Nashville, TN - Dan Michaels, industry veteran and band member of the
innovative, Dove award-winning band The Choir, has announced the
formation of Galaxy21 Music. Plans are to work together with well-
known, influential artists that are interested in maintaining
ownership of their music, aid in the marketing of their product, tour
to support the release, and enjoy the creative and business freedoms
in their pursuit of music and ministry. The current roster includes
77's, The Choir, Daniel Amos and Buck Enterprises.
"All the bands on the label are good friends of mine," states
Michaels. "I've known these guys for many years as we all saw our
label deals come and go. Each of them are true artists who love God,
love to create heartfelt and meaningful music, and love to play
live. This is my opportunity to serve my fellow musicians and work
on behalf of their music ministry with respect, love and enthusiasm."
While each artist's arrangement with Galaxy21 Music is unique, the
common thread is that all aspects of the recording, promotion,
imaging, photography, conceptualization, and advertising of the
project is jointly determined by the label and the band.
Artists on the label appreciate the fact that their input matters, a
main distinction between their relationship at Galaxy21 and prior
labels. "It's important for an artist to retain some measure of
creative direction in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution
of their product. No one wants to build a project from conception
through realization without the opportunity to also direct the post-
production elements of the business," said Jonathan Feavel of Warm &
Filled Artist Management (77's, Daniel Amos). "Each artist wants the
final product to reach and impact the intended audience; this result
is much easier to realize where there is genuine cooperation between
artist, management and the record company. Galaxy 21 provides the
unique opportunity for all involved to hit that target."
"The label is, in essence, a service to and for the artist," explains
Andy Conant, marketing director for Galaxy21 Music. "Galaxy21
provides creative consultation and helps implement the marketing."
Dan Michaels and Andy Conant have worked together before, both at
Tattoo Records and most recently at Red Hill Records. Michaels also
handled A&R at Benson, while Conant helmed the marketing duties for
Rustproof Records.
The label is slated to release Adam Again: A Tribute to Gene Eugene
Live at Cornerstone 2000 in late February, a live concert taped at
last year's Cornerstone festival. Most of the artists on the roster
appear on the cd, as well as Sim Wilson (Undercover), Michael Knott,
and Riki Michele (Adam Again). The 2-cd set features a new song by
Riki Michele, as well as an acoustic release by fellow AA band member
Greg Lawless.
The 77's new record, A Golden Field of Radioactive Crows, is set to
release on April 10, 2001 and Business As Usual from Buck Enterprises
is slated for May 8. The new Daniel Amos release is scheduled to be
available by Cornerstone 2001 and distributed by early fall.
Galaxy21 Music will release a limited number of projects a year,
opting instead to carefully cultivate public awareness in the new
cd. "Bands on Galaxy21 have a following," says Michaels. "The
fans
are out there, and many of them can measure milestones in their own
lives by the records put out by these guys. As long as the project
is representative of the artist.of where they are now, I think we can
bring the fans along for the ride again."
Internet promotion figures in heavily to the marketing of the label,
as each artist has a solid net presence. Information on the 77's can
be found at www.77s.com, The Choir is at www.thechoir.net, Buck
Enterprises is on www.buckonline.com, and Daniel Amos at
www.danielamos.com. Galaxy21 Music can be found at
www.galaxy21music.com.
Galaxy21 Music is distributed in the CBA market through Diamante
Distribution. Explains Bill Conine: "Diamante is proud to be
associated with Galaxy21 Music. We share a commitment to the artists
who helped pioneer alternative Christian music as we know it today.
These artists continue to have a very loyal fan base and we look
forward to distributing products from Galaxy21 as they continue the
traditions of the past and open doors to new bands of the future."
"MR. BUECHNER'S DREAM" TO BE RELEASED AS "DOUBLE ALBUM"
BY
CORNERSTONE 2001
In a recent interview, Terry Taylor, creative tour de force behind
Daniel Amos, stated: Before Chris Colbert and the band began the mix
sessions for the project, I had a chance to live with the rough mixes
for a while. One morning at about 2 a.m., while driving back from the
studios to my home in Southern California, I was listening to the
results of that days work. Suddenly the most overwhelming sense of
God's pleasure came over me. In that moment I knew that we had
something pretty special. Two nights prior to this, Tim, Ed, and I
were listening to a playback of "Beautiful Martyr" and somewhat
embarrassed ourselves when, simultaneously, the tears welled up in
our eyes.
Daniel Amos didn't start off thinking we'd record 33 songs. It
just happened. I think Chris thought we were a little crazy. It's my
sense that the shear joy of being together again in a creative
setting after a seven years absence, coupled with the on going `love
affair' we've all shared down through the years, opened the
floodgates of the creativity I believe is unique to Daniel Amos. We
were like kids in a candy shop, albeit some fairly old kids. These
aren't old songs, however. They weren't stored up for some
undesignated time in the future when we got around to doing another
project. When JT (the band's manager) called up one day and said to
me "Hey, how about a new D.A. project?" and subsequently Dan Michaels
gave it the green light, the wheels started turning. We were off and
running.
Lot's of friends dropped by: Jason from Starflyer 59, Stonehill, Tom
G., Mark Rodriguez, Derri Dougherty, and others. I believe if at any
point any one of us felt the project was slogging along under the
weight of too much material, we would have backed off and cut what
needed to be cut. When both Anna and Chris made similar comments
about there not being a weak song in the bunch, our confidence was
firmly established. They are both reliable and extremely honest
critics. The band is unanimous in its agreement that the thing works
as a whole piece
not in spite of the abundance of material, but
because of it. The feeling was that the Fans would at the very least
be pleased
lot's of stuff after a long hiatus, and more bang for the
buck. They deserve it.
Some of the lyrics were born out of the tumultuous events of
recent years: the passing of two young and very dear friends, cancer
in my family, and in the families of other close friends. Too many
swords dangling overhead, too many loses for one to bear, but always
the grace of music as the catharsis for the intensity and anguish of
it all. Thank God, however, that this is not a collection of morose
minor key songs. Over all, I think, there is joy here
liberty, and
celebration
a renewed hope in the sovereignty of God. I also believe
our ages work to our advantage, if indeed there is any wisdom to be
gained by longevity. As usual we pose questions concerning the
tensions between faith and doubt, throw in a dash of social
commentary, and generally probe and explore the meaning of what it is
to be fully `human', and one who essentially seeks to serve a
knowable/unknowable God.
`Mr. Buechner' (pronounced Beekner) is Frederick Buechner, a very
real Pulitzer Prize nominated author and a Presbyterian minister who
has been an inspiration over the years. While it is doubtful that
this genre of music is Fred's "cup of tea" or that he's ever had a
dream in which 33 alternative rock songs played and danced in his
head, we hope we have, at the very least, honored him (along with our
faithful fans) with the very best we have to offer. It's to Frederick
Buechner we dedicate this work
This ground-breaking "double album" will be priced as a single
disc and available at all major summer festivals and on-line at
www.danielamos.com prior to it's scheduled released date of late
August/early September 2001.
PRE-SALE OF RELEASE OFFERED AGAIN IN LIMITED QUANTITY
Earlier offered for pre-sales to assist the band in self-
financing the recording, fifty (50) additional copies of Mr.
Buechner's Dream are now being offered for pre-sale. Each pre-
release copy will be hand numbered and signed by all members of the
band; Terry Scott Taylor, Ed McTaggert, Tim Chandler and Greg
Flesch. The remaining available pre-releases may be purchased for
$30.00 only at www.danielamos.com.
TERRY SCOTT TAYLOR TO PLAY GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION (GMA) WEEK IN
NASHVILLE, TN
Diamante Distribution, Galaxy21 Music, Warm and Filled Management and
Silent Planet Records Presents: Heroes Of Modern Rock Night" Tuesday
April 24th, 9pm at Gibson's Cafe Milano in Nashville, TN. The Choir,
77s, Terry Taylor with Phil Madeira, The Lost Dogs and Riki Michele
will be performing a closed event showcase during Gospel Music Week
2001 (www.gospelmusic.org). While this is a closed event for GMA
(Gospel Music Association) registrants only, 50 tickets only are
available to the general public. Cafe Milano is located on 3rd
Avenue North in downtown Nashville, TN. This is an opportunity to
watch your favorite Christian modern rock artists in an intimate and
classy setting performing under great sound and lights. You can only
purchase tickets online at www.thechoir.net or
http://www.thechoir.net/pages/ownmusic.html. Ticket prices are
$35.00 each. Please note - this event is a GMA showcase for Radio,
Retail and Media registrants and none of the bands performing receive
any compensation for performing. Ticket sales will assist in off-
setting a portion of travel and production expenses for each artist.
Come on let's ride!!!
Jonathan T. Feavel
Attorney At Law and
Warm & Filled Artist Management
325 Busseron Street
Vincennes, IN 47591
812.886.9230
jt@77s.com or feavel@wvc.net
www.warmandfilled.com
reprinted without premission