The media page is open for business.
September 1st, 2008 by chuckmoGreetings, comrades!
After many, many months of distractions, side-projects, and sheer procrastination, the media section is now up and running. There’s still quite a bit of aesthetic and functional work to be done, but the meat and potatoes are available to you all. And boy are they tasty!
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for various improvements, including embedding options for easy song-sharing and a refined media player.
Jimmy Spits on KOMU TV 8
August 14th, 2008 by kevinJimmy Spits sent word today that he was featured on Columbia’s local KOMU TV 8. The interview is great and gives you more of an insight into the mind and personality of one Jimmy Spits. Check out the video below and get to know Jimmy Spits a little bit better.
The Spacetones “Moon Tunes” reviewed by the Four/Four
July 20th, 2008 by kevinThe first review for “Moon Tunes” is in, and it seems the album definitely turned some heads over at the blog. Here’s a big thanks to the guys over at the Four/Four for the positive review, and hopefully the reviews keep pouring in.
July 26th, this Saturday. “Moon Tunes” is officially released! Keep your calendars open, and make it out to Randy Bacon’s for the release show to see the Spacetones play the new album live from front to back.
The Dropcast - Episode 4: The E.R.W.I.N. Mix
July 1st, 2008 by chuckmo
…And six months later, e$money makes a deposit to the ‘cast. Download.
Opening Music: e$money - Jazzy Bitch
LeaPs and bounds Tour
June 11th, 2008 by jimmyspitsHip-Hop Heads,
The “LeaPs and bounds” tour is almost here. Be it shorter than it once was, it is still going to happen. Columbia, Kansas City, and St. Louis are the tour destinations. We have a stay in the Marriott on the Plaza, but also stay in DJ Mahfs basement! We will cover over 600 miles. DJ Alpaca Radio will join me in Kansas City, while Ryan Sublette will join me in St. Louis. We will be interviewed on the air at Riverfront radio studio’s. We will also support with Info and Negro Scoe in Kansas City.
ReVerse (an area music video director) will join me in Kansas City. He will create a “mini doc”, or a mini documentary about the tour and me. ReVerse has been with me from the beginning. For my first talent shows at Hickman High school, ReVerse was there. He is part of my origin and the video will be top notch.
In the near future I am writing a book, “The Ultimate Rhyme Book”. This book will give beginning emcees a few lessons of the trade. It will begin with fundamentals of lyric writing and later dive into the spirituality of art. I am finishing the text, and beginning the layout.
Until I return form my tour, so long. I am sorry I could not play a show in Springfield. Try as we might have to book Billiards, it was no use. Wish me luck.
The Verbs: Where Have You Gone?
May 30th, 2008 by justinWell, for all who are wondering where the hell The Verbs have been for the last month or so, we’re actually…no more. Well, not really “no more,” but definitely reincarnated in more ways than one. Read a bit more and I’ll explain everything:
The title “The Verbs” was trouble to begin with; after deciding on the name in the beginning, we did a MySpace search only to find another band in New York already had been using the name. However, we really dug it, so we decided to use it anyway. About two months ago, after a recent explosion of local interest in the band and realization of the online support we were receiving from our MySpace page, the other Verbs’ manager finally called us up and said the name had to go. Reluctantly, we changed the name. Sort of. The word “Redux” is latin for “brought back/revisited/returned,” so what better way to keep the same old feel of The Verbs than by simply adding a beautiful word to the ending. Even John Updike used the word in the title of his second book about Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom in the Rabbit Novels tetrology (Rabbit Redux). So, yes, we’ve got a new name: The Verbs (Redux). (Yes, the word redux does appear in parenthesis.)
Also, our MySpace page just up and disappeared a few weeks ago, so I made a new one today: www.myspace.com/theverbsredux
And what’s a new name without a new face to go along with it? Ben, our brave and determined bassist, who had been driving down to Springfield for weekly practices and shows all the way from Mizzou for the last nine months, also decided to call it quits at the beginning of April. Gas has gotten too expensive, and it just wasn’t worth it to him anymore, so he left. After a few days of thinking about what to do as a band, we were left with the overriding feeling that there was still a lot more music left in our bones. We decided to not let Ben’s absence keep us from proceeding, and we began the search for a bassist.
Enter Ryan Spilken.
Ryan Spilken, formerly/currently of Ilijiah, has been around the Springfield music scene for a while now (he’s twenty-eight, but don’t tell him I told you), and he’s got the goods to prove it. Ryan joined the band this week, and we finished our first practice tonight. Needless to say, I’m happy as a clam; he’s an amazing singer, musician, and songwriter, and he loves our tunes and style. Ryan’s really got his shit together–he learns SO FAST–and we couldn’t be more excited to have him aboard.
We’ve got out first show scheduled already–July 5 at The Outland. It’ll be Ryan’s debut with the band, and we’re already plugging away with new material for our second album, which we hope to record as soon as laster this summer.
The Verbs (Redux): New name, new faces, same music.
Reset’s “Monochrome” Used in Africa Documentary Trailer!
May 8th, 2008 by kevinThis is the kind of stuff we love to see. Our friend Rob recently finished the trailer to a documentary he and his friend are about to film and gave us a heads up that he used Reset’s song “Monochrome” in the trailer (it comes on with about 2:30 left). This is why we’re going the Creative Commons route with our music. So filmmakers like Rob can feel free to use LemonDrop songs in projects without worrying about any hassles from us. We wish him and his friend the best and we can’t wait to see the finished doc. Good luck guys!
-Kevin and Chuck
The Verbs CD Release Show Tomorrow at the Gillioz!
April 28th, 2008 by kevin
Well LemonDrop gang, the time is nearly here! The Verbs will release their highly anticipated, award winning, debut album to the masses tomorrow at their release show at the Gillioz Theatre. Details are below, but be sure not to miss this once in a lifetime Verbs event. On stage with the Verbs will be guest musicians ranging from a piano player, acoustic guitar, and back up singers. Go Magazine didn’t award their debut album “Best Album of the Year” for nothing. Come out to the Gillioz tomorrow night and see for yourself why the Verbs have got all of Springfield talking.
The Verbs CD Release Show
Gillioz Theatre
Showtime: 7:00pm
Tickets $7
Tickets available from any of the band members up until the show, and from the Gillioz box office, which opens an hour before the show.
- Go Magazine’s Best album of the year: The Verbs
- The Verbs live on Ozarks First News from the Gillioz
The Verbs @ the GO Music Awards
April 21st, 2008 by chuckmoThe Verbs took to the stage on Saturday at Rock ‘n Ribs to top off the GO Music Awards Best Band competition. Unfortunately for us, fate (and/or the judges) smiled upon Hotbox, and they took home the award. However, the Verbs didn’t go home empty-handed; they won Best New Album!
Over at The Four/Four blog, thederosh (is that the preferred alias?) has a brief recap along with pictures from the show.
The Verbs in today’s Springfield News-Leader!
March 13th, 2008 by kevinIf you haven’t checked the entertainment section of today’s News-Leader, go do that now. In the night life portion of the Weekend section is a picture of the Verbs’ shining faces with a message that they have a secret in the album art that you’ll have to figure out for yourself once you get your hands on it. Catch them live tomorrow night at the Outland and we’ll be doing pre-orders for the new album as well. Anyone that pre-orders the album tomorrow night gets to take home a burnt copy of the new album and then you’ll get the album once they get printed and arrive at the ‘ol LemonDrop office.
Check out the article and hopefully we see you tomorrow night!
The Verbs and the Spacetones Nominated for Go Magazine Awards!
March 7th, 2008 by kevin
Go Magazine here in Springfield has nominated the Verbs for best rock band of the year (and they’re one of the five bands nominated for band of the year!), as well as the Spacetones for best hip hop band! We’re hoping both bands will win, because that would be big for both the bands and for LemonDrop in general. Of course, we can only throw our vote in once, so we need all of your help if we want to pull off a win and have both the best rock band and best hip hop band in town both LemonDroppers.
Everyone go vote! Go Music Awards 2008 Voting Ballot, then go to the Rock’n Ribs Festival over at Bass Pro on April 19th to watch the Verbs play live, battling it out in front of judges with the rest of the bands nominated for best band of the year. Should be exciting.
The Verbs Officially Sign to LemonDrop!
March 7th, 2008 by kevin
I finally got our contracts finished, finalized, and formatted and we wasted no time putting them to use. After last night’s intense negotiations with Justin, which consisted of casual conversations about Neil Young tribute shows, who really is the Verbs’ #1 fan, and playing at barbeques, we got to signing and gave the official handshakes. Alright, maybe the negotiations were far from intense, but anyone that knows Chuck and I, as well as the guys from the Verbs, knows we’re about as laid back and agreeable as they come.
Come visit our site here mid-April and the Verbs official site will be up, their album will be available to download, or you’ll be able to buy the physical album. And we’ve got a lot more tricks up our sleeves. We’ll be sure to keep you all updated on all things Verbs.
Jimmy Spits - Official LemonDrop Artist!
February 27th, 2008 by kevin
Well it’s official. Intense negotiations and all night rap battles have led to LemonDrop’s first official artist being signed…Jimmy Spits! Alright, the negotiations were plenty friendly and I can’t rap, so battling was definitely out of the question. But for all of you wondering where we’ve disappeared to lately, with the lack of showcase shows since the new year and relative silence on our end, well, it’s because Chuck and I have holed ourselves up in his loft getting Jimmy Spits’ and the Verbs albums finished, mastered, and all prepped for, and we’re finally ready to get things rolling. I hope you’re excited, because you know we couldn’t be more excited.
Jimmy’s new album Leaps and Bounds is great, with props going to Chuck for his masterful recording skills, and if you just can’t wait, head on over to his myspace where it’s up for purchase there. Chuck’s working diligently setting up the store on our site, and it’s nearly up so we’ll be sure to let you know when the store is up.
As for Leaps and Bounds, the reason for this post, it will be available for purchase, both physical copies, or “pay what you want” style download at the site, on March 21st. We’ll have a cd release show Friday, March 21st at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO. Jimmy will be joined by the Spacetones and another Columbia based rapper, so all long time Jimmy Spits fans, this is what it has all come down to. If you’re in Columbia, head on downtown and show Jimmy some love. All you Springfield kids, and anyone else for that matter, if you can make the show, do it because it’s going to be a good one. Chuck will be there, projector and all, VJ’ing behind Jimmy and the Spacetones all night. I’ll be back at the merch table, so if for some reason you came to see me, that’s where I’ll be.
Jimmy Spits w/the Spacetones
The Blue Note, Columbia, MO
Friday, March 21st
We couldn’t be more excited that Jimmy Spits has joined the LemonDrop family, and the Verbs are right around the corner waiting eagerly, so if you’ve been wondering when the LemonDrop revolution would official begin, your wait is over. See you at the show!
-Kevin
Using the Scale of the Web (Our Philosophy’s Core)
January 25th, 2008 by chuckmo
Ian Rogers put our philosophy into words in a wonderful presentation that he’s posted on his website. It covers how powerful the scale of the Internet can be for media. In our case, it’s explains how giving away our artists’ music away creates vastly more interest resulting in higher sales.
I’d like to convince you of three things today:
- There is more opportunity in leveraging the scale of the Web than trying to create scarcity. We’ve all been engaged in many attempts at creating scarcity in digital music and none of them have worked. Meanwhile, others have been leveraging the scale of the Web with great success. We should learn from this pattern and apply our energy appropriately.
- We will do this together by creating a loosely-coupled value chain including users as value creators. The value chain is not owned by a single entity (LimeWire, Apple, or Universal). There are many participants in a healthy ecosystem. Furthermore, users are no longer just consumers, they’re active participants adding value and any successful solution will leverage this user-contributed value.
- We need to work together to create the Media Web. Here I’ll step off into nerd-ness for a minute, but I’ll try to tie it to a concrete example so you see what it is I’m getting at clearly.
Link (via Slashdot comment by FredFredrickson )
