Yes I am still here

Despite the fact that I haven't posted in ages, I am still here.
The latest news is that I have teamed up with my old friend and fine artist Charles Olsen who will be providing all the artwork for the album. He lives and works in Madrid which is quite handy. I'll mention why later. He is going to design the album cover which will for part of a collection of his work around the theme of the vinyl project and the songs therein. The exhibition is planned to be in Madrid and Southampton sometime in 2010. I'm looking at getting publicity and/or funding from the airlines that fly between Southampton and Madrid. That was the handy part as there are 3 major airlines that do. Even if we get a couple of free flights, it has to be worth the ask eh?

On the subject of publicity, I'm doing a live session for BBC Radio on Sunday the 22nd  down on Brighton. This includes and interview where I will hopefully be able to garner some more interest. Details on how to listen are on the front page of my website.

My podcast is due to return in the next few weeks. I've been getting nagging emails but it's the lack of time that's the problem. I do have a full time job so fitting all this in can get a bit tricky, so apologies if I don't post here as much as i should. It's because I'm spending more time doing it than writing about it!

Keep the faith eh?

Oh, by the way VOTE FOR JEDWARD!

The Vinyl Frontier....

Onwards and upwards. More subscribers and more mentions.This one from top music journo Xan Phillips
a plug on the wonderful Watch With Mothers podcast (listened to by thousands!) and a wonderful piece by Von in the prestigeous Downtuned blog!

A few people have mentioned that no one buys vinyl or record decks anymore. They've obviously never seen the amazing Needles & Spins before selling beauties like this one

But then you may have other plans for your LP

If you see any mentions of this project elsewhere, have any promotional ideas or just want to throw things, please be my guest.

You can pay now by clicking on the paypal button or if you want to order now but pay later then email me at thevinylproject@gmail.com

I was given a £10 note as payment the other day so cash is also cool!

There Goes Summer

Just a short update.
It's all about time, or lack of it. I'm busy, too busy.
I'm about to send out emails to pretty much everyone I know, seeing if they can spread the word farther afield to garner some more subscribers.
Press release is ready to go out but I need to research the precise people to send it too.
I'm aiming at "The Daily Echo", Southampton's local daily newspaper, BBC South TV and a few local BBC radio stations. Once I've hit them I'll target a few of the smaller locals stations.
What has worked well for me before is sending a packet of sweets with the letter. Jelly beans and wine gums seem to work best!

A few more write ups, at uptownboogiedown and ElectricRoulette help to keep the traffic to here healthy. I was also interviewed by a rather lovely lady here 

I'm gigging tonight so will spread the word.

As I mentioned here, this whole idea came out of "Plan C" a project to record all my tunes. They, 32, spread over 2 cds. All subscribers will also receive these 2 cds as part of the whole vinyl project package.
I'm still searching for a name other than "subscribers" to refer to the 250 so would appreciate any suggestions.

I've also just uploaded a new podcast (number 13). All detail on the podcast including how to listen to it can be found at my other blog  nicktann.blogspot.com

Right I have to get ready for a gig!

So Far, So Good

And so far it is good, very good!

When I started this project I was on holiday from work and had plenty of time to devote to this. Now I am back at work, time is now not as plentiful as it was hence the lack of updates. Not and excuse but an explanation.

That said I shall tell you the latest. After contacting the great analogapartment about the project, they wrote a great piece about it. This plus another article here has resulted in more people subscribing and more interest generally mainly form America but also from http://twitter.com/charlesanthony_in Swindon!

I've finished the press release and am now investigating who would be the best people to send it to. My plan is to 

keep it local to me initially (Southampton) then spread from there. I know a few local media types and have asked for their advice.

I have a few other schemes and things but I'm trying to mention things that I have done, not what I want to do as I think that's a more positive approach.

I would appreciate any ideas, however crazy and impractical.

I'd also like to thank all of you who have contributed so far, whether it be by contributing 
money, ideas, support or all 

three!

Just over a week on...

I've been blown away at the response so far and I've hardly got going on the publicity, there will be much much more.

Progress so far; I have had a huge donation by someone I haven't even met,  I've inserted a PayPal button which folk have started using, I've given 2 interviews (details to follow) both asking about the project with another one by the Rambling Canadian to follow soon and I've opened a new bank account solely for this project so that people can donate directly and I MAY have found the perfect studio.

I may not have made it clear in my previous post but I plan to be record around 10 to 14 songs and NOT my entire catalogue. That was what I did for Plan C, which is now finished. The 30 odd songs I recorded for Plan C are now in a state enabling me to decide which to use and in what order to put them in and which SIDE to put them on!

Thanks for all your comments and advice both here and in the emails I have received, I am truly grateful and please keep them coming.

   

The Vinyl Project

I have some of my best ideas whilst taking a shower and this is one of them.

Over the last 5 weeks I have been trying to record all the songs I've ever written. It's a tough call as, at the last count, I've written 33. I record all my stuff at home in my music/spare/computer room on my Imac using Logic and a wonderful microphone that Ross bought me as a wedding present.

My first attempt (Plan A) was taking ages as it usually does; sort out the tempo, set the metronome, record the guide tracks, lay down the instrument tracks etc etc etc. It's a long process and daunting when the aim is record 33!

This was all taking too long so I decided on another plan (Plan B) similar to Plan A but without the bass and guitar solos, just setting the metronome, laying down the guitar track then recording the vocals afterwards.  Even this was taking too long. The metronome was getting on my nerves and if I strayed off tempo slightly, I couldn't get back and it was putting me off playing and the whole soul of the song was lost.

Ok so Plan C, just do a live recording. No metronome, no headphones and no recording the vocals later. Simply, a live recording.  Sorted.  It made sense as that's how I play live. You haven't heard me live? You should do, seriously.

As I sit here now I have only five more songs left to record and, unlike some which I haven't played for over ten years, they're all in my current set so should be no problem.

So, remember the great idea I had in the shower?

This is it.

I record a live acoustic album in a proper studio with even nicer microphones, but not just that. I issue it as a VINYL ONLY release. No CD no digital download, no iTunes, a straightforward vinyl record.

I get very excited by this, I still am VERY, but I have a slight problem. No money.

I talk to my friend Jules, I'll talk about him a lot as we go along, and he makes a great suggestion. Get people to commit to pay upfront for the album. This is a great idea, truly.

I understand that this kind of thing has been done before in-fact in the sixties some of Harold Pinters actor pals stumped up and paid to put on one of his plays, I can't remember which one I could look it up but, you know.

In a nut shell, here is the basic plan.

Find 250 people to commit to pay £10.00 upfront for my VINYL album (the remainder will cost £15.00)
Find a studio that can record specifically for vinyl.
Record an album.
Master the tracks.
Press a minimum of one thousand records.
Distribute to the 250
Sell the rest

There are a few more details but, as I said, in a nutshell.

As well as getting the album for a tenner, these 250 people (a collective name will be thought of later) will also get a limited edition print of the sleeve artwork (*I'm getting to that) signed by the artist, their album signed by me (whoop de doo) and AND their name on the credits on the album sleeve. I will add to this list of goodies as the project develops.

The album sleeve will have original *artwork (see?) but I'm not sure who the artist will be at the moment. I can assure you that it will be bloody marvelous though.

This is the first formal announcement of this project and this is the first of many blogs I will post to let everyone know what is going on.

What can you do now?

If you are either interested in buying this album (as yet unnamed but we'll get to that) or want to be kept up to date with events send me an email at


thevinylproject@nicktann.co.uk

I will protect your email address with my life as it's in my interest to keep you interested.

If you do have any questions I would prefer you to ask them here in the comments section incase you ask a question that others may be interested in, otherwise just email me.

What I'm hoping for is to build a small but perfectly formed community of people and to make a great album!!

********UPDATE********

I have just added  a PayPal button on the top left of the page if you wish to pre-pay.

It's fixed at £10 so if you want to buy more than one then you will have to go through the process as many times as you want records. If you don't have a PayPal account but want to pay now then email me and between us I'm sure we can work something out!