Selkirk Range

Experimenting with video

October 28, 2015 — Leave a comment

So I tried out a little experiment with video a few weeks ago.  The song is the demo version  of “Meet me in Montreal.” I wanted to know if I could assemble something from found footage on YouTube that touched thematically on the song.

The lyric alludes to a road trip taken sometime in 1967, so I looked for old super 8mm footage from Expo 67 and other home movies of that time period.  I used Savefrom.net to capture and download the videos as mp4 files, which I then imported into iMovie.  I’m not a filmmaker (as some viewers will no doubt immediately recognize) but it was fun to find and edit the footage into something that accompanies the song demo.

I think it turned out okay and it shows what can be done on a tight budget with a bit of creativity.  I’m not sure about the intellectual property questions it might raise but I confined my sources to home movies that don’t appear to have any commercial value or intent.  However, for good measure I did include a link to each of the source videos on the Vimeo page.

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.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39747297@N05/5230479916/in/photolist-8Yczsd-cbcCk3-7jNmHv-dipm3P-5FefTX-sKjX3-5Fixk1-bBUjs2-bCwEoZ-4qLmk2-ccHti1-bUswQr-2Nati-eALvw3-5bjaoE-dULRxt-boZz85-daMjCh-5FivxU-nfWQif-bEU9xB-evy1D8-78WDg-3f6kZz-bQ7zsp-5FefXP-ddus1V-dwHLRn-5FiwF3-3Ao8mS-9NCMZT-5EYCfm-cpXBxm-e48NRC-8h9176-bBUupB-jvie5t-jjWWL7-2BS8QV-2pvf6Z-4ZHLs3-5WnYcr-422k5w-63dWbv-fbyEfd-oJsYJa-bxN9YA-fSNt1b-dURTpS-3AEivQ

Is it time to make a record?

August 4, 2015 — Leave a comment

Slowly but surely I’m starting to take steps toward making a record.  As an independent artist it is a significant investment of time and energy but my aim is to think about it as a creative act while approaching it with a business-like frame of mind.  A platinum selling record isn’t the goal obviously, but a decent return on the investment through modest but steady record sales supported by a smart might be within reach.

Most important, however, is to approach this as a learning opportunity that brings together the creative and business sides of the music industry as it is today (i.e., complicated!), and to use this initiative as a way to connect to other people and make it a rich social experience that contains its own rewards.

Taking that lead, I’ve started doing my homework to figure out the “unknown unknowns” as it were.  Cameron Mizell’s four-part series “Introduction to the Self-released Album” on Musicianwages.com has been a great starting point to gain some awareness of the various things involved in this process.  It’s recommended reading for anyone taking this route as an independent.

Starlight by Trevor Leyenhorst

Wonderful support in Okotoks.

August 2, 2015 — Leave a comment

Okotoks is a pretty little town just south of Calgary with a lovely main street and Art Gallery located in the old railway station where they are hosting a weekly Art on the Lawn event each Thursday.

Last week I had the pleasure of performing at the event where I met Allan Boss is with Culture & Historical Services for Okotoks and his team Andrea and Nicola.  Allan and his team do a wonderful job putting on this event and creating an opportunity for local artisans and musicians to be seen and heard.

I had the pleasure of meeting Allan last year at the Summer Saturdays event in Okotoks when I performed a few songs on stage during a beautiful morning at the market.  Allan is a great supporter of local artists and I am grateful for his energy and enthusiasm for events like these.  And he’s written some cool kids songs too!