paper for one of the seven-inch sleeves, a new sticker design, what-have you.  In other words:  No candy, no microbrews, no Kiss records on import for yours truly.  I swear.  Peace.