Hi! We're The Grenadiers, otherwise known as Elly Barrett and Missy Jones, and we want to make an album.

We're starting small - a debut EP, with 5-6 original and traditional tracks featuring a cappella harmonies, fiddle and guitar. If we outstrip our initial funding goals (thanks to you awesome mob), then we'll set our sights higher and try to make a full album. Either way, by donating to our campaign you'll be helping to create something beautiful and new.

So... who are we again?

We only formed officially in November last year, but we've been floating around the festivals in eastern Australia since we were wee folkthings and found that we couldn't help but sing with each other. As festival urchins, we've grown up singing and playing a mixed bag of traditional songs and tunes from all sorts of centuries and cultures*. We also write original songs dressed up as folk music, full of tasty things like poignant observations and crunchy harmonies (and you don't have to trust our mothers on that one - we've been getting some awards and things for them too, so they must be a bit alright!).

Now, we don't get to sing together very often because we live in two very different bits of rural NSW, Australia. That's probably why you haven't seen us gigging about too much - if we just want to have a jam, it's about a 7 hour commute. However, when we do get together at festivals and things, all sorts of magic happens (or at least, people smile, coo and cry, and we occasionally get offered a gig), and we want to trap a little bit of that.

But... we need some help to do it!

We're both going to be in the same place in a couple of months - the British Isles. We're even going to be there, together, for several weeks in a row. And, we've been chatting with Andy Bell (UK, producer of several BBC2 Folk Award-winning albums) and Luke Plumb (Australia, formerly of Shooglenifty, and producer of the last couple of albums from Andy Irvine, The Mae Trio, and Ruth Hazleton and Kate Burke), who can help us with technical things like the actual recording.

That leaves finding the funds to pull it off. We're both students, and worse, folk musicians, so this is where you come in. If you can commit some money towards buying the EP/Album before it is made, it means we can make it in the first place! Then you'll get to enjoy it in your own loungeroom, other people will have the chance to buy it too (though they'll have to hunt it down in the outside world, poor fools), and we'll get the chance to make even more of the music that we love, for you. If you're feeling even more generous than this, then we've got some other awesome stuff to help thank you for your kindness.

We thank you for sparing the time to read this, and hope you have a little money to spare, too. Every bit helps - we're ever so grateful!

- Missy & Elly

Want to Know More?

You can read more about us on our website, The Grenadiers, or listen to some of our DIY bathroom and gig recordings on our Soundcloud page.

* That includes a lot of traditional folk music from England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia, but also other traditional music in languages like Macedonian, Hebrew, Yiddish, Swedish, Gaelic, Shanty and Diddling, acquired through various friendships and travels.

Initial Fundraising Target - $1200 - ACHIEVED!  - We've covered at least 3 days of recording for the EP, and a small pressing. The EP will be available in a limited run of physical CDs, and for purchase as a download. 

Second Fundraising Goal - $1500. If we meet this goal, we'll use the extra funds for another day in the studio.

Third Fundraising Goal - $2000. If we meet this goal, we'll use the extra funds to expand printing and distribution so we'll have more physical copies to sell at festivals and gigs, and it will be easier for other people to find our music.

Fourth Fundraising Goal - $3500. If we exceed our initial goal by a lot, we can use the extra-extra-extra funds to pay for more studio time and produce a full album (which means even more bang for your musical buck). We'll still use some of the extra funds to expand the print run so there can be more CDs available to distribute.

If we start heading into wildest dreams territory, then may be we can even do a small tour, get to some extra festivals, or help cover flights and fuel to get to these things. Heck, we could even make a film clip or something! We'll try not to think about it too much unless we start getting there - we're focussing on realistic and attainable goals for now.

In terms of timeframe, we'll do some recording in June 2017, some further recording/fixing/mastering in November 2017, with design work taking place between these two recording stints and production/printing after November. We are hoping to have the EP ready to release in January 2018, and mailouts of rewards by February 2018.

Our main problem is lack of funds. That's where you come in! You can pledge any amount now to help this EP happen. Remember, this an all or nothing thing - if we don't reach our target, you don't have to pay. But that also means it wouldn't happen at all. The easiest solution to this is lots of people donating a little bit - say, just 240 people giving $5 each. Well now we think of it, 240 people is actually quite a few, but the more friends you persuade to donate to this campaign, the easier it will be to reach!

We also have the problem that Elly and Missy have to be in the same place for at least a few days. Luckily, Elly is currently in the UK; Missy will be joining her there for about 4-6 weeks in May and June. The UK is also where Andy Bell is, very conveniently.

In terms of material to fill the EP with, we need 5-6 pieces; Missy has about half a dozen finished originals, Elly has about a dozen, and we have at least the same again of original arrangements of traditional folk songs. We've also already got permission from the copyright owners of the newer songs we want to cover. We're going to have a tough time deciding which tunes to record, but we'll be spoilt for choice (and hopefully you'll be spoiled by our choices!).

As for the actual recordings, we've already lined up producers/recording studios, but we're still working out specific dates. We haven't yet chosen how we're going to print and distribute the EP (or who we're going to do it through), but we've got a few months to weigh up our options on that front.

As for artwork and design, Missy is also an illustrator/designer (you can check out her work over at Redbubble and Instagram), and Elly has rather a bit of artistic skill herself, so we've got that aspect covered as well.

If you can think of any other key challenges we might've missed, please send us a message to tell us - we'd much rather know in advance and have time to solve the problems before they arise!