Lately I've been sorting through some demos and drafts for tracks on/related to The Queen of Time. Some are actually quite good- I like some of their energy, and a few of the cut songs have a lot of potential. This bonus material isn't quite ready for release, but maybe someday? Keep an eye out 👀 (possibly on patreon?)
Honestly, I'm just trying to fret my nerves before everything gets finalized for release. My goals for this project are modest. I hope to establish a presence I can build on and maintain professionally. I know I'm not poised to make the billboard top 100, but I do hope the work gets seen.
Building up an online presence is a necessary part of being any kind of artist today, and it's a lot of work... I much prefer writing songs and making paintings and doing other crazy stuff- but if I don't lift my head up long enough to tell someone about what I'm doing, no one will ever know, right? And, obviously, I want to make things that other people can see and experience (that's part of why people make art).
I've been trying to swallow my nerve and actually get back on social media, but I'm really struggling to find motivation. I honestly don't enjoy social media very much, so it's hard to understand what actually makes a good post? It's also difficult to know what kind of audience will be reading whatever I decide to write there... Something about the extremely public/ transactional nature of it really stresses me out. I'm much happier without it, but I understand it's a necessary part of being a creative professional... Sooo keep an eye out for me on social media, I guess! 🙃
This week I've been focusing on getting all the little details sorted out before I start advertising everything and going live for real...
I created an actual online store, (via spreadshop) and stocked it with all the lovely merch you can find in the merch section of this website (plus a few more goodies).
I made an account on buymeacoffee.com - a platform for supporting artists and creators directly with small donations (as if you bought them a cup of coffee.) Seems chill 👍 I've heard nothing but good things. There's also a way to do commissions through their site- so perhaps someday I'll set up a little thing where you can toss me a couple bucks to do a fun little digital drawing of you or something.
I created a Patreon page. It's still pretty empty while I figure out exactly what I want to offer on there, but the page exists! Huzza!
I have lots of unreleased material, demos, and drafts that I'd love to sort through and organize into a wonderful Patreon package- so keep an eye out for that someday... 👀
I made a very empty bandcamp page. Once the release is ready, I'll be uploading all my tracks there for distribution, too! Speaking of distribution... I've been doing a lot of research on all the different distribution platforms out there, and I think I'm going with CD Baby! (Huge thanks to Aris Take for this very helpful breakdown comparing the ins and outs of all the different online distributors.) This means that as soon as the mastering is done and everything is ready for release, you can expect to find the music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, Instagram, Shazam- basically anywhere you could ever care to look!
The Queen of Time is *almost* ready for release! All that's left to do is the final mastering and then it will be available everywhere (hopefully 😅). The last year has been spent making sure everything is as excellent as I can make it before I send these songs out into the world. I've been working with the very talented John Caviness out of Denver to make some revisions to the overall balance of the mixes. His expert ear has really helped me make better decisions about how to present the interesting pallet of sounds on the album, and make sure everything shines. I think this process has been very lucrative and I'm very excited about the finished product!
Over the last year I've been hard at work on a collection songs for a future album called Invertebrate Waltz. I think a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of songwriting for that project is complete. I learned a lot about mixing and production on The Queen of Time, but I'm curious how a slightly different process might influence my sound and make the songs even more extravagant- I'm excited to see what the future holds! I recorded The Queen of Time in my apartment. I wonder what it would be like to work in a whole recording studio? maybe even with other musicians? I've also done a ton of work figuring out what my brand my look like, and how and where I want to be seen. There's still a lot of work to do in this regard- and my apathy/distaste towards social media certainly doesn't help... but soon, I will be swallowing my pride and making *posts* in the *public*... There's still so much to do! I'm still trying to make sure all my bases are covered for distribution. Since this is my first public, commercial release of music, my expectations are small, and I think my modest personal goals are achievable. I have no record label, and no *fans* to whom I am currently accountable- so largely I'm just trying to make something that satisfies my heart, and makes someone want to dance or cry or laugh or think or something. Stay tuned for more updates! <3 - Tom.