Q. I love your way of thinking and believing how we are all human and linked together in this life in some way. Do you think that way of thinking will catch on anytime soon? “I think 2012 will bring something like that. If not, at least in our lifetime. I’m pretty much conducting an experiment to see if the collective conscience can be tapped and altered.”
I have been here in New York City for two weeks now. I am loving it. Getting into the groove of a new job, new city and new life is exciting. I’m building connections and expanding my network already. My job has inspired me to make improvements to my site, optimize it for searching to gain exposure and attract new fans.
As for music in New York and the best nyc music experiment, Teeco71 is assisting me with promotions and networking too. Tommy knows a lot of music people in the city and is gonna help me land some gigs. I might not have to start @ open mics after all! Tommy, thanks for all of your RT’s and positive support! It’s great to just spit lyrics til the sun comes up – I miss those days.
Been tinkering with new video ideas. I’m thinking it’s gonna be “Catch Me.” NYC has perfect backdrops for the song. I’m thinking BQE shots and having the cam follow me and me chase the camera and fun concepts like that. Gonna be epic and blow “Ask and Tell” out of the water.
Check out my GayMusicRevolution interview here. Skip 5 minutes into it.
Please vote for my “Ask and Tell” #DADT repeal video here on SmashTune.
Look out for a new interview with Different Scene – a UK blog/magazine!
What’s up Life Riders? I’ve been lagging on my blogging, but I’m back now. It’s been busy in all types of ways, yet un-eventful at the same time. For starters, I’ve been improving and increasing my web design business, ChaddyD Creations. It is crucial to my music career that I keep my design career on track to generate income for studio time and other expenses, aka bills! If you or anyone you know is interested or has questions about web or graphic design, contact me! I’m getting better by the week, and even bought a book on WordPress. I’ll be a pro before you know it.
As for Chad D – things are a’brewing. Four songs are now available on iTunes at $0.99 each, so it’s pretty affordable to be a Chad D listener! You can also buy the physical CD for $10 (autographed, of course) if you contact me or track me down in person. I was also interviewed by a Philadelphia Magazine blog called G-Philly which highlights the best of the Gayborhood. Click here to read the interview, thanks Natalie! I’m also on the charts for OutVoice – an LGBT internet radio station. Vote for Life Is A Ride and get me to #1! Listen to the OutVoice interview here – it will download a Windows Media file. It will play through several tracks throughout the program.
I’ve been helping out with two OUTMUSIC sites – OUTMUSIC Awards and the OUTMUSIC Foundation. I’m building/running the Foundation’s site pretty much on my own. Please take a look at them. They’re a bit scattered, but the OUTMUSIC organization does very well for being 100% non-profit run by volunteers. I’m also going to this year’s OUTMUSIC awards in NYC!
Last night, October 30th, I did one song @ Venture Inn‘s Little Monsters Ball. It was a packed house and a good time. Despite my tooth absolutely killing me right before I went on, the performance was good, check it out below. I’ve been working on the chorus vocals, can ya tell?
We just finished up giving out candy (and beats!) for Halloween. I’d never had the chance to give out candy so I took advantage this year! Even though only 3 groups of kids came by, it was fun. You can see how much fun in the video below!
Finally, here is a video from my birthday party – smashing!
Well, Life Riders, I feel something a’coming. After winning the Gayborhood Games, performing at World Cafe Live‘s Open Mic, Wednesday’s performance at Puck, Thursday’s performance at The Whitpain Tavern, and Barnstormer‘s Wild and Untamed Things on Saturday, I sent out enough energy to be given a slot on the main stage at Philadelphia Pride’s OUTFEST 2010. I got the call from my favorite gayborhood friend, Henry from Venture, who transferred me to Andrew from Outfest. He said I should call the lady in charge and she’d get me a spot! It’s quite interesting because Henry offered me a spot at Venture during Outfest but it was denied due to circumstances out of our control. Then, three days later, I’m shot to the main stage. Ironic? Coincidence? I think not!
So, if you are in Philly on October 10th between 12 and 6pm, come check out OutFest! I’ll be on between 3 and 6 on the mainstage @ Locust and 13th.
About a week ago I was interviewed for the first time by Len from Rainbow Radio World. He was a great interviewer and really got me thinking. This was the first time I could speak my mind through non-music media. Click here to listen to it. It may be a bit weird when Windows Media Player opens, – just seek through to the end of the songs by dragging the little time marker to the end of the timeline. I hope this gives my fans some deeper insight into my motivation, thoughts, and goals.
Also – probably going to this years OutMusic awards in New York City. My friend Christine Martucci is the musical director and a spotlight performer! I will be submitting my music for award nomination, and get my foot in the door for next year’s show, and open a new door on my journey. This is the edge of the tipping point, as my Momager says. It’s almost time to break through. We’ve been pulling on the reigns and it’s about time to let go and soar. I’ve been telling myself and everyone that something big is going to happen by the end of this year – and it will.
Well, I learned a hard lesson today – again. My laptop hard drive crashed, but I managed to save important files like client data and designs, my music compositions, my music library, fonts, and performance videos. However, I lost bookmarks, e-mails, e-mail addresses, website FTP info, (for those of you who know what that is) and my digital to-do list. Take it from me, no matter what you use a computer for, back. it. up. often. I finally bought my own external with auto-backup to avoid this in the future. Hey, maybe I’ll get a new laptop out of it since I’m under Toshiba’s warranty.
Anyway, I’m steadily becoming busier in both my music and design careers and it feels good. Tomorrow, Saturday the 18th, I’m “competing” in NightLifeGay‘s Gayborhood Games @ Voyeur in Philadelphia’s gayborhood. I’m performing @ World Cafe Live‘s open mic down in University City, Philadelphia this coming Monday the 20th. If I play enough gigs and they like me, I can be invited to open for headlining (read: famous) acts. Yeah, let’s do that. Then on Wednesday the 22nd I’ll be playing @ Puck Live‘s open mic in Doylestown. I’ve been promoting this and hopefully there will be improved attendance. The following Saturday the 25th, I’m at Ridley Park’s Barnstormer’s Theatre: Wild and Untamed Things. I’m excited to perform for a new crowd.
I recently played at FACT Bucks County‘s BINGO in New Hope and it was a great success. I was told a few people were singing along to Life Is A Ride. Ironically (…yeah right) after performing, I was approached and asked if I would like to perform at the upcoming AIDS Walk on October 3rd. Of course I said yes! It will be my longest set to date, hopefully doing 4-6 songs.
For the past few weeks I’ve been feeling down and stagnant. I was running out of money and I wasn’t immersed in my music like I had been months prior. It took a bit of a mind control, but I put in some extra effort and now I can feel myself rising again. I got some new business, new show dates, and a rekindled love for creating music. Other than the studio once a month, I really haven’t been involved with the actual creation process. Handling the promotion and business side of the music is not nearly the same or as fun as creating the product. I was also recently interviewed by an online GLBT radio site called OutVoice, which will go live on September 21st. I must say that I’m pretty proud of it, being that it’s my first interview an all!
I’m also excited about my new idea to release a “mixtape.” If you’re wondering, “Mixtape?”: a mixtape is generally associated with hip hop and rap, and can be used as a pre-album or intermediate promotion. Generally lacking polish and complete composition with a focus on lyrics, mixtapes are usually free and released by artists to create buzz. That’s my plan. I’m going to try and get a 10 song mixtape done by the end of October. I was originally thinking about buying beats, or rapdily churning out “decent” beats of my own, but I was advised by Momager to take the time and make it good. I can’t release anything but equal to what I currently have out there. Granted, the tech and audio quality that I can achieve with my home studio does not compare to studio sound, but it will be much-improved compared to my Demoesque CD. Already have 2 songs almost ready, so point your computers, iPhones, Androids, and Blackberries to my blog regularly to receive exclusive and up-to-date info on this new project. Yes, it will be free!
That’s about it for now. Story Begins, Human Link, and Catch Me are now copyrighted and will be submitted to iTunes in the near future. We’re also looking at submitting my music to a wide range of places, artists, and organizations. It’s time to make moves.
(by the way, I’m always looking for business, so click here if you or anyone you know needs web or graphic design!)
