"Just Letting You Know", paul's new EP Options

[pumpk]

we know paul's first demo is "Just Letting You Know," and his plan is to release a 4-song EP, vinyl and for itunes....

he's working on the demos now...and album art....but what do we know about how all this will work? he's recording demos for whom? a label? a label just for this first EP?

can he cut a deal with a producer to work on this one project only, vs. "signing with a label"? so he'd get out the EP as an independent, but he wouldn't have anyone behind him promoting it?

how does this all work? is it "bad" if it's independent?

[nemoes]

My impression was that he wants to release an EP album that are full of mellow tunes such as " Like you loved me then" and then release a post-AI debut album which fits more to the country rock sound of The Grand Magnolias. Just my theory.

By the way, I was bored the other day and made an ablum cover for his solo Ep/CD.



I forgot to put " like you loved me then" though.

[pumpk]

paul tweeted that he was getting new album art rolling, which i don't think he'd do if he expected to sign with someone, because wouldn't they take care of that?

so i'm just curious how it all works, like if he has to pay for studio time out of pocket up front, or if he can make a deal with producers based on sales.

he wants vinyl and for it to go out to independent record stores. surely he needs help getting all that done. that's going to take some money and contacts, i'd imagine.

[nemoes]

paul tweeted that he was getting new album art rolling, which i don't think he'd do if he expected to sign with someone, because wouldn't they take care of that?

Perhaps he knows how awful and cheesy an idol album cover could be if he lets somebody from a management/label take care of the thing. We all know how that has worked. I love the simplistic album cover of The Grand Magnolias-very indie and artstic. Paul should know a lot of artists from Nashville so he maybe
wants to ask some artists he knows for his album cover.

I have no idea about the indie vinyl thing either. All we know is there are several record companies out there that want to sign him ( I hope UMG is one of them) and he still wants to release a vinyl record asap. There should be good reasons behind that but he doesn't let us know.


This post has been edited by nemoes: Apr 25th 2011, 3:15 PM

[BlueBee]

Can I ask, is he allowed to release anything independantly? I thought Idol owned his soul for the forseeable future, until they choose to claim it for their own underworld or release him back into the wild. I thought he pretty much couldn't sneeze post-idol without them claiming it for themselves?

[lifesabeach]

Can I ask, is he allowed to release anything independantly? I thought Idol owned his soul for the forseeable future, until they choose to claim it for their own underworld or release him back into the wild. I thought he pretty much couldn't sneeze post-idol without them claiming it for themselves?

There are several divisions that are Idol-related, they can figure out which division would be best for Paul and sign him... then if that doesn't happen he's released about 2 months after touring(?).

[pumpk]

oh, right, paul has to negotiate the idol obligations first....i forgot about them.

i can't imagine they wouldn't let him release something. you can't have paul tweeting that he has an EP ready, but can't release it....that would be horrible publicity.

[pumpk]

oh, right, paul has to negotiate the idol obligations first....i forgot about them.

i can't imagine they wouldn't let him release something. you can't have paul tweeting that he has an EP ready, but can't release it....that would be horrible publicity.

the album art and plan to do vinyl just really threw me....it sounds so much like an independent project.....

[jstxanothrxstory]

The contract ends in August, so after that, he's free to do what he wants.

[NatesHeadbander]

All I know is I'm excited about this

[scooter]

I wonder if Paul is going to get to work with the producers he worked with on AI10. He was so excited with Don Was. I had never heard of him, but I have since seen that he has worked with some stars. Just today, I found out he was producing Michael Grimm's (winner of Americas Got Talent) album that will be released 05/17/2011. Here is what Don Was says about Michael Grimm in the comments on Amazon. "I became aware of Michael Grimm several years ago and jumped at the chance to work with him after he won AGT, says producer Don Was. Michael is one of the greatest vocalists I have ever had the privilege to record. He is a world class singer with a level of professionalism that is extremely rare." I DO want Paul to work with some people he met on AI10.

[nemoes]

^^
I actually think the producer of " The Grand Magnolias" , Ken Coomer did a real nice job on that album.
He understood the sound of Paul and the band, which is much more important to Paul than working with
big-shot producers who are not that familiar with the genre. (For example, Jim Jonsin is great but he mostly produces hip hop albums. Alex da kid is very talented but he is all about pop and rap. Don Was is almost a legend, but wouldn't Paul be scared of going against his judgement? ) The role of a producer is very important especially when there's not enough time to make an album but I do think, for an artist like Paul, the amount of TIME to work on an album and PROMOTION are much more important than working with some famous producers.
IMO, what he needs are a good support from an active management company and a producer, famous or not, who understands his music thoroughly and give him some artistic liberty, for me for you.

[grey74]

Will he be returning to his band, or is he staring over from scratch?

[pumpk]

short answer is, we don't know yet.

long answer: he said he wants to record a 4-track EP solo, and the consensus here is that the "solo" part is due to his obligations to idol. but he has said he'd like his grand magnolias bandmates to play on that recording. we'll have to wait to see if that is allowed to happen.

clearly, he went on idol to promote his original music and the grand magnolias, so i imagine he intends to get back with them. and he has said nothing but good things about them, and they've been completely supportive of him throughout the process.

i imagine they're all working on different things, since paul is away through the summer, so we'll see what happens.

they make good music together....i hope it works out....

[milesofglory]

short answer is, we don't know yet.

long answer: he said he wants to record a 4-track EP solo, and the consensus here is that the "solo" part is due to his obligations to idol. but he has said he'd like his grand magnolias bandmates to play on that recording. we'll have to wait to see if that is allowed to happen.

clearly, he went on idol to promote his original music and the grand magnolias, so i imagine he intends to get back with them. and he has said nothing but good things about them, and they've been completely supportive of him throughout the process.

i imagine they're all working on different things, since paul is away through the summer, so we'll see what happens.

they make good music together....i hope it works out....

No, I don't think it's a bad idea at all for Paul to remain on an independent, especially with his band. A lot of great bands start out on idependent labels before they go "Pro." Starting out independent is a good way to build a fan base whereas you're not so concerned about record sales as on a major label.
I'm not sure what you mean by he has to record a solo project due to his obligations to the show? In times past only the "winner" and second place finisher were sure to be signed. I understand the show is with a new label Interscope instead of RCA so maybe more people will be signed. But I have no idea how Interscope will work out for any of the artists that are signed; that Jimmy Iovine is mean! But I do hope Paul records more with his band-for I love the sound of the Grand Magnolias.

[GuitarooMan3]

Perhaps he knows how awful and cheesy an idol album cover could be if he lets somebody from a management/label take care of the thing.

But if he's signed with Idol, I don't think he would have a say in the album cover

No, I don't think it's a bad idea at all for Paul to remain on an independent, especially with his band. A lot of great bands start out on idependent labels before they go "Pro." Starting out independent is a good way to build a fan base whereas you're not so concerned about record sales as on a major label.

I agree. I think indie might actually be best for him. It might actually be easier for him to make money that way.

I'm not sure what you mean by he has to record a solo project due to his obligations to the show? In times past only the "winner" and second place finisher were sure to be signed.

I would think it would still be that way. But I, too, do not know, thanks to the new record company.

IMO, Paul should stay indie (band or solo), and get a good management team. Maybe he could sign with an indie label, like Elliott Yamin did. I think that would be best for Paul.