Marc Gunn is Celtic American songwriter and podcaster from Austin, Texas. He combines a passionate affinity for alternative folk ballads, Irish drinking songs, fantasy, Sci Fi, and cats on the autoharp.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
MP3 Downloads of "Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers" Now Available
By popular request, you can now purchase MP3 downloads of Whiskers in the Jar on the CD Adoption Page. That is the only CD you can adopt there. All the others are available on CD Baby.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read news. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Clif Haley came into the studio yesterday to lay some guitar for "My Father Was a Werewolf" for What Color Is Your Dragon?. It sounds pretty hot. You can listen to it if you're a fan on ReverbNation. I'd love your feedback. The only suggestion I've heard is beefer choruses, meaning more people in the chorus.
Any other thoughts?
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read news. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Patronage of the Arts has a long and vibrant history that is at least as old as the Bible. In the Renaissance, rich families would provide life style for individual artists like Leonardo and Michaelangelo for their artistic contributions. Musicians like Bach, Beethoven, and many more were able to bring their genius to the world because of the generosity of their patrons. For that reason, I want to thank those who patron my music with their generous donations like...
Diana Greco
Diana didn't go to the Louisiana Renaissance Festival website to become a Matron of the Arts. But while there she came across the Brobdingnagian Bards. She liked Celtic music, but was not a huge fan. She listened to the music and found it lively and addictive, so she came to the faire and was hooked.
What really caught her eye though was Marc Gunn's description as "Psycho cat lover". Diana has 23 cats, so she knew the feeling. She bought Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers and Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion. After listening to those CDs, she started buying Bards music. Diana became a matron, and the rest is history.
If you would like to become a Patron of the Arts, then make a donation. I hope to highlight other patrons once a month.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read news. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Last night, I dreamed of flying. It is a dream that has been recurring for several months now.. I don't remember most of the details. However, I do remember it was a lot like scuba diving. I had the ability to levitate and fly by regulating my breathing. And last night, I was teaching someone how else to fly too, by breathing.
That struck a chord when I was telling someone about it today--control your breathing and you can fly.
What fascinating thought.
At the end of every yoga class, Anna, my instructor would guide us through pranayama, which is basically the art of breathing. I always hated those, but I accepted and appreciated them because I trust my instructor to guide me well. But this takes on a new level. If I learn to breath, I can fly.
Maybe not in the literal sense, but the idea of breathing to experience life to its fullest is powerful. Anna talks about it time and time again that during the day we forget to breathe. Yet, it is one of the most-healing tools we have as humans.
A while back, my Grandma was having trouble thinking and getting weaker until she was put on oxygen. The trouble was she wasn't getting oxygen to her brain. We need it. It heals us. It guides us. It makes us feel.
Those were the thoughts that accompanied me home today as I plugged in my iPod and played a bunch of songs I compiled in a playlist yesterday that I titled "Spiritually Wow". It was list of songs that move me. I haven't listened to the entire list yet, but "Open" performed by Serious Kitchen was on that list. The lyrics to "Open" are below:
"Open" by Mike Scott
Open to the world open to spirit open to the changing wind open to touch open to nature open to the world within open to change open to adventure open to the new open to love open to miracles open Beloved to You
Open to learn open to laughter open to being blessed open to joy open to service open to saying "Yes !" open to risk open to passion
I have a lot that I feel. It's what inspired me to record A Tribute to Love. It's what guides me to write and share music. And I guess it's also what makes me dream of flying.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read news. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I just got done recording Show #95 of the Renaissance Festival Podcast with Kristen. We had an awesome time. It hit both of us, but assuming we get our shows out in time, show #100 will be our 3-year anniversary show, coming out at the end of June.
Wild! Three years of doing this show. I can hardly believe it. But it's true.
So for the show, we're gonna go down... the bawdy route with an extra long... show. We'd like to get some promos from faire performers. So record a "Happy Anniversary" MP3 and send it our way. I'll get it in the show. The more interesting the better.
My friend, Bob Baker, wrote the book on music marketing. It's called Guerrilla Music Marketing. Now he's started the Indie Buzz Bootcamp in St. Louis, MO with some amazing marketers in the lineup. I'd love to be able to hit this event. If you're in the mid-West, don't miss it.
So, there's been some crazy crap happening in the world recently. The Earthquake In China and the cyclones in Myanmar. The governments are being jerk offs and barely allowing aid in.
As much as I'd L O V E to put together a Funny Musicians 3 to aid in these disaster (not to mention the twisters and storms here), I simply don't have the resources right now. HOWEVER, since I still have several hundred copies of the first two volumes I've decided to lower the prices for a month and donate all the proceeds from the sales to relief efforts! So if you haven't bought copies, want to buy more copies as gifts or just want to give to good causes, please feel free to pick up an extra copy or five!
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
Links to individual albums (with sound clips included):
-- I'm back from another weekend at the Castle Muskogee. It was a decent weekend all things considered, but Saturday I was hit with heat problems that left me forgetting lyrics on Sunday. It was another sad reminder that I am not physically able to perform at faires. For now, I continue to do so. But I won't be able to much longer, I think. My constitution is just too weak.
-- When I got in, I finally booked our U.S. flights for the Brobdingnagian Bards Tour of Ireland. Our trip is now all scheduled. Oddly enough, we still have a couple spots left open for this tour. And this is the last Brobdingnagian Bards Vacation Tour of Ireland. So if you ever wanted to join us on a tour, contact me now.
-- I'm getting ready to transfer my Marc's Musings mailing list to ReverbNation. The site seems just too useful not to take advantage of. If you're not already on my mailing list, sign up now.
-- I've spent a few days brainstorming ways to visit more faires in 2009. These won't be gigs, but an opportunity to do promo for the Renaissance Festival Podcast. So if you ever wanted to meet me at a faire, keep an ear open on the podcast. And watch for new Faire Minion stickers and shirts.
-- Tomorrow, my friend Clif Haley comes in to record for one of the songs on What Color Is Your Dragon?. The CD features a number of original songs as well as filks submitted by fans. I hope to have a track listing by the end of the week. Then you will be able to pre-order that album as well.
CD Baby loves me! They said so. They also told me that The Gift of Cat Love is now iTunes. That is the cool three-song single I released to preview Whiskers in the Jar. The CD features "What Shall We Do With a Catnipped Kitty", "Danny Boy", and "Molly Malone... The Cat's Perspective/Planxty Hewlett".
If you have the CD or have downloaded the songs for free, please post a review on CD Baby and iTunes for me. Those reviews help others iTunes and others to realize just how cool it is. Thanks! :)
Student Days, Whiskers in the Jar and Exclusive MP3s (Coming)
Just done with Student Days at Oklahoma Renaissance Festival. It went well. Michelle Hedden is playing bodhran for us all weekend, and it's ton fun having rhythm. At the end of the day, I went and played some cat songs for fans and the Queen. I don't ever play those songs so it's a bit of a shame in my mind. Course that also means I had trouble remembering them. But I worked through most of them.
Then I got back to the hotel and learned that Whiskers in the Jar is at last in production. W00t! Not sure how long it'll take to get it out to me, but quicker is better!
I also setup a Fan Collector Widget from ReverbNation (below) and uploaded some songs to that site. I think I'm gonna setup some exclusive MP3s there too, since it gives the option. The site has a Lot of cool features. Now I just need to figure them out.
I had a really vivid dream last night. I don't quite it except it had to do with my music career. And what's really weird is I still feel like reliving that dream... even though I can't remember it.
*shakes head* Ugh!
Now I'm uploading "Gypsy Rover" to ReverbNation. I'm tossing the idea of moving my Marc's Musings mailing list over there, because a lot of bands seem to like the site. I'm still not entirely certain I'll be able to use it, but I'm considering it.
I'm also just about ready to go pick up Andrew and Michelle. The Brobdingnagian Bards will be a three-pieces this weekend at Castle Muskogee with drums.
A while back, I was looking at this painting in the National Gallery of Art in D.C.. It was a painting depicting an Venetian casino. The plaque read that these rooms were typical places for gambling and lasciviousness. Patrons would come in costume with masks to hide their nature in true Venetian style. The painting struck me hard, "What a great idea for a Renaissance festival?"
Since then I've done a lot of brainstorming (though I can't remember the name of those "casinos") on this idea. Today, I met with a friend and the idea grew a wee bit more.
So picture it a moment--a Renaissance, mask-themed event with live, bawdy music and Renaissance gambling (for prizes). Add to it a wee bit of faire-style acting, with almost like a murder mystery dinner. Does that sound as much fun to you as it does me? Would you come to Austin for an exciting night of music and entertainment if I put something like this together?
Later this summer or possibly in the Fall, I hope to record my next studio album with Rich Brotherton, who also produced Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers. The concept behind this album is the fusion of traditional Irish music with American folk and blues. The title--How Irish Music Saved Civilization.
I'm really excited about this album, the chance to work with Rich again and the fusion of musical styles... I'm psyched. I don't entirely know what tracks will be on the album, except "Lil Bit of Love", but I do have a nice list of songs that I am working on.
The trouble right now is $. I looked at my finances today, because I wanted to record a three-song single to promote the Civilization album. But boy are finances tight. I still owe nearly $7,000 on Whiskers in the Jar, plus hundreds on several other CDs. Money is tight.
One of the reasons I compiled Going for Brogue and What Color Is Your Dragon? was to raise money for this new CD. Unfortunately, it looks like I will have to be patient and recoup some money before I release a single. And certainly before I record a full album.
Meantime, I am practicing a lot to prepare for this new CD. It will be awesome... Now I just need to recoup some mullah!
