About this project
In 1974, Elizabeth “Connie” Converse wrote goodbye notes to her friends and family, packed her belongings into a Volkswagen and simply drove away. No one has seen or heard from her since.
Throughout the 1950’s, Connie filled tape after tape with the kinds of songs that, years later, would take hold of the New York scene - haunting, plaintive, and incredibly literary. As it was, the tapes were relegated to a filing cabinet in her brother’s garage.
Now Squirrel Thing Recordings is digging deep into that filing cabinet to produce MUSICKS, a specially packaged 2-LP vinyl edition of songs by Connie Converse. Along with never-before heard recordings, MUSICKS will include a bound collection of Connie's letters, photographs, journals, poetry and more - all in a custom hand-made folio featuring artwork by Sayaka Nagata.
If that wasn't enough, we're also producing a vinyl edition of How Sad, How Lovely, Connie's first CD.
BUT WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!
Squirrel Thing is a small, independent outfit, and we need pre-sale support from fans like YOU to help us get the ball rolling on production.In return for your generous support, we want to say “Thanks!” by sending you copies of the record as soon as they are available, plus exclusive extras including sheet music, prints, original paintings, and even A VISIT TO CONNIE’S OLD APARTMENT!!
What will the money be used for?
Making a record involves having lacquer masters made, metal plating, pressing the vinyl, and printing labels. Plus, every element of the MUSICKS packaging is being custom-designed and most of it will be assembled by hand with the help of our good friends at wysiwyg and Ugly Duckling Presse. Factor in a modest budget for promotion, and things start to add up... But the results will be like no other record in your collection!
No pledge is too small, and no contribution will go unrewarded! Please help us spread the word! Tell your your fans, your friends, writers, bloggers, tweethearts, grandparents, strangers... anyone who will listen!
Endless thanks for your support,
David and Dan (Squirrel Thing Recordings)
MUSICKS Cover Art: Connie Converse by Sayaka Nagata, 2011 (12" x 24" oil on wood)
FAQ
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Yes. The Soundcloud player embedded on this page has 5 tracks from the upcoming record for your listening pleasure. You can also listen to ALL of the 2009 release "How Sad, How Lovely" at the Connie Converse Bandcamp page. Lastly, check out the hour-long special devoted to Connie Converse on WNYC's Spinning on Air.
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When you make a pledge at this level, shoot us a message through Kickstarter. We'll respond within 24 hours with your download link and code.
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It's true, this is the biggest project we've embarked on yet. Every element of the MUSICKS packaging is being custom-designed and most of it will be assembled by hand with the help of our good friends at wysiwyg and Ugly Duckling Presse. And there's so much more than just a record and a jacket: A book of Connie's writing and photographs, prints from Connie's collection, cartoons, letters... all wrapped up in a custom-designed folio. Not to mention mastering, lacquers and pressing of the records themselves. Because none of these elements come stock off the shelf, we're doing everything from scratch, and the results will be like no other record in your collection.
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Once the project is funded, we're ready to kick into production mode right away. Between the pressing of the record, and the printing and assembling of the packaging, we expect to be finished in 6-8 weeks, just in time for holiday gift giving season!
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
59
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$2,036
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Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on October 13, 2011.
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BIG THANKS - You will receive a personal e-mail of bottomless gratitude from Dan and David of Squirrel Thing Recordings!
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
INSTANT GRATIFICATION - Pledge just $5 (half of the regular price!!) you'll get and INSTANT DOWNLOAD of Connie's first album, How Sad, How Lovely.
Pledge $15 or more Pledge $15 or more
PRE-ORDER SPECIAL - The vinyl edition of "How Sad, How Lovely" (Connie's first CD) shipped to your door hot off the presses, plus a digital download.
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TIN-PAN ALLEY - The "How Sad, How Lovely" vinyl edition, digital download, plus a special print of sheet music for Connie's song "Talkin’ Like You."
Pledge $30 or more Pledge $30 or more
EARLY BIRD DIGITAL - Before it's available anywhere else, you'll get a DIGITAL DOWNLOAD of the MUSICKS collection of songs - that's everything on "How Sad, How Lovely," plus an entire disk's worth of unheard material).
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
MUSICKS - A copy of "MUSICKS," a special 2-LP set including all songs on HS,HL, plus an entire disk's worth of unheard material, a book of Connie's writings, a print of one of eight cartoons drawn by Connie, and one of six photo reproductions from Connie’s personal collection, all packaged in a custom hand-made folio.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
MUSICKS EXPANDED EDITION - A hand-numbered edition of the entire "MUSICKS" package, plus prints of the entire set of eight cartoons, all six photo reproductions, and sheet music to "Talkin’ Like You."
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PRODUCER'S CLUB - The entire "MUSICKS" package, plus a special thanks in the album's credits.
Pledge $550 or more Pledge $550 or more
ARCHIVIST - The entire "MUSICKS" package, a special thanks in the album's credits, and a limited edition archival print of the oil painting used on the cover of "MUSICKS," hand-numbered and signed by the artist, Sayaka Nagata.
Pledge $700 or more Pledge $700 or more
HISTORIAN - Have coffee with the founders of Squirrel Thing Recordings on the stoop of Connie's old apartment in Greenwich Village, where we’ll hand-deliver the entire "MUSICKS" package with special thanks. Historians will need to provide their own travel to, and accommodations in, New York, but we’ll happily supply the coffee for you and a friend!
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
PATRON - The entire "MUSICKS" package, special thanks, the full set of eight cartoon prints, six photo reproductions, and the original oil-on-wood painting of Connie Converse by Sayaka Nagata used on the cover of "MUSICKS."
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
WORLD'S BIGGEST CONNIE CONVERSE FAN - The entire "MUSICKS" package, special thanks, the full set of eight cartoon prints and six photo reproductions, plus a one-of-a-kind CD of EVERY CONNIE CONVERSE RECORDING in our possession, unmastered and sequenced as they are on Connie’s tapes. This includes 89 recordings of 49 unique songs transferred directly from their original sources.
Project By
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Squirrel Thing Recordings was formed by David Herman and Dan Dzula in 2009 (as Lau derette Recordings) with the goal of preserving lost music and sounds that might otherwise fall through the cracks of public awareness. In 2011, Lau derette became Squirrel Thing as a tribute to Connie Converse and her song “Talkin' Like You.”
