New album update!

Hey guys,

Just wanted to drop you all a line and let you know that I've been busy plugging away on album 2. It's been quite an amazing process, and I have some really awesome, talented people helping me along the way, including the incredible Dennis Morehouse, who is one of the best drummers/songwriters (and friends) that I know. This next album promises to be one of the best yet I feel, and I can already see I'm reverting back to my alt/grunge roots (anyone who's ever known me can vouch that I am the grunge foreverchild, hehe)...minus the mouth marbles of course, haha!

In all seriousness though, I've made myself completely vulnerable during this process, and I'm just going where my music takes me. This is the most stripped down you'll probably ever see me (short of me just rawking it out on my acoustic guitar), but I think you'll appreciate it so much more, because it is completely raw and honest. It was very important to me that I make this record by myself for myself this time around, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy making it :)

I'll be laying down vocals on my latest track this week, which is an as-of-yet untitled rock/pop tune in the style of Foo Fighters/Von Bondies, so I'll probably have a little preview for you all to snack on very soon.

Also, for all of you who haven't yet had a chance or who haven't heard, please help your favorite rawk sistah out by voting for me at http://soundtrack.mtv.com/profile/alexxcaliserawks. The more votes I get, the more visible I become to MTV's music supervisors (who ultimately decide what music is played on MTV shows) and new fans like yourselves. Every little bit helps, and I deeply appreciate the support!

Please keep in touch and I'll keep you updated on the writing/recording process. YOU RAWK!

~AC

Finding Out What's Important

If you ever find yourself becoming overwhelmed by all thevarious tasks and roles associated with being a Do-It-Yourself musician, make it a point to PRIORITIZE. You're only one person, and one person can only do so much. You have to accept the fact that in order for certain aspects of your career to improve, some other things may have to suffer until you start acquiring some more hands and/or capital along the way.

For instance, if you spend all your time promoting on Myspace, then your playing will suffer. If you spend allyour time in the garage or the studio, no one will know who you are. It's all about finding a happy medium and PRIORITIZING the things that are truly important in your life and career. Instead of trying to do everything at once and becoming frustratedthat nothing is moving forward, schedule times for promoting,practing, rehearsing, etc. Not only will you be perfecting the art of time management, you'll also be able to gauge just how much time you'respending on a certain task. You may come to find that your playingis suffering because you're focusing too much on the business side of your art, or you're not taking enough time to exploit it.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to take some weight off your shoulders. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help, especially from those who believe in you and your art. This is HUGE, especially when you're first starting out and/or don't have the means to faciliate your music. If you don't have enough time to effectively promote your band, employ one of your loyal fans, friends, or family members to help you. Make sure, however that they're trustworthy, willing to put in the time, are knowledgeable about the local music scene and know how to work all the social networking websites, forums, etc. If you can't pay them, offer incentives like backstage passes or free schwag, or, you can always just give them the tried and true sad puppy dog face :) Works like a charm.

You should also at some point draw up some kind of business model for your project. After all, having a band is the same as owning a business. You're your own CEO, just remember that. Figure out your plan of action, what it will take to execute your plan, and what strategies you'll take to make your plan known. This will not only force you to think outside of the box and come up with unique ideas on how to market your music, but you will also be forced to PRIORITIZE, and list in order of importance all the things neccessary to make your "business" a success.

Once you figure out what's most important, you'll cut all the unneccessary stuff out of your life and save yourself some huge headaches. Think of it as trimming the fat. So, do yourself a favor. Make prioritizing your highest priority (I know, such a profound statement...) Good luck and godspeed my friends...

~Alexx Calise