"Mountains/Forests" #2 record of 2011 by Americana UK! Clouds upcoming UK tour!
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Hey all -
It' s been a bit too long since we updated this post, which is most of all our fault. I guess it's all our fault. Sometimes this happens when we're really busy, however, and especially when we are working on new stuff. We're going to paste our most recent band-blogletter below, but in a nutshell JT and Alli just returned from the UK, they have a wonderful batch of tunes for their new record which we are working on now, the Clouds have an upcoming UK tour, AND the Clouds are working on OUR batch of new tunes which we hope to be recording in the Fall. We've been busy and we're going to be busy.
And here is the detailed explanation:
Family, Dear-friends, quasi-dear friends, estranged family!
We begin this very pregnified letter with a call to action -- As many of you know, JT and Alli have gone into the studio to record their first offical duo album, Birds of Chicago.
We hope to build on all the excitement and rave reviews garnered by the most recent JT Nero album, mountains/forests (more on those raves later) which, of course, featured Alli and the Clouds, but still, mysteriously, came out as a JT "solo" album.
As it turns out -- and several albums in, somehow this is still a horrible surprise to us -- albums cost money to make. JT and Allli recently applied to and were accepted by Kickstarter, the absolutely fantastic website for grass roots arts fundraising.A brief explanation of what we mean by “grass-roots” fundraising. Let’s look at two old models for bands to make money:
A.) Band has money saved, most likely borrows more money with interest, makes an album, sells album to fans at shows andpays loan back and replenishes their bank account.
B.) Band is “lucky” to get signed to a label. The label fronts money for a record. The band then goes out on the road, sells those cd’s, and almost all CD profits go back to label.
And now we have Kickstarter. The new model. You – all of you – are the people who have supported us for the last 9 years, for our entire career. You’re the people who have repaid our loans (many of you have actually loaned us money AND helped us repay the loan.) So now, with a great little idea like Kickstarter, our fans get to be our record label. The fans – the people who really care about the band to begin with – get to donate whatever they like (and, of course, receive compensation for their donation…more on that to follow.)
As I write this, we are two days into a 30 day campaign to raise $15,000 towards the production of Birds of Chicago (It'll actually end up costing a little more than $20,000 to make, but we try not to dwell on that).
Click HERE for a link to our fundraiser page.As you will see, there is a tiered system of pledges, starting at ten dollars. You can actually donate as little as one dollar - but at ten bucks you qualify for the first tier of compensation - an advance digital download of the album. As you move up the ladder, the rewards get juicier and more plentiful.
If everyone on our beloved mailing list gave ten, we'd be well over our goal. So, while we want to emphasize that no donation is too small and every little bit helps, we also want to remind you that if you are a Big Dawg contributor, it is certainly ok to feel superior to those who gave less.
Right now, only two days in, we've got over $6,000 pledged... a damned fine start. In all honesty, it’s some “It’s A Wonderful Life” type shit. Seeing all our friends, family, and fans from around the world chip in is…heartwearming Zuzu’s petals. It is important to note that if we break through the ceiling of our 15,000 and raise more, we will put that money to work for this album, too. We will NOT use the extra funds to pay for our traditional album-wrap celebration party at Medieval Times. It was shitty of you to even think that was a possibility.
So thank you, thank you, thank you all, in advance for helping us get this music out into the world - we are incredibly excited about this batch of songs, and deeply indebted to all of you for making it happen.
What else?
As we mentioned mountains/forestswas showered with praise from around the globe - and nothing feels better than global praise.Americana UK just bestowed it the number 2 slot in their 2011 top ten list, right behind another "little-band-that-could" from Chicago, Wilco. And if you haven't seen it yet, please check out the Sun-Times' article about JT and Alli (our hometown press continues to be extraordinarily kind.)
JT and Alli will be on the road all feb in march, highllghted by Folk Alliance in Memphis, SXSW, and a first appearance at the historic songwriters' haven in Nashville, the bluebird cafe.
And what, you ask -- we really hope you ask - are the Clouds up to? Numerous things. The Clouds have a return trip to the UK booked in March and April (those dates will be up on our site soon.) Also - nation-building of course - there are simply too many babies in the Cloud family now to count. Well I suppose we could count them, but it would be exhausting. Aside from the UK tour, however, we’re working on the new Clouds record. All the sensitive plucking and strumming that has been done in the service of jtand alli's rustic dreamtopia has left all clouds, even JT, hungry to make a lean, take no prisoners rock and roll record -- and that's exactly what we''ll be doing in March and early April. So, you may be starved for a bit for a proper Clouds show, but when we re-emerge, it will be with some vicious new tunes to play you...
We're copying the closest upcoming dates below (Toledoans! JT and Alli will be at the Ark in Ann Arbor this week!), but look for all the upcoming dates up on www.jtandtheclouds.com or www.jtandalli.com, or, as always, check in with us on facebook. Many Blessings upon you all -- love,
the Clouds
2:34pm | posted by The Clouds
Labels: JT Nero and Allison Russell, JT and the Clouds, Kickstarter
SUNDAY DECEMBER 5
New Video for "Trampoline" (acstc. version) - off upcoming Nero/Russell album
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4:24pm | posted by The Clouds
FRIDAY AUGUST 6
Chicago Tribune's preview of our upcoming Schubas date with Matt the Elecrician
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The Trbune was more than kind about our upcoming show with Matt the Electrician at Schubas, next Wednesday, Aug. 17th. It's our last gig in Chicago until Fall. Let's be together in the Summer of 2011, one last time.
1:08am | posted by The Clouds
SUNDAY JUNE 6
Newsletter - 6/5/11. JT and Alli off to the Netherlands tomorrow!
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Friends!
The year of the Koala, 2011, is halfway through and we’ve hardly spoken over email! Shame on us.
The truth, however, is that we’ve been extremely busy. We can’t remember if we told you that Americana, UK rated “Caledonia” as one of the top ten albums of 2010. They did. And they’re great for doing so. In any case, since we last spoke we completed our first headlining tour of the UK, and it was all we could have hoped for and more. Can’t wait to get back. In about two weeks, JT and Alli on Tuesday are taking off to do a short tour of the Netherlands – check for those dates on our website.
But most urgently – the summer is here. We just played three shows in New Mexico last weekend (we love NM), we played a show in Madison for the Frequency’s birthday last night, and after the Netherlands tour we are going to spend some MUCH needed time around home. Chicago – we’re coming back to you with open arms, and no pants. Washington Island, Fishstock, Door County, Madison – we’re coming.
This summer we’re playing a number of street fests in Chicago. We’re playing Taste of Chicago on July 2nd . (download the Taste of Chicago "app" if you plan on going.) We’re playing the Windy City Ribfest on July 16th– Rusted Root will be headlining that night. I know that all of you, just like most of JT and the Clouds, lost your virginity to the first half of Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way,” so let’s get together for a Clouds show, and then we’ll come out there in the crowd and we can re-live those exciting, confusing moments together. Let’s pick each other up with our golden hands. I’m 80% sure that’s what he says.
In addition to everything mentioned above, we’ve got two great club shows in Chicago this summer, and we were honored to be invited to some great summer festivals in California and Oregon. In addition, we'll be playing two important club dates in Chicago - we'll get you specific info on those dates next month.
All of these dates are on our website:www.jtandtheclouds.com
. If you haven’t picked up the JT Nero release “mountains/forests,” you’re totally insane. Do that on the website. We’ll check back in with you before our late summer dates.In earnest,
The Clouds
3:34pm | posted by The Clouds
Labels: Allison Russell, Po' Girl, JT Nero, Windy City Ribfest, Taste of Chicago, Americana, UK
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 16
"Caledonia" named "top ten of 2010" by Americana, UK
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The UK Tour has commenced! Check the gigs tab for show dates. And on the day we left, we received this bit of good news to send us on our way:
Americana, UK, the UK online music journal dedicated to the full spectrum of Americana music , just listed "Caledonia" as one of the top 10 albums of 2010. This is a really great honor, and we intend to pay it back over the next couple weeks. Thanks to Americana, UK for doing what they do.
http://www.americana-uk.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=504&Itemid=266
2:23pm | posted by The Clouds