"No offense, but what exactly is so DIY about asking the internet to fund your EP?"

A simple question. No offense taken, but I feel the need to explain.

DIY: Do It Yourself. A term once associated with fixing faucets and making birdhouses is now applicable to the music business. But what does it really mean?

I am a DIY artist. I have no label, no manager, no agent. I book my own tours, I design my own merch, cook my own meals, and pay my own bills. I shoot and edit my tour docs. I tune my own guitar. I made the video for "I'm Ready" by myself. I run my website, store, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I hand-pack every CD I sell online and try to personalize every order. If you send me an email I will probably write you back. I don't know what it means to be "normal" anymore, because all of my thoughts revolve around making music, playing music, and promoting music. This is my dream and I am pursuing it.

That said, no man is an island.

I came up with an idea. I could use this website to rally the people who believe in me. Would they want to invest in my future as much as I have? I didn't know. So I went for it. And it was more successful than I could've ever imagined.

DIY is about community. It's about trading shows and sleeping on eachother's floors, sharing the wisdom and secrets you learn about this business on and off the road. It's about helping out your friends and asking for help when you're in need. The acronym is not entirely truthful, I know.

There are so many incredible people who support me and my endeavors every day and I am beyond thankful for all of that. After all, I would be nowhere if it weren't for all of you guys, the ones who are listening to the music I'm making.

Who knows if I'll continue on this way. I assume I will eventually graduate to a new level, and I really hope you'll support me if/when that time comes. I really truly love you and I love playing music and I want to be able to do it for the rest of my life!

Anyway, sorry if this is really intense.

The bottom line:
"Do It Yourself" is actually more like "Do It Yourself & With A Little Help From Your Friends."

So thank you.

Allison