Kickstarter

Creator Ryan Andreas on April 20, 2012

To all the wonderful supporters that have stuck by us and made such a big difference in our push for 2012 - Amidst the craziness of this fight to press forward - I wanted to stop what I was doing, and drop you an immediate line. This is for you - the amazing crew - who I give my biggest biggest thanks to. We have been extremely busy pushing this project forward from all ends and I wanted to update you on our status before I leave for a mini tour out in Louisiana at Contraband Days 2012.

As we launched this project and initiative to release the self produced album via Kickstarter - and all it would entail from recording costs, equipment, down to CD duplication, distribution, and pledge tier creation/fulfillment, the original goal and intent was to complete it with whatever basic funds we could raise - utilizing independent local small "industry neutral" private studios. The prospective launch date for the CD was an extremely honest guesstimate on a low budget small independent release, and was a bit like predicting the future. We all know that the future can change in an instant, and hopefully for the better as my life for the last 11 months is proof of that.

So I follow with this -straight from my heart - to keep you in the know - the project had garnered quite a bit of attention towards its fundraising closing bell - when unexpected discussions began in parallel with a very connected music producer and world class recording engineer who believes in what we stand for. What that meant for you and me, totally unplanned for - was leveraging the momentum and backing we garnered with your INCREDIBLE support, and coupling it with his investment in time, engineering talent, studio resources, industry connections (multiple major labels) and additional financial contributions that could be brought to bare. In short what I'm trying to say is this ......... YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWSAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Are you kidding me???????? This album is on an hugely elevated track with the assistance and partnered investment from a producer that has worked with major major major players and continues to tour as the lead sound director for multiple ON RADIO Grammy winning artists.

Because of this huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge elevation in opportunity it affords, the project is in a whole new class of requirements - including participation from world class studio musicians, potential established signed recording artists (keep your fingers crossed) - and access to renowned recording studios here in Hollywood CA. All of this has placed greater importance on refining the material, to managing the logistics of it all, honing in the sound and arrangements as an entire piece with a full band, and planning for a studio album that will be able to play in the same space as ANY signed artist you've ever heard on the radio. Putting it mildly- the level we are playing in from quality to launch and delivery will be in the major leagues - a dream I could have never imagined would have come to fruition when we decided to run with this smaller indie Kickstarter project. The potential for this music to find its way into very important partners that can help us push the machine forward on a grand scale, means added length before delivery. This is our chance guys, this is our chance together, this is exactly what we were shooting for. I had only dreamt this might happen AFTER the basic demo was released. But its here NOW. We together have the chance to release the REAL THING. NOT A BEFORE AND AFTER scenario. THE ONE! Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime folks - and we are being very careful to prevent a rush for the sake of rushing. The level its on from a MAJOR production standpoint now - simply couldn't have been delivered by our "indie" time line.

You guys will be so impressed with the results when it arrives - and I will be advising you personally on every step of the way - You will be the VERY first to receive it as promised - and its coming, its coming BIG. It will have exceeded my own personal expectations by lightyears - and I hope you will be very pleased to have been a part of this effort.. This is my hail mary guys - this is all I got, this is EVERYTHING I am - this is our chance!!! Stay tuned in the next coming days I will have something very special for every single one of you for holding on with me - your patience will be rewarded 100 Fold throughout this project - Forever in debt to you guys - L, Ryan Andreas

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 20, 2012

Updates will be given to the kickstarter contributors shortly for the album release - as well as status of gift pledge rewards. What a success the sincere, amazing crew who STOOD with us as backers - have made of this project publicly. What an impressive funding amount to be placed towards a professional record debut - and more importantly, what a gigantic public statement for the industry contacts to see. These kickstarter campaigns remain public record years after they go live - I will continue to come back to these pages as proof of what we were fighting for - that we - together - belong here in this space. That this is where it all started!!!!!! You, the friends and supporters who physically took action to affect change, and guaranteed my continued involvement into the beginning of 2012 to inspire through music yet again, have earned every single ounce of my heart and soul for the rest of my days. This last 30 days was a hardcore lesson in pure undying determination, an online war campaign from the ground level up. One fan at a time. Message by message by message by message. In the face of so many obstacles, seemingly UN-penetrable - with your belief and call to the frontline - we overcame together. You - who participated smashed my expectations and shed a spot light on so many different aspects of this journey, including the circle of "FRIEND" connections around us online and in person. We see you - your names, your faces, your REAL support, and know who was there when it mattered most. When survival in this music effort was at stake for just one more day - we know who stood with us. So for you guys - Watch the doors open for us together - just watch for what happens next. It's going to be LIFECHANGING. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - I congratulate EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WHO PHYSICALLY HELPED - Its our success together - I owe you my existence. - Stay tuned L, RA

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 20, 2012

Im truly speechless for what this select absolutely stunning brigade of loyal friends and fans were able to accomplish here on KickStarter. Are you kidding me? This last 30 days has been nothing short of an online war campaign. I knew it would be difficult, and was prepared to embrace the obstacles that lay before us and overcome. I put my guitar down, and planted myself infront of a PC monitor 24 hours a day. We met soooo many challenges, and my girlfriend Anet-E and I couldn't believe how impossible it was as an artist to actually reach fans on sites like youtube. With multiple millions of views - hundreds of thousands of thumbs up, and tens of thousands of individuals with incredible comments - Youtube was an absolute unequivocal brickwall. Every attempt at contact with our fans there were filtered or blocked - and eventually I had to move on. It truly was devastating to see wonderful supporters, you simply couldn't reach. In short folks, what you are seeing here on Kickstarter is our one to one communications with only 1 half of 1 percent of just the Facebook Fan base alone - The statistical reports back this up - and it expresses two things. 1. YOU GUYS RAISED AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF FUNDING THROUGH INCREDIBLE SELFLESS GENEROSITY. You spoke for tens of thousands of fans 2. WE HAVE AMAZING GIGANTIC POTENTIAL GOING INTO THE FUTURE AS THE REMAINDER OF THE FANBASE ONLINE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS GOING ON HERE ON KICKSTARTER. Just look what you select few have accomplished - look how deeply routed your beliefs run to have contributed in such a way. That same emotion is carried with thousands and thousands of others. If there was ever evidence to display an artists right to be acknowledged in this industry - you guys have made that clear to the public. Our efforts into 2012 had to be big, and bold, and boy have you made a statement with this. This entire last 9 months or so has been crazy surreal - and these last 30 days alone have truly topped that by all accounts. I will never ever ever ever ever forget how challenging it was to get the word out on this project. My family and I, as well as the super amazing RYANATION volunteer Facebook Street Team on www.facebook.com/ryanandreasfans have been pressing this fight forward as if it was a matter of life and death this past month. In all reality - it was that to me - my music is 99.9% of what embodies who I am.

Even with the power of faith - these obstacles faced during this month would not have been overcome without us all taking a PHYSICAL stand to unite for something to be believed in. With every defeat one will encounter in their lives - comes even sweeter victories, and this will be hands down my greatest victory as an artist. It was not a victory with a closure, a gold medal, a bus ride home and a memory of good times, but a victory for future facing STEPS that may smash the doors open in this industry - to help affect change in this world - put emotions back into peoples hearts, and to put Music back in the ears of millions upon millions, literally an entire generation of young listeners - who have simply forgotten what this art really is. There was a time when great vocal artists existed - and their timeless voices lasted well into 50 years after their arrival on the scene That golden age is gone - disappeared, and an art to authenticity is on the extinction list. This was never about a garage band demo - it was never that short sited. This was about the real deal on every level, this was about something that matters. Inspiration through music. You stood with me this day February 20th - I shall stand with you guys till my last breath. God Bless each and every one of you - The fight continues L, - Ryan Andreas

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 16, 2012

It ain't over till its over - and this continued total climb is proof of that. - 3 full days left - So very excited to see this effort take shape. Personally put myself out there in the video, risked sharing songs NEVER heard before with the hope that the fans would see the potential in this material. That the excitement of a fully produced album with full instrumentation, backing vocals, and other elements that one can't pull off just playing by themselves would be embraced. I have yet to see a kickstarter band project that shared music to be released on the project album so extensively. There is usually a collection of verbal promises, then not showing you the backers what you're pledging into. I wanted you all to know - right up front - that your backing was not going into some faceless dream.

In just 8 months we have surpassed 4.75 million aggregate views online - and the last 20 + days raised over $13,150.00 and not only retained a fan base that is estimated in the tens of thousands online, but continues to grow with ZERO RECORD LABEL REPRESENTATION. Totally grassroots. Our kickstarter effort to get the word out has proved to be an extremely difficult one. Invisible filters and walls are in place to prevent artists from contacting potential fans direct. Facebook and Youtube which you might think are conducive to open communications have blocked most routes to reach out on a global level. Our and your attempts have been one fan at a time, and we reach old friends every day who know nothing about the efforts here nearly a month later. Your actions of this amazing group send a clear statement to those in the industry who are watching this - and the success of this project is not just in the album itself, but in the character you've shown publicly as REAL fans and truly amazing people. The amount raised from this select group - is miraculous. Your combined efforts will be immortalized in something that will continue to live on not only in printed audio media, but in my heart for all days forward. You've shown your true colors - Thank you for pointing me in the direction of staying on this path. You have done more than you realize to keep the door open. I will give my everything to this - EVERYTHING..... Keep sharing - keep pushing - I'm still swinging for the fences :) L, Ryan

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 12, 2012

Big smiles - and as of 3:18 pm PST Sunday we travel towards a total of nearly 12k funded!!!!! Together we have made an extremely successful effort into the kickstarter unknown. When you formulate these things in your head, brainstorm ideas, or strategies to push forward in a creative campaign like this - you have zero idea how it will turnout. Its such a blessing that my music spoke to you in some way - and your actions here on Kickstarter have clearly spoken to my heart. The statements you have all made here publicly are worth 10 million times the generous amounts pledged to push the project forward. You my friends will not regret your belief - please keep sharing, its not over till its over - and we have much work to do. The impressions you have left on those in the industry that are watching this are priceless. This is just the beginning of something big in 2012. That I promise..... Its time for music to return to a time when it meant something, and had artists that were really musicians, wrote their own tunes, played their own instruments, and loved the craft for its ability to make people feel passion inside. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to showcase it. - L, Ryan

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 7, 2012

wow :) - More VIDEO content to be posted this week - as well as additional Radio Station push, and new announcements. You that are making this possible - Seriously where do I begin - 12 days to go - What a success you are helping make this drive - I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. More surprises to come - over 10k in just over 2 weeks? - wow!!!! - You guys are incredible - simply incredible - RA

Creator Ryan Andreas on February 4, 2012

Wow - nearing some milestones that's for sure - We are on the 15th day right now - and look at the continued believers helping to keep pushing this. I was on FM radio this morning continuing to push the effort forward, and more stations are due this coming week - Thank you for being a part of this - Just know I won't let you down - you are in my heart forever - RA