About this project
My last solo album, a Hip Hop project heavily based on classic Nintendo games, has seen over 11,000 direct downloads since 2007. This time around, I'm switching up the game by bringing another one of my favorite interests to the table: Steampunk fiction.
"The John Henry Complex" will meld Steampunk aspects (an alternate reality where advanced but dirty technology rose up during the Victorian era) with Hip Hop elements (stories of the hard working people during these times, political and corporate pressure, and the unbreakable spirit of the common man).
A metaphorical tale, it follows the journey of John Henry, a poor railway worker with dreams of becoming a popular entertainer while the mechanical and entertainment industries both attempt to hold him down and destroy the lives of his people.
Set in a broken-down, surrogate America during 1894, the music is composed only using instruments available during this time period such as timpani, snare drums, violins, cellos, pipe organs, etc. with accents of industrial clangs, electricity, booms, rivets being struck by hammers, steam hisses, marching, and more. All of the themes deal with the industrial revolution of man versus machine, hard work, racism and slavery, mad science, new world communication, people's basic rights, corrupt governments, and evil corporations.
Featuring seven completely original songs as well as two timeline-perfect covers (Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and Louis Jordan's "Beans and Cornbread"), this album is executively composed by Pelicaine!einhander, one of the most unique producers in underground Hip Hop from Texas. It also features record scratching (or phonograph manipulation, if you will) by Dale Chase, a quick-rising Nerdcore star and amazing beatsmith from New York.
There will be a few major collaborations with fellow nerdy emcees as well as appropriately untranslated verses from a few international artists on the track "World's Faire."
Also, you should know that this release will be completely radio-friendly to appeal to a wider audience and be playable anytime, anywhere.
The main point of this Kickstarter project is to get the John Henry Complex put on the most appropriate format for the time period - 12" vinyl records - to make an amazing, high-fidelity collector's item for Scrub Club's biggest fans as well as the booming Steampunk scene.
These records will be 33 1/3 speed and will contain the entire album (half of the tracks on each side) . They will be made to look like vintage 100+ year-old record releases including jackets with custom etching-styled illustrations (see pictures found in vintage Sears catalogs for reference) by Scrub Club's amazing resident artist Mr. Spooky.
In lending a hand to such an awesome and unique project, Kickstarter funders, Steampunk enthusiasts, and Scrub Club fans will receive incredible, one-of-a-kind hookups and rewards from the record label.
If you're unfamiliar with Kickstarter, you should know that if the project isn't completely funded by the ending time period, no money exchanges hands, so there's no risk to you. Of course, that also means that if the funding isn't met on time, then none of these hookups will get to happen, either. So please, if you're interested in making this happen, share this link on your Facebooks, Twitter feeds, and Tumblr blogs, or even toss up the entire widget on your site! Everything is simple with a few clicks near the top of this page.
All funding beyond the complete amount will go towards a central donations fund that helps all Scrub Club Records artists pay for promo materials, airfare, and equipment. Scrub Club is a completely donation-driven record label that makes zero profit on purpose - we do music for the love, not the money.
To the funders - I promise to keep the blog portion of Kickstarter updated constantly with progress, extras, pictures, and video. This should be a hell of a time! Ultimately, I hope to put together an actual group of musicians to perform this whole thing live. I hope to see you there when the curtain rises! Until then...
Bring the ages-old legend of John Henry back to life in this new musical twist for the next generation of common workers and artists.
Thank you for your interest in making one of my most anticipated dreams a reality!
FAQ
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34
Backers
$1,170
pledged of $3,350 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on October 26, 2010.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
Receive a download link to the album via email a full week before it is publicly available on the Scrub Club Records website. This includes the music in mp3 format, a print-ready file of the cover, pictures from the professional John Henry Complex photo shoot, and a document containing all of the lyrics and credits.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Receive a download link just like the reward above, but have it sent to you via a Western Union Telegram straight to your mailbox like olden times a few days before the email link is even sent out. Be one of the very first with listener access to the album!
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
You Get the above two rewards PLUS you will receive a physical copy of the John Henry Complex on 12" vinyl record, mailed straight to your domicile, airship, or laboratory. Comes in a nifty vintage jacket featuring original artwork by Scrub Club's sketch-head, Mr. Spooky.
Pledge $35 or more Pledge $35 or more
Get the above three rewards PLUS a "special edition" pack - An autographed 8x10 print from the official John Henry Complex professional photoshoot - think me mixed with sledgehammers, trains, sweat, dirt, and steam - as well as a weatherproof vinyl sticker and thank-you letter.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Get the above four rewards PLUS a scheduled 60 minute one-on-one call with me (this can either be over the phone or through Skype including video). Want to conduct an interview? Get your ass kicked in a game of Scattergories? Have a desire just shoot some breeze, have some laughs, and find out what makes my pocketwatch tick? Need some professional advice when it comes to music-making? Pledge this helpful amount and we'll also have a personal chat.
Pledge $60 or more Pledge $60 or more
Get the above five rewards PLUS a collaboration verse (up to 16 bars) from me or Dale Chase! Feature us on a single or your next album, and we promise to bring our best to the table and contribute to an awesome track together.
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
Get the above six rewards PLUS a custom art commission from Mr. Spooky! An amazing artist of several different styles, Spooky can design your next tattoo, sketch up an original piece based on your details, come up with something otherworldly for an album cover... whatever you would like (all ideas have to be approved with Spooky and are subject to his availability, of course).
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Get the above seven rewards PLUS your name listed as one of our symphony members. The musical credits for the album will list a fictional symphony led by Mr. Einhander, and by pledging this amount, you will be named alongside an instrument in the album credits on our high-traffic website, inside the download document containing the lyrics, and on the back of the actual printed record jacket as well as the downloadable cd cover. Be a truly unique part of the release forever! Limited to the first 20 funders at this level.
Pledge $150 or more Pledge $150 or more
Get the email and postal download links early, the special edition pack version of The John Henry Complex on vinyl record described above, the hour-long call, and the collaboration verse / Mr. Spooky artwork rewards. That's all good. However, you will ALSO receive your OWN custom-built, royalty-free beat by either Pelicaine!einhander or Dale Chase! Discuss with them a general idea for sound and timing, and they will make you an original beat to freestyle to, record your own track, be the theme song to your next project, or even to use while hosting some crazy dance-off challenge. Get creative! Dancing lessons not included.
Pledge $200 or more Pledge $200 or more
Get the email and postal download links early, the special edition pack version of The John Henry Complex on vinyl record described above, the hour-long call, and the collaboration verse / Mr. Spooky artwork rewards. That's been said and done. However, you will ALSO receive your OWN custom song by me! You send me the details and what it should be about, and I will craft your song for you. You can keep it all to yourself, or have the option of us distributing it with our next Noncents release, fully credited to you, which will be downloaded at least hundreds of times. Whatever floats your steamboat!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Get the above-mentioned "$200" reward list PLUS direct behind-the-scenes access to the entire album AS it is being made from the ground up. This includes being able to watch as I record all the verses for the album in real-time, and access to rough mixes of songs as well as different stages of the photography and artwork as it's all being put together. You will also get listed as an executive producer of the project online, in liner notes, and on the back of the record jackets and downloadable cd covers to pad your resume a bit. You will get ultimate bragging rights as you truly, truly become a huge, interactive part of this project. Aside from the all-access pass, you will be granted the option to advertise you or a partner's company through the Scrub Club Records website for one month via a banner at the top of the page. We receive a great amount of traffic, and this would be a good opportunity to get the word out about your craft, company, or product (limited of course to approval first).
Pledge $750 or more Pledge $750 or more
Call this one the ultimate pledge... The "Wilson Fisk" level. Get the above-mentioned "$500" reward list PLUS I will fly out to your location (USA only) and treat you to a lunch or dinner while we talk about anything under the sun, have some laughs. Then I will perform for your private house party, show, convention, whatever you would like to organize, giving any sort of backstage access (if it exists for your event) to you and whoever else you choose. Besides performing, the day is open - If you're a gamer, we could also get down on some games that weekend. Art nerd? We could visit a gallery or two. I'm interested in a lot of different things, so we could hang out a bit. For being such a big spender both financial and spirit-wise, I would love to repay you with a fun-filled, dorky day. You've made a new business partner for sure. You do indeed receive the one month advertising option like you get above, but you will also be listed as a sponsor for every MadHatter live performance including an image of your logo and a link to your site on all print materials and online flyers / information for the entire year of 2011, including the planned John Henry Complex Live Theatre Presentation.
Project By
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MadHatter considers himself an “everyman” in the underground entertainment business.
While he openly claims not be the best at what he does, he does put in an unbelievable amount of effort into his work and strives to do better. Always learning, always evolving, he not only runs the Scrub Club label, he also produces music, records and mixes albums, spits complex, mathematical flows, contributes artwork both digital and traditional, does graphics design for the site and printed products, builds and keeps all of the Scrub sites updated, creates gaming mechanics, handles promotions and public relations including booking, runs audio / visual equipment, runs printing presses, and lots of other tasks that most labels have to outsource.
It’s a lot of work, but keeping Scrub Club going is just as important to him as taking care of a step family. Well, you know… a good step family. Amirite?
