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on February 2
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
Posted project update #23Please send your postal addresses to....
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on February 2
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
Posted project update #22Urgently needed - your current mailing addresses!
Greetings Friends,
It is with great excitement that we announce that we will be sending out your copies of "The Universal Thump" (all four 'Chapters') on CD later this month (February 2012), plus all of your Rewards.
We are currently still figuring out how to release, distribute and promote this album, and have been sending it out to some record labels for consideration. This process might take a while. But THE MUSIC IS 100% FINISHED after over three years of work on it, and we can't wait any longer to share it with you guys, who made it all possible.
Please send us your CURRENT POSTAL ADDRESS as soon as possible. We will be sending you a LIMITED BACKERS-ONLY EDITION of the album, featuring the double-album on a single CD, your own, handcrafted WHALE album cover. You will also receive an accompanying booklet containing the lyrics and full album credits.
At some point in the future, if we manufacture something glossier-looking on CD through a label or other institution, you may redeem your WHALE for this 'slicker' version of the artwork. (The music will be exactly the same on both). Also, we may be taking pre-orders for the VINYL Edition of "The Universal Thump" later this year. We will keep you posted if/when that happens.
We are also working on our first music video & single from the album - FLORA. You guys will be the first to see it.
Thank you, again. We so extremely grateful for and humbled by your ongoing support and patience with this project.
Warm wishes from drizzly Brooklyn,
Greta, Adam & The Universal Thump
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on January 10
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
backed a project
Futurepoem books: publishing two new titles by Futurepoem
Futurepoem is an innovative non-profit literary press. Help us publish two new books chosen during our free annual open reading period.
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36% funded $1,360 pledged
- 44 backers
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19days left
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on December 29
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
backed a project
Robin Jackson's Debut Album by Robin
Join the creation of my first solo flight! (Played w/ Vagabond Opera & M4th Marching Band) All original songs with stunning musicians.
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101% funded $10,198 pledged
- 283 backers
- Funded Jan 03, 2012
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on December 20
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
backed a project
Slow/Fast: 10 DAYS FOR THE NEW RECORD by Ken Thomson
After the 2010 acclaimed "It Would Be Easier If" - we're set to go into the studio for "Settle" - a dynamic new disc you can preorder!
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106% funded $2,665 pledged
- 89 backers
- Funded Dec 24, 2011
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on November 20
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
commented on a project updateThank you, Frank! XOXO
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on November 19
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
Posted project update #21The Music is FINISHED! (not Finnish)
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continued patience and support! It's been a while since we wrote and we have some significant news.
A few days ago, we mastered "The Universal Thump" with Paul Gold at Salt Mastering in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We still have one more session planned with him, for minor tweeks (such as changing some of the lengths of time between each song), but basically the musical component of our entire double-album is finished.
Although we can't send it to you just yet, I wanted to share this news with you hot off the press, and convey how grateful and proud I am of everyone - ALL OF US - involved in making this album.
In recent months, we added backing vocals for some songs with special guests Tanya Donnelly (Belly, Throwing Muses, The Breeders), Joy Howard & Lara Goodridge (Peccadillo, Joy & Lara, Fourplay) and Lucy Woodward (Verve). Adam also recorded additional percussion and edited all of the Pro Tools files to prepare for final mixing sessions (one song has 71 tracks). And we mixed the last group of songs with Noah Simon, who also composed a short piece for trinome named "Beitass", which will appear on 'Chapter Four' of the album.
"The Universal Thump" comprises of 18 tracks (14 songs, 4 instrumental compositions), 1.1 hours of music, 669 mb of Wav files, and it's divided into four 'Chapters' (sides, which will hopefully be pressed onto vinyl). I just counted all the people (musicians and engineers) who worked on various recording sessions for this album and it added up to a whopping 66! (Full credits and track listing coming soon). I also counted the gray hairs on my head, and there are 32 more than when we started making this album. We are planning to throw a BIG party to celebrate the release of "The Universal Thump" sometime in 2012.
BUT first. We still need to figure out artwork, manufacturing, distribution and promotion of this beast. We are hoping to find a whale-pop-loving record label, and are searching for that now.... But whatever happens, we promise to send you your albums and rewards BEFORE the "official release" of the album, so you guys will be the first to hear it. (I am hoping this will occur by the end of this year, but it may take a little longer to finish the artwork). Meanwhile, this weekend, I am home, drawing and painting whales, making a songbook and preparing other rewards for you guys. I am enjoying this peaceful time, working on crafts.
In addition to working on the musical side album, Adam and I have been directing our first music video for one of the songs on it, "Flora". The video stars and was choreographed by Rozz Nash (who was also part of our 40th Anniversary Concert for George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" at The Bell House last year, and who is pregnant with twins!) Recent transplant to NYC from Omaha (Nebraska), cinematographer, Branden Poe, filmed a bunch of friends and their kids (including some of you guys - thank you!) dancing joyously in the sunshine amidst the golden-red trees in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, last weekend. This might have been construed by outsiders as a shoot for a Prozac commercial, except that clearly it wasn't because craft services was a small plastic bag filled with bagels. I am now addicted to making music videos.
I also have some other news about Upcoming Shows and my new venture Goldfish Prize, but I'll get back to drawing and painting now. If you aren't already on our Email List regarding shows and other news, and would like to join, please write to me and I'll keep you posted.
Again I am exceedingly excited and proud and always am (and will be) grateful to you all for your support in making this possible.
love,
Greta & The Universal Thump
ps. Here is a sneak preview; a song from 'Chapter Four' - "Teacher" - featuring guest vocalist, Lucy Woodward.
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Matthew Martin on November 21
wow! sounds awesome! well done! pumped to hear the final thing! will definitely have to buy a decent turntable now for your vinyl :)
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on October 15
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
commented on a projectYay Amy! xoxo
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on October 15
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
backed a project
Plexi Lusso CD + International Music Video Project by Amy Kohn
Amy Kohn's new album Plexi Lusso coupled with her International Music Video Project
Funding Unsuccessful (12/14/2011) -
on August 17
Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
Posted project update #20The imminent arrival of 'Chapter Three' and more news.
Post CommentDear Friends,
Hello! It's been a while. I hope you are well. I wanted to keep you posted on "The Universal Thump", lest you thought we had forgotten about you! It's been quite a busy year and there is a lot to write, so perhaps grab some popcorn or a light snack now, while you continue to read the rest of this email...
Since I last wrote, much music has been percolating and Adam and I have toured (individually and together) quite a bit. We are now on the verge of finishing the whole double-album. We will be mixing and mastering the remainder ('Chapter Three' and 'Chapter Four') in the next 6 weeks with Noah Simon, Bryce Goggin (Trout) and Paul Gold (Salt Mastering) and then working on artwork/manufacturing. Songs on the final two 'Chapters' include: "Darkened Sky", "Envy You", Ban Melisma", "Dwell", "Flora", "Snowbird", "Only an Ocean", "Teacher", and instrumental interludes for tuba and trinome by Adam D Gold and Noah Simon.
'Chapter Three' will be available in mid-October and we'll be celebrating with a show at BARBES (Brooklyn) on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 (more info below). You guys will be the first to receive this music, in mastered, digital form. We will send you each a FREE DOWNLOAD CODE around that date.
You will also receive the complete double-album on CD (we still believe in CD) plus all of your Backer Rewards by the end of 2011. (We would ultimately also love to press the album onto four sides of vinyl too).
I wanted to back track a little now... In May, I toured the West Coast for the first time, visiting LA, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Portland and Medford, Oregon, previewing songs from "The Universal Thump" . This was a great adventure. It is indeed beautiful out there in America, beyond the concrete grid, even in Los Angeles. I now understand where all that great, 70s highway rock came from, as I drove many miles up Highway 101 in my rental car, listening to it. I met up with many amazing musicians along the way including Robert Lloyd (who played mandolin with me at Hotel Cafe), Rebecca Gates (The Spinanes), Rachel Taylor Brown (West Coast piano-singer-songwriter kindred spirit), Jon Dryden (who arranged strings on the album) and more, many of whom sat in with me as I played solo shows. After driving from my last show in San Francisco one night to Portland for a show the following night, I met up with Adam D Gold (visiting three locations of Stumptown coffee to revive myself along the way) and we did a couple more shows together. We hope to get back to the West Coast as soon as possible for a follow-up tour.
This Summer we have busy in the studio and not working on our tans at all. Firstly, we visited Magic Shop (the studio where many of my favourite albums by Suzanne Vega, Jenifer Jackson and many more have been recorded) to re-track three songs with hardcore 'Thump'-ers, Jonathan Maron (bass) and Pete Galub (guitar). The songs have evolved since we first tracked them almost three years ago, and after much deliberation, we felt we needed to start them all over again, from scratch. The lovely Kabir Hermon engineered the session. Earlier in the month, I had been there, honoured to be recording some vocals for Lee Feldman's forthcoming album, and had struck up a very close relationship with their Neumann U67 microphone. I was eager to visit it again with The Universal Thump. I am really excited about the results of that day. We captured something much fresher and more vital than had been there previously on those songs, by playing together as a band in this beautiful studio, for this last big session on the album.
Also this Summer, we were thrilled to work with Lucy Woodward (Verve recording artist) for the first time at Oh Real Yum studios, who sang on "Flora" and "Teacher" and whose voice has made the songs truly sparkle. Adam also tracked some brilliant interlocking percussion parts on the song "Dwell" . The history of this song (also known in some circles as "Blow Up the Pokies") continues to unfold. I am currently attempting to write a short story (or maybe just one very-well-articulated sentence) about it.
In addition to "The Universal Thump", Adam and I have also begun working on our live recording of George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" which Ed Haber and Damon Whittemore recorded beautifully (48-track digital) late last year at our show at The Bell House, in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of its release. The show, which was our first 'Whale-of-Sound' production, featured many of the musicians who have contributed to the album, including Barney McAll (keyboards), Zach Brock (violin), J. Walter Hawkes (trombone), Sean Sonderegger (sax), Byron Isaacs (double bass) and many more. Adam meticulously arranged parts for the band by listening to the album, staying as true as possible to George Harrison's/Phil Spector's arrangements and production aesthetic. It was a NYC music miracle that the 17-piece band could all be in the one place at the one time, and pull off this show with only one rehearsal and the soundcheck!
We were joined by an astonishing array of guest vocalists, who each inhabited their songs stunningly in their own ways. These singers included Shara Worden, Missy Higgins, Dayna Kurtz, John Wesley Harding, Rick Moody and many more. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life to be part of the band that night and to feel a great spirit of collective, musical generosity. We are now thrilled to be working on this audio documentation of the show, combing through the tracks and organizing them. Again, this is a big project, but one we are loving every moment of. We look forward to finding a way to release this in 2012, along with the official release of "The Universal Thump".
UPCOMING SHOWS:
Tomorrow night (THURSDAY, AUG 18) at 8pm I will be playing solo on 100 year old Steinway (right near the Steinway Factory!) at Waltz-Astoria (Queens, NYC) at 8pm.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 at BARBES at 10pm: with full band including special guests Kristin Slipp (Cuddle Magic, vocals/glockenspiel) and Cliff Schmitt (bass), plusmy co-Thumper, Adam D Gold (drums/guitar). Pinataland at 11pm.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 at BARBES at 7pm: 'CHAPTER THREE' Digital Release Show! With special guests - our favourite animal-costumed band in the USA, THE XYLOPHOLKS.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 at THE LIVING ROOM (NYC) at 7pm: THE UNIVERSAL THUMP plus Aussie superstars, KATIE NOONAN and her brother, TY NOONAN.
Also, EVERY SUNDAY in AUGUST, we are hosting SUMMER THUMP! Piano-Centric House Concert Series in Sunset Park. Rob Schwimmer and Daniel Kelly have played so far; Upcoming performers include Jordan Shapiro, Lee Feldman and Deidre Rodman. Piano-loving kids and adults are welcome. Cucumber sandwiches are served. Please email me for more information if you'd like to come along!
Also, hopefully, you have now received your digital versions of 'Chapters One and Two' here on Bandcamp:
http://www.TheUniversalThump.Bandcamp.com
http://www.TheUniversalThumpChapterTwo.Bandcamp.com
Please let me know if you haven't yet received these and would like a FREE DOWNLOAD CODE for either or both.
Ok, I assume you have now run out of popcorn and may need to go. Thank you for reading this far, for your patience and support.
Love,
Greta & The Universal Thump XO
ps. We did manage to get outside once this Summer on a beautiful, whale-watching night out in Jamaica Bay, Queens. NPR tracked us down there: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/25/138169328/a-floating-hotel-at-the-edge-of-new-york-city
http://www.TheUniversalThump.com
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Greta Gertler (The Universal Thump)
New York, NY
She has a spacious voice and a welcome weakness for lushly orchestrated seventies-era singer-songwriter pop." - The New Yorker "(A)n intriguing and ultra-talented musician on the rise, possing a "sweetly lyrical voice, an arrestin... view more
hey Greta, to where should I send you my address?
Thanks!
Georgia
And exactly to which email address do you want us to send you our address?
Your email came from a 'no-response' email address.
ditto that.