I have an interview and I will play a few few songs live on 3MDR 97.1FM from Emerald, Victoria (www.3mdr.com) On Wednesday night 9pm Australia time.

It will be 7am Wednesday NY time and 12pm Noon UK time.

You can listen to the live feed in Itunes/Winamp e.t.c. from the link on the main page. You will need to download the .pls into whatever music/radio client you use.

Please have a listen if you can!

USA Tour has been announced!!!

I am very, very proud and happy to announce my first ever USA tour. I will be playing the West Coast and Las Vegas at the end of July/Early August. The tour will be promoted by GLOBAL ONSLAUGHT who have graciously asked me to join this great tour of Global Onslaught artists Overspill, Throwdown Syndicate, Berdoo, March Into Paris, LeMay and Poor Water.

Full details of the bands and venues are here on the Global Onslaught page: http://www.facebook.com/GlobalOnslaught/events

 These are the dates I am playing. I am so excited as I have always wanted to play the USA and it is really a dream come true for me!

If you are in the area, please come down and support me and the rest of the GO crew. You won’t be disappointed! Click on the links below for more info on the venues.

Friday, 27 July 2012 at 19:00     

Max Steiners                                       Long Beach, California

Thursday, 2 August 2012 at 19:30          

The Bikini Bar                       Las Vegas, Nevada

 Monday, 6 August 2012 at 19:30

 Dipiazzas                             North Long Beach, California

Tuesday, 7 August 2012 at 19:30              

Boardner’s By La Belle                     Hollywood, California

Wednesday, 8 August 2012 at 19:30       

The Other Door                           North Hollywood, California      

Thursday, 9 August 2012 at 19:00          

      Max Steiners                                       Long Beach, California

  These are some wonderful photos from great fans and happy customers who have bought my single.  

Todd Barr from The Philippines.

Rachel Edmonds in Aberdeen, Scotland even framed her spare copy!

To be sent these photos was a shock of the best kind.  Around this time last year, I was recording the songs which would be on this single. I was full of hope that if the songs were good enough, that I would love to release them on Vinyl. It took me most of last year to achieve that dream. A lot of stress, mistakes and money went into that single. Excuse the drama , but I could say there are blood, sweat and tears in every groove. 

I made sure at every step that the single was of the highest quality. I am a record collector myself and wanted to make sure it was something I would buy and be happy with. The great Motherbird in Melbourne designed the sleeve. United Record Pressing in Nashville pressed and printed the single and the result is something I am immensely proud of.  A true DIY single. Self funded and independent.

Today I took some copies down to a great record store called ‘Pure Pop Records‘ here in Melbourne who are stocking some copies which also fulfils another dream of mine. 

This week I have been in discussions about more exciting things to come.

Thank you to Todd, Rachel and everyone else who has bought my single. You are not just buying a couple of songs, you are helping me carry on. Every dollar goes back towards what I am doing next.

I want people to enjoy my music and to be able to continue making it. That’s really all I ask for in life right now.

You are all helping me do that and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This is my first Vlog. Nothing but a test video really. Is this on?

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

 I am continually learning the website design and maintenance side of things which takes time but my site just has to be a good solid introduction to my music form people who haven’t heard me yet. I am just starting the work on some rock solid SEO so I can hopefully get a lot more traffic from searches from the net.

 A lot of people have been asking me when my new music is ready. The truth is since December, I have been doing lots of work promoting myself and trying to sell my single. This website is only one of many things I am doing right now to help in this. As I do everything all by myself, it gets very hard to do all the work I need to do. There are not enough hours in the day and I’m trying my very best to balance everything. I would love nothing more than to be just making music all day but as this is the new way of doing things, I am doing the job of many people.

 The video side of things is sorely lacking and one of the main aims of this new website is to do video blogs and more music videos which I am also working on.

 New music is on the way. I am going to do nothing next week but music. I know people want to hear more music and I’m going to get some finished. I already have a few songs written I haven’t recorded yet which I am going to record too.

 Thank you for your continued support! 

Dale

Writing song lyrics. What is scrapped. Acoustic version songs : I did a lot of work over Christmas and New Year. I was working on this website, re-writing and testing promo tweets and working on a new song.

 The writing and recording hasn’t gone too well so far. I have written and scrapped, well not scrapped, put in the ‘vault’ for future use some new bits of song but nothing has clicked until yesterday when I had a go with an older song called ‘See Me Changing’. It’s a good song with nice lyrics but I’ve never managed to record it properly or made it good enough. I think it will be better with my new recording process. I feel a little guilty using something that is older to me but it’s been formed into something that sounds good. My acoustic version is great and I enjoy playing it. I just think I need something snappy, straight to the point but not too heavy either right now. Something a lot of people can enjoy whilst still sounding like me. This song is perfect for that.

 As I get too distracted by the myriad of things I do on a daily basis to promote my music and upkeep my website, I will go offline for a few days to really concentrate and get the song to the ‘getting me excited’ stage. I love that feeling. When I know a song is going right and I can see the picture of what I hear in my head when I write it coming all together.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a year for me. I have been thinking over the last couple of days about the year I have had. In January when I started on the recordings of UP2U and The Pledge, I had high and quite innocent (and as I know now, naïve) ideas of releasing the songs as a single on vinyl and through my own website. It sounds such a simple idea but those two things have taken a lot of learning, mistakes and a whole boatload of stress to achieve. I realised quickly that social media was essential to promoting yourself now and threw myself into twitter. I’m glad I did. I have met lots of great people on there and a whole lot of people who have listened to my music and help spread the word about it.

I used to be on ReverbNation. I was using that as a main point of contact with me and my music. I did well and was never below Top Ten on the Rock Charts in Melbourne and always around or above 25 on the Australian charts overall. It was a fantastic start. More than I imagined. I had lots of kind words from some lovely people and it was exciting.

It just got too much work to hold myself up in the charts and promote myself all the time. I was on the net promoting myself 12-15 Hours a Day. I did that for months to try and get the word out. I started to burn out as anyone would. The delay of the Vinyl Single and various other things that went wrong were stressing me out. I just wanted to play and record music but I became a Social Media Zombie. I felt like I was holding a Car up on my own.

I made the decision to leave ReverbNation and try to stand on my own with my website and use the social media I use to promote but use the things I have learned over the year to take less time on the net so I can concentrate on music and learning video and editing a little bit more. Also learn about Vinyl single promotion. 

I did CRASH later in the year which was a joy for me to record and produce. I mixed it myself and had it Mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London who made it sound fantastic. Just put the last touch to it. A dream of mine had been fulfilled! Fair enough it was delivered over the internet and I never went there but my music had been through some wonderful equipment there. Being a Music Engineering and gear geek, this was a great feeling of accomplishment for me. The fact that I had made something all by myself that had been Mastered at Abbey Road and sounded great filled me with Joy!

There was quite a wait as I got the Vinyl Single right and how I wanted it. I used a company in Nashville, USA who were just great to work with. The result is just as I wanted it. The colour blue of the vinyl is cool, looks and sounds great. The cover is just perfectly ace to me!

I know I have been talking myself up here but the theme of this post is the achievement of this year. I have felt miserable and utterly lost at points, unsure of what to do. This is a weird new chapter in music and you are learning on your toes, on the fly about what is happening and the best way to do things. It’s been anything but boring!

Now my next plan is a professional video/film for one of my songs and a lot more recording. This time I am going to work faster and get more of my material out whilst juggling everything else. I can do it. I’ll be moaning all the way to the finish line but I’ll get there. Wherever ‘there’ is….

My Rode K2 Mic which I use on most of the vocals and some of the guitars on my recordings.  You can also see the Laney Amp I use to record all the Electric Guitars. It may look small but it’s got an amazing new speaker from Weber and is fitted with Vintage tubes. The Mic is too. I always want a warm sound when I record and try to make my chain as vintage as possible before it goes into the DAW.

 The handwritten lyrics for my song CRASH.

This is a very nice review from  ACOUSTIC KULT in India. It has made my week!

One word describes Dale Goodridge best – experienced. He has played with numerous bands of different genres, ranging from thrash to pop. A self taught producer, he has worked very hard at understanding and mastering a variety of musical instruments, and it truly shows in his music.

Goodridge has recently released a five-song digital download package and one CD single version of ‘UP2U/The Pledge’. I would describe his music as a conjunction of the best elements of classic and alternative rock. Citing influences like The Beatles and Gerry Rafferty among many others, Goodridge is able to accurately sum up the sounds and vibes of the ‘60s and ‘70s in his songs.

Each song in the five-song package is characterized by warm and welcoming soundscapes, where layer upon layer of meticulously detailed and carefully thought out guitars, keyboards and vocals unfold and merge together. Goodridge’s knowledge of different instruments and how they work in the mix is clearly showcased in the way each note, melody and harmony complements the other. The tones and phrasing he uses on the keys are perfect in every way, and play a major role in gelling the songs together. The low end and the rhythm section are very tight and controlled, forming a stable and reliable bedrock. Goodridge sticks to the usual assortment of flanger and chorus effects for his guitars, but he never allows for any kind of monotony to set in.

Coming to the vocals, Goodridge has a powerful voice, which he supports and embellishes with all the right harmonies. He isn’t, technically speaking, the best vocalist in the world, but his performances exude pure emotion and as such, this works superbly in favor of each song. The vocals can be heard clearly, every word can be understood, but in some songs, in certain places, the volume could benefit from a slight boost. In these sections, the drums and bass tend to be more prominent, pushing everything else in to the background.

The production of the songs is as professional as can be expected; the drums have the right amount of punch, while the subtle differences in the panning of the guitars and keys, along with the optimal placement of every instrument in the mix creates a deep and absorbing sonic presence. Each instrument can be heard clearly, and the highs, mids and lows are clearly differentiated, but at the same time, fundamentally interlocked.

As far as the actual songs go, my personal favorite would have to be ‘Crash’. The bass in this song has a mind of its own, and it is a pleasure to hear the low end driving the song forward, especially in the chorus. The melodies used in all the songs, both vocal and instrumental, are easy on the ears and immensely addictive. ‘UP2U’ and ‘The Pledge’ are the quintessential slow rock songs, which have all the right shades of emotion, without being contrived or sloppy. ‘Girl=Good’ is as rock ‘n roll as you can get, while ‘Won’t You?’ kicks ass with its brash alt-rock feel.

These songs are worth infinitely more than what they are being valued at on Goodridge’s store; the work he has put into each of these songs deserves a lot more acclaim.

Songs Influence. 

My entry in the WARMER CLIMES Mixtape series which can be found HERE

A list of some of the songs that I love or have influenced my own music.

1 – The Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23 -

My favourite 7″ single and probably one of my favourite songs of all
time. I play it so much I need to get a new one! This song just means
Joy to me. I can NEVER get tired of listening to it. The Funk. The
progressive nature of the writing. The smooth as silk vocals and
harmonies. So much happens in five minutes. It takes people most of
their lives to write songs as good as this one. I put this on whenever I
feel sad or angry. It’s my Blue Blanket.

2 – Doves – Walk In Fire -

This song is a regular play and just reminds me of the north of
England. It also has the lyrical line ‘It takes years to accept it all
and to be yourself’. So true! I moved to Australia Five years ago and
I’m from Yorkshire originally but moved around the North a bit in the
early 00′s until I moved to London in 2005 and this band has always
stayed in my heart. I collect everything they have ever released on
Vinyl. I’m only a couple of pieces away from a full collection from this
wonderful band. They are my favourite British band and still don’t seem
to get the attention and respect they deserve worldwide. Always
atmospheric and this song has an amazing chorus that just creeps up on
you during the song until that last anthemic ‘sing along’ and chorus.
See also nearly every song written by them. Even the B-sides and thrown
away songs.

3 – Stealer’s Wheel – Late Again -

The best song about about being an alcoholic husband/boyfriend/loser
ever written. The feel of the song is even boozy with that loose rhythm.
The vocal harmonies and the first appearance of Gerry Rafferty’s
‘trademark’ Saxophone make this a notable song of his. The first track
on their first album and my favourite. My Dad had a copy of this and I
would look at it when I was still a toddler because the cover is so
mesmerising and strange. Little did I know it would still be my
favourite album years later. I have bought and lost this album three
times over the years and I’m still looking for a perfectly mint copy on
Vinyl. One of those albums I could have ten copies of just in case
of……erm…..needing ten copies of it.

4 – John Carpenter – Escape From New York (Main Theme) -

I know this is not really a song but is one of my favourites right
now. Just a simple melody and hook that stays with me for days. The
drums in it are so crappy and basic, they are brilliant. I remember
seeing on an interview with Mr Carpenter somewhere where he said he
couldn’t afford a composer for one of his movies (may be Assault On
Precinct 13) and then he just carried on doing it himself. I’m very glad
he did. He has made some of the most memorable soundtracks. For me anyway.

5 – Paul McCartney – Coming Up -

The album this comes from, McCartney II is probably the reason I am a
solo artist and do all the writing and recording myself. Not to be an
egotist or anything, just to see if I could do it and make it sound
good. This album is always an inspiration, this song especially. The
video is fantastic and funny and the obvious inspiration for OutKast’s
Hey Ya! video. See also Temporary Secretary from the same album. They
both have this joyful silliness to them that sounds like freedom to me.
Sir Paul gets some grief for what he does a lot of the time for some
reason. I even love the Frog Chorus. There it is. I am UNCOOL.

6 – Brad – Buttercup -

This first song from their first album ‘Shame’ is just all feel. I just
love it and listen to it a lot. The fabulous vocals by Shawn Smith and
that floaty, underplayed guitar line by Stone Gossard which just builds
in each chorus. The only song I have heard that has the opening line
‘And I love to tie you up’ that sounds like a love song. I still have no
idea what the lyrics mean. Something about splitting up with someone? I
don’t care. A fantastic song which takes me right back to when it blew
me away when I first heard it in 1993 and never ages.

7 – The Coral – Walking In The Winter -

I hadn’t listened to this band for a long time until recently when I
bought the ‘Butterfly House’ album. The dreamy feel, the intricate
finger-picked acoustic guitars that sound effortless, vocal harmonies
and slightly psych sound of the choruses make this an instant classic to
me. They just get better and better. It reminds me of when I DJ’d for a
short time in a club in Liverpool in around 2001. It was an exciting
time for Liverpool bands and it’s great to hear them just get better and
better. The whole album is just astounding.

8 – Eels – Climbing Up To The Moon (Jon Brion Remix) -

The remix of a song from the under-rated Electro-Shock Blues (well, at
the time anyway) by the ever great Jon Brion that just makes the song
come alive. This one is pretty personal to me as I have a bipolar
disorder and my struggle with it and the lyrics really resonate with me.
I know the lyrics are about E visiting his sister when she is very ill
and how he deals with it. It made me break down when I heard this
version of it as I was pretty ill at the time. I’m much better now but I
listen to it a lot to remind me how far I have come. What Jon Brion can
do with strings and woodwind is genius. On a related but totally
different note, I saw Eels when they came to Melbourne a while after I
got here in a small theatre when they were in full-on rock mode with
full crazy theatrics. One of the best gigs I have ever seen. Just face
meltingly good!

9 – The Who – Who are you? -

I saw the ‘video’ to this late on TV the other night and it just made
me love the song again. The video is of them messing around in the
studio whilst recording it. Keith Moon with Gaffa Tape around his head
holding his headphones on is just diamond. On face value, it looks like
a band having a lot of fun but they clearly weren’t in real life and Mr
Moon died soon after the release of the album, unfortunately. Since I
saw the video, I have been listening to the song a lot and it is a great
mix of a punky (to them) verse and a proggy style. The lyrics also
remind me of lurching around London, missing tube stops and ending up in
a totally different part of London when I was totally drunk.

10 – Del Amitri – Tell Her This -

A beautiful sounding song with a twist in the tale. The lyrics are
amazing in this song. Justin Currie really has a way with words and it
is inspiring to me as a songwriter as well as a listener. I listen to
this song a lot. It reminds me of a time in the late 90′s when I was
broken hearted and took it literally. I laugh at that now and see his
humour in it. The way he plays with the idea of the broken hearted love
song and turns it into black comedy is genius.

11 – The Hollies – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my brother -

I don’t even have a brother but this song is perfection to me. The
whole mournful mood of the song, mixed with the positive lyrics make
this one of my all time favourite songs. When I think things are hard in
music right now, I remember an interview I saw with the singer who was
laughing about certain bands moaning about hard work and not being able
to finish even 30 date tours without crying off with exhaustion. He said
in the mid sixties, they were playing three shows a day, interviews,
wrote and recorded up to three albums a year with barely Christmas off
for some rest. That is hard work, passion and determination!

I have just got the Semi-Finals of the UK Songwriting Contest. I had a score of 8 for my song UP2U which was a borderline finalist score. I’m happy. It shows that people like my music and I can maybe write a song…

 Anyway, ONWARD!!! I have much to do. The single still needs to be delivered to Abbey Road to be pressed and I have another 101 things to do. I am starting recording the next four songs for my next EP which I hope to release early next year. 

 I think I’ve pulled or torn a muscle in my back which is causing me great pain but I’ll see what the doctor and physio have to say about that. I can’t slow down for second. This is a very critical period in my development and I just need to work hard. I’m meeting some lovely fans and people who say great things about my music. That is lovely and fires me up to make my new music even better. I’m going to give it my best shot.

 Thank you everybody,

 Dale

I am extremely happy tonight. I have finally got one place above AC/DC on the ReverbNation charts. It has taken me five months of solid work and the help of so many great people. I may not get higher than this but this is a really personal victory as I have been into the music of AC/DC since I was a child.

When I was 14 years old, I had a very dark period in my life and music saved me and propped me up. I went to the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival in the UK on 17th August 1991 by myself on a coach trip (the same concert that was released on the AC/DC Live at Donington concert DVD). It was scary at the time but an exciting adventure. When I got there, I realised I had nothing at all to be scared about. I was looked after by a bunch of bikers who shared their huge plastic 10 gallon container of Cider with me and watched the best rock and metal bands in world at the time. I was also a huge Metallica fan and it was their first show in the UK for the ‘Black Album’. It was like seeing gods. I nearly got crushed at the front when Metallica hit the stage but it was wonderful. I will never be that excited and happy to see a band again. That was then followed by AC/DC. I can still hear the starting ‘tapping riff’ to ‘Thunderstruck’ and the absolute joy at them actually being in front of me. It was magical. I still haven’t seen the DVD because I don’t want to spoil my memories!

Fast forward to two years ago when I visited Perth. I had to go to Fremantle Cemetery (ghoulish I know) to visit Bon Scott’s Grave. That was also something very important to me. It blew me away how much love he still has from all over the world. He has only a small plot in the huge cemetery but the band have paid for a lovely wrought Iron gate in his honour and pay for the upkeep of his grave along with his family. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

In the centre of Fremantle by the quay, there is a great Statue of Bon Scott:

So there’s not much more to say. It really means a lot to me. And Bon, you were damn right! It really is a long way to the top if you wanna rock n’ roll. I haven’t even released my first single yet and it’s bloody hard work!

 Thank you to everyone who has helped me get this short distance so far. The real work starts soon. We’ll see if I’ve got what it takes!

Over the last few days, everything has been catching up with me. I’ve had to take a step back as I was getting ill. I have never felt so exhausted. I have been working very hard over the last few months, putting in many hours a day and not sleeping properly. I have also been on a huge diet and exercise routine which has all just caught up with me. I literally shut down. I couldn’t move or think straight. Pretty scary.

 I’ve had some good sleep and not been on the internet promoting as much (or for so long) and I’m feeling much better. I still have lots of work to do but now I have a great Graphic Designer for my single cover, I feel much more relaxed. The cover is going to be excellent!

It’s also given me a lot of time to think what to do next. I think having my music on 20+ websites is getting very hard to keep on top of and I am going to cut them down to the real essentials. ReverbNation, Facebook, Soundcloud, IMGlobal, Melodic Revolution Records, this Website and Twitter work for me the most so I am going to concentrate on these sites for now.

 Once my single is finished and released, I am going to move a lot of my attention to my own website and run most things from here. The limited edition single will be available from this site and I’m going to try and keep as much control over where my music is and how it is being used. It’s been good giving my music away for free to gain some interest but it’s time to start trying to earn some money back somehow. All this has cost a small fortune and I can’t afford to do it forever, especially as I have plans to release either an EP or a full album next.

 I have started rehearsing for the upcoming gigs and I’m very pleased so far with how it is going. It’s sounding good! I aim to gig a lot more and start (hopefully) building some interest in Melbourne and sharpen my performance for the plans I have for playing overseas.

 Having a Manager and agent would be great pretty soon but I’ll see how things go once I start sending promos out once I have things ready.

 I am also doing another photo shoot soon.

Hello!

Thanks to everybody, I shot up the global charts 408 places last night. This is the biggest rise I’ve had since I started with ReverbNation!

If you can, lets try and get me further up the charts by listening, downloading and sharing my music to friends that may like my music. Or just make a comment on my page saying what you think of my music. It all helps!

In other news, I have finally found the right artist to design my CD and 7″ Vinyl cover. It is going to be great. I’m so excited. I collect records and it has always been my dream to release my own single and now this is happening, I’m over the moon!

I am aiming for the end of September for the release of the single and I just might make it. In December last year when I started the idea and work on this project, I always had this deadline in mind and it would be wonderful if I actually do it!

I’ll let you know nearer the time of release where it will be available to buy. It will be available on my website for sure but there are a couple of other ‘irons in the fire’ right now. If you love vinyl, you will love this record. The music has been designed from the ground up to be played on Vinyl and Radio and I can’t wait to hear it spinning on my record player. That will be a great achievement for me. I’m pulling out all the stops to make it as good as I expect it to be if I bought it myself. It will be available in a Limited Edition run of 500 copies of each format. CD and Vinyl.

Once again, many thanks for your support and kinds words, it keeps me going!

I woke up this morning (du du du du) to a great message on twitter that this great post and review on a blog by Limey59 had been posted. You can see the post here

That has made my day. My week even. Lovely shoutouts like that keep me going, even when it’s the hardest, darkest day. It’s just a huge game of Snakes and Ladders!

Thank you to Limey59. Read his blog. It’s excellent and has some great music from some great new artists.

 This is a happier post than the last one. The frustration gets huge sometimes. I’ll try to not to moan as much in the future and focus on the positives, which there are lots of. I have done a lot of work but I’ve also achieved a lot so far and need to be grateful for that.

The plan is to release a CD single and Vinyl 7″ probably the 27th September. This gives time for some good advertising and promotion before the release and a lot a few months after too. I will continue to be plugging away and try and get as many people listening to my music as I can.

I’ve thought long and hard about this but I reckon it needs to be mentioned. If it can help others, then that is excellent. I just don’t want to be a Dickensian sob story.

I have a pretty bad Bipolar disorder which I was diagnosed with a couple of years ago. It has been hell getting the right combination of drugs so I can at least function as best as I can from day to day. For instance, I would not have been able to do any of this at the end of last year. I’ve come a long way in various respects. It’s still hard every day for me but much easier than it was. Well… I recorded the two songs of my single, got them mixed in NY and Mastered professionally. I thought that was hard as I do everything myself. All the music and sounds you hear are from me. I’m not represented by anyone. I also do all the promotion myself which brings me to my point…

I never thought it would be so hard to promote yourself right now. I have sat here for up to 14 hours day for months now (with not a day off) just plugging away at promoting my own website (which I’ve designed myself other months by trial and error) twitter, reverbnation and all the other myriad of sites you need to currently be a part of. I have made videos for youtube. I’ve bought an expensive HD camera to make videos which I’m currently putting myself through an intensive filming and editing course. I have looked at every angle, spent too much money on PR that has zero effect, tried every way of getting people interested and involved in my music and it just seems to be a losing battle. The main problem is there are so many bands and musicians out there doing the same thing and people are burned out from reading and seeing music promos. The thing is, there are some really good musicians and bands out there who should really be listened to. I’m not saying I’m the best at anything. I know not everyone will like my music. I’m not deluded about myself. It’s just the fact that people won’t even give you a listen. Not even a try. I know I have two good songs and I need more people to hear them. Especially on the radio where they truly work best. They were designed for that.

 There are so many crooks out there exploiting new artists. The 25k followers for $100 people. The submissions to people you have never heard of to things you have never heard of that cost up to $100. Being included in ‘compilations’ that ‘go round A&R’ for $500. Snakes everywhere. I feel Like Indie in the Well Of Souls sometimes.

People are all selling themselves as ‘super nice’ homogenised people. 99% of promos I see are exactly the same. Where is the character? Where is the individuality? Where is the danger anymore? You have these hard ass metal bands talking like grandmothers to people.

It has got so bad that musicians are promoting to other musicians. Kind of pointless.

I’m taking a step back for a week. Sit back and think. I clearly need to take a break and regroup. I’m contacting some real Professional PR and hopefully there is a way through and a way to hopefully get back to what I’m best at. Making music.

I’m really sorry about the random looking titles for the posts and pages that I’ve changed. I can’t turn them off until I hear back from the developer of the theme I’m using. It’s getting optimised for search engines but looks weird. I haven’t gone totally mental. Well…. not yet!

This is my first post in a while but will be the first of many.

 I’ve been doing a lot. I’ve been learning web SEO and tweaking my website. I’ve been learning Premiere Pro to film and edit with so I can make better videos for my songs. I have some good concepts and hope to have a go at filming them.

 I’ve been doing vast amounts of PR and promotion. Many hours a day of tweeting, posting, emailing. Some days are full of rejection and misery but other days are full of promise and nice people saying nice things. That’s what keeps me going.

Today I finished the mastering of my song ‘UP2U’ with the great and venerable Jack The Bear at Deluxe Mastering in Melbourne. The finished result sounds excellent and I’m already excited about the next song. I’m halfway there!

Just a quick update of where I am up to. The track ‘UP2U” is nearly finished. Just some tweaks here and there and it will be done. Then to master that. Then on to mixing ‘The Pledge’. The mix on here is a mix I did myself. I think it sounds pretty good. What do you think?

They are both evolving nicely and the finished product is going to sound excellent. I’m really proud of it already!

Cheers,

Dale

I started tracking the Acoustic guitars today. I laid them all down but I’m not really happy with them. They sound too urgent and not laid back and dynamic enough. I’m also still tweaking the compressor. It’s very easy to over compress Acoustic guitars. I’m still getting used to my MoFET76 compressor. Less is more. I also took delivery of a SE Reflextion filter for the microphone. It’s really good
and isolates the mic more. Gets rid of most of the room sound and reflections which makes mixing later a lot easier.

I’ll try a different approach tomorrow. Less compression and more lazy guitars. I’m thinking the Acoustic guitars on ‘Dogs’ by Pink Floyd as a reference.

D

I’ve just heard a near final mix of UP2U. It sounds excellent and i’m so proud of it. My vocals especially sound great. I actually enjoy hearing myself for once, rather than hearing problems with them. It will be ready by the end of the week then I can get in the mastering studio and put the final sheen on it. Thanks to Alex in New York, I have a new lease of life and i’m fully confident my next song ‘The Pledge’ will be even better.

I’m always configuring my studio and buying extra things I need to help me in this mission.

This is going to be a very good single. The best I can humanly make it!

Cheers,

Dale

There aren’t enough hours in the day for recording my music and trying to set up the promotion that I will do after the song UP2U is Mastered and completed. I’m learning to split my day up into recording and promotion, rather than thinking about and doing both at the same time. It’s hard but I’ve stopped moaning about it. It’s the way it is now and I have to move along with the times. Lots of multitasking and hard work but an achievable goal. I’ve already achieved so much in in only a few weeks. I realise that there are people out there who are willing to help and give you advice. Not everyone is a sinister, selfish person as I was starting to believe about fellow Humans. I believe in my music so much and I just want it to be heard. I have no illusions about getting ‘famous’ or anything like that. Just a few people saying they like it really makes my week!

The preamps have been turned on and are warming up. The tube mic is warming up. The fresh strings on the acoustic are settling in. Shades on. Pick held aloft. Just like the start of Back To The Future.

I’m going to spend all day laying tracks for my next song ‘The Pledge’. I’m going to take a lot of care and mic placement. Also on the compression on the way in. This song is my personal favourite and i’m going to try and make it sound as good as I possibly can.

It’s a rock love song of the type that is rare these days. They are usually about splitting up or yearning for someone/something. I’d describe it as sounding as though Pink Floyd put a love song on ‘Meddle’. Strong words I know but true. We shall see how it turns out.

Cheers

Dale

I spent the whole day yesterday joining and configuring the various sites I need to promote my music. There are many of them. I’m glad most of them link into twitter and facebook now. It does make things a little easier than it used to be. Today I’m going to fiddle with this site some more and try to get it looking nice with all the info needed.

Tomorrow I’m going to start making accounts at the various music websites so I can promote my music. I’ve heard Bandcamp is very good so I will go to them first. The dreaded myspace after!

Be undeniably good. When people ask me how do you make it in show business or whatever, what I always tell them and nobody ever takes note of it ‘cause it’s not the answer they wanted to hear — what they want to hear is here’s how you get an agent, here’s how you write a script, here’s how you do this — but I always say, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’ If somebody’s thinking, ‘How can I be really good?’, people are going to come to you. It’s much easier doing it that way than going to cocktail parties.

Steve Martin