The Project
My goal is to professionally record ten original songs. My motivation is to capture these songs in a manner that does them justice and that allows me to proudly share them with the people who have shown an interest in my music. If you are reading this, in all likelihood that is you. It is also likely that you know what this project means to me, given the role music has played in my life and the history of the songs themselves.
The Story
I don't write multitudes of songs. For better or worse, I usually write a couple songs a year, and those that resonate withstand the test of time. As such, the songs that will be recorded represent a sort of memoir of a significant chunk of my life. Three of the songs were written over a decade ago. Many of the songs have been played with one or several of my previous musical projects, including The Renaissance Aesthetic, The One Timers, and most of all The Dividing Pair.
From the context of this writing, you may have deduced that The Dividing Pair have decided to part ways. You should know that the decision was amicable, but suffice it to say that life got in the way. The Dividing Pair was a saga in and of itself, but critically we did not manage to make it into the recording studio in our time together, which brings me here.
The Approach
Soon after The Dividing Pair's split (puns, puns, puns), I started conceiving of ways in which I could make such a record. Inspired by my good friend Alex and his musical project Eating Club, a solo approach came to mind. Though, as with any solo project, the truth is anything but.
The record will be tracked and mixed at Denver's own Ghosthouse studio by local legend Rich G (see "friends of ghosthouse" playlist on Spotify for recording examples). Rich and I will tackle the project as a nimble and dynamic duo, with studio sessions scheduled for early and mid February. I will play guitar, bass, and sing, and additional vocals and instrumentation will be provided by Rich himself (keys, drums), Carlos Lamkin (drums), Liz Berube (additional vocals), and an evolving lineup of musicians that depends on budget and production needs.
This is where you come in.
What We Need & What You Get
A significant amount of time has been spent in arriving at the approach described above. Given the nature of the project, I believe this approach provides an efficient means to produce the album but flexibility for expansion where budget is available. A breakdown of the current cost estimates is as follows:
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Tracking: $2400
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Mixing: $1200
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Mastering: $500-$1000
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Additional Musicians: $0-$500
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Release and Promotion: $0-$1000 (digital release, social media features, music video, etc.)
The minimum budget for the project is $4100, with the ambitious target set at $5600. The entirety of the proceedings of this campaign will go to the production of the album.
Risks & Challenges
The risks to the project are primarily related to its quality and timeline. A mantra that guides me in many aspects of my life is that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. The planning of this project aims to mitigate the risks to both quality and timeline. I am currently working on pre-production versions of the songs to act as templates for those involved. I am also holding rehearsal sessions with Carlos Lamkin (drums) and Liz Berube (vocals) to vet ideas and fine-tune arrangements. We are currently looking strong for the February sessions, but there will inevitably be an element of improvisation and adaptation when we get into the studio. At that time I hope to achieve a pragmatic balance between the needs of quality and timeline (read: budget and sanity).
Other Ways You Can Help
You have already helped by reading this. You can continue to help by paying attention to the progress and by listening to the album. I want you to hear it! I have wanted you to hear it for many years, but now I am finally making it possible.
You can also help by telling people about it. Tell our mutual friend, "Remember that guy Steve Buck who always wore White Stripes t-shirts? He's finally recording an album." Tell our music teacher, "Remember that kid who brought his guitar into Jazz Friday and played too loud? He's getting into the studio where he can play as loud as he wants (and we can turn it down)." Tell your parents, "Remember Steve who would skateboard around the neighborhood with his guitar on his back? He hit the big time and launched an independent recording project."
I really want you to hear this, and I want your friends to hear it. I hope it makes it into your car stereo's rotation, but if it doesn't I hope it brings a smile to your face knowing that it exists.
So thank you already, for acknowledging the project and what it means.
