Thursday, January 27, 2011

A sign.

And then I find out things have changed for my gal in NYC, and my sublet won't be available until June/July. A couple of weeks ago this news would have been a real bummer, but instead it's just right for all concerned. Funny how this weird old world works. Oh yeah, and my remix, which had been a little held up, will now be going ahead on Tuesday, thanks to my very accommodating engineer Mike. Wicked. Everything is cool. This I like.

Following my gut.

Oh God, here we go again. I've changed my plans. Over the last little bit, despite having sorted a sublet in New York, I've had a nagging feeling that I might be missing a trick by blindly going to New York without a plan. Or at least by blinkering my true desires and pretending it would be ace to go and further my advertising career in the big smoke. Advertising is a good job for a creative person. No doubt. But it is not my number one creative passion. For me to go to one of the biggest, toughest cities in the world in terms of career competitiveness, and to enter the advertising industry there, would require an unswerving commitment to excelling at that job. Which is fine. Except, what happens to the music? So maybe the plan is to go to New York and pursue music. But that's dumb too, because I have only just started to build a decent base of helpful contacts in Sydney. Anyway, having searched my soul, I have reached the conclusion that now is not the time to be packing up and leaving. It's the time to be committing to my real dream, putting some money into the music project and giving it a decent go. So where does that leave New York? Well, I see two possibilities: 1. If things go well with the first stage of my music plan, I can go there to work with one of the next tier of producers I have my eye on. 2. If things don't take off with the music, I can put the music to bed, and go to New York to work like a demon on being the best little copywriter I can be. Or something else entirely may happen, as it often does. I know there will be some disappointed people in NYC who I promised I was coming to see. And naturally I'm kind of disappointed too that in three months' time when I get on the plane to Hawaii, I'll be going on holiday rather than taking the first step in an enormous new adventure. But then again you never know. Right now I'm following my gut. There's just no telling where that may take me.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I have a sublet and a website.

Now all I need is a job. Yes, you'll notice I have now banished all doubt as to going or not going to NYC. It's frickin' happening, and I have a place to live to prove it. Said sublet is in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and will be mine for the first month I'm in New York. Awesome. That gives me a base from which to work my shit out. I am significantly excited. In other news, my website is now up and running, although every time I go to look at the portfolio bit of it, and imagine a New York Creative Director sizing me up based on it, I freak out and see things I need to change. It's okay. I'm getting there. High fives to Niccola for doing the hard yards on that one. I have also been busy trying to finalise things with my track, and arrange a photographer to do some photos for me. So far my favourite guy isn't answering my emails, but there's every chance he's just out surfing. I will hit him up again. The track needs a little remixing and then mastering as planned. Everything always takes a little longer than you expect with these things, but that's all cool. You will also be pleased to hear I have kicked my Christmas chocolate habit, and have been doing all sorts of awesome exercise - including swimming lengths, running, biking and my beloved yoga. And did I mention my little brother became a father for the very first time about two weeks ago? Welcome to (the totally cool and cute) Alexander David Falloon. Do I sound scattered? I kind of am. In a good way. There's a lot to get done. So what next? Well, as I started perusing Hawaiian hotels, and totting up the next round of flights, computers, slick cabin luggage and wedding presents I will need to purchase, it occurred to me some more dollops of cash wouldn't go astray. So this weekend I will be looking at ways to liquify my possessions - starting by going through all the designer threads I have hanging around not getting worn, and prepping them for a nice little market stall. The small stuff happens first. The fridges and flat screens will happen later. Oh yeah, and if anyone needs any copy written, I'm your gal.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A change of plan?

This is vaguely unnerving. I was going to say I don't like it when this happens, but that's not strictly true. What am I talking about? Well, I have a feeling that the terrain might be changing around me, and I may need to alter my map. The thought of changing my course so early in the journey is making me feel a little uneasy. But sometimes it can be more fun to ride a magic carpet, than stick to the train tracks. Shall I start making sense? Okay. After spending a day recording earlier this week, I realised, as I always do when I get into the studio, that it's a place I need to spend a lot more time. If I'm truly serious about getting my music project happening (which I truly am), I need to put my money where my mouth is and do the necessary things involved. The trouble is, just about all of these things actually literally require significant chunks of cash. Not unattainable quantities, but cash nonetheless. Now, because I've been saving for my big overseas adventure for the last little while, I am actually starting to get some dollars together. So what's the problem? It's a question of funds allocation. I could spend the money, as planned, on traveling to the states. I have wanted to live in New York for ages now. It's something I need to do. But for New York, I don't really have a plan. In a way, that's all part of the appeal - flick my job, pack my bags and go and see where the adventure takes me. And that's still a great idea. But what if, let's just say, I took that money and put it into working with a producer on more of my songs, getting photos done and the like? The rock 'n' roll dream is one I've had my whole life. And I am starting to see quite clearly now how I might be able to make it happen. Would it be silly to uproot my whole life just when I can see the stepping stones to achieving my dream all starting to line up? Or can I do both? For some inexplicable reason I feel like I can. It may take a little manoeuvering, and maybe some schedule adjustment, but somehow I believe I will find a way (and find the money) to do the music and go to New York. So don't panic anyone. Things may still be as they were. Leave it with me for a bit. I'll work it out.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Recording at 301.

Good afternoon listeners. Today's broadcast comes to you direct from Studios 301, where I am recording the vocals for Take the Ride and getting the track mixed and mastered. At the moment I am on the sofa, having spent the morning laying down the vocal tracks, listening to our talented engineer do magical things to the sounds we've recorded. It's a radical and very satisfying process. It's also kind of confronting. U2 was in this studio just the other day. Lady Gaga popped in to do some stuff recently too, as did Kanye West and an extensive list of notable others. As you hear your vocal takes getting cut up and pasted together, you can't help but wonder whether the more famous musical folks who have graced these mics with their warblings, have required quite the same level of engineering that you do. The voice too, as an instrument, leaves you exposed, because it is an entirely personal expression of you. If it sounds shit, or weak, or wobbly or out of tune, it's because you are being a bit shit or weak, or wobbly or out of tune. You can't blame it on the guitar. And you can't just switch your voice on to the settings you were using when you practiced. The way it sounds is dependent on what you've eaten or had to drink, the air you've been in, the sleep you've had, the energy you've expended that day. You just have to warm it up, try and relax and hope that what you want to come out will come out. Well maybe that's not the way it is for Gaga, but at this stage that's how it is for me. Anyway enough blah blah about la la. Time to get back to the action.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Workin' USA.

Today I applied for a writing job at VH1 (the MTV affiliated music channel) in NYC. It was one of those apply by  uploading your resume to this website set-ups, and as such is probably a long shot. But long shots have been known to hit their targets, and I'm all for a bit of energetic arrow flinging. What a job too - rock 'n' roll and writing all in my favourite place on the planet. Wicked. So cross your fingers for me kiddos. The job hunt has begun.

This is not a confession.

Confessions are for guilty people. And all I'm guilty of is changing my mind. Again. And being relentlessly human. Happy New Year by the way. (Look at me getting all wrapped up in myself straight away - where on earth are my manners?). Anyway, as you may have guessed, I drank some alcohol over the holiday break. And I don't feel guilty. But the fact that I'm telling you about it probably means I'm feeling a little bit guilty... this is ridiculous. Here's what happened, and how I feel. We all know how much I love an absolute - not a vodka, but a rule to follow, a guiding light of complete certainty. I've talked about this before. But true to my own contradictory form, as much as I love absolutes, I hate absolutes. The very same thing that keeps me feeling safe and secure, also makes me feel suffocated and restricted. Yes, it's tough being me. So when Christmas day rolled around, and the usual stressful family situations presented themselves (some of my family love Christmas, others not so much. This often causes conflict, and some kind of meltdown or tantrum can usually be expected anywhere in between the peas, pud or presents.) I decided I was in no mood for being a martyr. When my little brother hopefully offered me a glass of Veuve, I said yes. And boy it tasted good. And on the spot I decided that as I was officially on holiday, and was officially taking a very short break from my relentless pursuit of progress, that I could bloody well have a drink if I happened to be feeling in the mood. And from that point on, for the rest of the week I allowed myself to drink if I felt like it, and I didn't go ape, and I didn't get any hangovers, and I really felt fine. I know what a turncoat I sound like, and for that I apologise.  I know it was only a few weeks ago I was saying no more alcohol ever. But it's a new year, and I've been thinking about the way I tend to do things, and I've come to this conclusion: trying to be perfect is dumb. It's a pointless pursuit that only sets you up for failure. This year I want to try and relax on the perfection front, enjoy a more real and less manicured experience, and embrace the fact that the odd fall from grace is a necessary part of living. But don't think I'm talking going jungle here. I still require order. I still have some very specific plans to carry out and precision manoeuvres to execute. But instead of pretending it would be fun and entirely awesome to be a perfect teetotaler forever and ever amen, I am going to factor in some opportunities for controlled abandon. Yes, I did just say "controlled abandon". I get it. I'm a walking comedy. But here's how it works. When I'm working, I'm not drinking. When I have important stuff to get done, I'm not drinking. When I'm trying to stay in shape, I'm not drinking. In fact, as a general rule, I'm really not drinking much of the time at all. However, when it comes time to take a well-earned holiday, I'm free to drink if I feel like it. Or when I get something really cool across the line, I'm free to celebrate with a drink if I feel like it. Or, on the very odd occasion when I just really feel like a relaxing glass of red with dinner, I'm free to have one. It's controlled freedom, a beautiful contradiction in terms. Oh yeah, and if you were wondering, my Christmas break is now officially over. So I'm back in action-land, back off the piss, and back to eating like the health nutcase I am. For the next little while at least.