About this project

{{{{{{{{{{ Post Updated June 8th }}}}}}}}}}}}}

THE $13K GOAL ||||||||||||||

It’s official!  In less than one week, we reached $10K which means my new album will be released on CD.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  That means, all Backers will get their names listed in the liner notes and all $25-and-up Backers will get the CD mailed to their doorstep.  If you pledged less than $25 and want that CD with your name in it, you can add to your pledge at any time.

Now…we’ve still got 3 weeks left.  That’s a lot of time.  So let's see how much further we can go.  I present to you a new challenge...

IF we reach $13,000, I’ll be able to print up a small run of 7-inch vinyl records featuring 2 album outtakes from the studio.  It’s always been a dream of mine to have my music appear on vinyl.  I started buying vinyl releases from my favorite bands before I even had a record player!  

In return for helping me fulfill this longstanding dream of hearing my voice crackle under a little needle, here’s what you’ll get…

• All $35-and-up Backers—current and future—will get the 7-INCH VINYL + 4 SONG DOWNLOAD. The 7-inch will feature two album outtakes recorded at the Omaha studio, packaged in a standard record jacket with art. Don’t have a record player?  Never fear.  It makes for a nice art piece in your home, plus I’ll send you a download of both tracks. And not just the studio versions. I’ll also send you the acoustic demo versions too!  That’s four total tracks. These recordings won’t be available anywhere else. 

This is in addition to whatever items are included in your current package.  So if you already pledged $35 or higher, you don’t have to do anything.  If you pledged less than $35, REMEMBER you can always add to your pledge.  For shipping outside the U.S., please add $7 to your pledge unless you already added shipping to your previous pledge.

PLUS….announcing a brand new reward!

$25 - Qty 24 - PHOTOBOOTH STRIPS WITH LYRICS – These are the actual photobooth strips taken for the “Looking For A Feeling…” cover shoot.  Not digital, film!  There are only 24 of them.  I’ll write out some lyrics from your favorite song off the LFAFYNKYN album on the back & sign it.  Take a look at one here. 

IMPORTANT!!! Unfortunately, at this time, Kickstarter does not allow Backers to select more than one reward at a time.  So, if you desire one of these Photobooth Strips and you don’t wish to alter your current pledge, then you must create a second Kickstarter profile with a new name and make a separate pledge on another reward.   The good news is that you don’t have to make a separate Amazon account; you can still use the same Amazon account for all your pledges.  So, just to be clear, if you want 5 of the Photobooth Strips, for example, you would have to have 5 different Kickstarter profiles.  I’m sooo sorry for this trouble but that's the way it is.If you have any questions about this, send me a message and I will gladly help you.

{{{{{{{{{{ Post Updated June 2nd }}}}}}}}}}}}}

THE NEW $10K GOAL ||||||||

HOLY SHITAKE MUSHROOMS! I was worried I would never get to the 7k goal but it took less than 24 hours. I’m sorry if I underestimated you. Or me. Or both.  I feel pretty damn lucky to have people who are looking forward to receiving new music from me.  Thanks for the trust.

But let’s not stop now!

IF we reach $10,000, I’ll be able to print up the CD version of the album, complete with a nice booklet.  In return, here’s what you’ll get…

• All Backers will get their name in the liner notes!  No matter what amount you pledged, you helped make it possible and I want you in there.

• All $25-and-up Backers—current and future—will get an Autographed CD mailed to their house.  That’s in addition to the items promised in the Digital Fan package.  So if you already purchased that package or something higher, you don’t have to do anything (except hopefully spread the word to friends so you get that CD!).  But if you already pledged less than $25, REMEMBER you can always add to your pledge. 

By the way...here's a photo of the actual finished Painted 12" Vinyl by Mike Ferrari, still unsigned.  3 currently left!  Check the Rewards Column.

{{{{{{{{{{ Original Post from June 1st Below }}}}}}}}}}}}}

THE 7K GOAL |||||

My goal is to fund the recording and release of my new album.  Much like Sunlight Searchparty, this will be a raw and organic album recorded with my newly formed band (more on them soon).  Only this time, we’ll be doing it in Omaha, NE and we’ll be doing it extremely fast.  Just seven days of recording and three days of mixing. 

What does that mean for you?  We’re guaranteeing that all $15-and-up Backers will get the digital album sent to them on August 16, just one week after we complete it and several weeks before it's released to the public.  

Where does your money go?  Your money pays for recording, mixing, mastering and gas to/from Omaha.

What else?  We've got tons of rewards running the gamut plus updates to all Backers throughout the process, giving you exclusive insight into the songs and the progress of the album.

Plus...for every $1000 we raise, the band and I will promise one hour of work at a local animal shelter and we'll send Backers a video capturing our time there.  Help us do some good and get some cool stuff in the process.  If you live nearby, join us.

ORIGINS OF THE ALBUM ||||||

Right about the same time I started writing songs for this album and formulating ideas about what it was really about, I stumbled on the painting below.  It's a work by my friend Mike Ferrari.  I called him up and told him I wanted it to be the cover of my new album, an album that wasn't even fully written yet.  So much about the image clicked with me and I started writing and rewriting with this picture in my mind.  Like the boy in the painting, I started going west...backwards in time...inside my memory.  I was becoming the boy...the boy I once was.  Soon, the band and I will complete the story by traveling west from New Jersey to Omaha to record the album. 

And now, you can own the actual 16x23 painting that inspired the record.  It's being offered as a reward.  See the right column for more info.  And check out more of Mike Ferrari's artwork at mikeferrari.net.

View bigger image.

That's the lyrical content.  Now, as for the sound, there's a reason I'm guaranteeing the album in your hands on a specific date and it's not only to make you guys happy.  It's also to keep me from overworking this album.  People often comment that they like me best live and this recording will come closest to that experience.  When in the studio, musicians often fix mistakes and layer sounds because they can.  I've certainly fell victim to that.  Well, in this scenario, I can't.  There's just not enough time.  And I'm not recording at a friend's studio close to home where I can continually work on something.  My hope is that I've purposely built myself into a corner that will help me to produce the rawest album possible. 

That's the plan at least.  The roadmap.  It's up to you whether I get there or not.

With love & preemptive gratitude,

Val & the band

THE BAND is:

Rob Fitzgerald

Dave Bassiri

James Stahon

Kevin Walters