Dana Jo Forseth

DJ's House of Denim

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travel

Ten Minutes to Salt Lake…and Other Wishful Thinking

Hey, everybody, how did the weekend treat you?

First things first: The e-mail address on my business cards isn’t working. So, for the time being, if you need to contact me via e-mail, please use danajo79 at gmail dot com.

I’m hoping I can solve the problem when I’m back on my home internet. That address was working before…

Well, I’m sitting in LAX with about an hour to go before my plane leaves. Got up at a ridiculous hour this morning (I’m going to have to give my travel planner a serious finger-waggin’ when I get home) and am debating whether the benefit of coffee would outweigh the accompanying misery of sitting on airplanes, wired, full of coffee. I’m thinking not.

I’ve heard there’s a power outage today in Great Falls that they haven’t been able to figure out yet. Not sure how much of town is affected, but hopefully when I get home, the problem will be fixed. If not, at least I can say this: Nothing warms you like gas. And you don’t need power to power nap. 🙂

I will talk about the Road Rally at some point…right now it’s all a little fresh and big and un-sorted-out. Was a great time, though! But there are too many applicable adjectives to use right now while retaining some appearance of coherence.

But I will tell one story now. Yesterday in the final session, there was a panel of record producers listening to random members’ CDs, to see if they could be “hits.” I was fervently taking notes on my phone (best shot at legibility) and a fellow sitting a couple of seats away leaned over and said to me, “You know, that’s really distracting. We’re here to do business.” Curious how any of you would have responded to that….

Anyway, happy Monday! I will be back sometime after I meet with some sleep and a hairbrush. 🙂

<3 -Dana Jo

Keeping Bras in My Guitar Case

So, like I said earlier, I’m getting ready for a trip to Los Angeles.  I’ve been there before…in November of 2008.  I was there for the same reason I’m going now–the TAXI Road Rally.

When I went before, I had some homemade CDs with labels and jackets printed with my inkjet, with a few of my latest songs on them.  I think they were Melt, Beg, Get Outta There, and the special ones also included From Here to Her and Something Worth Doing.  I gave them out to everyone I could think of…which probably amounted to about seven people.  I was not the biggest social butterfly in that huge spectacular hotel conference room.  But it was easily one of the coolest things I had ever done in my life.

Usually, conferences are something I attend on someone else’s dime.  And usually, the impetus to go is to get a few CPE hours and maybe get out of Great Falls for a few days and see a big city for a nice change.  But this–this is my passion, and worth every scrupilously-saved penny it costs me to go.

This year, I will be taking a nearly-complete collection of my early work, either to pitch to opportunities, or just hand out as teasers for my upcoming release.  But, I’ll have something REAL, and tangible…and well-done, for a change.  Not that I put subpar recordings on my CDs last time, but by myself I hadn’t been able to do anything like what we’ve done in the studio this year.  I feel like this time, I have something to be proud of–and that I’m not just going there to take it all in.

In some silly way, it helps that I didn’t set out much to build upon last time, because my name has changed anyway.

I’ve been thinking about what to take with me aside from CDs.  Last time, I hardly left the hotel.  I didn’t really know anybody…I didn’t know where to try to go.  Now I know several people who live in or are at least familiar with L.A., and my buddy Mike Beeson will be there as well, so the outdoor temperature may actually have some bearing on what to pack.  I don’t think I should take my guitar…too risky.  I might accidentally break out into the Freebird solo in the lobby if I have too much to drink.  (And boy, would THAT be embarrassing!)   I also shouldn’t need a guitar, unless inspiration strikes in the middle of the night (which is likely) and I find myself needing, desperately, to chord out a song before I lose it.  But then, that’s what iPod apps are for.

I was sort of thinking about packing all my clothes in a guitar case, just to be misleading.  I could roam through the airport with nothing but a “guitar,” looking like a weary troubadour ready to sing for my supper….if not a nun-turned-governess who might turn your linens into play clothes.  Then if someone stole my luggage, expecting to find a bright shiny Gibson (something I don’t have anyway), they open up the latches, and *poof*….out pops a bunch of underwear.  If I could only see it happen, that in itself might be worth being without my underwear.  But, let’s be real here, I can’t pack 4 days’ worth of clothes in a guitar case.  A cello case…possibly.  A string bass case….well, maybe.  The cowboy boot count would have to go up, though.

I also need to record at least one song I would like to have critiqued by a successful songwriter–like Pat or Pete Luboff or Jason Blume or Jeffrey Steele…as if Jeffrey Steele will have time to sit at TAXI critiquing no-name writers’ songs.  But…it might help to get in line early, just in case.  🙂

What’s New with the Deejster

So, the past month has been a little crazy.  This has kept me off my blog, and for that, I apologize.  I was in Fort Worth for a few days, learning about utility accounting, which I’m sure will serve me well in my musical career.  I also made a semi-expensive stop at the Justin Outlet.  Now that I know such a place exists, I may be in trouble.  I’ve never met a Justin I didn’t like.

Aside from the day job, I currently co-host an open mic night once a week with my pal Joe Ryan (the guy I’m dueting with on the EP).  Last week, I had a gig with the ever-popular Mike Beeson/Miss Sloan, and, as always, I’ve been recording.  This week, I ordered some sound equipment so that when the time comes, I can play a few gigs around the area.  The plan for now is to set everything up in my living room, and carefully select and repeatedly play my set list over and over for my dust bunnies.  Once the lot of us agree that my show is ready for public consumption, I will start looking for some public to consume it.

The EP project is taking a little longer than intended.  We’ve had some issues with equipment and tracking people down.  But, we have the last few sessions scheduled, Chuck is all over the layout and graphic design, and I should have something ready to send the printers and pressers by the end of the month.  Thanks for your patience!  (Please don’t lose interest in buying my CD…..)  🙂

I’ve been reading a lot about marketing, and trying to decide which artists I am most similar to, so that I can try to get the EP into places where people who like it will look.  Not an easy task for anyone who writes their own material, unless they are purposefully and successfully emulating someone specific.   Come to think of it, to make my life easier, I will make sure the next album sounds as much like Nicki Minaj as possible.

Right now, I’m spending some time preparing for another trip I have coming up.  I’m going to the TAXI Road Rally in Los Angeles a few weeks from now.   I’m pretty excited about it, but right now, at the top of the list is choosing the appropriate luggage.  More on that later.

Happy Thursday!

-Dana Jo

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