Meet Sean Padilla:
He's an indie rock musician based in Austin, TX via Brooklyn, NY. His band (which is really just him) is called The Cocker Spaniels. He's one of the coolest, most intelligent, thoughtful and most laid-back cats you'll ever meet - just don't call him Lenny Kravitz or he'll be forced to go upside yo' hed foo! Er, yeah...
But anyway, he's got a really cool project on deck that I think people should know about. He's planning to do his third C. Spaniels album based entirely on patronage from ordinary folks around the way (that would be YOU there, o' faithful reader).
Here's an insight to how it works from the Mr. Padilla himself via the patronage info page over @ the C. Spaniels website:
Anyone who makes a donation of $25 or more to me, along with a story or anecdote about themselves, will get a Cocker Spaniels song written about them. The pricing scheme will be as follows:
$25-$49 donation = I will write a song based on your story or anecdote, with as much of your original wording preserved in the lyrics of the song;
$50-$99 donation = You'll get the song, with your name incorporated prominently in the lyrics;
$100+ donation = You'll get the song with your name in it, as well as a percentage of the royalties from the first pressing of the album when it's available for sale.
You can donate in one of two ways:
1) Paypal it to lovesickrockstar@yahoo.com, and send a separate e-mail to that same address with your story or anecdote
OR
2) Mail a check or money order with your story or anecdote to Sean Padilla @ 3018 S 1st St #201, Austin TX 78704.
Once I receive your donation and your story, I'll write a set of lyrics for it within seven days, and send them to you. If you approve the lyrics, I'll write and record the music within 21 days of your approval. You'll receive a CDR of the song, and I'll post an mp3 of it on my website. Once I have compiled an hour's worth of songs, I'll release a tangible version of the portrait album!
Although my primary motivation for doing this is money, I also consider this patronage system an artistic challenge to myself. Until now, most Cocker Spaniels songs have been based on things that I've directly experienced. This portrait album will be an opportunity for me to put more empathy into my music, to capture other people's thoughts and experiences in the same manner that I do my own. I vow to make these songs as true to my patrons' experiences as possible, and to craft them at the same level of quality that I have the previous two Cocker Spaniels albums.
Just to give you an idea of what you're in for, here's the first completed patronage song "Soso & Lola (What Day)" - how badass is that?
For more about Sean and/or The Cocker Spaniels, visit www.cspaniels.com or check out his MySpace page. It's not every day you have the opportunity to have a song custom written for and/or about you - most of us are never given a chance to witness the songwriting process of an artist at all. I strongly suggest you get on deck with this artistic endeavor and support independent music and art in its purest form.
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