Shriekback | UK | CD | 2019

Last week the Shriekback mailing list got an email that felt like the reissue of Barry Andrews’ “Lost Pop Songs” last year was actually an outlier to wheel turning in Mr. Andrews’ cranium to a conclusion that maybe it was time for the smooth pated one to once again trip the light fantastic in a solo configuration. As the man himself noted, there was something beguiling about the pop form that beckons him to return even as he had kept up a very active  Shriekback career for the last two decades. Like the music of most of the artists that I enjoy, to my ears it’s pop – even if the larger public may find the notion incredulous. Hence the title for the mooted album that addresses the traits in Mr. Andrews that result in attempts at pop going somewhat askew due to his penchant for somewhat fruity and vigorous language and a willful penchant for obscurity.

So he wants to make another solo venture, his first since 1980 with all his other efforts since then being groupmind [Shriekback] or artrock collaborations [Monsterance, The Fire Judges, etc.]. All well and good! Sign me up. As it turns out this is very much literally possible because Mr. Andrews ahas decided to crowdsource the creation of said volume via Patreon. His campaign began this month and will extend for a period of six months, which I just found out today. I breathe a sigh of relief since the notion of paying a monthly payment in perpetuity is well beyond my limited means. Even for a treasured artist like himself.

So what is the breakdown here? I usually find myself crowdsourcing at Pledge Music. The Patreon model differs in that pledges are broken down into monthly payments. On the face of it, a great thing. One may buy in for as little as $10/month for six months with a ceiling at $250[+] a month with loads of care and attention. How do the tiers of engagement stack up?

part of the solution – $10 or more per month [for 6 months]

• monthly update and downloads of ongoing ruffs etc

in the loop – $30 or more per month [for 6 months]

• downloads of outtakes
• work-in-progress
• access to ‘ask me anything’ forum (guaranteed reply)
• + monthly update and downloads of ruff mixes

in the loop to the max – $50 or more per month  [for 6 months]

• early download of album
• monthly livestream/videos
• analysis of multitracks-in-progress
• + all of tiers 1&2

stuff…++ – $100 or more per month  [for 6 months]

• personal monthly postcard
• pre-release CD copy of the album (signed)
• + all the previous tiers.

bespoke stuff with jollies – $250 or more per month  [for 6 months]

• personal acknowledgement on the album A/W
• copy of limited edition slim volume – book of lyrics and Thorts – signed and numbered
• a micro-piece (can be used as ringtone) specially composed for you
• + all the other tiers

Given that we are saving up for 2019’s Big Ears Festival [more on that later] in about two months, and we are going full festival this time, I don’t see this in the cards, but I will be buying a copy of the finished product once it flies out to the world. Eventually. Shriekfans who are more impulsive and devil-may-care than I am [I’m looking at you, Mr. Gaulke] would otherwise do well to click the button above and tithe away!

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