Week 10. Reality Calendar - Progressions
Tue Dec 21, 2004 1:02 am
MONDAY DECEMBER 20, 2004
Uploading the Package at this very moment
The Defining Moment
The Calendars are self-explanatory. This is the reality. There are
less than 7 weeks before the record release... and, it's cool to see
it on paper, right? We'll be heading out the day before it's released
Aww! -that means we can't go buy it in our home town. (sadness)
Transferring NOW
I'm uploading 120mgs of stuffed graphics to the WB server. That's
everything but the cdr label... I still have some file management work on
that one... in fact, BAM, it just completed it's magical journey.
Now comes the scary part... the color proofing stage. Within a week, WB
should send me a match print (a proof accurate to a press proof by no
greater than 5%... simulates dot gain...created from the film negs)
ANyWaY... it's a big step in this big process.
Random Thoughts on Covers
I think cd cover graphics, in particular, are so important - not to the sale
of the product, but like... more about the cultural significance and con-
nection the art has with the music and with people during the life of the
record - which could be...you know, a long time. (hopeful thinking)
The graphic has to be appealing on so many levels to such a broad
market... (well, perhaps in eisley's case) as a retail presentation, it
should, somehow, foreshadow what's inside the package, it should
support the music...undergird, compliment, be up-to-par with... the
contents. The additional support panels inside are not quite as important
they're not what people tie the music to... But the covers. Important, i
think.
And btw. - I'm not really happy with the first two covers at all. Laughing
City, perhaps stronger... but both just good enough. ep's. Will they be
around in 2 years, 5 years...10? doubtful. The future is not yet written.
And what if the music survives? How timeless will a cover be? I have
this book called 1000 Record Covers... and to me, most are unappealing
and outdated. Some are amazing...for example: Yes - "Fragile" and other
projects illustrated by Roger Dean are timeless; but in '77, they made a
bad decision by presenting a bad photo of a naked man looking up at
high rise buildings on "Going for the One". (funn, I don't remember any
songs off that record. music and art often share the same destiny.
Overall, I think there were better graphics in the 70's than 80's...but the
60's had some really great work. I remember more good stuff than I
found in this book.
Interestingly, many of the covers shown in this book are just that... I
don't even remember ever hearing about many of these bands. I'd like
to see a book correlating great album art with great music from each
decade.
Many covers, from the 70's in particular, feature elaborate illustrations
that are anchored to their era stylistically. (the legacy they leaves says:
"here's what was popular in 1978"). Sure, it's great for leaving a trail of
art history that helps us peer back into the culture of the day, but what
are the qualities that spell l o n g e v i t y... s u r v i v a l? Those are
questions I don't propose to define right now.
Sorry for elaborating to the point of utter bore on this issure of CD
Covers. It's kind of a big deal probably just to me ... getting approval,
completing and sending off these files; There's a great sense of closure;
Relief; Yes, I should sleep better.
This Week's Expectations
This week we'll get into the tour poster and the tour dates for sure.
Today I hacked out a ruff of the poster...tentatively called: The Winter
West Tour. Also, Sherri and I worked on drawings that will be used to
define certain components of their next video. I don't want to say
anything yet... still the early stages. But, it was fun sketching and
working in Painter.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2004
THE WINTER WEST DATES
Complete
January
30 Houston, TX Meridian
31 Austin, TX The Parish
February
3 Phoenix, AZ The Mason Jar (w/the Elected, The Colour)
4 San Diego, CA Epicentre (w/the Elected, The Colour)
5 Pomona, CA Glass House (w/the Elected, The Colour)
7 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour (w/the Elected, The Colour)
8 San Francisco, CA Slim's (w/the Elected, The Colour)
10 Portland, OR Nocturnal (w/the Elected, The Colour)
11 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe (w/the Elected, The Colour)
12 Boise, ID Big Easy (w/ TBA)
13 Salt Lake City, UT ROK (w/ TBA)
Theses are official. Thanks.
WEDNESDAY 22, 2004
On Line Rumors
and...the flurry of production behind the scene.
A flurry of creative web solutions, sneak previews for radio peeps,
eblasts, new exciting news about an AOL bullet rotation for January,
Subeterranian voting, expanding the media player, tours and rumors of
special shows and on and on is all happening behind the scene.
...yeah, which is why I was up till 4:40am again last night with my buddy
Thomas - working on the sneak for radio dj's. Meanwhile, Luke found this
yesterday: (Ha HA!)
First - I love...I love...I love this pull quote from the short bulletpoints:
"one of the most impressive, entertaining and instantly accessible
full-length album debuts in recent memory with Room Noise"
I have to get an eblast out. Can't stay. Too much work! ahhhhhh!!!!!
News? The band is rehearsing like they were preparing for the Battle of
the Bulge, we're stressed because I'm buried alive and times are tough
here right before Christmas...but I told Kim this morning (a bogus
encouragement) - "don't worry...eventually you'll be like...Brittany's
mom". 
I really doubt if she'd like that..ha ha ha.. Gotta go. More
later perhaps.
BTW - I still have this lil' surprise if it works out or looks good.
It's... a video clip. WAit for it....wait for it.... Christmas present.
Oh, also... I get match prints TOMORROW! - on the cd package and the
enlarged cover for VINYL!!! woo-hoo!
Also...I have 8 pm's sitting in my bin. I can't read them or reply right
now. Please forgive! boid OUT.
THURSDAY 23, 2004
FLATLINED
BBvvv..gggzzzz....
http://www.eisley.org/boyd/EisleyWinterWest.pdf
http://www.eisley.org/boyd/EisleyWinterWest.jpg
It's just wee after 3 and I'm so flatlined, I can't focus enough to quit
trying to stop trying to make headway before I fall asleep. The e-blast is
done, the poster is done, you can now download it, all I have to do is
make the player the pop up on the website and I can start sketching
mock ups for the new Web site for Friday's deadline.
goodnight.
THURSDAY 23, 2004
c o n t i n u e d ! ! ! !
GOOD AFTERNOON
A SWEET BASKET
First off....Antrider just brough in this amazing basket of gobblers. ('cuz,
that's what you do with them) I...WE...just wanted to get on line quickly
and say "THANKYOU". Some of you crazy forum'ers got together. Well,
our discussion went like this: why? we don't deserve their presents... it's
not like we can send them all anything...it's not fair; we're not
special...and shouldn't get the benefit of these super nice people... but...
ALSO, "ahhww...those guys on the forum love us so much...it's amazing;
and WE LOVE THEM..." (that's a direct Stacy quote). But, besides the
deep thoughts and the guilty feellings, it's too special of you guys.
Thankyou.
To make it up....I am now forced (by Kimbertones and the likes of this
offering) to go ahead and do what I was going to do... yeah, so now I
have to go and do it. And I'll try my darndest to put it up tonight.
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
I have the goads of Gormuth honking down apon my skin-stretched
maulgrove... skenkering...bappering...pecking at my very headKlernch.
I refer to the projects and the label's careful watch over them... I will try
to get everything done; yes, through the holidays.
Though, to the record industry, it's already the Ha-Ha-Holidays. Still,
through modern communicators, they're still their peering into my
portal...watching, emailing, calling me... I already had 12 emails today!!
and they're NOT EVEN AT THE OFFICE! - "boid, just a reminder... boid,
just to verify... boid, during the holidays, coud you... boid, we really
need to... boid, here's my cell in case..." etc. ha. ha. It's crazy. But it's
all important. And you know, it makes me feel great about them. They're
taking this band... this release, very seriously.
COLOR PROOFS ARE IN THE HOUSE!!!
I GOT THE MATCHPRINTS IN!!!! WOOHT! SheeAHH-wootGUM
bob..!!! honkinSHEKTONS-a-moorGON!! yes! yes.... now that's more like
it... now we're getting somewhere. But, alas... I did knit-pick. I am now
in a full on color correction mode. Every panel will shift ever so slightly.
The grey greens will brighten on the spines, the Room Noises logo hue
will intensify and shift green (it's too grey), the magenta cast on the
cover will shift back toward green-blues in the upper mid-tones, the sky
will independently shift back towards a sublime blue on the indie-rock
shot...on and on. I'll finish and send it back to the WB server today and
then....then... it is finished.
VINYL!!
But OH. OH... I know I sound gayishly, foolish...but the vinyl, ya'll. The
vinyl..!! It's just... I don't know. It makes me want to cry. Just seeing it
sitting there; all big and in your face; I don't understand my reaction; I
guess, because I never thought I'd get to toss any design on vinyl, much
less my offsprings band on a major release. It's impossible. Dang.
And the girls have been in the kitchen cooking all day...listening to all
vinyl. Glen Miller, Iron and Wine (thanks to Eddie), The Postal Service
(ditto), Radiohead (thanks to me)... and tons of Christmas Oldies. Sweet.
DEFINING FEELINGS. A SNAPSHOT
I responded to an email a friend sent me this morning - I realized while
giving him an update (he asked for it) that I was finally getting in touch
with my true feelings about where we're at right now. Reluctantly, I think
I might post it... maybe because it does feel like the vulnerable thing to
do. Or maybe i just liked the words. I had to edit it a little. Only read this
if you're at your grandma's house by now and you feel really bored:
----------------------------------------------------
Personal. Email to a freind
Hey Don! (and his wife)
Think about you guys often. I've been buried alive with
projects from the label. I've turned into their Eisley art
monkey. I have been glued to my Apple...in the corner
of my room - an antique floor lamp lights me through the
night (draped with a towel as not to awaken my sleeping
beauty...sigh) and life passes in front of me - around me,
in other rooms; My children give me weird looks when
I come out - as if they've seen the transfiguration of
Scrooge - with matted, glowing hair - all scruffy with
eyes glare-glazed: "dad! what are you doing out of your
cage!?"
I have pulled so many all-nighters and consistent 3:00-4:30
AM'rs. I just hope we can survive; especially the coming
year. Don. I'm worried it's going to get crazy. I can feel it,
though I can't prove it or see it. There's an impending,
wonder-dreadful sense of fear growing. It's kindof exciting,
but it's also scary... a fear that this silly little thing called
"Eisley" is going to explode. I don't think we're really in
to explosions. That's for others. Does that make sense?
A freind/fan sent this yesterday... a single quote that
invigorated and spurned my collective thoughts into one
focused concern. Here is is:
"...one of the most impressive, entertaining
and instantly accessible full-length album debuts in recent
memory with Room Noise."
I know it's just an opinion. But it expresses what I
suspect about this record. Accessible = Broad =
not small.
All this to say, it finally hit me. Life could spin out
of control; I've found myself soliciting the prayer,
from others...which is something I don't think I've
ever done. I don't know if we're up for this. I don't
know if we can survive what's coming down the
shoots... I feel the rapids. I see white water. I'm
paddling fast but it's not really helping. The current
is starting to carry us. And, if I'm not mistaken,
we're at the beginning of the The Gondola. Who
survives The Gondola? We're not Gondola people.
I mean, everything is manageable right now; sorta.
But, there's that feeling like it could unravel. It could
speed up too quickly...Do you know that feeling?
Surely you do; you've been there...
It's like - when you're a kid; and you're at this big
park; and you see the Gi-normous slide...
(think, big slide...towering, tall...rusty... intimidating)
We use to bring wax paper to make it slickier...so
we could go faster. But it's scary, right? It's TALL
dude. You face your fears, climb up the wobbly
structure, you get the wax paper positioned under
your scrawny butt...and push off.
But there's resistance from that old sheet metal;
too much friction; you're not liberated, even after
a powerful push; you scoot your butt and ooch down
to the zone of no return; suddenly, the wax paper does
it's job; There's that solitary moment of fear...when
friction shifts and you're inertia takes over...and
you become instantly acquainted with the gravity
of your situation. Should you have shoved off quite
so hard? Oh, Lord...(mom!!...)
Freeze frame that moment. That's me right now.
I've shoved off too hard, and I can't turn back.
Maybe I'll get over it. I could be just hyped because
I just saw the match prints for the vinyl cover!
(Edvard Munch's - Silent Scream)
Blessings to ya'll.
boyd
Of course, I edited out personals and other aspects that
aren't broad enough for us all. Anyway. Not sure if that
was remotely entertaining. The reality of content isn't
so important. It's a stupid little offering. I just liked the
slide analogy.
----------------------------------------------------
Stay tuned for something... if I can get it done. I'll hide it
here I think. boyd
----------------------------------------------------
Wait. There were questions... i read the posts. Uhh... The club in Seattle;
yes. I think it's 21+. I'm sorry. I already bugged management about this.
But, booking is difficult. There are so many considerations; size...
availability on a certain night; you have to consider all 3 bands, there are
politics and personal friendships and pressures... I don't know all that
went into this decision and it does suck for younger than 21-ers.
I was assured there are very few of these shows booked... like that
might be the only one.
What else? I can't remember. gotta go.
----------------------------------------------------
FRIDAY DECEMBER 24, 2004
Christmas Eve
Tidings of Great Joy
Besides that fact that I've gotten more and more boring as time goes on,
(it's the lack of sleep yall. I lose focus, direction... sorry)... at least
we're passing time and I've been able to convey a bit of vital info as it
rolls in; AND, I this has been as an emotional scape-goat for me;
Occassionally, it keeps me from going insane. Even if nobody is reading,
it's been a great diversion from my digital art monkey-ness.
Anyway, I am toying with the idea of tossing up a clip taken last Sunday
at our 'lil church here in Tyler, Texas. Though our Vineyard is a very
rocking, very un-orthodox, very coffee drinking place, we broke the
norm by working up a very, very, simple, folksy, country Christmas tune.
If it makes your stomach turn - on any level - I'm sorry. Really... sorry
for you, but I just can't apologize; it's just simply...too wonderful not to
put up.
You'll recognize some of the people in this who-ville scene - a few
Eisleyoids, Christie, Kimbertones, Jesse (Wes's girlie-girl), MarkyMark,
our friend Robert, Micah from Pilot Drift, Randy (keys), Charles
(percussion - played with Paula Abdule and Stevie Wonder, etc.)... I'm
hidden on the kit in back, thank the good Lord.
Anyway, this song is one of those that's deeply embedded into the
DuPree pyche'... fused to our emotions during Christmas. Believe it or not
- it's an arrangement by The Judds. True... the mother/daugher team had
big influence on us, like it or not. Kim and the girls always sang this stuff
at Christmas when they were tiny tots. dude. HARMONIES. come on...
How do you think they picked up this stuff? You can't really go wrong with
The Beatles and the Judds. Two vantage points of musicality. Add
Radiohead and even more modern influences, add some magic sprinkles,
and you have.... Eisley.
But... all of this folksy stuff goes deep into our roots... Enjoy (i hope)
Antrider shot the video using my camera. You can't see very much.
It's not much of a production, trust me. As lo-fi as you can get:
O' Beautiful Star of Bethlehem QT mov
O' Beautiful Star of Bethlehem - mp3
Post coments wherever, or not. I put the mp3 blog here:
http://www.eisley.org/viewtopic.php?p=223775#223775
We're gone for the DAY! out in the country with relatives! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!
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