Argh!

So, I should have had the CDs in my apartment two days ago, but they didn’t show up. Yesterday I tried to call the customs and the delivery company, but apparently it was too late, so I had to call today instead. After being switched between five different people, I finally got the question: “Did you get the invoice bill on Wednesday?”
No, I didn’t get any bill from anyone! I was expecting one for import taxes, but figured that they’d just let me pay when they came with the package.
Then they started complaining about how the CD pressing company had not included a bill with the package, so they didn’t know how much I should pay. But I’ve really no idea who’s fault this is, I guess it doesn’t matter.

Anyhow. It’s too late for them to send me the CDs today, so the next working day is Monday. I’m really sorry about the delay.

Here’s proof (from the pressing plant) that they really exist in physical form though:

Oh, and one more thing: Because of this, I have not been able to focus on making the new music video, so it will be delayed as well.

I’ve been updating the website a little today. Added a music section, from which you’ll later be able to buy the digital version of the album! You can already try it out with the Solace Distant single though, heh. (Of course you’ll also be able to buy it through iTunes and all other similar services.)

I also updated the poll, and here are the previous results:
So yeah, Solace Distant is already released, and I guess the reception has not been great exactly. But meh, it was interesting to try something new!
Will be working on the Lonely Starlight video next week, and probably finish and post it, and I honestly love this song! So I really hope you will too, even though it will be the most “demanding” song on my youtube channel so far.

I really believe that The Star Song will be the most popular one though, it has a mainstream appeal that the others don’t have. :) It will hopefully be posted by the end of the month.

There were some problems with the mixing, so unfortunately it all got delayed a little. But now I’m happy with how it turned out, and the CD is currently being pressed at the pressing plant!
But yeah, so those who pre-ordered will most likely get the album next week, and not in time for 13/8.

Here’s a little video from last week, of the mixing process at the studio:

More than 30 entries were sent in, and the jury has now chosen the 10 best entries for the contest. First of all, I will present the ones that ended up on places 10-4 (not in order of preference):

Patrick’s Mustach Fredde:

Shaun’s FreddeGredde Animation:

Isabell’s FreddeGredde Bra:

Urskus’s Nintendo FreddeGredde:

Garrett’s The Wayfarer cover:

Teres’s Hama Beads:

MissDomino’s Chatroom Regulars:
This one needs a bit of explanation. Basically, she has drawn all the most active people in the FreddeGredde chatroom, and for us who are there daily, it’s really cute and sweet, so it was almost worthy of a top 3 placement.

And finally, the top 3 entries, who will all get a little something sent to them, with the winner getting a free signed copy of my CD:

#3: Pweet’s FG Couch:
We really fell for this one. With aquarelle colors and gentle shades, she managed to make a fairytale-like version of the album art, and it’s just.. really sweet. Expect something nice in your mailbox soon!

#2: Manu’s Original Thirteen Eight Song:
Creativity and originality were important factors for us, so that’s why this one deserves the second spot on the list! Nice (although typically Finnish moody) melodies, relevant lyrics and a skillfully produced video. I’ll send you something nice!

#1: Josephine’s Solace Distant Illustration:
This one is just great! Clever idea and well crafted!
So congratulations Josephine, I’ll send you a signed copy of the album and some other nice stuff! :)

Also, thank you all for your entries! They were all really nice (and flattering), and it feels great to have such talented fans. :D (I would like to show everything you’ve made, but this post would just get way too long then!)

Today is the day when I will announce and show you the 10 best contest entries that people have sent to me. There are still some entries on the way though, and we haven’t decided the top 3 yet, or who will win my CD, so I will post an update with that info a little later!

For now, here’s a little teaser collage:

I was disappointed with the album mix for a while, but now I think I’m basically happy with it after all. It always takes a while for these things to sink in. It’s not easy being a perfectionist… Just need a few more fixes before I can send it off to the pressing plant!

One song, Solace Distant, is completely finished though! And the video for it, which is directed by my brother Robin, is also finished! So, within 24 hours, I will post it on YouTube and here on my website.

The last few days have been really frustrating, because the final mix for the CD isn’t turning out as I wanted. I guess the sound engineer has had some trouble understanding what I actually wanted with my music.

But we’re going to the studio again tomorrow (even though it’s Sunday), and hopefully we’ll be able to finish everything by then. We have to finish it by then, or no one will get their pre-orders in time for August 13.. Unfortunately though, people on the other side of the world (I’m looking at you, Australians!) will most likely not get it in time, due to the shipping times.
Either way, you’ll still get the CD many weeks before the official release date!

Oh, and remember that I have a little contest going on! The winner will get a free signed copy of my CD, and a signed photo!

I ended up getting signed after all, at the very last minute! It’s a new label called White Knight Records, and they’re connected to some of my favorite prog rock bands, like Hoggwash, Frost* and Magenta, so they have lots of experience in this genre.
They will help me promote and distribute the physical CDs to stores in the main prog rock countries: UK, USA, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Argentina, France and Italy.
(I will personally take care of all the digital downloads though, so it’s a great deal for me.)

The “problem” with all this is that they need more time to get everything done, building hype, preparing promos etc etc, so the official release date will be changed until September. The unofficial release is still August 13 though, so I will sell my signed copies from that point. In other words, the most hardcore fans will get the CD a whole month before the rest of the world. :) No piracy please.

Today, I’ve mostly been drawing and signing photos. I won’t be sending them out for another two weeks, but I figure it’s good to get as much work done as soon as possible!

I also realized that I’m getting close to 100 pre-orders already, and I had only bought 100 envelopes! Not sure what I was thinking there.
So, I suddenly became stressed and worried, because what if I wouldn’t get more envelopes in time?!
I quickly ordered 100 more at an auction site similar to Ebay, and hoped they would send them in time. A couple of minutes later, a guy called, said he also lived in Gävle, and asked where he could drop off the envelopes I had bought. An hour later, I had them in my apartment.

Impending crisis swiftly averted!

Today, I’ve been practicing for the Lonely Starlight music video, and at the same time I’ve been trying to decide what to include in my Secret Surprise bonus, for those who chose that option when pre-ordering my album!

So I’ve been listening through lots and lots of old recordings (yes, among other things, the secret surprise is a disc filled with photos, animations, recordings etc), and this Kirby arrangement was a surprise for me, because I didn’t remember how good it was, haha:

FreddeGredde – Kirby

But now I remember that my plan was to make an animation, in which the Super Smash Bros characters were fighting as usual, on the Kirby stage, and then JigglyPuff suddenly fell off, and DIED! Everyone stopped the fighting and realized what had happened, and Kirby got saddest of them all, because he was secretly in love with JigglyPuff.
I got tired of the project after finishing the song though.