Jake Rathburn

Hey folks,

It’s WINTER and that MEANS IT’S CRAZY TIME for me. Oddly, I generally come alive musically and brainstormingly in the cold months. Many things are on the table right: 1. IndieOPENMIC.com is coming along SMASHINGLY 2. I’m working with other professional songwriters worldwide to help define a COHESIVE SOUND before going to the studio for the first time and 3. now know Toronto Teddy.

1. IndieOPENMIC.com is going to be a video blog in which I interview different independent artists and music professionals. Originally, its intention was merely to allow me to meet more musicians in a positive light and get a band around me. I want to support other musicians as best I can, and I think this is a great way. Although the site isn’t completely up, I’m already scouting for musicians to be interviewed, and it looks like Sarah Peacock and a few other talented artists from Eddie’s Open Mic Shootout are going to be my first subjects!!!

2. I’m working on developing my own sound with artists worldwide. I’d like to record a great album in a studio ASAP, which may cost upwards of $10,000, so I need to make sure I’ll be able to come out strong, with an undisputedly good batch of songs. So I’ve found a few artists around the country & world to help take it to the next level, including an artist newly signed to Island Records in Austin. Shane Lawler of Electric Touch found me via an ad on craigslist. Electric Touch has got a great electro-rock sound and he’s digging what I’m doing. But I still need my butt kicked! Some of my songs need tweaks and stronger choruses. I’m very excited and I’m going to ask him to do a podcast interview and share some the expertise from which I’m benefiting. You’re gonna love his UK accent, if nothing else.

3. I’ve also met an interesting person, I’ll just call him Toronto Teddy for now because he gave me an alias on account he’s either a big shot or just crazy, either way he’s cool. Originally was going to throw some lyrical content my way, I learned he owns a marketing firm in Toronto and has also started BandBridge, which has been working in Toronto with bands and producers, and they’d like to move it down here. It’s somewhere between a label and a way to leverage relationships. Very coincidental I’m doing IndieOPENMIC, eh?! Toronto Teddy now lives here and is setting me up with a producer down here in Atlanta and I’m excited to make such a great connection in this new city.

4. Thank you, Craigslist.