Tuesday
Apr012008
Big News
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 03:25PM
I've been waiting to share this news with you guys for quite a while, but today just seems like the day to do it. As many of you know, I've been meeting for the last six months or so with different record companies here in Nashville, looking for someone to partner with my solo music.
After many, many coffees, lunches, and more recently, lawyer's office visits, I am glad to announce my renewed partnership with Forefront Records.
My original band, The Normals, released three albums on Forefront during the years 1998-2001. While critically acclaimed, those records failed to achieve the financial success Forefront deemed necessary and they pulled funding from the band's marketing budget. In the days before MySpace and facebook, this was a serious blow and it led to the (some would say, early) demise of the band.
But what's done is done and today is the here and now. And friends, my future, is once again squarely in the hands of this great company. We've patched up our differences and, thanks in large part to the decline of the record industry as a whole, my sales numbers aren't looking so bad anymore.
So, here we are. Holding hands and skipping through contract negotiations like the gray-haired lovers we so metaphorically are. And I couldn't be more excited.
They're scouting out producers to help me start on a new album. I'm not exactly sure where we'll be recording it, but I'm confident it will be in Franklin, TN. I won't, of course, be allowed to use my usual group of players, but I also haven't had a song on the radio in a couple months now, so I do defer judgment this time. I don't want to make the same mistakes twice.
Also, this means I will not be able to do any more Letters to the Editor projects. I've been (re)learning that you don't make friends or fans by giving music away. You just become another pirate. And this makes me a little sad, but it's time to kill the parrot and take off the eye-patch, I guess. I was able to get it so that those of you who donated at least $12 for the EP will be allowed to keep yours.
Anyone who just got it for free, however, or who paid less than $12 will need to e-mail me their copies of the mp3s (and artwork!!) so I can properly dispose of them.
Yeah, that's the bummer, but as with most things in this reality of living, you've got to make some compromises, and I trust that this will be for the better. And I'm really excited to get in some songwriter meetings and start carving out some songs for Christian radio, and then getting that record out there for you.
So here's to the future, and to the positive and inspiring songs we'll sing together (with your properly registed CCLI licenses). In a career of milestones, this is another one. Thanks for being with me on this journey so far. I can't wait to see where it takes us from here.
(Oh, and I should tell you. This will be my last blog post. From now on, editorial control over this website will be run by someone from the label. They promise to update at least once every other month and, if you're on the mailing list, you'll also be updated with details about every upcoming Forefront release. So I guess I'll see you later at a show or something.)
After many, many coffees, lunches, and more recently, lawyer's office visits, I am glad to announce my renewed partnership with Forefront Records.
My original band, The Normals, released three albums on Forefront during the years 1998-2001. While critically acclaimed, those records failed to achieve the financial success Forefront deemed necessary and they pulled funding from the band's marketing budget. In the days before MySpace and facebook, this was a serious blow and it led to the (some would say, early) demise of the band.
But what's done is done and today is the here and now. And friends, my future, is once again squarely in the hands of this great company. We've patched up our differences and, thanks in large part to the decline of the record industry as a whole, my sales numbers aren't looking so bad anymore.
So, here we are. Holding hands and skipping through contract negotiations like the gray-haired lovers we so metaphorically are. And I couldn't be more excited.
They're scouting out producers to help me start on a new album. I'm not exactly sure where we'll be recording it, but I'm confident it will be in Franklin, TN. I won't, of course, be allowed to use my usual group of players, but I also haven't had a song on the radio in a couple months now, so I do defer judgment this time. I don't want to make the same mistakes twice.
Also, this means I will not be able to do any more Letters to the Editor projects. I've been (re)learning that you don't make friends or fans by giving music away. You just become another pirate. And this makes me a little sad, but it's time to kill the parrot and take off the eye-patch, I guess. I was able to get it so that those of you who donated at least $12 for the EP will be allowed to keep yours.
Anyone who just got it for free, however, or who paid less than $12 will need to e-mail me their copies of the mp3s (and artwork!!) so I can properly dispose of them.
Yeah, that's the bummer, but as with most things in this reality of living, you've got to make some compromises, and I trust that this will be for the better. And I'm really excited to get in some songwriter meetings and start carving out some songs for Christian radio, and then getting that record out there for you.
So here's to the future, and to the positive and inspiring songs we'll sing together (with your properly registed CCLI licenses). In a career of milestones, this is another one. Thanks for being with me on this journey so far. I can't wait to see where it takes us from here.
(Oh, and I should tell you. This will be my last blog post. From now on, editorial control over this website will be run by someone from the label. They promise to update at least once every other month and, if you're on the mailing list, you'll also be updated with details about every upcoming Forefront release. So I guess I'll see you later at a show or something.)
Reader Comments (51)
good one
looking at the forefront link a bit more i see that they have 5 artists in total listed of which 2 of them are no longer together anymore. and no it isn't the normals.
maybe they are looking for some up and comers.
They have also recently resigned Bleach, Smalltown Poets, and Grammatrain. Sounds like a resurgence to me.
silly...yet funny.
I guess I was with you until "you don't make friends or fans by giving music away". Ha.
That was very, very well-written, however. By far the best 04/01 I've seen today.
I believed you until the mp3 take-back part. I was thinking, "I could make a snarky comment about a collaboration with Toby Mac," or something. Good one.
you had me until the emailed mp-3s.
seems to be a common theme.
but good job on getting me that far. you're not the first blogger today to try to fool me, and yet you've done the most effective job :)
I'm glad you don't have a real job so you can come up with this stuff!
I too must admit you had me for a few paragraphs. Well done. I'll still take care of the Giordano's and Fat Tire on the 11th if you're up for it.
happy april to you too! hahaha
I was quite ticked off at you and ready to drop the fearful "sellout" word into the mix. Now I admire you even more.
that was wonderful....
Peace. - Caleb
What am I supposed to do with the feelings of resentment and betrayal that I'm now experiencing? You're good. Very good.
considering I forgot it was April 1, you just got a $12 donation. I've been meaning to do that anyway =)....
I am exceptionally gullible and lacking discernment right now because i am quite tired... I cried, literal tears were flowing from my cheeks... You are a cruel, cruel man Mr. Osenga!
i just crapped my pants...
Geoff:
I don't think you can say "crapped" on a blog for an official CCM artist.
Point, set, match. Great joke!
i was starting to wonder....why would he go back to the ones that destryed one of the best bands ever....then the mp3 thing.....good april fools joke...touche......
Jason:
Touche
Great to hear of the reunion with Forefront! I've heard they are looking for some bands to cover in a tribute album of Degarmo and Key hits like "Boycott Hell".
what would have made this amazing would have been if you had a link to a page that looked exactly like forefront's front page, only with a copy of the "press release" on there. i think if you had done that, a couple people would have imploded from the shock.
Well, well played.
[Jerk.]
When I first saw this, I had many thoughts go through my brain. The first was that I'd never get to see the new pedalboard in all it's glory.
*laughs*
*punches you in the face*