independent music

Let’s make a record

September 29, 2015 — Leave a comment

I’m excited to be starting work on my first record with Edmonton-based musician and producer Everett LaRoi.  We will be setting up the production schedule soon and should have a record ready to release sometime next year.

I’m going to take my time and enjoy the process, so we haven’t set ourselves any hard deadlines.  Right now we’re planning on recording a 6-song EP.  We’ve got a shortlist of songs and will get started on pre-production in October with Spicy Tomato Music.

Everett is a really interesting guy with lots of song writing and performance experience stretching back to the mid-1980s with his former band Idyl Tea.  His recent production credits include work with ManRayGun, Goldtop, and Alice Kos.  It’s a real honour to have him be a part of the Selkirk Range project.

Uptown Folk Club

September 21, 2015 — Leave a comment

This is a highlight reel from a short set I did at the Uptown Folk Club in Edmonton last week.  The Club plays a valuable role supporting live music and songwriters in the city and they have an open mic one Friday each month, which is a great opportunity to try out new material in front of a friendly audience.

Getting the record together: budget time

September 9, 2015 — Leave a comment

Now that I’m contemplating a self-released album or EP, I need to think about the inevitable costs.  Like any other project it’s important to think through the details because, well, that is where Devil lives.  In those details.  To help me work through this process, I’ve drawn on a great resource online for artists looking to release their own record.  Among other things, there is a link to a resource on creating a budget.

Categorically, the costs divide up into (1) music production and recording; (2) artwork and packaging; (3) marketing and promotion; and (4) “other” expenses, which include online distribution. I’ll start to work my way through these and share some of the details in upcoming posts, including any additional resources I might come across.

Capital City Records in Edmonton

August 11, 2015 — Leave a comment

This is a great initiative to support local talent in Edmonton.  The Edmonton Public Library has launched a program called Capital City Records to establish a public digital space to celebrate the local music scene and its history.

Anyone can stream the albums but if you have an EPL library card you can also download the tracks.

They plan to add 100 albums per year, with the call for the next round of submissions coming up this Fall.