(update) Please leave your instructions (if you selected a perk that includes signed CDs, Posters or T-shirt sizes) in the COMMENTS section! Thanks!
Also, check out the Gallery for lots of behind the scenes photos of the people who worked on this album and videos of the amazing Mr. Ray Toro!!!
A Gothrock Epic... so close to finished!
Greetings friends! Those of you who follow my antics on the Facebook, Twitter, at Voltaire.net or at my Youtube page, The Lair of Voltaire www.youtube.com/voltairemusicpage , know that I've been working hard on my 11th studio album. It's called Raised by Bats and in short, it's the album I've always wanted to make! Some of these songs I wrote between 1984 and the early nineties when I dreamed of being a musician but didn't yet have the resources, the experience or the knowledge to make an album.
Well, you all know I eventually figured it out, having released ten albums to date, but now, I'm going back and allowing one of my first ideas to see the light of day.
And I am not alone! Just look at some of the amazing talent that is already on this disc!
Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, The Violent Femmes ) on drums.
Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance) on guitar.
Knox Chandler (Siouxsie & the Banshees, Depeche Mode, The Creatures) on guitar.
Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy, Mission UK, The Cult, The Alarm) on bass,
Emilio China (Psychic TV, Peter Murphy's Band) on bass.
Chibi (The Birthday Massacre) - vocals.
Frank Morin (World Inferno Friendship Society) on guitar.
Franz Nicolay (World Inferno Friendship Society) on accordion.
Melora Creager (Rasputina) on cello.
Julia Marcell - vocals
Armen Ra (Antony and the Johnstons, Mark Almond) on theremin!
with backing vocals by:
The Cruxshadows, Bella Morte, Ego Likeness, Zombina and the Skeletones and Angel Spit!
It is truly, an all-star album!
Won't You Help Us Get To the Finish Line?
Ever since I went indie in 2008, self releasing my 6th album, To the Bottom of the Sea, I have self funded all of my subsequent albums. That means, there is no record label, there is no distributor, there are no investors. It's just me, spending the money I earn (mostly by performing live) paying for all of the expenses from studio costs, to mixing, mastering... all of it.
I pay each and every musician who plays on these albums. I pay the artists who create the album cover art. Why? Because these are hard working people with tremendous talent and skill and I believe they deserve to be paid. Unfortunately, we now live in an age where people don't agree with me. Sure they love the music, but not everyone feels they should have to pay for it. So where does that leave me? Hold onto something...
In making what I feel is quite possibly my best album ever, in making sure that every artist was paid for their talents so that they could pay their rent and feed their families from their hard work, by paying a quality studio to bring you the best quality I can afford... I have now invested (you found something to hold onto, right?) over $35,000 of my own money to make this album.
This is not money that bats rained down on me from the sky (though God, that would be soooo awesome!) It's the money I earn that I'm supposed to use to pay rent, my son's tuition, buy food. You know... just like the money you earn from your job. ; )
Yeah, I know what you're thinking. "Voltaire, are you crazy??? Why would you spend so much money on something people aren't going to pay you for?" LOL! Well, if that IS what you're thinking.. I hope your'e wrong about that.
I guess the answer is that I'm not ready to believe that we should stop making art because people have found clever ways around paying for it. And I still believe, even in the face of diminishing financial returns that the art we make should still be HIGH QUALITY. In short, I guess I'm not ready to throw in the towel. I'm forever on-line and every day I see the hard core fans carrying everyone else by doing so much more than their share to support. They come to the shows, they buy the CDs, they get their music from sources where the artist actually sees a living wage, places like Amazon and iTunes. They SUPPORT. Thousands say they love the music but they forsake the musicians who make it. Hundreds, show their support by doing something totally crazy... they pay for the music they love so that those artist they love get to eat... and make more music. I am forever inspired by those people and it is because of them that I forge forward.
Unfortunately, I've exhausted my resources. I truly have.
And so today I ask you a simple question... is this an endeavor worth continuing? Is this music you like? Is it worth paying a few bucks to insure, not only that this CD is finished and released, but that I continue releasing music... that this continue being my occupation? If your answer is no, I want you to know that I still love you and that I will continue posting my music for free on my Youtube page as I have. It just may be a while before I make more since I now have a $35,000 hole to dig myself out of! LOL!
Let me just take a moment to make one thing clear. No one should EVERY pay for something they don't want! No one should EVER pay for an album they don't like! The days of buying a whole album for only one song are long behind us and GOOD RIDDANCE! That is why I've always insured you could hear a good deal of my albums before they come out so that you only support what you love and you ONLY EVER PAY for what you will get years of enjoyment from!
To that end, I've been posting mixes from this album for months on my Soundcloud page. If you haven't already, you can go there and hear every song from this album in one form or another. It has been REALLY REALLY fun sharing my excitement watching this album develop and I've loved having you along for the ride!
Hear them here: www.soundcloud.com/aureliovoltaire
What We Need and What you Get!
The album is just about done! Drums, guitars, bass and vocals are all recorded. But there are a few things left to do. The album still needs keyboards and a few backing vocals. It also needs to be mixed (which I've already begun) and mastered and pressed. That's where (hopefully) you come in!
We are in the final stretch and if you believe in this project as much as I do, I hope you will place a pre-order there on the right. You will get a copy of the album (digital or physical) loaded with stickers and there are posters available, Candy Claws plush toys and other spooky treats to stuff in that special baby bat's Christmasween stocking!
There are also a couple of sponsorship opportunities which would go a REALLY long way to insuring this album comes out VERY soon! By choosing to sponsor the pressing or the mastering of the disc, not only will you seem like a God walking amongst mere mortals, you will give Raised by Bats the push it needs to get out of the bell tower and into the world! It's also a great way to promote yourself or your small business!
Other Ways You Can Help
I believe this album has a very broad appeal. I think it's the kind of thing that would appeal to people who've never heard of me before but love Gothrock, New Wave and New Romantic music. And certainly I think there are fans out there of the extraordinary people who've chosen to join me on this quest!
Won't you please take a moment to share this campaign with people you think would appreciate an album like this? Fans of Ray Toro, Brian Viglione, Craig Adams, Julia Marcell, Chibi, Emilio China, Melora Creager and the other amazing people who recorded on this album, I'm sure would be eager to hear their contributions.
Moreover, spreading the word to fans of My Chemical Romance, The Dresden Dolls, The Mission UK, The Birthday Massacre, Rasputina, Ego Likeness, The Cruxshadows, Bella Morte, Angel Spit, Zombina and the Skeletones and any of the other bands whose members appear on the album would be a GREAT way of keeping them abreast of what their heroes are up to and of course benefit this little album tremendously!
Also, since there is a song about Adam Ant and a song about Doug Jones on this album, their fans, I'm sure would love to take a listen to the songs Captains All and The Devil and Mr. Jones, respectively. Please take a moment to post a link with that info to places where they may see it and find out about these loving tributes to these two heroes of mine!
Why Not the Whole $35,000?
Lastly, some may wonder, if I've spent $35,000 of my own money to make this disc, why set the goal at $10,000? The answer is this; when you are an indie musician who pays to produce and release your own music, you are in essence a small business owner. Every album I make is an investment in my future. It's also a risk. I know deep in my heart that I will make back the money I've spent on this album (and some day maybe even make a profit! LOL!)... but it's going to take time. I'm sure that in time, I will sell enough copies of this album to recoup the investment. So... I'm not looking to make all of that money NOW. What I do wish for is a little help to insure that I can finish this album and bring it to you before the year is through.
I hope you will help me, I hope you will tell anyone you think might be interested in it and I hope you will enjoy... RAISED BY BATS!
With much gratitude,
Aurelio Voltaire
Here a whole heck of a lot of the album here: www.soundcloud.com/aureliovoltaire
