We did it. We made a full length "story album" that clocks in at 57 minutes or so. The story is called The Beginning Of The Endless Search For Oblivion and I'm really proud of it. It was NOT easy to make. I think part of the pressure was that it had a format and structure throughout that hour long period that needed fierce attention or run the risk of being a weak link in a nice looking chain. Now in the making of this album, or maybe even before, it dawned on me how dead the album format itself seems and how individual works seem much more practical for many reasons in the current day. This is convenient as the next record I was planning was consisting of a bunch of songs anyway. Now, instead of pressuring myself, locked into the need to put 12+ songs together, I can just release all sorts of different things periodically as they get finished. I never run out of ideas and at this point couldn't imagine stopping recording and creating...There is now enough material in the bucket to play a 2 hour + rock show of all original music. By the time a few new songs are recorded, some songs would have to be dropped in order to make it in time. Anyway, there's been no urgency in booking the band so I'm still sorting out who will play what in a live scenario and will continue to rehearse with whoever's around....on Wednesday nights. Have been offered some cool playing opportunities where I can do original music only, which is my deal. More on that to come. It will be original Carribean flavored music played on classical guitar. Another project I have planned includes mainly drumming and singing. By the way, don't get it twisted, there will be more albums that I will do, but while the state of music consumption is in such flux, best to stay loose, certainly as a drummer! Leibowitz will be featured in next month's Rocktologist with an interview Tony and I did last week and some other stuff. Aside from that, the record will be played in its entirety, by a soon to be named DJ at a soon to be announced time. The album will be available in a week or so and will be available at www.leibowitz.bandcamp.com . You can check out Guitar For Money, our 1st LP while you're there. For even more news and clips, or to just become a supporter by being a "fan" you can visit www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic . Thank you so much for your support and friendship.
Leibowitz
Showing posts with label Guitar For Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guitar For Money. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2012
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)