The world of normal went bye-bye a while ago. And for indie musicians, the process of making music keeps getting more brutal; touring is in the realm of fairytales, and with the death of Net Neutrality, the web is nothing more than exploitation. And yet, we persist, mainly because we have to and secondly because we want to. It's not the music that drives me crazy; it's the industry. 

Songwriting is a craft that is not purely based on skill, as I swear some songs sweep down from the heavens, fully formed as Something Like Jesus did. My job was not so much to write it as to transcribe it. I remember the moment like it was yesterday: Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

Music is Life. 

Speak Your Truth

Something Like Jesus is streaming live now on Bandcamp & all the other rip-off streaming sites.

On December 19th, I released Ring Of Fire with all sorts of expectations & promotions in place. However, that was the same day my mother died. But she heard it & she loved it & I'm ok with that.

Enjoy

OK - here we go; finally, the demo sessions have begun. Life for me has finally taken a positive turn toward stability (lol), giving me the space to get things done. I laugh because "stability" for a broke-ass independent musician like myself would probably make most non-creative people winch. But for me, I don't need much - but I do need to feel safe at home and a good part of my life; that just hasn't been the case. So the struggles I face aren't just creative; they are fundamental. But that's also why making music brings me so much joy - but there is no freedom without struggle.  

First up - Love Fighter. Here is the raw version.

Every great hit started as a Demo because no song is real until you lay it down. Like every writer I know, I travel with a couple of things: various forms of writing implements, a ridiculous amount of notebooks, and an mp3 recorder as one never knows how or when inspiration may hit. In my old studio back in Seattle, I had 3-foot post-it notes with lyrics hung on the walls as songwriting is as visual as it is auditory for me. Just walking into that room got my creative juices flowing instantly. And getting a good demo is worth every bit of pain that goes into the process. And let me tell you, there's plenty of pain to go around when you're making music. 

But there's also a bunch of good stuff. Taking a song from the ethers of your mind to tangible scorable music is no easy feat, but it's a fulfilling one. Sometimes it's easy, often it's not, and until recently, it was also cost-prohibitive unless you had some financial deal or backing or money of your own. But the joy is in the challenge, and it's one I'm going to win! So join me this month as I launch CrushedVelvet's Demo Sessions on Patreon. Make sure you're following me on Social Media or are on my email list for a free sneak peek. 

I can't wait to share this with you! Until then, Rock on with your bad self. 

Velvet

We are the sum of our experiences.  Change one incident along the way, and you'd be a different person.  And while hindsight is 20/20, life is always best lived in the moment.  I'm not saying to throw caution to the wind, but tomorrow comes from what you're doing for today.  As the grind of Covid persists, it's even more critical to be present in your life and make peace with your past. 

Often it's hard for me to listen to some of my older tracks and not thrown into an emotional meltdown.  That's one of the quintessential examples of my struggle with releasing Better Late Than Never.  In songwriting, or at least for me, there will undoubtedly be a piece of me in everything I write, even if it's not autobiographical.  When I hear some of the jingles I wrote back in the day, I laugh because I can precisely gauge where I was in my life.  But a song is not just the words and music; it's the performance and the people that contribute.  As much of my past is ensconced in violence, my music career was not exempt.  And although I have forgiven those who caused me so much pain, I still hear them in my music, and with every single note, I have to forgive again.  Constant forgiving can be exhausting, but it's far easier than holding on to anger. 

So today, as I look back from where I came to where I want to be, I have to pause and remember where I am.  It's not nirvana, but it's sure ain't hell, as I've been there numerous times.  I'm itching for this next phase to kick in and live it without fear.  And I know that whatever comes next, I'm definitely up for the challenge. 

Catch my From Velvet with Love live stream tonight at 9:30 pm EST on Bandcamp.  Tickets are free.

This really should be a no-brainer, but...

People constantly tell me how impressed they are that I'm still making my music "after all these years" and then wonder why I give them my famous kiss-my-ass look.  For the record, I do it because I am an artist, it's what I do, and it makes me happy - so in the scheme of things, economics aside, it's a win for me.  But I also do it because I want my music to be heard.  I want to add my voice to the world of music for the greater good although  I have no love for the industry in which I toil.  So if you want to show me some love and have me be your friend forever, this is how you do it.

HOW TO LOVE AN INDIE MUSICIAN

1. Buy Our Music.  No matter how convenient, streaming devalues music and, for the most part, actually sounds like shit.  Perhaps you aren't aware that most creators receive about $.0031 per stream.  And while you'll see many artists boasting about their yearly stream count, do not think that correlates to actual money as I just got a payment of $.1 for 5000 plays.  However, if you buy my music on Bandcamp, I get about 80% as the writer, performer, and publisher.  And guess what?  Today is Bandcamp Friday, when 100% of the profits go to the creators.  So I promise you if you buy my EP Better Late Than Never today, I'll love you forever.
2. Go to Our Shows: Although I guarantee you'll not catch my little ass live onstage in a covid infused club anytime soon, you can see me live and stream 3 Nights a week on Sessions Live.  Sessions LIve a unique streaming platform for music only.  My shows are free to stream on your phone, tablet, or desktop, but join my crew and subscribe to my feed if you want to support me.  You'll get crew shout outs & you can make song requests.
3. Be My Patron: Join my Patreon.  In case you're not aware, Patreon is a membership platform that connects content creators with fans and supporters. From $3 a month, get up close and personal with my creative process.  Monthly Vlogs, insider streams, and Q&As are only the beginning as I prepare to go back into the studio to record Message from the War Zone.

So come on, won't you show me a little Love?

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to rock - without a mask! But that's not going to be happening, unfortunately, anytime soon. So what's a girl to do? Get her Stream On! And Live Streaming is precisely what I'm doing. Did you know that I play acoustic Live Streams 3 days a week on Sessions Live? Yep. You can access my free live streams through your phone, tablet, or desktop, and you can chat with me in real-time. Want to show me some love? Follow me & join my crew and help me score some serious cash!   Sessions Live is a fantastic platform for musicians and has been a lifesaver for me. You can download the app or go directly to https://Sessionslive.com/CrushedVelvet/live. 

Want a little bit more of me? 

Starting this month, I am relaunching my Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/crushedvelvet. From 3 dollars a month, you'll have an inside seat to the reforming of my band. Watch the auditions, rehearsals, and studio sessions up close and personal and get discounts on merchandise, shows, and recordings. 

For all of my  Bandcamp supporters, stay tuned! I have Live Streams just for you. So head on over to https://CrushedVelvetLive.bandcamp.com follow me! Bandcamp supporters will also get free tickets to my upcoming tour! And remember, tomorrow Friday, February 4th is Bandcamp Friday, when all of us creators get 100% of our sales. Which in this day & age is impressive. 

I appreciate your support; keep on rocking, and don't sweat the small stuff. 

Velvet

Better Late Than Never is an EP that I've been trying to release for a while. People constantly ask me what's taken me so long, and my reply is always the same, MONEY. Making music on any level is expensive. From instruments, lessons, gigging, distribution, legal shit, blah, blah, blah. Nothing is cheap. Although I've had many deals over the years, my history with the industry has taught me only to do things on my terms. So here we are. Think of this EP as the greatest "hits" of someone you've never heard before, as these four tracks span the gamut of about 30 years or more of music-making - yikes. 

Release Me is an interesting song as it was the first one I recorded when I returned to making music. In the dark days, as I called them, I stopped playing music and sold all my equipment, had a bunch of babies, and got fat. Good times! But that didn't stop the songs from coming.  Release Me, which I had partially written, was this constant melody that rambled through my head at nausea. Once I kicked my abusive ex out, I got a new guitar and finished Release Me. Ironic. 

Anthem is the first song I ever recorded in a full-blown studio. Co-written with Scott Rosette in Paterson, NJ way back in the day, I heard this bassline through the bathroom vent and wrote the lyrics in 15 minutes. We were living in a converted Silk Mill for artists, and the vibe was electric. I swear the theme of survival, lyric-wise, came from the echo of the exploitation that existed when the building was a factory.  

If You Break Her Heart, co-written with Lise Hamilton during the Paterson days, is a paradoxical little tune about blowing up one's marriage because that grass also seems greener. Tight & funky, this cautionary tale of wanderlust begs one to admit that if if you can't be true, be gone! I love the active bassline. 

Torn Apart, still in demo form, was co-written with Peter Bartow is a work in progress. This abrasive little diddy is my idea of a love song. Blunt & to the point: I don't play. However, I have yet to find the groove of this song. When we start playing out, this song is going to come to life.   

Watch the new reinvigorated serialized vlog, The CrushedVelvet Chronicles going up tomorrow on CrushedVelvetLive.com &  my YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe to the channel. And to keep up to date on All Things Velvet, make sure you check out my Linktree.