Today I sent off the last few promotional Ghost CDs and I believe I've done everything I could do to promote it. It sold far more than I could ever have imagined and I feel I've connected to a small and loyal audience, which I am incredibly pleased about. Its been played on the radio all over the world and the press/blogger/podcast community have been amazing. Thanks so much for all your support, I think we proved a point there.
I've achieved what I set out to do and become a professional musician in the process. This time last year my back injury was so bad that I thought I'd never play again! I never wanted to be on TV or a "Rock Star" it always looked like a path to very difficult social situations. I'm quite a shy person really. I've hit the level of obscurity I always dreamed of (Rushden people aren't known for our ambition) :)
So where do I go now?
I've achieved what I wanted to achieve, so what goals should be next? The Fierce And The Dead album is out next month and that signs off another project. Hopefully we'll get to play the songs live and do some more recording. It all depends how the album does, although the reaction to the single has been incredible. We're single of the week on Alarm Press.
My next album is nearly done, me and Kev Feazey will finish that soon, hopefully. That concludes the "guitar trilogy". Thats me done.
Yonks stuff is backed up ready for release, but that's more a "research and development" project at the moment. We'll see what happens there....
Where next?
First lots of acoustic gigs for the next year or so, then I think it may be time to stop playing these songs and do something else (I really want to establish a live reputation first though).
So what next?
Hopefully working on more social media projects, I love helping musicians connect to an audience. The social media stuff I've done in the last year has been great and I'm very proud to have been part of those projects.
Some time out from music for a bit possibly? A job that is exciting that doesn't involve music?
An electric solo album with a band? An Ableton Live electronic type album, with no guitars? A new band, with vocals? One off collaborations? An ambient project?
None of the above?
I don't know but one thing I have learned is that I am not keen on a lot of the social climbing required within the music industry and whilst I'm happy in the musical niche I'm in I'm not sure I can see myself expanding beyond that (unless some sort of soundtrack thing happens). I'd rather watch an old Doctor Who episode with my wife than go and hang around backstage at a gig or music industry event, most of those people don't interest me. I like spending time with my audience though, they are lovely.
There are only ever going to be a certain number of people who like what I do, its finite. I'm lucky that the people who do like what I do are a) lovely people and b) very supportive. But its never going to be mainstream music, most people aren't interested. Its a niche within a niche within a niche. I feel very lucky to have the audience I have but I'm not sure its possible to expand it that much. I don't know to be honest and if you want to tell your friends about my music that would be AWESOME :)
What will happen in the next few years I don't know, the industry is moving so fast and I think what will happen there will be lots more artists with small loyal fan bases using the methods I've been messing around with in the last few years.
Lets see what happens, one thing I've learned is that you never know whats round the corner......
