Linford Detweiler has published a letter of epic proportions, addressing Over the Rhine fans about the future of the band, the upcoming recording sessions with Joe Henry, and more.
Some highlights:
We have some big news.
For the first time ever, this coming May 17, Karin and I are planning to travel to the West Coast to make an Over the Rhine record. We are going to work with producer Joe Henry and an amazing cast of characters. We are going to make a record that we can’t quite imagine. Hopefully it will be a little bit strange and a little bit wonderful.
Hopefully we will, “Blow the seams out of the songs…” (JH)
One thing for sure: We are going to be surprised.
Our first chapter with our very own Great Speckled Dog Records was the release of The Trumpet Child and Snow Angels. We learned a lot. Thanks to you, those projects supported us, and our touring ensemble, for almost 3 years. The Trumpet Child is on pace to eventually out sell any record released on our behalf by a label in the last 20 years. It has been a rare blessing, to see the audience for our music continue to steadily grow.
But now we find ourselves very much at the end of an album cycle winding down. It’s time for the next step. It’s time for a new Over the Rhine record.
Friends, the good news is this:
In 2010, there is no middleman.
It’s just us and you.
So, for the first time in our career, we are simply going to appeal directly to you, the people who care about Over the Rhine’s music, and ask if you will partner directly with us in making this new record.
We have a little less than four weeks to raise the money. It’s an ambitious step for us, but it feels right.
Karin and I will be selling a few of our worldly possessions to help make this possible, including some (vintage) musical instruments and (vintage) recording equipment that we no longer use regularly, some of which we used to record past Over the Rhine projects. Stay tuned for more info in case you’d like to own a little piece of OtR history.
Want to read the whole thing? Here it is.