Geraldine Quinn

It's pretty amazing that after five independent rock cabaret albums, two successful crowdfunds, over 30 festival productions and about the same amount of award noms/wins, I have never been able to get an album recorded for sale before I performed the show. I know! Crazy...So when I came reeling out of 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, wih a full band 10 year anniversary show under my belt, but seemingly little time to pull a June 2016 Melbourne Cabaret Festival show out of my proverbials, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, once 'Fox Poncing' was written, it felt like a good little show!

The season, however, was only for three nights. And then *BOOM* it was over...I mean, check out this sexy image by Theresa Harrison. Three nights? Outrageous!

Incidentally - you may see the 100% funded sign (in 4 or 5 days?! Amazing) and say "oh well, she's rolling in it now, I don't need to pledge" - far from it. I still need you. Not only is this  the fastest way to hear the new album, but the estimated total cost of the recording is about ***$5400****, and more then 50% of that cost is musicians' fees. That's right, $2500 or so is what I need to pay Sonja, Tristan and Mark to go to the studio in the first place, so if you're into artists being paid for their work, there is no more meta way to do show it than by pledging to an unpaid artist (me - all the Pozible money's going to services, not to me) to pay other artists for their work. 

Here's a fun fact - do you know where artists generally sell the most merchandise? STRAIGHT AFTER THE GIG! This is good news for you, potential crowdfund supporter, for as far as timeline goes, it mean the CD must get pressed before 30 March 2017 when I open the show in MICF! I have the postage and stationery ready to go. If I can make target, you could have it in your hands within weeks. WEEKS, I tells ya! 

Perhaps I am a raving lunatic, but I have decided to do Melbourne International Comedy Festival with the same three piece band, and give 'Fox Poncing' one more airing because I was so, so happy with the way it turned out. A show about being a songwriter, almost. A show that really skewered and loved music and musicians. Some cracking songs too!  You see, it breaks my heart that I can no longer tour; all I can do is try to get the songs recorded and available. And make cheap, ridiculous yet entertaining clips for them, and hope someone notices and says "We like that old woman. Let's hire her for something".

After all, 2016 ended being my own annus horribilis (careful!). Basically 2016 took David Bowie and then said "BTW, Quinn, I'm not done with you...". Oh, for those of you who follow my Instagram and noticed the unfolding of end-December, here's a picture of a box of soggy 'The Last Gig In Melbourne' cds that were in my hallway when that flood hit: 

Mmm....wet CDs. And here is the ruined box of 'MDMA' CDs next to my muddy feet:

Fun fact, 'MDMA: Modern Day Maiden Aunt' is now officially my rarest CD, with only about 40 left post-flood, so get amongst it, collectors!

So given what an arse 2016 was being overall, I was delighted that 'Fox Poncing' ended up pretty great! And I was not a little sad that I had no plans to do it again. But - bands need to be paid. Live shows are expensive. 

I have never been in a position to record the CD before a season of the show, but WITH YOUR HELP, I may be, which would be a huge bonus for its sales. You can think of this project like a pre-order - it's just helping me get into the studio with confidence. Think of it, if only 100 people pre-ordered the album, I'd reach target. Easily! And I've been airing a few of the songs from this album at various gigs for a little while and they are corkers: 'Slightly Threatening Older Female' about the kind of chick in the audience who refuses to respond to your performance b/c she's paranoid about her boyfriend; 'I Live For Music Theatre!' which combines every irritatingly OTT music theatre graduate with a broad US accent and lewd suggestions about Stephen Sondheim (so filthy...that one sorely needs a film clip); 'Earnest', my take on wistful new folk indie musicians, aka the majority of the Triple JJJ playlist; 'Too Close To Home' which...well that one is a serious one about how Australia has a terrible track record for supporting its own artists. 'You Love It', my farewell song. And of course, 'Love Songs', an Elvis Costello-esque pop trash lamenting how easy it is for pop song writers to get away with terrible, terrible lyrics. It's a catchy, fun bunch of songs, I'm really proud. 

I hope you will be interested in the project, and thank you for reading this far, you hot tomato.

Here are the costs breakdown, so you can see I am only asking for a little helping hand, not the whole cost:

 - studio at $85 (plus GST) per hour for about 20 hours = $1870

- musicians x 3 at $70 per hour for 12 hours = $2520

 - 250 CD Replication including glass mastering w. offset print on disc. Assembled into 4 panel CD Gatefold wallet = $1017.50

So about $5400. This doesn't include mixing, or rehearsal space hire, by the way, that could be another bite on the bum. But the idea is to get rehearsed up, set up the band in the room, and record it pretty much live to save time. I may have to take it elsewhere to do a tonne of vocals...oh man...one song has so many vocals....but if we get it done quickly, that's less expense! 

Also - two songs are already in the can! So we only need to get 5-6 more down and POW - album!

I don't think I need to pay for graphic design, I'm pretty handy and Theresa Harrison's photography is amazing. So that is a saving of maybe a grand. See, I'm thrifty!

$2k will at least get the studio guy paid quickly. If I do better than that, fantastic! Brilliant! God willing I do! I've worked with the musicians for so many years, and they deserve more, but I've always fought very hard to pay musicians (last tax year I spent $16,000 on paying other performers) and I sure don't want to keep them waiting for too long. I try hard not to ask favours of them, but they do treat me very well considering the amount of very different jobs I have for them...so doing well in this venture is good for the musos! The money's going straight to them.

Hey you know the story here - independent arts is the hardest. Without online content (for me, this is music videos), it's hard to get people to the live shows, and without the songs recorded (ahem - six years to get 'The Last Gig' recorded) you can't plan a music video. 

But getting 'Fox Poncing' recorded live/fast in the studio, much as Casey Bennetto did recently with the magnificent 'A Swingin' Bella Christmas' CD, will be efficient, cost-effective and - let's face it - REALLY scary. But it might mean I can shift some units at the MICF show, and that's important. 

Again, I plan is to do more stellar work with Evan Munro-Smith at Stupid Old Studios. Evan has worked with me a lot over the years to make impressive-looking music videos and promos on SFA budget, and I have already drawn up a storyboard for the music video to 'Earnest' (which is recorded). He's currently editing a new clip and a promo for my 80s Apocalypse show now, so as soon as they are up, I'll pop in a link. So good...

So he's terrific. And he's also independent. 

I am gonna get that falcon in a clip one day though...one day....*gazes into middle distance*