Spring Cleaning Update from Vyk!

Time for another mega missive from the mountains of Virginia! Take it away, guitar goddess!

Hello Friends and Fans,

Writing this news update from my new headquarters. Yep, that's right, I have moved once again! Ooh, how I love moving! I have gotten it down to a science, having moved nine times in the past four years. As for the four moves in the past year... I could waffle on about Uranus/Moon transits and stuff... but suffice it to say, there must be some part of me that actually likes to move... well, uh, within reason. However, this move was right in the groove for me. I have left the glamour of the sheep farm and turkey processing plants for a country home closer to Sperryville where I still have my beloved PO Box 51. See, I have some stability! I have had PO Box 51 for 13 years. And, I still have my PO Box 2324 in Sedona, AZ. It works for me.

I am totally thrilled to be closer to my neck of the Blue Ridge mountains, and closer to friends and family. I have just unpacked the last box as I write this. I am now set for the next leg of my journey. My hope is to be at this new wonderful residence for a long, long time... and still make it out to beloved Arizona a couple of times a year.

As most of you know, I have been spending the last several months networking and connecting my CD to potential record labels, helpers, and music biz buzzers. While I have been doing this, I have simultaneously been booking and gigging my butt off in an attempt to, amongst other things, re-establish my musical presence in Virginia, and to dust off some old fans and make lots of new ones. In addition to shopping the CD around, I have been all the while gathering data, contacts, and knowledge about the current state of the music industry and all that is available to the "independent, do-it-yourself" artist. Last October, I attended a music conference in Nashville that was quite informative. On the one hand, it painted a pretty bleak picture of the music industry. To put it frankly, it sucks. More now than it has ever sucked before in the history of record labels. It's way too much to go into... but I have often thought that I may be being saved from some terrible fate by NOT being signed. For many artists, it is the kiss of death. For the lucky few, it can be merely "OK" (you actually don't go bankrupt, and get to keep some of your sanity). While I am mostly talking about major labels, it is true also that there are more good "indie" labels out there these days. Unfortunately, many of those go out of business within a short time, and having once been on an indie label myself, I can attest, at least from my experience, that you still make no money off your CD. Not only did I never make a dime from the 1996 release of Blue Apples on a certain unnamed indie label out of NYC when I was on it, it was worse than running my own label. I did just as much of the work and a whole lot of "undoing" things that interns at the label would get wrong. And, to top it off, when it came to promoting the CD to radio and press, I actually paid for it ALL myself!! What a deal!

So, here's the plan. I am thinking I am just gonna go for it and release the new CD on my own label. There are literally thousands of ways to promote a self release these days, and I am (as always) brimming over with ideas. It all really depends on how many hours I put into it. I have always had a lot of enthusiasm for creating my own success, and I feel the possibilities are practically endless for creative ways to market what I feel is a great CD. I plan on putting more time and energy into this CD than I have ever done with previous CDs, and I am all psyched up for it and blessed to be able to work from my awesome new space with a view of the mountains and the support of my wonderful friends and fans in Virginia.

So, I am looking to self-release the CD around the beginning of June. Meanwhile, it's lots of gathering of nuts and berries and getting ducks in rows. I will, of course, be sending out a notice when the CD is released, so stay tuned for that. Meanhwile, a HUGE thanks to everyone who has helped sponsor this project. On with the show!

Vyktoria and her first mate Sleepy P. Kat
Middle March 2003