Zubatto Syndicate

A few months back, I had a meeting with a program manager for the City about funding for the Zubatto Syndicate recording project. She pointed to a line in my budget where I had projected income of $3000 from micro-patronage through the Kickstarter website.

"Is that confirmed?" she asked.

"No, I'm going to start the campaign in July," I replied.

"Because that's a healthy chunk of change," she stated.

It was a healthy prediction, to be sure, and it accounted for a full quarter of my projected income for the project. I explained that for my last CD, I raised $2000 on my own and was basing the number on the notion that I would do slightly better this time. I didn't really have any reason to expect people to sign up again this time around or even more people, but I was optimistic.

Fast forward a few weeks to July, and the beginning of the Zubatto Syndicate Kickstarter campaign. Looking at all of the info, I decided to double down and go for $4000. Twice what I raised for "Four-Color Heroes!" If the Zubatto record was going to happen, it was probably going to cost twice as much to make. So everything needed to double. It would be a good early indicator of support and interest, in any case. Raise $4000, this makes sense. Come up short, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all.

This morning, the Kickstarter campaign successfully concluded with a grand total of $5240 raised through 92 backers. We hit that $4000 goal after less than 2 weeks. I have been completely floored by the response from friends, family, casual internet acquaintances and maybe even a fan or two. it's been an amazing 45 days and I am grateful to everyone who has signed up to support the project.

Thanks to Twitter and Facebook, many of the contributors are friends from former jobs, from college, from first college, from latest college, even a bunch from High School. That people who have known me for 30-something years are willing to throw in their hard-earned money to support my music is unbelievable and I am thankful and humbled. Same goes with the people who have known me for only a few months thanks to my Twitter ramblings, and everyone in between.

To say this was a success would be an understatement. I still need to figure out where the rest of the money is going to come from, but after the positive response to the Kickstarter campaign, I know that this project is going to work (knock wood) and that we're going to make a record that you will really enjoy.

If you weren't able to jump on for the Kickstarter campaign or you are waiting for a future opportunity to support the band, never fear! There will be a chance to pre-order the record and other good stuff early next year. I know that the micro-funding thing isn't everyone's bag and some folks just want to purchase these things the old-fashioned way. You'll have a chance!

So onward and upward. There will be updates from the studio, progress reports, previews and the like along the way, but things will a little quieter for the time being. We are off and running!

Thanks everyone!

We're down to the last 5 Days of the Kickstarter campaign. The outpouring of support has been completely unbelievable, and I am grateful to everyone who has pledged so far.

I've been so ensconced in fundraising, scheduling rehearsals and getting ready to go into the studio that I almost forgot that my birthday is coming up on Saturday, August 28.

Math says that I'll be 38 this year, which can't be right, but we'll go with it. We just reached 61 donors in the campaign, and nothing would make me happier than to get 100 people signed up before this thing is over.

If 38 people sign up at any level (even $1) by the end of my 38th birthday on Saturday, that will get us to 99 donors. That will leave a couple of days to find one last 100th contributor to the Great Zubatto Syndicate Capitol Campaign.

So, can we do it? Can we find 38 contributors to kick in $1 or more to the campaign in the next 60 hours and help me celebrate this birthday by sharing my music with 99 people?

I think we can, but I need your help. If you haven't pledged to the campaign, please watch the video and consider signing up, even for $1. If you already have pledged, thank you! Do you know anyone who might enjoy supporting eclectic, independent music? Please send them a link to the Kickstarter video (and let them know it's my birthday).

And any reason to post this:

Only 10 Days left to contribute to the very first Zubatto Syndicate record! If you haven't pledged, please consider it - we really do need your help! Even though we've met our goal on Kickstarter we do not have enough money to make a record. Not even close.

If you are thinking of buying the CD or LP eventually, this is the best way to do it. Plus, you'll get access to exclusive content and updates. Every dollar helps!

Title updated, thanks to Brad Gibson.

I've been extolling the fun and addictive side of Kickstarter since launching the Zubatto Syndicate project a few weeks ago. There are just so many cool projects out there worth backing, and it feels good to help something get off the ground, even to the tune of a few dollars.

This is a tiny list of projects that caught my eye or landed in my twitter feed. I highly recommend spending some time browsing around Kickstarter and seeing all of the creativity unleashed there. It is truly inspiring and these projects really need your help.

Here, in no particular order, are some of the projects that I've found and backed over the last couple of weeks.

I'm a huge fan of the comics of Julia Wertz. I actually already own Fart Party volume 1, but it is such a shame that it is no longer in print, that I had to support this project to do a new print run. Get yourself a copy. They go for, like, a million dollars used on Amazon.

As a not-so-reformed metal head, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Quiet Riot. This project is sponsored by the drummer, Frankie Banali, who has some amazing archival footage of the band through the years. I'd love to see the finished product! Plus, they do exclusive video updates EVERY DAY. That's value.

Songs about science and praising the merits of super-scientists of all different fields? Yes, please. This is one of those projects that is just begging for help. This record needs to be made - will somebody please think about the children?

Obviously, this guy doesn't need any help from me to promote his project, because Holy Frijoles. I don't know what kind of Magic Pixie Dust he's sprinkling on his project, but I would like some, please.

It's too late to back rock group Aloud, but you can still check out their new record Exile when it is finished. I've had a sneak preview and these guys rock. I actually "met" the band through Twitter while we were both pushing our Kickstarter projects, and we supported each other. That's easily the best part of Kickstarter - the mutual support and respect it engenders among the project artists.

It's still not too late to be a hero and support this one too:

With just over two weeks left in our Kickstarter campaign, we're down to the wire with fundraising for the new Zubatto Syndicate record, and we're pulling out all of the stops. Every contribution helps and we need every dollar we can raise. You can read more about the case for contributing here or head on over to view the video on Kickstarter.

It may seem less urgent to give now that we've hit our initial goal, but it is actually critical that we continue to raise money in these last few days. Even one contribution a day will make a big difference. So this week, I'm looking for heroes!

I'll be highlighting one lucky contributor (with that person's permission of course) on this blog every day this week - who they are, how they know me or Zubatto, and the fabulous reward package they've signed up for.

Zubatto Syndicate needs one hero a day this week - could it be you? Yes, it could. Please sign up, get your name in for a copy of the CD or LP and help us make this record happen!

Update! Monday's hero is Jen from Oregon. She signed up for The Fashionable Zubatto (CD version) and will get a signed copy of the CD (with her name in the liner notes), plus a Zubatto Syndicate t-shirt!

I still can't believe we hit our funding goal in under 2 weeks. That's truly astonishing, and I'm grateful to everyone who has pledged so far for helping us hit this milestone. I wish I could say that I was done trying to raise money, but we have 3 weeks left in our campaign and we need every dollar we can raise. Here are seven good reason why you should still contribute money, even though we've hit the stated goal.

1. The Goal was a minimum to get things rolling. They call it Kickstarter for a reason. In the same way that ArtistTrust's GAP Grant is designed to help artists with a gap in funding, Kickstarter is a great way to raise money to start a project. The truth is that this recording project will cost as much as 3-4 times our funding goal. In setting a goal, I picked a number that I felt would get us into the recording studio for the minimum number of days we need, and that was actually attainable. I raised about half that amount for "Four-Color Heroes!" and this project is going to be at least twice as complex and expensive as that ended up being.

2. The more we raise this way, the less we need to work on raising money. We're actively pursuing other sources of funding, but every dollar we raise this way is one less dollar we have to find somewhere else. Contrary to what the last two weeks of blog entries might suggest, I don't love raising money. I would much rather be practicing, finishing the last of the charts, or maybe even enjoying the last of the summer than writing grants, selling old equipment, or whatever else I can think of to raise cash.

3. This is the best way to pre-order the record. For us. If you're interested in hearing the final product when it is released, this is the way to pre-order it that most directly helps and benefits the people making the music. Some day soon, physical releases of CDs and vinyl will either go away or be strictly limited to advanced demand. In the meantime, making physical music objects is expensive and time-consuming and the costs are almost never recouped, whether you're a singer-songwriter doing a solo record or a multi-million dollar recording artist. In business terms, by pre-ordering the CD or LP via a Kickstarter pledge you are contributing directly against the costs of production. By ordering it after the fact, you are helping to recoup the losses (by ordering it from Amazon.com, you'll be increasing those losses, but that's a post for another day). This may seem like a small distinction, but it makes a huge difference in an operation as small as this one. Your dollars go directly towards making the project happen - that's money that doesn't need to come from somewhere else to get the CDs and LPs out of the door (like food or rent). Once the money is spent, it's never coming back.

4. This is the best way to pre-order the record. For you. Not only is Kickstarter the best way to support my work, this group, and our music, but by making a pledge, you get lots of extra stuff that you won't get by buying the record when it comes out. The CDs and LPs you get from your pledge will be signed, you'll get a download along with the physical product, your name will be in the liner notes, AND you'll be privy to tons of exclusive updates on Kickstarter, including pictures, videos and audio previews during the making of the record. I'm committed to making the Kickstarter exclusive backer updates a true "fly on the wall" experience, so that you see how your dollars are being spent, every step of the way and that you get the best return on your investment. It's also going to be a lot of fun!

5. This project employs people and supports local businesses. It's easy to think of the arts as non-essential, especially during tough economic times, but for everyone in this band, it's a legitimate livelihood. By the time you get a CD or LP in your hands, this project will have employed 12 musicians, one recording engineer, one graphic designer, one cover artist, and one mastering engineer. It will also have given much-needed business to a local CD replication business, a vinyl pressing plant, a recording studio, a printing business, at least one music club, plus any number of lunch and dinner establishments. Oh, and lots of coffee shops. So your dollar goes right back into the community.

6. Supporting local and independent music feels good. Even if Zubatto Syndicate isn't your favorite band (yet), I guarantee that you will feel like you've done a good thing, even if you contribute a single dollar to the campaign. Since I was first introduced to the idea of micro-financing a record (by my friends in Maktub), I've really enjoyed supporting all kinds of new music, not just stuff that falls inside of my niche. And the more musicians and fans I meet as a result, the more I realize I'm not the only one. Browsing around Kickstarter is addictive and fun, because it feels good to help. You are actually making a difference by pledging to help. It won't make any difference at all to The Rolling Stones if you buy their record or not. But support us or any project on Kickstarter, and you will be helping us directly. Plus, support is contagious and gives back. I try to contribute to as many of my friends' projects as I am able, not only in hopes that they will support mine, but also because I appreciate how much they truly need my help.

7. Even the smallest contribution helps. That's what makes micro-financing and the power of the internet so amazing for small, independent artists (and businesses of all stripes). It transforms the smallest of contributions. Even though I've been saying otherwise since this started, you might still be reluctant to give only a dollar or two, thinking it isn't enough. But if this project had a dollar from everyone who though that, it would add up pretty quickly I think. Between a few hundred people on my mailing list, several hundred friends and fans on Facebook and a couple hundred on Twitter, so far 50 people have chosen to give money to the project. If everyone else (plus everyone who retweeted the link to this blog on Twitter) just threw in a dollar, that would be huge.

8. This is the future. Just like jet packs and flying cars, crowd-sourcing or micro-patronage or whatever you want to call it is the way things are heading. Whether it's through platforms like Kickstarter, ArtistShare, Pledge Music, or directly from the artist, this is the way that records are going to be made for the foreseeable future. Even the big labels are getting in on it. Records are expensive to make and label money is drying up. If you want to see the music that you listen to produced for purchase, it is going to become more and more necessary to put your money into it ahead of time. So this is great practice!

Please consider signing up today! Visit our Kickstarter page and watch the video. Exclusive updates start in September!

This week, I'm taking a page from PBS and NPR to highlight the rewards available from the Zubatto Syndicate Kickstarter Campaign. Each entry will look at a different reward. If you can't stand the suspense, head to the Kickstarter page and check them all out! Also, like PBS and NPR, if you find the fund-raising to be truly annoying, there's a really easy (and satisfyingly generous) way to make it stop.

House Party! Woo!

Sorry, some things are automatic. If you love house parties (and who doesn't) and live music, what could be better than a party at your (or a friend's) house featuring a loud, electric 12-piece band?

And for a pledge of $2000, that's exactly what you get. Zubatto Syndicate will come to your house or a location of your choice* and play a full CD Release concert for you and whomever else you wish to invite. Please invite some people, though - it's no fun outnumbering your audience!

Now, I don't really expect someone to plunk down $2000 all by themselves for the thrill of having us crowd into their living room and angering the neighbors. But there are a lot of ways to divide $2000. If you know some other folks who are interested in pledging, or can find some, maybe you might all go in together and throw a big party together in the Spring. Make a thing out of it.

You'll get to do something very unique and special, and you'll be helping us buy a whole lot of recording time.

House Party!

* The performance has to be within the greater Seattle area, unless you want to spring for airfare and accommodations for 12. Also, the performance will be held on a date that is mutually agreed upon, after the release of the record.

This week, I'm taking a page from PBS and NPR to highlight the rewards available from the Zubatto Syndicate Kickstarter Campaign. Each entry will look at a different reward. If you can't stand the suspense, head to the Kickstarter page and check them all out! Also, like PBS and NPR, if you find the fund-raising to be truly annoying, there's a really easy (and satisfyingly generous) way to make it stop.

Ah, the Executive Producer. Is there a more legendary or envied figure in the whole world of entertainment? Cool shades, fancy lunch meetings, limo rides. What would you give to be an Executive Producer, even for one day?

What if I told you that it could be surprisingly affordable? And that you could be an Executive Producer for a couple of months? Will this blog post be all questions?

For $250 or more, you can be an Executive Producer on the new Zubatto Syndicate record, with a special credit on the record itself. $250 gets you Executive Producer credit, along with a copy of the CD (signed), a download of the record and a t-shirt. $275 gets you the same, only with a copy of the record on vinyl, instead of the CD.

For $500, you can truly live the dream: you'll get the the Executive Producer credit and access: you'll get to visit the recording studio for a day and watch us make a record! You can hang out in the booth, party with the woodwind section, and even share your thoughts and feedback on what you hear (you're an influential entertainment mogul, after all). At the end of the day, you can sit with me and the engineer and listen to some takes and mixes and see how everything is coming together.

If you've always wanted to be an Industry bigwig, here's your chance. Make your pledge today!

(Sunglasses not included)

This week, I'm taking a page from PBS and NPR to highlight the rewards available from the Zubatto Syndicate Kickstarter Campaign. Each entry will look at a different reward. If you can't stand the suspense, head to the Kickstarter page and check them all out! Also, like PBS and NPR, if you find the fund-raising to be truly annoying, there's a really easy (and satisfyingly generous) way to make it stop.

What deal isn't made that much sweeter by the inclusion of a t-shirt? The correct answer is "none." T-shirts make everything cooler.

Especially when they are stylish Zubatto Syndicate t-shirts, designed by Glyph Graphics and printed on high-quality American Apparel tees. You may have seen photos of the Zubatto t-shirts in action in my recent blog entry about them, and now you can get one of your very own. This run will be printed to order and I don't know how many more we'll do or when that might happen. So get your name in for one today!

A pledge of $50 gets you a CD and download of the record plus a t-shirt. $75 gets you vinyl and download plus a t-shirt. Need one of everything? $100 will get you the CD, the vinyl and the t-shirt. Your name will be in the liner notes as well, plus all of the exclusive Kickstarter updates, videos, content and goodies.

See how it all seems that much cooler because of the t-shirt?

This week, I'm taking a page from PBS and NPR to highlight the rewards available from the Zubatto Syndicate Kickstarter Campaign. Each entry will look at a different reward. If you can't stand the suspense, head to the Kickstarter page and check them all out! Also, like PBS and NPR, if you find the fund-raising to be truly annoying, there's a really easy (and satisfyingly generous) way to make it stop.

If you know you like the music of Zubatto Syndicate, and you want to be the first on the block with a copy of the new record (either on CD or limited edition vinyl) in your hands, then the $20 and $40 packages are for you. For $20, you'll get a signed copy of the CD (along with your name in the liner notes) plus a download of the whole thing for good measure. For $40, it's the same deal, but you get the record on, well, a record.

I love the combo of vinyl and download - for me, it perfectly covers my ideal listening habits. I've got the physical copy to peruse and throw on the player. Plus I've got a high-quality download for my iPod and for my hard-drive, in case something happens to the record or I decide to free up some shelf space.

Going into the Kickstarter campaign, I knew that these options would be the most popular - I hoped this would be the case as well, as I talked about last week - so I wanted to price them in way that was fair and enticing, and would also support the project. I understand if $20 looks high for a CD, but I think it's a fair value that also gets us closer to actually being able to make this thing happen. Plus you get your name in the liner notes, and all of the updates and exclusive content we'll be posting on Kickstarter along the way.

Head on over and pledge to get a CD or LP when they are released!