iTired

[filkertom]

I posted this on the iTom page, but thought I'd repost it here.

I am very sorry I've fallen behind on the songs. It has just been a very busy time for me, and I ended up working myself sick. (I'm feeling a good deal better now.) I may have something in the next two days, but if not it'll likely be next week.

It seems like a good time to tell you my plans for iTom. First, thanks so much for all of you who've been listening, giving me feedback, getting the RSS feeds, and buying the songs. I really appreciate it; it is, in fact, what makes it all worth it.

Second, I'm going to finish up this album -- I hope before Dragon*Con -- and then take a bit of a break. Not all that long. A song every few weeks, most likely, rather than every week.

(Heh. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do a song a week, and then I berated myself for falling short... but I forgot to count commission jobs, The FuMP, and a few things I did just for grins. I actually wrote and recorded almost seventy songs in the past year.)

Third, iTom will start up full-swing again at the beginning of the year. Because that's how I'm going to initially release Sounds Familiar, the studio versions of almost everything on the first two tapes.

Good timely schedule, too -- Dodeka is finally, formally getting out of the cassette business. So hang onto those tapes... they're collector's items. ;)

Anyway, it's Con Season, and I've got a few commission jobs to finish up, and more FuMP stuff to write, and, oh yeah, four more songs for this iTom album. And I just wanted to let you all know what was going on, and say Thank You Very Much for your support. It means everything to me, because this is no fun without you.

Comments

[per_solo]

Tom. It's GREAT to hear any of what you are doing, for us. You are one of the few performers, singers, everything-type-person, who gives so much to his fans.

Please, take the time, relax a little. And for anyone who bitches, kindly point them my way. I have a nice aluminum bat that I keep in Mallet-space, just for people who can't appreciate a good thing.

Convention season is busy times. Oh, and by the way, just found out, I will apparently be your liaison at another convention. I'll let you know more about that closer to. It came as a surprise to me (and, yes, apparently will pull in a few more internship hours for me).

It almost feels criminal to be having this much fun in my major, doing what I enjoy. :-)

Take care, we'll still be here.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

I actually wrote and recorded almost seventy songs in the past year.

Yeep. Like I said, no one can begrudge you the break...

[iTom's] how I'm going to initially release Sounds Familiar, the studio versions of almost everything on the first two tapes.

Dude! That's awesome. I can't wait for that one.

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

Goodness! And I thought *I* was running myself into the ground...you overachiever you! :-)

You are of that rare breed of artists who goes above and beyond for the love of the music and the fans. That makes you more special than you know.

Thanks for all the music and fun times...I look forward to many more.

Just minus the stress and sickness on your part, 'k?

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

Tom, you've given us 70 songs free for the listening, a good way to contribute straight to the artist, and a lot of fun since starting iTom. Hearing that we're going to get studio versions of all your classics is a great use of iTom and, IMNSHO, your time. Saying "thanks" doesn't begin to cover it.

Take the vacation, slow down on iTom, enjoy yourself. None of us are going anywhere. :)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

I suspected that The FuMP might cut into your time and energy for iTom. It's a bit of a similar concept except for having a bunch of performers instead of just one.

If it's Con Season, can we shoot them? [evylle grynne]

[per_solo]

I laughed out loud at this, but then realized, as my brain said "It's CON Season", I didn't have something else, in the great Bugs/Daffy voice.

"It's Con season"

"No it's not, it's ____ Season".

hmmmm....

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Pwease, Mistew Game Wawden....

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

It's Baseball Season!

Abra-Ka-Pocus! Hokus-Kadabra! Walla-Walla-Washington!

[lukeski.livejournal.com]

Bricka-bracka firecracker sis boom bah!
Tom Smith! Tom Smith! Rah rah rah!
Bricka-bracka firecracker sis boom bah!
Tom Smith! Tom Smith! Rah rah rah! :)

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

Get some rest and keep yourself healthy.

So, will Sounds Familiar have the tracks from your first two tapes that didn't make it onto your other CD releases?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

No. Understand: The reason those other tracks have not been released is because Dodeka, my first publisher, owns the recordings. The songs are mine, and a number of them have shown up elsewhere. However, whenever I write a song I've usually got a full-bore studio version in my head -- and, while I'm nowhere near perfect, I'm way the hell better than I used to be at actually getting the studio versions of songs to sound like what I want.

What Sounds Familiar will be is brand-new, full-arrangement versions of everything on the first two tapes except "Ho! For the Death of Time" and "Heat of the Blood". Those will be rerecorded later, as I inch towards finishing Skullrose and Tourmaline. (When it's done. Don't ask. I promise, I'll tell you.) I've got lots of good noise at this point, and some specific ideas that I think will rock your socks off, especially with "PQR", "Hellraiser", and "Domino Death".

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Are you ever going to release a CD with all the contents of the two cassettes? Please, pretty please?

[foenix.livejournal.com]

With the amount of music you've put out in the past year or so, all the projects you work on, and now Dragon*Con, you deserve a break. =)

[moquif.livejournal.com]

Tom, I think you did a great job this year. Not all your songs were hits, but I think you did some of your best work. "I want my Flying Car" "Hey! It's Can(n)on" "The Here and Now" "Alternate Universe Lost & Found" "Yeah, Yeah, Transitions" "Pygmalion 2.0" (without the service pack) "Two Guys Kissin' Ruined My Life" "Smash the Frickin' Fairies" "iDon'tCare" "Dead Again". You did in one year took Weird Al maybe a decade. Take a break and recharge so you can resume iTom on your own schedule.

[dbcooper.livejournal.com]

So, wait...you're taking a break after doing a huge amount of work?

Well, that disqualifies you from political office in both the U.S. and Iraq.

But you do deserve a (non-McDonald's) break today. You've made plenty of great music for us to listen to while we wait for your new (and re-recorded) stuff.