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July 5, 2008 It's been a long time since I've sent out a ***Guitar Stylings*** newsletter. I hope no one thinks I'm not around anymore! The program I was using failed to open one day and I couldn't get it going. So I switched to another program. It too crashed. Then I tried another. Well, it too has stopped working. I don't know if it's my hosting service or what, but it's been very frustrating because I want to communicate with my fans but haven't been able to successfully send out any current news. I'm sorry about this. I just may switch to using Gmail. I know it works! June 2008 The new album '2nd Groove' has been placed back into post-production. Whereas I thought it to be done, after spending a bunch of hours mixing it, my co-producer (Stever Lester) thought otherwise. I have to say...I'm very thankful to have his input on this and future recordings. We sat and listened to what I presented as the final product, song by song, and Steve provided some very valid comments. So I'm going back into the studio to rework and record some of the main guitar parts on about half the songs. Yes, this will take some additional time, but the primary goal I have with all my recordings is to have them be accessible by the listener. This means that you are able to enjoy them to their fullest. And Steve pointed out there were places where I had made this less possible. So...back to work! For now I'll say that the CD will be released in a few months...definitely before the end of this year. I will get a few of the new tunes posted here on my web site so you can have a listen to what's coming. April 2008 I've began a weblog over on WordPress.com. Though it will contain some musical information it will mostly be about this journey I am on in establishing a music career...beginning at the age of 50! OK, I've not been making entries everyday...guess I'm not used to blogging. I'll get better at it...really! February 2008 '2nd Groove' is moving right along. All but the lead guitar tracks have been recorded - and those should be done by the end of this month. Then during March and April the album will be mixed and mastered. If you're a *Guitar Stylings* email newsletter subscriber you will get free previews to some of the songs on this new CD. You'll also get a signed copy for only $10.00. As mentioned in January, some new developments will occur this year and I'm very much looking forward to them. I will reveal them as they become certain. I enjoy what I do and am very happy to now have my wife Susan being a *full-time* part of the muscical activities. I am such a fortunate man! January 2008 My third CD '2nd Groove' is underway and going well. I'm planning for a May or June release - so keep an eye out for it. If you sign up for my 'Guitar Stylings' email newsletter you will receive monthly updates on what's happening in my musical world. Also, newsletter subscribers get every CD for only $10.00. I'm looking forward to an exciting 2008 - some new developments, activities and advancing the music. My wife, Susan, has retired from her *day job* and joined me full time to help in the business side of things. I'm so thankful for her support...and help! I'm also very thankful for all the folks who support me by purchasing CD's, attending performances, opening their homes for house concerts, subscribing to my newsletter. Truly...from my heart...THANK YOU! October 16, 2007 Yes, it's been a bit of time since I've posted anything new up here. It's even been almost two months since I've sent out a Guitar Stylings E-Newsletter. Things have been happening around me that have required time and patience. I had originally thought that things would really start jumpin' since releasing my second CD, 'The View From Here'. Rather it slowed down a bit. But such as life is - an adventure for sure - we continue on regardless of our "plans". I put that in quotes because plans should be "so-called" simply because things might not happen the way we think they should. The latter part of August and all of September brought about the experience of my wife loosing her mother - and I loosing a wonderful mother-in-law, plus every weekend being busy with non-music activities. That took us into October during which time I am on a two week mini-tour up the West Coast. I had planned on as many performances as possible but due to Evelyn's passing we were not able to get the gigs lined up...and that's OK. I accept the "plan" as it is unfolding rather than trying to force it into what I think it should be. My next album, '2nd Groove', has also seen its delays during this time. Where I had hoped to release it by the end of this year, around November, I'm probably looking at a Spring release date. That's OK too...it is what it needs to be. I'm really looking forward to getting it done for I've already started developing the fourth album for which I do not yet have a title. Life is, and I'm happy to be part of it. July 30, 2007 Well I'm back from a short one-week vacation that was needed after all the activities of getting the new CD released and the subsequent release party. Wish it could have been longer... The CD release party was a lot of fun, the place was packed...again...like last year. It's truly great to see so many come out and support my music...yes it's a good feeling indeed. I will get some party pictures posted here on the site soon. "The View From Here" is available online at CD Baby. I've actually already had a couple of reviews come in for it from Indie Music Stop & Bridge Guitar Reviews. You can also read these reviews on the Reviews page. July 1, 2007 The new CD, "The View From Here", is almost here! It should be back from the manufacturers sometime this week. I will be ensuring their quality, then getting the web pages posted for it here on my web site, so be sure to return often to check up on it. The CD Release Party is again at Water Canyon Coffee Co. in Yucca Valley. It will be on Saturday, July 21st, 8 - 10 PM. Please come out and enjoy the party if you're in the area. I'll have special pricing on both my first CD, "Clearly", and the new one. May 7, 2007 The tracks for my next CD, "The View From Here", are completed and I'm currently getting them ready to be mastered. By the end of this week all that should be done and I'll be sending out the CD for manufacturing...YES! I will have a CD release party, again at Water Canyon Coffee Co. in Yucca Valley, the date & time to be forthcoming. Please come out and enjoy the party if you're in the area. I'll have special pricing on both my first CD, "Clearly", and the new one. March 2007 Two more reviews for the "Clearly" CD have been posted on the Internet. You can read them on the Reviews page or visit the web sites that posted them: Rambles.net and Amazing Sounds. January 15, 2007 Michael is back at it again...he's in the process of recording his next CD titled "The View From Here". If you are a subscriber of Michael's Guitar Stylings E-Newsletter you'll be sent special links that will allow you to hear some of the songs before the CD's official release. Currently the release is scheduled for mid-April 2007 and the party will again be held at the Water Canyon Coffee Co. in Yucca Valley, CA. November 5, 2006 Two new wonderful reviews for the "Clearly" CD have been posted on the Internet. You can read them on the Reviews page or on their respective web sites: BuddyHollywood.com and International Online Magazine. November 1, 2006 I'm one of four guitarists featured in the interview section of November's issue of 20th Century Guitar magazine, page 107. This is a print magazine and nationally distributed. I will be putting up a web page of the interview soon. There will be a link to it on the Biography page. September 25, 2006 The song "Moonlight Sands" has been chosen by TIN Records to be included on their New Music Series 2007 compilation CD. From their web site: "...a compilation CD release of the best original unsigned artists from across the globe. It's pretty cool they consider my music to be among that group of artists! September 21, 2006 Whoa! It's been a while since I've mentioned anything here. I've been real busy with a house remodel and haven't been doing much musically over the past couple of months. I'm itchin' to get out and play on a regular basis again but will have to wait until mid October as I'm on vacation in CT the first two weeks of that month. I have at least gone out to play at the local open mic's a few times. Time to start recording my next CD. Yay! I'm heading into the studio to begin working on my next CD which as of now is untitled. I've got a long list of songs to draw from and I know some will not make it on the record...but they'll show up on future recordings. Right now I'm thinking this new CD will be similar to the Clearly CD but just as I did with that one I am going to let the process of recording shape the final outcome - "play it by ear" as the expression goes. I've reconnected with a bass player I was in a band with...oh, 25 years ago...and I invited him to play the bass tracks to which he graciously said yes. His name is Dean Cerny and he is the best melodic bassist I know of. BTW, he and I were in a band called Firestorm that was pre-Stryper. I've also re-enlisted Jon Gosen to head up production because he has good ears for my music - and I really like what he did with percussion and piano on the Clearly CD. July 17, 2006 The Clearly CD is now available on iTunes! If you prefer to purchase your music as digital downloads then this is a great place to buy it. The individual songs are $0.99 or you can buy the whole album for $9.99. You can help provide exposure to my music by adding the songs to your playlist(s). If you do this and it generates sales then I will give you an autographed copy of my next CD. June 17, 2006 Thanks to CDBaby.com you can now purchase the Clearly CD in local music stores anywhere in the US and 33 other countries around the world! That's actually pretty amazing. So, if you're uncomfortable with buying online here's your opportunity to get my CD without having to deal with that. Just get to a music store, tell them you want "Clearly" by Michael Mucklow, they'll order it, and you'll have it a few days later. Too cool! If you're a music artist with a CD and haven't signed up with CDBaby...you need to! June 8, 2006 I think this is really cool. One of my CD's sold to a person in Korea! (via CD Baby) There's no way that would be possible without the Internet, and you have to admit, a CD going to Korea is pretty amazing for an indie artist like me. May 15, 2006 My CD has received it's first Ezine review!
4 out of 5 Stars!
May 8, 2006 4 out of 5 Stars!
April 24, 2006 Well the CD Release Party was great and a lot of fun! Thanks to all the folks who came out to be
a part of the festivities and to the very talented musicians who also performed that evening. JB, Cautious Donavon,
Bob Garcia and Purple Mountain Matinee really helped to make the event an enjoyable one for all in attendance. A special
thanks to Sam Sloneker and Bob Garcia for backing me up on some of my tunes.
========================= I will be going into the studio beginning in August to start recording my next CD. I've got the list of songs building but we'll see what winds up on the final product. It will take about 9-10 months to complete since it all gets done in between "normal" life events; so you should look for a new album around April of 2007. I am so looking forward to working with Jon Gosen again too. How he contributed to "Clearly" is immeasurable. April 18, 2006 The first online sale of a CD happened! It was sold through CD Baby. To know that someone, thousands of miles away, bought a CD and will be listening to my music in their home and car is both exciting and humbling. I'm so thankful that I get to experience this. =) April 6, 2006 I will be interviewed on my town's local radio station Z107.7 (Joshua Tree, CA) on Saturday, April 8th. It's a live broadcast and will be on from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. BIG Kudos to Z107 for supporting local music artists! March 7, 2006 My CD Release Party is scheduled for April 22, 2006 at Water Canyon in Yucca Valley (CA). It should be starting around 7:00 PM and go until 10:00 PM. I'm having other local artists perform their original songs at this event. I thought it would be nice to make the evening about more than just me and have those folks who I've come to know and appreciate musically over the years of living where I do. Please come on out and enjoy an evening of really good music, family, friends, acquaintences and strangers, along with the good food and drink you can get at Water Canyon. I will be offering my CD for a special sale price at the Release Party. After this you'll be able to find it in all the fine places on the Internet and around town. January 1, 2006 This web site goes live! ========================= My first solo CD is due out in March of 2006. I am very excited about the release of this recording. It's a guitar instrumental based project that has been in the works, with or without my knowledge, for about five years. I began messing around with alternate tunings about two years ago and quickly compiled a number of songs. And it was actually these songs that got me to thinking that I really should record the music I write rather than just letting it go out into nothingness all the time. So I contacted my friend Jon who has a studio, (he's also the lead singer in a band in which I am the lead guitarist), and asked about recording there. His answer was a quick... "Absolutely!". I appreciate that he opened up his studio and made time for me. And the instrumentation he added is fantastic - the songs in which he contributed needed exactly what he did. Six of the songs on the CD are alternate tunings and the other six are standard tuning. So I guess in a way it's a mixed project. Most people that record alternate tuning guitar instrumental music generaly record a full CD of just that. But I write in different styles, and I've got to record what I write... and for me that's OK. < Back |
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