A New Brightest, Heroic Day Or Something June 30, 2010
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Today is my last day at work. After getting massively wasted tonight, I will begin my life as a professional musician rapper emcee dude. I have written a long, pensive, ponderous blog post about it over at my personal tumblr, which you are free to read if you wish to subject yourself to the thousands of words I’ve written on the subject.
Next week, I will be recording the Adam WarRock album. Having only let a couple of people hear the rough draft of it, I can say that it’s been received well. It’s a high concept album that tells a story from start to finish. Every song is a piece of a bigger puzzle; and yet, every song is meant to also stand on its own, separate from the album. There are multiple characters, multiple points of view, and a metric ton of comic book references, both the obvious and the extremely abstract, inside baseball kind. I am insanely proud of it, and if I can pull off the final versions with any semblance of skill, then I will have no regrets no matter how well (or poorly) the album does in the ears of the public. It is a labor of love, and I can’t believe it’s almost done.
At the end of July, Ruckus and I will be releasing the new “Ira Glass” single. We will being doing a ton of publicity for it, as we think we have an amazing song on our hands. It is so much better than the old version. It is ready for prime time.
We are currently in the process of trying to organize a tour. The tour, as of right now, will start in the Midwest moving east, and then down to Atlanta to sweep up the East Coast for a big finale show somewhere in the Northeast. Stay tuned to find out more about that; and if you want me and Ruckus in your city performing and can help, please email me.
Again, words can’t express how much it means to me that people like the music I do here, the support and kindness I’ve received from strangers. If you’d still like to help out this crazy ride, download the “Starving Artist” single or join the facebook group. The stats help us with booking shows A LOT.
Thanks guys. The next time I post here, the album will be in post-production. And then the real adventure begins. Nuff said.
TrackLog 55 – S.C.D.P. (Build Something) June 29, 2010
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There are some oblique Mad Men Season 3 spoilers in the hook for this song. If that sort of thing really bothers you, you can miss out on this song then until you’re caught up, like you should already be….
Being that tomorrow is the last day of my proper job, I wrote this song to celebrate. It’ll be the last song to go up on the TrackLog for a while, as I am off to Ruckus’s in a week to record the album. You remember the album, that album that’s coming out in the fall that’s a thematic story that’s loosely based on the Infinity Gauntlet? Yeah, that’s still happening.
I’ll probably be writing some more thoughts on this big life event tomorrow, as I am leaving my office. But for now, enjoy the song. And also, please note, for some reason, my voice sounds weird in this track. I am pretty sure I was losing my voice towards the end of it. Ah well, the Tracklog is for rough ideas anyway. Enjoy!
Download the track (link)
Beat used: “Let’s Move” JR & PH7 f/ Skyzoo
Audio Clip: from here and here.
TrackLog 54 – Potemkin Villages June 26, 2010
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Y’know, I’m just the kind of guy who sits around on a lovely Saturday afternoon and makes a song using the Potemkin village as a metaphor for how I’m feeling in life. Just been through a rough week; I promise the next song will be fun and full of sunshine! My sanity notwithstanding, I’m pretty pleased with how this song came out.
Download the track (link)
Beat used: Qwel & Maker “Lunch Money”; Movie clip from The Wackness
TrackLog 53 – The Sound June 19, 2010
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In my ongoing mission to take inspiration from the unlikeliest of places, I give you “The Sound,” my ode to The Sound of Young America and Maximumfun.org. This is largely an inside joke song, so if you are not a fan of TSOYA, Jordan Jesse Go!, Stop Podcasting Yourself, or frequent the Maxfun forums, this song will probably make absolutely no sense to you.
If you ARE familiar with TSOYA and Maxfun, then this song will probably be enjoyable. Mostly, I’ve been listening to a lot of TSOYA episodes for the past, oh I don’t know, year, and have been wanting to use the intro music to rap over. I finally emailed Jesse Thorn and asked him; and he obliged. And now I give it to you.
Enjoy, and take a second to donate to Maxfun if you don’t already. It’s the most worthiest of causes.
UPDATE: Jesse was nice enough to put the song in the LATEST EPISODE OF JORDAN JESSE GO. Um…wow. I’m honored.
Download the track (link)
Beat used: Original music by Dan Wally
Also, don’t forget. You get a special TrackLog 51 song when you download or purchase the single for any price (even free!):
Some Updates June 18, 2010
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Hi friends. First of all, the image above is from Jen Vaughn‘s great webcomic, Mermaid Hostel. Go check it out, while Jen is doing my awesometastic tshirt designs.
Thanks so much to everyone who’s downloaded my debut single in the past two weeks. All I can say is, “Wow.” The support and help I’ve received is truly moving. I should quit my dayjob more often. Wait..probably not, cuz then I’d be quitting being a rapper? I dunno. That being said, if you have not yet downloaded it, please, even if you don’t pay a single dime, take a second and just download it. Also, remember you get a free bonus song from me personally if you download the track!
Ruckus and I have started production on our next single, “Ira Glass.” Go listen to the old version for now, because trust me, the new one is going to blow it the hell away. It is HOT FIRE. July 6-12 we’re going to be recording! Our album! In glamorous Dayton, Ohio! Whoo!
Thanks again. And take a second, whether it’s me, Jen, or anyone else out there…support an independent artist in some small way. We need all the help we can get. Have a good weekend, dudes.
TrackLog 52 – So Spectacular June 14, 2010
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I actually first heard Passion Pit’s “Sleepyhead” on the Indie Queens show the night I appeared on their show. Yeah, I know, I don’t listen to the radio or stay on top of a lot of modern indie music. What can I say? I remember sitting on my couch, feeling nervous and listening to their show and hearing the crazy synthed out breakdown of “Sleepyhead” and saying to myself, “I should rock to this beat,” as it was just asking for it. Later, I saw the video randomly one night on some late night, cable MTV channel when I was in a haze:
But for some strange reason, I sat on the idea for a while. It wasn’t until I was talking to Niles about non-rap songs that we thought should be turned into rap beats, I remembered my idea for Passion Pit. And so here we are.
First, this song is mad rough. The beat for the verse is so damn fast, I can’t rap that fast that precisely, so I stumble through a lot of the words. I thought it was an apropos beat to speak my piece to people I’ve read this past week who seem to think:
- I don’t sound black enough
- My songs aren’t “rap” songs, and therefore, are somehow deficient
- I used a non-rap sample to make a rap song
I don’t harbor any ill will, the single’s done well and I’m very happy with its reception. But can YOU see why I am so frustrated with these sentiments? I mentioned to someone this weekend that rap was the only genre where being creative actually gets you docked points in a lot of circles. And really, I have no interest in making the same sounding music for the rest of my life. Sure, sometimes I’m going to make a straightforward rap song; but as a debut single, I thought “Starving Artist” represented me perfectly, in message, in sound, and in concept and construction.
So in other words, to the Haters, I shake thee off.
Download the track (link)
Beat used: Passion Pit “Sleepyhead”
Also, don’t forget. You get a special TrackLog 51 song when you download or purchase the single for any price (even free!):
TrackLog 51 – For Pluto June 14, 2010
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For the 51st song on the TrackLog, I’ve released it only to the people who’ve downloaded the single. Whether you pay $200 (highest contribution, no joke) or $0.00, you will get this song via a personal email. From me! With jokes and things in it that are amusing or whatever. So why not go download it RIGHT NOW?
Ask the people who’ve already gotten this song. It’s a good one.
“Starving Artist” Single – Now Available June 9, 2010
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Adam WarRock & Ruckus Roboticus “Starving Artist” – PURCHASE NOW
The song is available to download by clicking above (with the story behind the song). It’s a “Pay What You Want” system. Just click download, and you’ll be taken to a place where you can purchase the single. And in line with that, allow me to offer up the following options:
Download the song for free
If you are financially strapped, please feel free to download the song for free. All I ask is that you take a few minutes and email this link to some friends, blog about it, tweet about it, in some way spread the word so other people can hear this song. And leave a comment and please let me know what you thought.
Pay a $1 for the song
Did you know that iTunes can take up to a 30% cut of every sale an artist makes? Did you know that I have law school loans? Are you aware that I am not a robot, and do in fact need to eat? Why not pay a buck for the song and help support me in my new path in life, without Steve Jobs getting his grubby little hands on more of our hard earned cheddar. It’s a dollar. Help a brother out.
Pay more than $1 for the song
Did you know that I have A LOT of law school loans? But seriously, folks. If you have it in your heart to give more than a $1, maybe because I have provided you with months of free music? Maybe because supporting independent artists makes you feel good inside? I’d be forever grateful. That being said, if you donate $5 or more, I will list your name in a thank you song that will go up on the tracklog.
No matter how much you pay, please take a moment to share this with your friends, or through social media, blogs, or however else you see fit. I’d really appreciate the help.
THANK YOUs
Thanks again to Ruckus Roboticus, Conrad Dillon (guitar), Chris Haley (artwork), my partner-in-crime Chris Sims, all the great people who are in my life both online and off (way too many to name), and everyone who’s enjoyed my music, joined the facebook group, left comments, emailed me, reblogged my stuff, or just said positive things and helped me hold back the tide of terror that a wide-open future can bring. Maybe I just did the stupidest thing of my life, but if it has a 1 in a million shot of working, then it’s worth it to do what you love for a living, right?. That’s what this song is all about.
And to those starving artists out there in the world right now, stay hungry.
With Love,
Eugene a/k/a Adam WarRock a/k/a Tha Hotsteppa
TrackLog 50 – Food Inc. Verse June 6, 2010
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I know that I said that I’d have something special for TrackLog 50, but being that my first single is going to be released this week (and it’s kind of…what’s the word, sincere?), I thought it would be nice to put up an old fashioned mixtape-ish verse full of hot rhymes and swears and stuff. If you haven’t seen Food Inc., you should go see it. It will blow your mind.
Special TrackLog song will hopefully be up soon. I think really only Phil knows what I’m talking about, but whatever.
Fifty tracks. It’s apropos that tracks 1 and 50 were both Jay-Z tracks, right?
Download the track (link)
Beat used: Jay-Z “Parking Lot Pimpin’”
Been Busy June 5, 2010
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Been busy behind the scenes here. Preparing to release my first single next week, putting the finishing touches on the last track of the album, getting everything straightened out merchandise/album-wise. So please forgive the lack of new material on the site and TrackLog. Hopefully I’ll get off my ass and write something special sooner or later, but right now, gotta focus on the prize.
If you haven’t, join the facebook group and chat with me there! And get ready, the summer is going to be one to remember.
