NEW DOWNLOADS COMING/PRE-ORDER SHUT DOWN
over 6 years ago
– Wed, Aug 30, 2017 at 11:05:57 PM
Wellllllll, it's been quite an evening. We DID, in fact, crash the download server, and that traffic is apparently why it was so slow in the beginning; but there WERE also problems with the file data for some people, SO, I prepared a new set of audio at 256 Kbps MP3, which should be compatible with all systems and have all the correct metadata and time stamping, etc. That's up at the server now, but A to Z will be giving me a whole new set of download codes, and I'll blast them out tomorrow; so you'll ALL get a second chance to make sure what you have is of a decent sonic quality and working. I guess I should probably say that if you already have a working download, maaaaaayyyyybe wait until the end of the day to get this new one so we don't crash it again.
Oh, but lest you think this has all been upsetting for me, let me just reiterate, WE CRASHED THEIR SERVER! AAAAahahahahahahaa. Even A to Z was giddy about that.
It was worth the headache, and this new download will probably work better for everybody anyway.
ALSO, I just shut down the pre-orders on Backerkit. I haven't locked the surveys down yet, so you have this evening and a little time tomorrow to change shipping addresses and existing orders. If you happen to know anyone who was hoping to get in on it but missed it, when Superego takes over distribution for retail, they'll have a pre-order going in a few days, and then... it'll be available for general consumption very soon after. I just wanted to make sure I got it out to you who came through so strongly for me first, so thank for rolling with the glitches today.
DID I MENTION WE CRASHED THEIR SERVER?
CLOSE-TO-FINAL UPDATE!
over 6 years ago
– Wed, Aug 30, 2017 at 06:19:54 PM
Hello everyone. I know I've been silent for a while, but trust me when I tell you, I have not been idle. If you've ever been involved in putting out a record, you know how much work actually goes into it, and I'm pleased to announce that I've managed to wrangle this thing to completion *pretty* close to what my original dream schedule of 8/25 was. Just a little preemptive defense that I may not need to make, but will anyway - the record was mastered in mid April, and I've managed to get a double album, gatefold cover, CDs, etc., turned around in a little over four months, which is kind of unheard of in this business these days. A lot of people* really pitched in to help make this happen, and I hate to bring it back to money, but everything that YOU all pledged was a huge factor in this as well because I was actually able to pay people right away and not have to cut corners. I've thanked you a lot, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE ME STOP THANKING YOU!
So as it turns out, CDs are IN MY POSSESSION and LPs will be in a day or two; and I'll get them to Blackbox and shipped out to you all within another week or two. I'm going to partner with our mutual friend Aimee Mann to distribute the album for retail via her label, Superego, and we're going up digitally for general release on September 8, with physical product hitting stores at the end of the month. Some of the non-music items (t-shirts, tote bags, etc.) are going to have to be rolled out a little bit piece-meal because I wasn't able to get EVERYTHING done and at the same dock at the same time, but it's all happening, and at the latest, I might have to ship that stuff out in late September, between the first two legs of the tour I'll be on as of September 14. That's the worst news.
The GOOD news (or, I at least HOPE this will come as good news), is that YOU will receive the music TODAY! You'll have the physical copies of the record you ordered (if you ordered one) shipped to you long before they get to the stores, but I'm giving you the digital now BECAUSE I AM VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS THING TOGETHER AND I'M STRAINING AT THE LEASH TO GET IT TO YOU.
Backerkit will send out an email with a URL and a download code to each and every one of you this very day, Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
I hope you'll enjoy it, and I hope I'll see you on tour this fall and into next year.
A few other points:
1. MEALS - these are going to have to wait a little bit, but I have a plan - I'm going to book a separate solo tour around the meals, themselves, so I'll nail down where each one of you are, and I'll book something close, and we can all hang out leisurely and eat and chat.
2. PERSONAL SONGS - I'll have these to you in time for the holidays. Believe it or not, I'll have more time to think and work on them when I actually get on the road, so I'll be reaching out individually to talk about it.
3. MIXTAPES OF DEMOS - I was searching and searching for a tape of demos I made for the Chisel album, "Set You Free," and until the day before yesterday, I was unable to find it, but I knew I had it, and find it, I did (storage space, same black garbage bag I've been carrying a bunch of cassettes around in since I left my apartment on Euclid St. in DC in literally 1997). So I'm putting that project together now and will hopefully be done with them before I leave on tour. If not, I'll crank on them in between the first two legs of tour, as well.
4. 7" BOX SETS - the 7"s are pressed on their way, but the boxes are taking longer, and I *probably* won't have them before I leave on September 14, so these will also get shipped with anything else I can't get out before then. It's a quality product that I hope you'll appreciate, and I only ask that you keep those B-sides close to the vest for a little while!
AND FINALLY, I'm locking down the Backerkit surveys and shutting down that "extras" shop this week, as well, so if you need to make any changes to orders or addresses or anything, get thee to Backerkit and try do that ASAP!
Onward and upward!
-TL
* Special shouts out to Gail Marowitz Visual Strategist, Stacy at A to Z media, Thomas at Backerkit, and Karlee at Blackbox; all of whom I've been on the phone and emailing with a thousand times a day for the last few weeks - thank you!
