Hello Friends,
THIS ISSUE…
- Family
- New CD ‘2nd Groove’
- Goodbye to the *Day Job*
- 2008 Western Region Tour (Booking starts now!)
- House Concerts
- Newest Review for ‘The View From Here’
- My Music on iTunes; DRM-Free MP3’s
- Help Promote the Music
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FAMILY…
Unfortunately, since the last Guitar Stylings Newsletter, there was another passing in my wifes family, this time her brother Mark. It was sudden and truly left us somewhat in shock. He entered the hospital for what seemed to be something relatively easy to remedy. Three days later he fell into a comma and never recovered, passing away eight days after. Mark was a man of gentle spirit and very kind hearted. He spent the last 20 years of his life being a caretaker to his parents. Yes, he too is missed.
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NEW CD ‘2nd Groove’…
Yes, it’s nearly time for my third CD, ‘2nd Groove’, to be released. Currently I’m doing some retracking of guitar parts and then some remixing is going to be done. After that the album will be mastered and sent off to get manufactured. So it looks like it’ll be a late July release.
This recording is a break from my last which was a [solo] fingerstyle guitar project. However, it expresses another style of composing I do. The songs are more along the style of ‘Moonlight Sands’ and ‘Healer’ from my first CD (Clearly). A lot of work has gone into this album, it’s been in the works for nearly two years. Well worth the time!
Because you’re a subscriber to Guitar Stylings you’re entitled to get the CD for ONLY $10.00! And you can order as many copies as you want to for this price. I’ll send out an email when the disc is available for sale.
Would you like to hear a few of the new songs? Then visit this special web page I’ve set up for subscribers only.
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GOODBYE TO THE “DAY JOB”…
Well, I finally did it! At the (ripe, not old) age of 50 I have left the world of the “day job” to have a full time music career. The best part of this is that my best friend – my wife – is at my side for this new journey.
All that’s left to sell is the house. We’re now living in our new home, a thirty foot travel trailer. That’s how we’ll be traveling around the country for at least the next two years.
I will play every opportunity I get. RV parks…coffee houses…art galeries…festivals…store fronts…city parks…farmers markets…pubs…music stores…book stores…house concerts…churches…malls. Almost no place is off limits!
I know I’ve made the right decision and I’m genuinely looking forward to a different future than I thought I’d be living.
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2008 WESTERN REGION TOUR…
Idaho
Montana
(Northern) California
Oregon
Utah
Washington
I will soon be embarking on my first ever tour!
I am currently lining up my performance schedule and the plan is to travel the states in this order:
August – Utah, Idaho and Montana
September – Washington and Oregon
October (1-19) – Oregon and Northern California.
I can use your help! If you live in any of the states listed and know of places that have live acoustic music that is like, or even similar to, my style then please send an email to michael@michaelmucklow.com telling me about it. If I get a booking from your recommendation then as a way to say “thank you” I will have some special gifts for you.
You may also want to cosider hosting a house concert in your home. See the next section.
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HOUSE CONCERTS…
House concerts are incredibly intimate and will provide your guests with an unforgettable memory! I truly enjoy performing in this environment and would encourage you to host one of your own. You might be surprised how easy and fun it can be.
Check out this video by Fran Snyder, founder of Concerts In Your Home.
Visit my ‘House Concerts’ web page to learn how you can host a House Concert. Then, if you wish to have me come and play a concert in your home please contact me at bookings@michaelmucklow.com.
You can also visit the Concerts In Your Home web site.
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NEWEST REVIEW FOR ‘THE VIEW FROM HERE’…
“Call me a mindless brute, but I’m always a bit unsure when I hear people describing music as ‘relaxing’ or ’soothing’. Yes, a lot of great music does indeed have those qualities, but when those are the main ideas that you can throw around about a song, then usually the words ‘boring’ or ‘hippie’ (in a bad, whale-sounds album kinda way) come trailing right behind. Fortunately, in the case of Michael Mucklow, a guitarist from Yucca Valley, California, that association couldn’t be further from the truth. Michael has a background in hard rock and punk bands, where he has perfected his guitar playing, making him a very versatile performer, and the way his solo acoustic songs flow, you can tell that this is a man whose guitar already functions as an extension of himself. Since he has started to write and record on his own, he has already released two records – ‘Clearly’ and ‘The View From Here’, and on these releases it’s clear how heartfelt these songs really are.
“Each of the songs works as a sort of individual little world, slowly but surely developing and very evocative. More than peaceful, Michael’s songs are inspiring, as it’s easy to close your eyes and imagine the picture that his strings are painting through sound. It’s interesting to note that although Michael does possess a strong religious faith, this notion is not overbearing, and nor does it take place above the music, in his songwriting, which is a very worthy approach. Not only these peaks and valleys of acoustic guitar sound are peaceful, but the feeling that you get when you listen to them is that they are written and played by someone who is very peaceful himself.
“Peaceful, yes, delicate, surely, but at the same time not always goody-goody – the world is not just light, and the darkness creeps in sometimes, as does the sadness and every other feeling that is worthy of being represented like this. Take a song like ‘Tears Of The Wind’, in which Michael’s dabblings in more aggressive music have left him an accurate ear to represent the shadier side of his heart, it’s a brooding song that could well serve as an interlude on a metal band album, for example.
“Sit back, relax, and take a look (and a listen) at “The View From Here”. You’ll like it, you’ll see.”
~ Review by José Carlos Santos
~ Indie In Tune
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MY MUSIC ON iTUNES; DRM-FREE MP3’s…
Here’s a quick link to all of my albums on iTunes:
My music on iTunes
If you prefer DRM-Free downloads of my tunes, you can get them at:
CD Baby
Amazon.com
payplay.com
> Tell your friends!
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HELP PROMOTE THE MUSIC…
Word of mouth advertising is so important to what I do. Many of my CD sales come as a result of YOU telling your friends and family about my music.
There are other things you can do to help me promote my music, too. Here are some examples:
iTUNES users please rate and review my albums on iTunes. The higher rating I can get by a larger number of people, the more likely it is the CD will turn up when other people are searching for related music on iTunes.
On Amazon, I could use some reviews for my CD’s. Here’s the ‘Clearly’ product page, and the ‘The View From Here’ product page; scroll down to about middle of the pages where you’ll find the Customer Reviews section.
Thank you so much for your help!
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That’s it for this issue of Guitar Stylings. If you have any questions about anything, just email me at michael@michaelmucklow.com.
Michael Mucklow
http://www.michaelmucklow.com
