Wednesday, July 27, 2011

A writers world

Ever since I got the wild idea to write a novel, I have been researching the world of publishing. Since I have been in the music industry for so long, I realize I have no idea about the business side of books. There is so much to learn, and you would think that writing a book is hard, but really once the words have been written, the hard part actually begins.

For me, the telling of the story is enthralling and the words fly off my fingers in record time. My heart beats faster with each paragraph, and when I finally reached the last page I wept with joy. Really.

Even editing is fun, it's just re-working the page... placing a different inflection on a thought, coloring more depth into a character who is too black and white. All this is still very exciting, and while I am still in the middle of this process, I am doing even more research on the ways of the world of publishing. Talking with publishers, literary agents, and published authors alike- I have begun to see a familiar pattern.

Today's publishing, I am learning, is following in the music businesses footsteps. As more bookstores close their doors, so much like the record stores we all loved did, the world of book publishing is depending on it's authors to market their own books. This does not surprise me in one bit since the music industry has collapsed in a heap and all of us musicians had to pick our selves up and learn how to market our bands in the ways of social media. We had to book our own shows, our own tours, do all our own press, package our own albums, call every radio station, design our websites, create a website on every social website that exists and update that website every day. And then we all had to go out and get a day job to pay for all the art we were creating.

Sure it sounds exhausting, but shit, we all had to do it- so it's best not to bitch about it, but learn to enjoy it all... and after finally getting used to doing all of it, it has become the norm and we have much much more control of our art. Sure some of us still have people that work for us, and there are wonderful small labels that work extremely hard for their artists, but even huge artists that have the very top labels working for them- are updating their own Twitter account daily, if not hourly, and I read posts all the time on Facebook from Miss Lady Gaga herself, doing all she can to self promote her art.

This is the new age of music, and now it is becoming the new age of books. I am learning how even if you have a wonderful publishing company, big or small, it is now the norm to market your book, figure out your target market, and publicize it in a fun creative way... I mean, you don't have to do anything sure, But... you want to sell some books right?

Yes I do. And I really believe in my book, and the two books I am going to write as the next installments in the series. So here I go into the writers world of marketing... It is actually fun, and I am of course going to utilize every avenue I can dream up- which for me, is a hell of a lot.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Good things come to those who wait.



As the old saying goes, we have been rewarded for the waiting game. The album has been on hold for awhile now... waiting not so patiently for bass. Our good friend Dave Wadsworth, who has been playing bass with Wall of Tom for the last two years or so, has been on the vacation of a lifetime- Spain, Switzerland, you name it- Dave was going there. He just didn't have the time to put in for us, so sadly we realized we were going to have to use a different bass player for this album.

But who to choose?



We of course automatically thought to use Daniel Seeff, who was a member of Wall of Tom for five years, two albums, two music videos, and countless good times. The only trouble was, Daniel is one of the busiest- most sought after bass players in all of Los Angeles. We gave him a call and he said he would love to be a part of this album but he was booked for weeks and only had a small window of time available.

Well... thankfully we knew that we could fit him in through that small window (he is quite spry) and get our bass done, as long as we had the patience to wait a few weeks. Hmmmmmmm... I think I have said it before, I hate waiting. I have no patience. Especially when I am sitting on the one thing that I am so damn excited about. But, that being said, I realized if I want to release the best album of my career, I would have to sit on my rear for just a bit.



It was worth it. Daniel is a gift, and I am so happy to have this man's talent added to the album. It was a day of laughter, jokes and music as we stepped into ESI Studios in Glendale. Which by all quinkie-dinks was the very studio that we recorded our second album 'Eight' together 5 years ago. It was just like old times as the three of us; myself, Tony and Daniel began to record... all with one exception- there was a little baby running around the studio like a mad-man.



It made for an even more interesting day having a toddler to chase after, but all in all- we made it happen, with Tony behind the engineers desk, and Daniel on the Upright and electric Bass, with a lot of silliness in between. Our drummer on the album Charles, even stopped by the studio to listen in to Daniel's tracking, and was super excited and impressed (the compliments were flowing so graciously back and forth between the two of them, one would think they were in love) but that is the connection that is the most important when laying the foundation of an album, drum and bass go hand in hand.

So all that and a bag of tamales we got it done. The bass is DONE. God it feels good to say that. I was beginning to think I could never say that, and now the songs sound better than I have ever heard them. It is so exciting once again... Now we move to guitar- thankfully Tony is on that already, and once the acoustic guitar is finished we go to piano and violin.

Oh, and on a side note- my son is a drummer. He has always been interested in piano, plucking the guitar and slapping the bass. But when I sat him behind the huge drum kit and placed the sticks in his tiny hands- he went wild! His smile was ear to ear as he banged away at any drum or cymbal his arms could reach. It was the perfect end to a groovy day in the studio... I think we may have to go on the road as the Partridge family instead of Wall of Tom. Of course, there is still a chance our little boy will become a race car driver.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Lame, Lame, Lots to do!

Sooo Sorry that I have not posted lately! I have been overworked with baby walking, book editing, and music making! More fun blogs to come- Happy 4th to everyone!!!