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.
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
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!
