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Post by Darren on Jul 30, 2009 6:46:40 GMT
This is the 'NEW' CD project that originally started life as the next forum download. Since the release of "The Story So Far" was put on hold (cash flow  ) I decided to make a very limited amount of CDs to be called "The Courteeners in America".... Simple. Yeah I still feel bad for building up The Story CD but I'm trying to make up for it until I sort myself out work wise. Anyway, the only way you will be able to get hold of a copy of just 5 CDs is by entering the competition run by Ant... You will have until 12.00pm GMT, 1st September 2009 to get your entries in, full details are in the NEW COMPETITION thread. I should have started this thread ages ago but I will now post a re-cap of what shouldn't really have been in the download thread. Nice n' tidy haha |
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Post by Darren on Jul 30, 2009 6:56:16 GMT
What has already been said?So with the Liverpool DL out of the way my attention has turned to the bands gigs in America! It will include their support with Mozza, headline gigs and Coachella. I have already gathered a fair few videos from you tube, so I've got to convert to audio. Here's what I've found so far but I haven't looked on you tube/web recently, so there could be more out now?!?! 2009-03-17 @ Mercury Lounge, New YorkAcrylic
Bide Your Time
What Took You So Long?
Interview2009-03-21 @ Bowery Ballroom, New YorkSycophant
That Kiss2009-03-22 @ Academy Of Music, PhiladelphiaYesterday, Today, & Probably Tomorrow2009-03-25 @ Webster Hall, New YorkYesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow2009-03-28 @ Tribeca Grand Hotel, New YorkAcrylic Clip2009-04-10 @ Palladium Ballroom, DallasNot Nineteen Forever2009-04-17 @ CoachellaAcrylic
Cavorting
Kings Of The New Road
Please Don't
Not Nineteen Forever
That Kiss
What Took You So Long?Liam Fray in LA Hotel RoomSycophantThat's all I've done so far, I'm starting to work out how to do this compilation, maybe a straightforward date order list of tracks?? Just updated the list above, this brings us: 17 tracks, 1 clip & 1 interview (10 different songs) Should make it a good compilation since more quality videos of Coachella were revealed recently. I've also been gathering photos that I can use to design the artwork or just to inspire me...
What do you think?
How would you put this together?
Would you include all the dates? All the songs?
What would your cover art be? More like bootleg artwork? (eg gig photos)Come on I would like your input this time, anything at all, I really do want your thoughts and ideas  Physical Release?I have also been thinking about making it up as a CD but nothing like the dizzy heights of 25 copies haha Initial idea is to make up just 5 copies and have some sort of competition... Would make it something to get hold of & could bring S&C more attention if I market it??? Also the main factor in a smaller release is I just can't afford to make a load up! Times are getting harder blah blah blah... That's why "The Story So Far CD" grinded to a halt but this can be made on the cheap and knocked out a lot quicker. Just been looking around the forum for more on the U.S. gigs and found something I posted a while back: This could be just another download but if I think the quality of the final audio is worthy of a proper release I could do that. Anyone remember Hope of the States? The promo cd sleeve for "The Red The White The Black The Blue" came wrapped in burnt US & UK flags, it was really cool - Maybe something along those lines?? Not the same but I do like the idea of it being wrapped in a flag... maybe with a screen print?? Already looked into DIY screen printing a while back, so I'm gagging to have a go!! Look at me getting carried away again Yeah it's a bit of a rip off or the word I like to use is "recycled" Obviously the flag wouldn't be burnt as it's not The Courteeners style but the CD could be wrapped in the flag and I'd still love to do a screenprint, it should'nt be too difficult to make my own small screens but that's the easy bit!! Hmmm??? What could the print be? I liked the stage backdrop used by Mozza... "Hello sailor"  Again any ideas? Yeah use the stage backdrop, but what would the comp be and how would you pick winners! only 5 copies i hope its not a caption competition im sh*t at those kind of things like daz you asked for our thoughts about the download: like the idea of the cd wrapped in the flag, have a st jude screenprint on it the sailor backdrop on a cd sleeve along with other tour pics and stuff yes use all the songs and on the sleeve you could have some sort of map showing the order of the gigs or the bands path cant think of anything else but i will post more if i do love it! wtysl - Thanks for the ideas. The map thing is good, would be showing The Courteeners journey and would make a great back cover with the tracklisting. St. Jude screenprint? Hmmm?? Yeah I like it, would make a much easier screen than the Mozza backdrop, thinking about it the songs off St. Jude were mainly being played and the majority of the fans hadn't heard it before. ELF / Ant - A competition was just my first suggestion of how to give it away, I don't thing a caption compo would be the right choice anyway. Good suggestion from Ellie to do a poem, I do like the idea that our members will be creative and have to think about it...earn it...Who would judge it though? Keep the ideas coming I like how your getting involved this time around  Correct, caption competition crap!! The poem thing is the way forward Darren! Don't worry about judging it, I would willingly sacrifice my chance of getting a CD to judge stuff, if it means resurrecting the poets thread then it's well worth it. On other notes, I prefer the Mozza backdrop, simply because we see enough of the Hepburn painting, it's on everything early Courteeners, so to have something that we haven't has before on any merchandise would be little more sweet. Yeah I've learned from it - No more captions competitions! That's so good of you that I'll make that the compo & I will take you up on the offer Ant, sorry that you won't be able to win a copy though. If you can write an Introduction to the competition with guidelines etc then that would be much appreciated On the screenprint: Good argument on not using St. Jude Ant, have to agree that the image has been used enough now and it's time to move on... What else could be used as a screenprint on the flag? I still want to keep this relatively simple & quick to make...I don't have the talent to do a detailed screenprint! Any image could be put on if I use transfer paper instead. So far we have just come up with the sailor backdrop what Mozza used on the tour...Anything else instead? A simple band logo perhaps?
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Post by Darren on Jul 30, 2009 7:13:26 GMT
Now that's out the way I will start the ball rolling with what I've been doing with the CD. I've started work on the cover but I'm still looking for inspiration! I think I'll post a picture of what I've done so far to get your thoughts because I need to know if I'm going in the right direction The cover started as a basic one; the US flag then I started to look for iconic images and logos but nothing clicked until I started to make the title. I used different letters of brand names to make "America", so the A is from Apple, M from McDonalds etc, then I just started tinkering and got my latest design. The flag is now faded/merged into the rest of the images on the cover. For the inside cover I decided to use the US flag again but have left it clean at the moment and then a simple torn page with the gig venues/dates. The picture will explain itself anyway...I hope...I'll get on to uploading it  |
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Post by Darren on Jul 30, 2009 8:01:06 GMT
Bloody Mediafire is being a right pain with all the server offline rubbish! Only a few are even showing in my files in the account so it must be them again... I can show a couple of images though (click on them to look at larger image)
Full cover with coloured title Front cover with B&W title |
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Post by sirmavers on Jul 30, 2009 10:19:06 GMT
Must say, love the idea with the letters from logos, fair play. Thankyou Darren for doing this all at short notice, but what's great about this is that there is only 5, looking forward to seeing the finished product, should be a worthy price for 5 worthy winners  |
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Post by cb on Jul 30, 2009 11:13:49 GMT
looks top
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Post by Darren on Jul 31, 2009 13:57:43 GMT
Thanks lads, seems you like the design so far then I got a bit stuck with the back cover yesterday so I decided to get pen-to-paper and get everything out of my head! That did the trick and now I have got a decent plan of the whole project...really went to town and got down to the detail. Even made up a tour list of venues/dates with a checklist of songs played, quality, downloaded, recorded, edited & converted to be ticked off when completed... haha I'm a sad b@stard! The checklist worked though I went through it this morning and got all the songs done and dusted...just got to play the mp3s to do a final check. Haha I'm well pleased with myself! So that brings a total of:16 Compete/near complete tracks 2 Clips 1 Interview from those tracks:11 different songs some fantastic quality only a few 'hard to hear' songs I think this is looking to be a great quality compilation and will finally give you a new song recording of "Sycophant"...TWICE! Also the full band version of Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow...again I've got this twice from different venues but the quality differs too. I still don't know if to use all the tracks and make it a complete journey...well, as complete as the footage available allows OR pick the best 11??? Although I do favour a complete journey at the moment I'd like to know what you would include pleaseAfter finishing Audacity duties I went on youtube to have a good look for anything I could have missed or may have been added since the tour ended...nothing. I ended up sending a message to the people who have already posted Courteeners videos from America... a long shot but you never know??? So that brings me up to date with where I am on the CD, now I'm off to have a listen to "The Courteeners in America" whilst searching for US flags for the CD packaging  |
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Post by Darren on Aug 2, 2009 9:13:53 GMT
Err... after saying I was happy with myself and completing the mp3s before listening to them! Yeah it wasn't that simple as the coachella tracks ended up being at a lower volume...don't know how that happened as I did every track individually and tweaked the volumes as I went along  I did them again within an hour so wasn't that bad, now there ready to go on the CD...yay! Onto the packaging... I spent a while looking for the flag to cut up for use as the over-cover, I did want cotton but quite expensive and all too big! To make up 5 I need the right size flag and took a while to find but I've ordered a cheap polyester one to see if I can use it. I don't know for sure if I can do a screen print on 100% polyester but have found a guide on the best way to print on it, could be too tricky and time consuming though?? Just got to go through it properly. Definitely want an image on the flag so I will try. CD Sleeve... I did find a person on ebay that does short run CD duplication/printing etc... I sent them a brief of what I wanted but haven't had a reply yet??? That's been over a week now so I have reminded them about it this morning... It could be in a nicely printed digipak all depending on cost but their price guide looks fair, so all depends on the quote If that doesn't go to plan then I've got a back-up plan... I will then get the artwork printed onto the kind of card you get on a gatefold card sleeve; the ones like a small lp sleeve where you can slip a cd or insert in either side and have artwork on all panels of the sleeve. Errr...shit... I've got to go shopping I'll add more later  |
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Post by Darren on Aug 4, 2009 17:46:41 GMT
All my efforts are going into this now so I'm progressing very well CD Sleeve... Still no reply from the person who does short run CDs, so I think the idea of a digipak is now out of the window as I can't hang on for ever! Since my first draft was designed for a jewel case and that is the last resort for the CD sleeve/case I revised the design for a 4 panel 2 disc wallet...or as I first called it "like a small lp sleeve where you can slip a cd or insert in either side". I have got together the whole design etc... just needs the finishing touches and then I'll do a test/mock up of the sleeve to see if it works. Poster/Insert... I thought a nice insert would go down well and have finished my first draft of the small poster; about 4 times the size of a normal CD cover. Folded up, this can be inserted into one of the slipcases of the 4 panel disc wallet, if that makes sense. Here's a picture but remember it's just the first draft and I have got to try some other ideas out. click on the thumbnail to have a closer look CD/Tracks... I've been wondering how to do this for a few days now and have finally come up with this for my working format: CD1 will have the best and varied (not have all coachella!) choice of 10 different full tracks CD2 all the rest of the tracks/clips/interview I was concerned that if I had the order of when the songs were played, then it wouldn't be a very good tracklisting, clashes in quality and repeated songs... also yesterday, today... would play twice on the row! So the double CD would solve any of that and be able to have all the audio and fit in with my own diy sleeve. Packaging... I received the small US flag today but I think it'll only look good for one sleeve instead of being cut up into more... The stars will be on one side and stripes on the other...it's going to look great. Now I've got to get on with testing out the screenprint, well that is once I've worked out what I need to do it Cheers |
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Post by Darren on Aug 17, 2009 8:10:32 GMT
Noticed I've not updated for a while but that means I'm working very hard to get everything done for the 1st sept! Since my last update I've now had contact with the 'short-run CD' company and it all looks good for the digipak to go ahead...yay! So I've been tinkering the sleeve artwork to make it fit onto the digipak, although a few problems came up with the companies template, this has been sorted now and I'm in full flow again. I have changed the poster design from the one in the post above and think it's a lot better now. Dreading this.... I've got to make a master CD, well I've got to make 3... 2 for the double CD and 1 for the promo... yeah I thought a promo would be cool to sent to S&C's review panel Another thing I haven't tried yet is the screenprint, I finally bought one of those basic sets off ebay thanks to a couple of record sales, it has everything needed to do one screen so I have got to get it right  I have been reading up some how to guides and will get into that very soon... Also I have been working on some of the fine details which will come to light when it comes to release - Cheers |
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Post by Darren on Aug 19, 2009 15:37:28 GMT
Dreading this.... I've got to make a master CD, well I've got to make 3... 2 for the double CD and 1 for the promo... yeah I thought a promo would be cool to sent to S&C's review panel Well I never! I managed to get all 3 masters done, although it caused a lot of stress along the way  Ended op downloading a trial of nero after the programs I 've got just couldn't do what I wanted them to do!! All good in the end with just a few dodgy tracks |
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Post by Darren on Aug 20, 2009 13:47:37 GMT
I've only just got on my computer as I've been preparing it so I can upgrade the memory...took me from 8pm yesterday to back-up all my folders (my S&C folder is nearly 14GB!!!), settings, emails, bookmarks etc... then clean up & defrag both my drives! So I get ready to upgrade the memory and there's no electrical screwdrivers...I blame the other half Anyway, back to work... I'm struggling with how to word the information; about the tour & CD - Yeah I should have listened at school blah d blah! This is about all that is left to do and I can re-use that for the press sheet that will go with the promo CD (for review panel). Hope to have this done by Friday so I can get it all off to be checked and produced...that will just leave me to do the dreaded screenprint! |
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Post by Darren on Aug 24, 2009 6:52:00 GMT
All the artwork is now complete, just got to sent it to the bloke to check to see if it's all good... he said once he's checked it over and that he will produce the prototypes for me and if I'm happy it'll be a few days for the completed CD Definitely worth paying to have made, it's the cheapest I've found for short-run CDs, saves me the stress of making the whole lot myself & would have killed quite of few ink carts if I'd done it myself anyway... so all is good! |
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Post by Darren on Aug 24, 2009 16:14:12 GMT
Mediafire has been mucking me about again!! I've just opened a photobucket account for a temporary measure.... Here's some photos of my tests of the CD's & Artwork, no front cover cos it's the same as the original one I posted. I've gone for low quality so you can see them quicker     The next one is of the packaging idea; I think I'll sew up the side and just pin the top... still working out the screenprint?!?! The stars will be on the other side  |
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Post by cb on Aug 24, 2009 18:11:02 GMT
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEGA mate
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) I decided to make a very limited amount of CDs to be called "The Courteeners in America".... Simple.
I have been reading up some how to guides and will get into that very soon...