Catherine Feeny: Why Does This No Longer Seem Like Easy Money? (Portland)
We are so stoked to have the lovely and brilliant Catherine Feeny keeping a tour diary for us this month! Her new disc People In The Hole has been on rotation a lot ’round the office. -Ed.
It is 10 past midnight and I am going on tour tomorrow… Had my first show the other night at the LaurelThirst in Portland, which was way more awesome than I could have predicted—loads of folks turned up, and they were quiet and listened! LaurelThirst not known for intimate acoustic shows, but the people are super nice and the vibe is chill, so it’s a fun place to play regardless.
I really should not be taking time to blog, considering how far behind I am on prep, but some funny stuff is going on, and I wanted to take a moment to record it.
So, a month or two back I put up a web site that my friend Jacob Golden (staygoldendesign.com) engineered and designed for me so I could sell my new album directly to fans. I needed folks to pre-order the album, so I could raise the money to pay for the manufacturing. It worked like a charm and the money came in pretty easy. Awesome.
Cut to tonight. There are a thousand CDs in my living room, 300 padded envelopes, half of them hand-addressed, labels, customs forms waiting to be filled out (lots of CDs going to England), stationary for the handwritten note I plan to put in each package. Hmmm. Why does this no longer seem like easy money?
I love putting each CD in an envelope, and knowing the name of the person who bought it. But I wish I had more sense (hand-addressing the envelopes? what was I thinking?), and less ability (tendency) to procrastinate. Props to my husband and our housemate who have been incredibly generous with their time, doing customs forms while watching season one of “Big Love.”
We’re driving to Eugene tomorrow for a little in-store performance at a place called CD World. I tried to book a show at Sam Bond’s Garage as well, but when I started booking this tour (July), I didn’t have an agent, and they would not respond to my queries. This show was actually the first one I booked on the tour, and it felt like a huge accomplishment.
Oh, wait, driving. We’re going to be driving. I hope. Our ‘87 Volvo broke down tonight.
On our way back from seeing a friend’s new house in St. Johns, we started hearing a funny noise. Then the ‘brake failure’ light went on. Then the ‘battery’ light went on… then the car stalled. It started up again and we coasted into the parking lot of the Super Goodwill in Southeast Portland, all the while smelling an unpleasant burning smell.
We called our verifiably handy friend Buck from the awesome band Hotter than a Crotch to see if he might be able to come down and diagnose and/or fix the problem. Sweety that he is, he came right away and took a look.
He’s pretty sure it’s the alternator. But there were no auto stores open. We pulled the car back onto the street (as the Goodwill could not guarantee we would not be towed), and shall return tomorrow morn for some mechanicking.
Wish us luck.
Links:
Catherine FeenySpace
Catherine Feeny’s site (buy her CDs, put her to work!)
Related posts:
- Catherine Feeny: Humboldt Highs, Eugene Lows (Chico, CA) Happy Mond
- Catherine Feeny: Focusing on Key Regions (Nashville, TN) I’m
- Catherine Feeny: House Shows or Club Shows—Which Are Better? (Tempe, AZ to Denver, CO) We are rus
- Catherine Feeny and the Golden Bears Play Portland Makes Music Tonight! Just a qui
- CD Reviews: Mattress, Catherine Feeny Mattress
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chad
says:When did it ever seem like easy money?
Posted @ October 5th, 2009 at 11:17 am (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkCasey Jarman
says:“I needed folks to pre-order the album, so I could raise the money to pay for the manufacturing. It worked like a charm and the money came in pretty easy. Awesome.”
I think that’s when it seemed like easy money. Actually getting the money. Then putting the packages together was harder money.
Posted @ October 5th, 2009 at 7:08 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkJon Ragel
says:Yea—I take it selling them was easier than putting the mailing together and hand writing a response to EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT BOUGHT ONE, which is totally punk rock. a classy touch.
hats off.
Posted @ October 5th, 2009 at 7:52 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkcarnivorous plans
says:That was definitely a stupid and insulting thing for her to write, but I’m going to give “Catherine Feeny” the benefit of the doubt this time. She seems to be trying to do the right thing. Just try to up the writing a little bit next time, please, and have a little more consideration for your paying customers.
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 10:47 am (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkcatherine
(post author) says:putting aside my fragile and all consuming artist ego (if that is possible) for a moment, i am trying to figure out why admitting my own stupidity and laziness is insulting to you?
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 11:04 am (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkJon Ragel
says:Yay. Another localcut ‘discussion’ starring Mike. How are you today, Mike? Feelin’ up for this?
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 12:39 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkcarnivorous plans
says:See reply #1. Enough said.
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 4:32 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkbrianne
says:Seems like these attacks are always targeted at portland’s lovliest female performers…intriguing…maybe our friend would be less frustrated if he spent more of his online hours on dating sites and less time harassing women on localcut that are out of his league. We love you catherine! Super tour powers to you!
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 4:42 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkcarnivorous plans
says:OMG!!! SUPER TOUR GIRL POWERZZZZZ… ACTIVATE!!!! Trust me “brianne”, there’s hypocrisy and stupidity coming from all genders and sizes in this town, and I’m calling everyone on it. Careful with your comments. You might be next.
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 5:21 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkbrianne
says:oh. oops. sorry. no time to read your reply. too busy noticing the good in people and in our fine community. Like you! You’re a great writer! Brilliant. I guess we all have to decide where to put our talents and energy. Best of luck to you and the outcome of how you decide to spend yours.
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 5:38 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinktravis
says:CP:
Posted @ October 6th, 2009 at 9:45 pm (October 3rd, 2009) | Flag this Comment | permalinkwhat is the real point to all these cranky baby comments? are you just bored at work or did the wweek fire you or did your band not get signed to subpop or what??!?!?!