Brand new Farpoint song/album

[Farpoint Kevin]

Well, I guess that's that. After pouring 5 years of my life into writing, arranging, and recording and producing this album, it's come and gone with a whisper. A few dozen sales, a couple thousand streams, and it will fall away into obscurity with the rest of my prog related work. Oh well, thanks to those few of you who did give it a listen, or purchased a copy. I truly appreciate it more than you will ever know. But I put all I had into this one, and it wasn't enough. I think I'm done.

[Koreabruce]

Kevin, I totally sympathize with your situation. I am also an independent musician, but I release music purely for the 'artistic satisfaction' factor and not for the sales, which are probably equal to or less than what you achieved with your most recent album. I personally loved your last studio effort as well as the more recent live album. The excellent musicianship, artistry, and most of all the sincerity of your work are all very clear and meaningful to me. Truthfully, I have no illusions about your situation in that it is very, very difficult to earn a living these days as a recording artist and gigging musician, even as one who has been at it as long as you have. It is understandably easy to become disillusioned and disheartened in such an environment as that which we are currently experiencing. I only hope that you find a way to continue on your musical journey in order to reach others with your message filled with positivity and hope. It is so desperately needed right now. I would point out that a couple of dozen sales and a few thousand streams are more than many artists currently get. More importantly, those folks who have liked what you have done will still be out there ready and willing to support you should you choose to continue. I for one hope and pray that you do.

[EBES]

I totally understand where you're coming from, Kevin. I've been having many of the same feelings lately. I don't have any ambition to earn a living from music, or even to make enough money to break even on the production costs, but I'd like to have some sense that it matters. What sucks for me (and I suspect the same might be roughly true for you) isn't the idea that I'll have to keep having a day job or can't be an icon on the scale of my heroes, it's just the astonishing mismatch between how much I care about my work and how little anyone else does. I'm currently releasing a string of singles, culminating in an album in March-ish of next year, and I fussed and obsessed and labored over every detail of these songs from November 2020 to June 2022, and I'm already depressed by the premonition of the exact fizzle you just described.

I've been doing some pre-work to release a new single Friday, and I spent most of yesterday compiling Reels, with the goal of putting up some sort of social media content related to the song every day for the two weeks following release, and I spent the whole day not quite being able to suppress the little voice in the back of my head saying There is absolutely no chance this will do anything to garner a meaningful audience. By the time I went to bed I felt brutally depressed.

This is one of those things that looks different from the outside than it does from the inside, to the extent that, to my friends and family, it's admirable that I'm putting myself out there and trying to do the work, and ultimately if it doesn't work then I have the reassurance of knowing I tried. To me it feels humiliating to be grubbing for attention and not receiving any.

I'm both tempted and terrified by the idea of giving up. I think about my music anytime I'm not actively compelled to think about something else. Maybe I should hire a trainer and put a bunch of money into getting ultra-fit, or get really into polyamory, or volunteer with the homeless. Maybe any of those things would be more rewarding.

I liked your album a lot, and could hear from listening to it that a great deal of care was put into it, and I'll be sad if you stop, but I don't have any words of encouragement really, beyond the comfort of knowing I'm not the only one who feels like this.

[Farpoint Kevin]

Kevin, I totally sympathize with your situation. I am also an independent musician, but I release music purely for the 'artistic satisfaction' factor and not for the sales, which are probably equal to or less than what you achieved with your most recent album. I personally loved your last studio effort as well as the more recent live album. The excellent musicianship, artistry, and most of all the sincerity of your work are all very clear and meaningful to me. Truthfully, I have no illusions about your situation in that it is very, very difficult to earn a living these days as a recording artist and gigging musician, even as one who has been at it as long as you have. It is understandably easy to become disillusioned and disheartened in such an environment as that which we are currently experiencing. I only hope that you find a way to continue on your musical journey in order to reach others with your message filled with positivity and hope. It is so desperately needed right now. I would point out that a couple of dozen sales and a few thousand streams are more than many artists currently get. More importantly, those folks who have liked what you have done will still be out there ready and willing to support you should you choose to continue. I for one hope and pray that you do.

Thanks so much for the kind words about the music as well as the words of understanding. I know there are lots of musicians out there fighting the same battles. And if you have some new music coming out, share a link here and I'll give it a listen! It's extra tough because I do make my living from music, and having such a deep love for prog rock, which was absolutely life-changing for me, and set me on this path, but to have such a struggle just getting folks to even listen is quite disheartening. I do have one more "prog" release coming up, and that's a Christmas song by Farpoint set for release next month, but after that I think I'll just stick to my other musical ventures. I did have a tentative plan for a second Greyfeather album at some point, and some of the other guys are willing, but I'm just not sure if it will be worth the effort and expense. Anyway, thanks again, and best of luck with your music!

[Farpoint Kevin]

I totally understand where you're coming from, Kevin. I've been having many of the same feelings lately. I don't have any ambition to earn a living from music, or even to make enough money to break even on the production costs, but I'd like to have some sense that it matters. What sucks for me (and I suspect the same might be roughly true for you) isn't the idea that I'll have to keep having a day job or can't be an icon on the scale of my heroes, it's just the astonishing mismatch between how much I care about my work and how little anyone else does. I'm currently releasing a string of singles, culminating in an album in March-ish of next year, and I fussed and obsessed and labored over every detail of these songs from November 2020 to June 2022, and I'm already depressed by the premonition of the exact fizzle you just described.

I've been doing some pre-work to release a new single Friday, and I spent most of yesterday compiling Reels, with the goal of putting up some sort of social media content related to the song every day for the two weeks following release, and I spent the whole day not quite being able to suppress the little voice in the back of my head saying There is absolutely no chance this will do anything to garner a meaningful audience. By the time I went to bed I felt brutally depressed.

This is one of those things that looks different from the outside than it does from the inside, to the extent that, to my friends and family, it's admirable that I'm putting myself out there and trying to do the work, and ultimately if it doesn't work then I have the reassurance of knowing I tried. To me it feels humiliating to be grubbing for attention and not receiving any.

I'm both tempted and terrified by the idea of giving up. I think about my music anytime I'm not actively compelled to think about something else. Maybe I should hire a trainer and put a bunch of money into getting ultra-fit, or get really into polyamory, or volunteer with the homeless. Maybe any of those things would be more rewarding.

I liked your album a lot, and could hear from listening to it that a great deal of care was put into it, and I'll be sad if you stop, but I don't have any words of encouragement really, beyond the comfort of knowing I'm not the only one who feels like this.

Thank you for the understanding. I see that a couple of you folks certainly "get it." It is good to know that I'm not totally alone in feeling this way. It sounds weird for me to say "don't give up, keep at it!" when I'm talking about giving up myself, but I've been at this for over 20 years now, and I'm tired. I can't give up music as a whole...It's how I pay the bills. But beating my head against a brick wall with prog music for 20+ years is getting tiresome. Anyway, thanks again, and best wishes with your upcoming releases. Share them here, and I'll give them a listen!

[Ken Baird]

Hi Kevin,

Just bought the download now and will listen later, congrats on the new release!

Ken

[Farpoint Kevin]

Hi Kevin,

Just bought the download now and will listen later, congrats on the new release!

Ken

Ken, I appreciate that more than words can say. Going to play the latest Monarch Trail album this morning for my workout music.

[Ken Baird]

Thanks so much Kevin, you're very welcome! Once I've heard your recent album in entirety, I'll post some comments here too Might take a while only because I'm limited to the studio with my downloads as I'm the last human alive who doesn't have a cell phone right now (or any portable device for listening to downloads)

I will likely have a "device" within the next year as life's becoming increasingly difficult without one--which bothers me a bit, but it's becoming essential with "apps" all over the place to do anything

[EBES]

Thank you for the understanding. I see that a couple of you folks certainly "get it." It is good to know that I'm not totally alone in feeling this way. It sounds weird for me to say "don't give up, keep at it!" when I'm talking about giving up myself, but I've been at this for over 20 years now, and I'm tired. I can't give up music as a whole...It's how I pay the bills. But beating my head against a brick wall with prog music for 20+ years is getting tiresome. Anyway, thanks again, and best wishes with your upcoming releases. Share them here, and I'll give them a listen!

There's a thread up currently: https://www.progressiveears.org/foru...gle-Indoor-Cat

[Farpoint Kevin]

Excellent Farpoint review begins at 2:49.
Many thanks to Classic Album review for including us!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gfY7DYAaqA0

[EBES]

Congrats on the feature!