Brobdingnagian Bards -- July 2, 2009
http://www.thebards.net/

HIGHLIGHTS....
- Pick Up Some Bards CDs
- Andrew McKee's News
- Marc Gunn's News
- Quick links to the Brobdingnagian Bards


=============================
Brobdingnagian Bards Tales
=============================

Greetings Nagians!

While the Brobdingnagian Bards are no longer performing Together,
we are still performing around the nation separately. Here's a
wee update from each of us with what's new.

And don't forget that you can still pick up Bards CDs through
our website.

In fact, why not check out our last album, "Real Men Wear Kilts"
right now. Buy CDs Now!

Now on to the individual news...


ANDREW MCKEE'S NEWS

I know it’s been awhile since the last Bard’s newsletter.  I thought
this would be a good opportunity to catch you up on what’s been going
on with me for the last 6 plus months.  With that length of time, of
course, there is a lot of information to share.  So I’ll give you the
summed up version.  Of course summing up for an overdue newsletter
requires extra effort, so I thought I’d give it to you in rhyme.  But
don’t worry…not in a Billy Joel sort of way.

Past October last show done;
Now Flynn’s Folly is on the run.

Having fun arranging songs.
We live in Austin, but without bongs.

Arranged our music for CD,
But live won’t sound the same to me.

Come January, first test show
With six instruments in tow.

Played Arizona then I-Con.
Worked music hard, fixed what was wrong.

Produced and mixed a friend’s CD.
A great success, need time for me.

Back to the sound I longed to hear
Working with Michelle, its become clear.

The path is right, the CD true
We’re working hard to bring to you.

I’m writing up our schedule now
And you can help.  Here is how:

For House Concert and Venue, don’t forget
Share your thoughts with Andrew @ thebards.net.


Oh my god…it *was* in a Billy Joel sort of way!  Damned subconscious!

I’m blogging!!!!   I know!!!!  HAHA…  I would have lost that bet too…
Check it out at:

http://www.myspace.com/flynnsfolly or http://www.flynnsfolly.com


This is the last sentence with a bow!
My PR person said I had to have a last sentence with a bow and I
always listen to my PR person!

Andrew McKee
Flynn's Folly



MARC GUNN'S NEWS

Hey friends! There've been a lot of changes since last year.
I moved to New Orleans last fall, and I love it! It's an exciting
and vibrant city that is very inspiring to me musically.

Since I moved down here, I've recorded three new CDs. My latest,
"Happy Songs of Death", was just sent off to the printers
yesterday. I am so psyched about this album, because it fuses a
touch of my new city with my love of traditional Celtic songs.

The CD is due to be released in August. In the meantime, I am
spending the summer on the road with my first solo tours.

In fact, I'm heading home from a Chicago tour right now. In
a couple weeks, I will be off to Maryland and New York for
another tour. Then I have gigs at GenCon, DragonCon, Ireland,
plus a few CD releases, and then back this fall for the
Louisiana Renaissance Festival.

You might note I said, "Ireland". Yup. I am still taking fans
on trips around the world. This September, we're going there for
my second Celtic Invasion Vacation, where we will spend a week
in Dingle, Ireland, soaking in the country and celebrating
good food, good drink, and good company.

Course, I am still publishing my Irish & Celtic Music, Renaissance
Festival, and Pub Songs Podcasts. All in all, life is busy and
happy. If you'd like to be a part of it, please...

Sign Up to My Mailing List.
Then check out my latest music at http://www.marcgunn.com/ .

I'd love to stay in touch with you on a more regular basis.
Many thanks and I hope to hear from you soon.

Oh! And if you'd like to join my Celtic Invasions Vacations,
head over to http://www.celticinvasion.com/ .

Many blessings. Slainte!
Marc Gunn


We hope you have a great summer and a happy 4th of July.
Thank you all for your continued support.
-Marc Gunn and Andrew McKee


=============================
Quick Links to the Brobdingnagian Bards
=============================

Brobdingnagian Bards CD Store
http://www.thebards.net/cds.shtml

A Brobdingnagian Minute Podcast
http://www.thebards.net/podcast/

Celtic Lyrics
http://www.thebards.net/music/

The Nagian Fan Community
http://www.thebards.net/nagians/
Message boards, discussion groups, myspace,
podcasts, discount CDs, bootlegs and much more!


=============================

 

Andrew says: The final Brobdingnagian Bards show was last night and I must say that having our last show at the Browncoat Ball was a special treat. Everyone was dressed up in gowns and suits in the style of the TV show "Firefly." A little silly, but I kind of felt like they were dressed up for us. It was like a grand going away party. At the beginning of the evening there was a string quartet playing. I think that I must have watched too much Bugs Bunny when I was growing up because every time I hear classical music that's what I think of. The Bedlam Bards were there as well and I had the opportunity to jam with them a bit before our show and that was a lot of fun. They were there at our very first show 10 years ago so it was very special to have them there for the last. Kind of like coming full circle. Plus it's always fun to play with such good musicians. As sad as it was to see a chapter of my life end, I am very much looking to the future. Michelle and I are working very hard this week and should have some more music for you all very soon. So many exciting things are happening for me... I think by the end of the year, I will be shocked by the sheer volume of what I've accomplished. --Andrew

Andrew asks that you check out his new blog:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=82573940&blogID=438055891 and give their new Preview Medley a listen!

I have, and it's a wonderful tease, a promise of many varied and wonderful songs to come. 

Andrew says:

Over the years through my travels I've met a lot of fellow performers.  When you get professionals of any kind in one place even in a social setting, the conversation inevitably will turn to business at some point.  In the case of ren faire performers, it usually is about booking.  In conversations I'd have with other performers they would often ask me questions like 'How much should I charge?' or 'Do I include expenses?'  These were just a few of the questions that I was often asked and I always tried to give them good advice based on my experience as the booking agent for the Bards.  That same advice was good advice as was quoted in the book, 'The Indie Band Survival Guide' that was released this year.  (Don't worry, I got credit and am referenced more than once.) 

All of these conversations made me realize something:  most people have no idea how to book or promote themselves.  Most artists create but they are at a loss when it comes to getting people to see/hear their creation, setting a price for their creation, and standing firm on that price and not undervaluing their art.   And I quickly realized another thing….that after booking for the Bards for almost a decade I had become a bit of an expert…scary, but true!

About a year ago, I was at a faire talking with some performers and this subject came up again.  One of the performers in that group was Leigh Dokos, who had been a Marketing and Public Relations professional for many years.  In talking she and I realized that together we could offer other performers the whole package.   We could represent an artist in every way that was needed to enable them to concentrate on…well…performing.  With our expertise, they would not have to deal with the business end hardly at all.   They could focus on perfecting their art instead of worrying how to figure out how to promote it or get paid fair wage for it.

We started talking with other performers we knew to see what they thought of the concept.  We asked what things they wished they had known when they were just getting started.  We asked them what kind of things we should offer to ensure that our performers have everything they could possibly need for success.  Several months went into research, organization, and preparation.  And recently we started working with our first client, Season's Melody, who you will be hearing a lot from very soon!

Leigh and I decided to name our company Lamb and Wolf Productions.  Our thinking is that as a performer dealing with Entertainment Directors, you are either a lamb or a wolf.  Our mission is to help them decide which one they want to be.  We advocate being assertive and aggressive with booking and marketing to not only be paid well for performing but getting an audience at your shows, maximize your CD sales, and have everything you need to be a happy, healthy, creative person, which, in the end, is what is most important.

www.myspace.com/lambandwolfproductions

Andrew says:

First off, my new group has a name! We are now called "Flynn's Folly."

Now of course you are asking me "Who's Flynn?" and I fully expect all of you to shout that whenever I announce us at future shows. As for who Flynn is, I'll be telling you stories about my Grand Uncle Flynn in the future....

Now I do have a MySpace page up. It is http://www.myspace.com/flynnsfolly. The page is still under construction, but a lot of future posts will be there so do friend me so that you can be updated on what's going on with the group. Michelle should start posting soon and I know some of you must be curious about her.

Let me know what you think about the page. It is a work in progress and feedback would be welcome. I'm still trying to catch up but I'll get there. Sample music is on it's way so be patient and check in for updates!

Andrew McKee
Flynn's Folly

Marc says:

Well, you've heard the news. The Brobdingnagian Bards are going their separate ways. Andrew posted his plans for the future. But what about me? If you follow my personal website, you might know some of my plans. They include plans to move, changing the way I play shows, vacation tours, and lots and lots of new music.

In 1995, I graduated college and told myself, "I love Austin, but I really want to live some place new." I gave myself a year. That turned into thirteen years. I finally decided that I am gonna leave Austin, at least temporarily. In November, my new home will be New Orleans. But I'll only be living there until next June (no worries about hurricane season). Then? I'm not sure.

The other big thing for me is travel. I love to play music, but traveling for a "gig" is just not for me. The hours on the road wear me down. Plus, I don't like leaving my kitties all by themselves for weeks on end.

Also, I have a weird perspective on performing. I prefer to think of gigs as paid vacations. While I mostly plan to play locally in New Orleans, I am still hoping to see some new places next year. But I plan to fly in and out, playing a gig while I see the new place. Is it possible? Eh? Who knows! But there's a lot of places around the country and the world I really want to see.

Which brings me to the next thing--Europe. Okay. So, I've been brainstorming this wild idea. Picture it. You fly to, say, Italy. You live in a house for a week with a bunch of other people. During the day, you see and experience one of the oldest, most-beautiful cultures on the planet. In the evening, you celebrate with good food, good drink, and good company, while singing songs along with me or just relaxing in paradise.

Whatcha think? That's the tentative idea I've been throwing around in my head. I am thinking about organizing a "Celtic Invasion of Italy" just like that. And the opportunities are endless. We could do stuff like that in Ireland, Scotland, England, France, China, Greece, Canada, Florida, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, whatever. Anyone besides me want to go to Prince Edward Island on an Anne of Green Gables pilgrimage?? Ummm... Okay, I'll shut up now. :P

What else?

This year, I released four new CDs. Yes, FOUR. I LOVE recording music. I have several CDs planned for the future. In fact, I just finished a four-song preview of one, recorded with Rich Brotherton who produced my latest cat CD Whiskers in the Jar. I can't begin to explain how much I LOVE working with him. His special engineering touch makes the music sound incredible!

Plus, I will continue to record all five or six or so of my podcasts (Did you vote for the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast for "Best Podsafe Music" yet at www.podcastawards.com? You have until Sept 30, 2008). Those continue to grow astonishingly. So thank you all for listening.

Is that it? Hmm...

Oh! There are two gigs I am really, really, REALLY hoping to be at next year--I-Con Science Fiction Convention in New York, and DragonCon in Georgia. I don't know if I can get in as a no-named indie musician, but those are two of my absolute favorite shows of the past nine years. I really hope I will be there. I'm gonna talk to the people in charge to see if I can make it happen. If you know anyone in those places, please send them good vibes and let them know I am dying to be a guest.

That's about it. Again, if you want to find out more join my mailing list below. I will keep you up-to-date.

Slainte!
-Marc Gunn, Bard

Andrew says:

Thanks to everyone for the concern and support. As for the future, who knows. Many things prompted this, too many to even try to mention, but this wasn't one of those "we had a fight at DragonCon moments." This was a natural evolution of events and although many of you are surprised by the suddenness of it, it was not arrived at without a great deal of thought and discussion.

As for me, I do have a lot of projects going. As some of you have noted, Marc has been doing a lot of solo things for a while and to be honest, I do feel like I have to play catch up a bit. I have also let Marc be the front man online and I realize now that was a mistake on my part. The good news for you is that now I am going to be very vocal so you will hear a lot from me.

Firstly, I had to put my solo CD on hold a bit so that I could finish "Real Men Wear Kilts" in the studio. I finished it the Sunday before DragonCon and the first run was delivered to the Hotel at DragonCon. That cut it close but I worked hard to finish it and make it of a quality you all deserve. I do the mixing, mastering, and general sound engineering so I do all of that work myself. My solo CD is back on and it is coming along. I think you are going to like it as I will make sure it is of the highest quality and the most value for all of you. That means lots of tracks to sing along to. I've always had a theory that a CD holds at least 74 minutes of Audio. If you don't get close to that, you are just wasting space.

Second, I am starting a new group with Michelle Hedden, a drummer who was going to be the third bard 5 years ago or so but unfortunately, it didn't work out geographically at that time. I am very excited about working with her and what we've worked on so far I think you are going to really like.

Third, I'll have the new groups MySpace page up in a couple of days so look out for that. I'll also try to have the band website up by the end of the month. That's more difficult but I think you'll like it when it is done.

Fourth, I am also starting a production company representing Ren Faire groups. In the last 10 years, I've learned a lot from the bards. The big thing is if I knew what I know now back when we started, we would have gotten to where we are in a couple of years. I would like to help new bands follow the right path, not just to success but the right path for them. I'll update you on that soon as well.

Thanks again and I'll be in touch online,

Andrew McKee

It is with great sadness that I post the following announcement from Marc.

The Brobdingnagian Bards have been amazed and gratified by the outpouring of love and support from their fans over the last 10 years. Marc Gunn and Andrew McKee have had the good fortune to meet interesting people, see new places, and, most importantly, have fun every step of the way throughout their journey together. After much soul searching, the time has come for them to follow their own artistic pursuits for a while.

Bard CDs and Merchandise will still be available for purchase through www.thebards.net and all of the valuable information will still be available. Information on Marc and Andrew's individual projects will be listed on the site and newsletter so please stay tuned for updates.

The Bards greatly appreciate your continued interest in their music and look forward to sharing their music with you for years to come. Thanks again to all of you for your support.

FYI. This will Not affect Bards gigs for the rest of the year.

The guys assure me they intend for this myspace to continue to operate. I don't know exactly how it will work-- perhaps announcements for both of their solo careers?

In any case, I share in all of your sorrow today. --Cara, the Bards' Myspace Maintainer

Marc twitters:

Hurricane Ike turned. So next Bards show is in Destin, FL this Friday.

Marc twitters that tropical storm Hanna has not interfered with tonight's Apex, NC house concert-- so please turn up and see the Bards in North Carolina! (Check the shows area on our profile for more information.)

I'm just about to head out the door to start the long drive myself. :-D

--Cara, the Bards' Myspace Maintainer