About this project
Hi friends,
This August I embarked on my most creative and ambitious project yet. I have been riding my motorcycle across the US visiting friends/musicians for a few days at a time to co-write and record one song at each stop using only the gear/instruments that are available, ultimately creating an album. I have been collaborating with some of my favorite song writers and musicians and meeting more along the way. I left Philadelphia with a batch of tunes in my head, but I have discovered new things at each step of the journey and continue to write new songs as I go.
I travel on my 1972 Triumph motorcycle and have been accompanied by a small documentary film crew led by Drew Stubbs to capture this writing/recording process as well as a rare American road trip.
This is more than just an album. This will be an interesting journey and a sonic and visual documentation of an experiment in collaboration including a network of talented musicians spanning the continent..
Here is the list of invited collaborators all of whom I have been honored to meet and share the stage with during my 7 years as a touring musician.
So far I have visited and recorded with:
Cambridge,MA - DRUG RUG, Sue Bell, Jesse Gallagher of APOLLO SUNSHINE
Harrisburg,PA - Rebecca Marie Miller of MYNABIRDS
Akron,OH - JESSICA LEA Mayfield, Bob Cesare
Chicago,IL - John Stirrat of WILCO / AUTUMN DEFENSE Nashville,TN - David
VANDERVELDE, Courtney Jaye Murfreesboro,TN - THOSE DARLINS
Black Mt.,NC - FLOATING ACTION
October:
New Orleans,LA - GENERATIONALS, Julie Odell of GIANT CLOUD
Lafayette,LA - BRASS BED
SanAntonio,TX - HACIENDA / HAWKS of holy rosary
Austin,TX - Bill Baird of SUNSET / Jim Eno of SPOON
December:
Tucson,AZ - BRADFORD TROJAN
Long Beach,CA - DELTA SPIRIT Santa Barbara - GARDENS AND VILLA
SanFrancisco,CA - Jeremy Black of APOLLO SUNSHINE
I am excited and grateful to have the opportunity to work with so many talented musicians. Please look them up to have a listen to their work.
In conjunction with the release of this album, Drew Stubbs plans to screen the finished documentary in the Spring of 2012 at music and film festivals.
I have been working hard all year planning and saving up for an adventure like this and I will match all donations up to $5000 to ensure a safe and happy trip. This is an independently funded project and is not financially backed or associated with any record label. ( yet )
Your donations will be used to help with the post production of documentary, video equipment rental, editing, promotion/publicity efforts, and emergency motorcycle repair, final mix and mastering of album, and to help me get home by the holidays.
I invite you to take part and give a helpful hand in something that has never been done before. I know it's not a moon landing or climbing Mt.Everest but I think it's a pretty special project and I have invested my heart and soul.
Please spread the word to friends and music lovers and please come along for the ride.
Facebook- www.facebook.com/pages/Juston-Stens-will...-/270595052953
http://twitter.com/#!/justonstens
Thanks so much,
Juston Stens
Drew Stubbs ( documentourian )
FAQ
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on November 25.
Pledge $2 or more Pledge $2 or more
THANK YOU! I know who you are, and I am sending gratitude from my heart to yours. Every little bit helps and I am SO incredibly GRATEFUL for your help! Thank you so much! I will be sending cosmic hugs, hi fives and smiles.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
Twice as nice! Thank you for this pledge that will ensure that Drew and I stay awake and alert with the coffee we will drink. Caffeinated vibes will resonate!
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Thank you thank you. !!! That, my friend, is a tank full of fuel in the old Triumph. As a gesture of gratitude, I will send you a thank you postcard from the road.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
Thank you thank you thank you. I will send you GOOD VIBES, a postcard from the road and a photographic print taken during my journey.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Thank you thank you 50 times. I will send you all of the above gifts and an advance copy of the finished album.
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Ok, now we're talking! Thank you 100 times over! For this generous pledge you will receive all of the above items + advanced limited copy of documentary featuring artwork from collaborative artists.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
THANK YOU SO MUCH! For this donation amount, you will receive all of the above and be personally thanked in the liner notes of my upcoming album as well as the documentary. I will also extend my gratitude by offering passes for you and a guest to any concert of mine you are able to attend.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Thank you a ton and then some!!! For this pledge you will receive all of the items above and become the proud owner of my Epiphone SG electric guitar. ( see pictures on my Facebook page in the album "music " ) I will also extend my gratitude by offering guest passes for you and a guest to any concert of mine you are ever interested in attending.
Pledge $750 or more Pledge $750 or more
Above and beyond! Thank you for this generous pledge and please enjoy your new Airline H44 DLX ( copper ) electric guitar. This is the guitar that is accompanying me on my journey and used heavily in the tracking of the album. http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/
Project By
Connected as Juston Stens (611 friends)
Hello earth. My name is Juston Stens. I was born in Virginia on Ringo Starr's birthday. I was raised in New Jersey listening to Philadelphia radio stations. When I was about 7 years old I taught myself to play guitar by listening to my parents albums and cassettes from the 60's and 70's. It wasn't until years later that I learned how to tune it!-_-_-_- In 1985 i saw "Back To the Future" and knew it was time to go electric. I saved $75 and my father took me to the South St. pawn shop in to buy my first electric guitar.-_-_-_- As a teenager I founded and led a New Jersey punk rock band "ODDNORMAL" playing guitar and "singing".-_-_-_- I once saved Brooke Shields from drowning. I spent the reward money to hire VanHalen to play at my birthday party.-_-_-_- In my early twenties I joined a band (Traffic Jam) with a friend named Bradford Trojan, taking the role of drummer and honing my percussive abilities. Later I switched back to guitar/frontman and formed "It's Turbo Time !" -_-_-_- In 2004 I created a recording project known as "VanCleef" which explored slower and more dramatic sounds, most of which were instrumental and inspired by Sergio Leone's "Spaghetti Westerns" and the Ennio Morricone scores that accompanied these beautiful films. -_-_-_- Between 2004-2010, I was drummer for a Philadelphia based rock n' roll act known as "Dr.Dog". -_-_-_- While a member of Dr.Dog, I have written and performed on every album of theirs to date, toured US, Europe, and Australia and shared the stage with such artists as The Black Keys, The Strokes, The Raconteurs, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, M. Ward, Delta Spirit, Cold War Kids, Fleet Foxes, performed at festivals Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza and appeared on late night television shows of David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, and Craig Fergusson.-_-_-_- Since parting ways with Dr.Dog, I traveled to Tucson,AZ and Black Mt.,NC to record my first collection of songs, playing all instruments, which were released Summer 2010 on an EP( Park the Van records ) and a limited 7"( People In A Position To Know ). In May 2010 I began playing live with a solid live band known as " The Get Real Gang". We have had the pleasure of performing for Daytrotter.com and sharing the stage with Brass Bed, David Vandervelde, Pomegranates, Arms, Powder Kegs, Spinto Band, Birdie Busch, the Extraordinaires, The Looks of It, Giant Cloud, Generationals ( with whom I am currently a touring member ). I am on the road right now recording another collection of songs in a new way.-_-_-_-My name is Juston Stens. I am now 34 years old and I have gray hairs. Some say they make me look distinguished. Others do not. Red is grey and yellow, white. But we decide which is right, and which is an illusion!
