Back To The Fronton

Work continues today on the new record just like it has, in spurts, just like since we started in July.  As we get closer and closer to the album being done, my checklist usually shrinks but in this case as I finish something, new ideas crop up and sometimes toy with the idea of making this one even longer.  There aren't any rules anyway and the feedback with regards to the demos thus far has been even stronger than on the last record.  Although I am eager to have every last song finished for this and sit with it and make it what it will be as a finished entity, I'm enjoying the ride and want it to keep going!  Anyway, to all of the people who keep cheering me on and enjoying the music, thanks for listening and for your continued support...and some of you have been brutally honest which is great.  All I really needed was to know that some people would be kind of interested and you are!  Take care of yourselves and don't be afraid to press record and make your own music as it is rewarding and doable for anyone who cares enough to make it happen.

Breaking The Musical Barrier...Updates

Hi there!  I hope everyone is doing well where this finds you and not far from a good time.  Perhaps maybe actually catching you while having a good time, while listening to Guitar For Money?  Well, I have to tell you, making an album is fun...or at least it could be and should be.  I'm annoyed as a gig I was hoping to get fell through as the place was sold.  Times are tough for many and music is intangible so it doesn't NEED to be for sale to be heard and enjoyed...but I'd really like to get out and play a full set of original music in front of people as planned...like real humanoid folks but it might have to wait.   This is kind of convenient as we are in the midst of putting together a monster of an album and I've never had more musical ideas to capture.  Lately, I've been practicing every aspect of playing guitars and drums, composing, arranging and recording...There is no end goal to practicing but to improve and there is always room for improvement.  That and I've got the time!  For the past 3 months I've been traveling so much that I'm still getting used to being in one spot.  Haven't been to the studio in a few weeks but that is because I am backed up with all sorts of things to sort out before throwing more paint on the canvas.  I've been recording to the IPad and getting used to practicing for sessions for even better time management.  This comes in handy as I try to make every take count.  Every time I can figure out an arrangement at home, it saves me an hour or 2 of directional confusion once I get what I want down in the studio.  Weaving a song together to have an interesting structure is a real art form and one that I'm trying to explore.  The best results always seem to come out from studio work but to be prepared for that work and simply go in and not think and feel it and knock it out is always what I aim for.  Tony and I have around 5 more songs in production and 5 more after that--I've written one more for it that fills out the story nicely and I was surprised about that as I felt the main set was in stone.  You have to make a concept album on your own to know what that feeling is like, I guess!

Still Lost In Oblivion-New Album Update

Ten down and 6 to go for the most part. That doesn't even give a hint at how much work is left to do on this 16 song record.  The damn thing is going to go over an hour and I'm going to spend endless hours pondering what to add, color/uncolor, arrange, remix, redo you know the deal.  I've taken more risks this time around and probably prepared 3 times as much as the first album.  The drumming has been fun and has come around to making me play the guitar a bit differently.  I have to admit, it makes my triceps and shoulders sore as hell but the muscles in my wrists seem to have beefed up which has helped with all sorts of possibilities with the guitar.  Fitness and exercise play a big part in what I do since I sing, play guitar and am doing all of the drums in the studio on this release.  There would be no way for me to do the things I'm trying to do without being in good condition.  A lot of it comes down to simply breathing correctly--as singing, drumming and playing guitar all require strict attention to this to get the job done.  And it gets done!  But I'll tell ya, at all points I've been enjoying creating the moments on the album that have been in my head and the more tracks that have been laid out, the better.  The writing and composition have been pretty easy this time out but there are definitely areas in my department that need housekeeping.  I expect that to be the case every time out as I try and do things differently, or I intend to, so it's par for the course.  The biggest challenge will be to sit back and look and listen to the whole thing and have that definite feeling that it is finished in a way that I'm 100% satisfied with.  That is the goal.  I've given myself reminders to not overlook plot points or their relevance for inclusion.  This is one of the challenges one faces when doing a concept or story album...Hey, I know from experience!

Hope you are doing well and thanks for joining me for the ride.

Leibowitz

www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic

What does it sound like?

If Mozart was ever asked this of his music, I wonder if he would have said something exotic, like "the sound of a waterfall hitting a cliff wall" or "tears on loaf of bread" or "kind of like Handel".  It is a fair question and a difficult one to answer, regardless of if someone is trying to play rock, metal or whatever. For an artist or composer to commit to making the comparison it puts them at risk of sounding more advanced or developed from a successful career standpoint than they are, yet it provides a reference point for the person asking the question to decide whether or not to give the music a listen, even if they don't outright say that.  I think if one dodges that question altogether it could ruin the chances of getting someone to listen so I always give a whack at it...even if it comes out as being borderline faux hipster like "it sounds like Sargent Pepper got Pet Sounds pregnant" or "it's like Jimmy Buffett meets Warren Buffett".  If you really have to give that one a straight answer I'd just say play the averages and be like...."Celine Dion" or "Guns and Roses"....or both!  Anyway, I guess it's human nature or force of habit to want to categorize things.  For an artist this serves as a benefit, if for no other reason, to know what direction to point potential long term listeners, your crowd, to find out how to access the music and possibly buy it or see a concert or both or neither, even if you don't outright say that.  There are no stupid questions.

www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic

The Beginning of the Endless Search For Oblivion continues

Back at it and will be recording at this time in 8 hours.  We have 4 of them today.  By now I know how fast 4 hours goes in the studio and I compare the feeling of when I'm done to when I was a kid and had to leave the video game arcade!  It's never been easier to press record than now and you don't need to have a crazy studio to get music done either.  Use good mics, cables, computers/recorders, headphones, instruments and do your best and don't expect to be blown away with the results.  It helps to work with someone who is a killer engineer and can play some instruments that you don't want to! I started writing this album when I got sick with a severe case of shingles around my right lung...kind of during the worst part, back in December 2010.  This was before I had even finished the 1st album, Guitar For Money, which would eventually come out this past June.  The original story behind this upcoming LP was inspired but kind of depressing!  As I got better I changed the story to meet how I was feeling as I improved and now it has taken on a comic book type, action-adventure which is exploratory, uncertain and fun yet holds some of the pain and frustration I was dealing with at that time.  I've really enjoyed the road back and with every new song I do I enjoy writing them more and more. It is a fun craft to try and improve at. For longer than you might think, I used to feel like I had to work on one song at a time.  I must admit over the years, I've written a ton of lousy songs and probably have done twice as many bad recordings.  These days I usually put unfinished songs aside for a few weeks or months and consider the changes I'd like to make as I work on new ones at the same time.  I get it right off the bat once in awhile and sometimes extra production is unnecessary if I get the right vibe and bang out the whole track in one session and it goes right to mastering and the finished record.  That happened with The Here and Now off of G4$...Tempting to overproduce but when you get what you want with the energy you have that session, it's very rewarding and cost effective...rare for me I have to say but becoming more common as I get more experience.  I've been practicing the guitar a lot and also bought the biggest pair of drumsticks I could find.  They are really bizarre looking but I can't wait to try em out.  I'll get some cardio work in this morning as it helps me sing better...Breathing is one of the most important aspects of living  and playing but one of the things I still have to remind myself to do.  I hope y'all breathe easy this weekend and thanks for tuning in.

Josh Leibowitz
www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic

Leibowitz Music Blog....Yep

Yeah,

I already write lots of things and work on a bunch of projects but it seems that a nice way to bring a lot of it to life beyond the material and performance itself--or what have you, is to share my thoughts and views on things that are of interest to me.  For the purpose of this page, it will largely focus on the music that I work with mainly because that is the most interesting aspect of my life.  Period.  I could talk about the business that I do and I'm sure I occasionally will as it does get interesting as some aspects of my work and play life overlap in funny ways.  This month has been interesting.  Equal parts work and play but I did get to record with a couple of new friends in person which is increasingly rare in my experience.  This took place in London and the results were really fantastic...the hospitality beyond welcome...and the efforts and fun factor was supreme as far as the making of the music.  That's the important thing about "play time".  When much of life revolves around stressful or potentially nauseating factors to most people I know, certainly myself it is important to get as much fun out of that free time as you can.  I think it comes through in the music.  This weekend, I'm heading back into Dae Dor Studios to work on the remainder of this album with Tony Livadas, the other half of the group and a huge part of the sound.  He mics, engineers and mixes EVERYTHING..Tony also plays bass, keyboards, sax and probably anything you could put in front of him...including guitar for upcoming live shows with our group and his other band..the wildly successful Brass Knuckles...He's in that band with Danny D'Brito, one of his very best friends who he also runs the studio with.  Just like those guys have been tight since childhood, so were Matt Stevens and Kev Feazey in London.  It's this kind of family element I really like to sense in where I work...or PLAY...and part of the positive vibe that keeps the spirit refreshed and able to create and move forward with all sorts of projects...no limits..keep an eye open for show announcements..if you want to see us live, please check out some of the music on ReverbNation and fan up and join the mailing list.

www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic

It's been hard for me to get gigs doing the original work in the right forum but I won't quit until it is done to my satisfaction, and yours.

If you want to hear the 1st album, Guitar For Money without waiting forever for a $12 digipak or poster to be shipped (I'll be selling these at shows) go check it out at:

www.leibowitz.bandcamp.com

You can even download it for charity at Ethikool Tunes!

http://ethikool.co.uk/artists/leibowitz

Here is info on where the proceeds go (and I'm looking for other responsible charities in the US and elsewhere to work with):

http://wrightsbridge.com/solutions/

The sole review of the album (need a lot more of these--I'm a big boy and can handle and appreciate any review):

http://zacharynathanson.blogspot.com/2011/04/josh-leibowitz-guitar-for-money.html

A really cool feature on the Rocktologist in August, with my name listed under one of my favorite artists (Thanks to The Rocktologist and for Nik at Ethikool Tunes for setting this up):

http://www.therocktologist.com/contents-august-2011.html

They used the Guitar For Money track on their main page for a few weeks which was a real treat for me. I hope it got people fired up for all the music we have in the pipeline.

Bye for now,

Management