Debut Album Out Now!

Looking at the calendar it is hard to believe that 2009 is almost over and looking back I can see that I have been a bit lazy in the blogging department.  This has not been for lack of something to say, but between recording and releasing the debut album, launching 5th Estate Music - essentially my own "record label" - and getting things ready for a new side project (details of that coming very soon) there has not been much time to organize my thoughts into blog entries.  But the holidays are upon us and things are slowing down for a few weeks until we enter the next decade so I feel I can take a step back and a deep breath and evaluate how things have gone over the past year.
As 2009 began it was my goal to get the Fine Print Pariah debut album recorded and released.  Even though all the songs had already been demoed it took a while to establish a game plan and a production strategy and real recording didn't begin until around March and it wasn't until the end of April that real usable tracks were being put down.  Progress was good but a lot of backtracking and redos were necessary, especially with the drums which were recorded in less than optimal circumstances.  Things picked up speed in May and June and by the beginning of July all the tracks were down and mixing began.  The mixing took longer than expected but by the beginning of August all the songs were ready for mastering and the final product was basically ready at the end of August.  There was still a lot to do to get the release ready - CD artwork and pressing, distribution to iTunes etc. - and that is the reason I put the release date off until Nov.2 in order to ensure that everything was in place on the actual day.
Through this whole process a lot of other stuff was going on behind the scenes which led to the creation of 5th Estate Music, my own "label" that would release the album and probably all future albums as well.  So not only was I preparing Fine Print Pariah and the debut album but also the label which took some time as well and finally went online at the beginning of September.  All of this was a lot of work and that combined with other presonal obligations forced a restructuring of priorities leading to the one disappointment this year which was the lack of a live presence for the band.  Some contact was made with interested musicians but scheduling conflicts, other commitments and personal issues got in the way and it was clear at the beginning of November that Fine Print Pariah would not be performing live in 2009.  I am not giving up on this however and the quest for the right live lineup will continue but I refuse to rush it or force it.  When the time is right Fine Print Pariah will hit the stages and that might even be by the summer of 2010.
So I can honestly say that it has been a great year even though all the goals were not met but this leaves a very clear goal for 2010, namely the formation of an actual band to perform this music.  Some preliminary work has begun for a follow-up album but whether it makes sense to finish and release that in 2010 is not yet clear.  Besides, 5th Estate Music will be busy enough with my side project anyway and at least for the first half of 2010 this will be my priority also.  So I can say that I will try to keep up with the blogging a bit better but chances are most of that won't be happening here in the next six months or so.  And where will it be then?  Patience, patience...when the time is right, all will be revealed!

Happy Holidays and have a great "slide" into the New Year as they say here!