Katie Thompson - BLOG

What to do . . . .

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:07 -0800

So I thought I'd let you all know that regardless of whether I win The Red Bull Sound Vault Competition or not (still please vote here) it is my plan to get my latest song "Should've Said No" professionally recorded. I also want to make an accompanying music video for when I release it as a single.

I've been trying to decide the best way to move forward with this. First off I will beg my brother to record the demo as it would take him probably half a day at the most to sort it (pro) where I would spend a week just trying to make everything works properly (amateur hour).

I need to make a basic demo (acoustic guitar & vocals) as a starting point to show other musicians I want to work on the song with me. Then I need to put in a whole lot of effort into a fuller demo (drums, bass, electric guitar, cow bell, harmonies) and then send it away to see if we can get some NZ on Air funding to make the single & music video.

This is the first time that I'm not attempting to make an entire album in one go. It's kind of strange! I will need to decide where to record & who to record with. Of course I'd love to work with Greg Haver & Clint Murphy again but I don't think I can raise the funds to travel all the way to the UK again. hmmm.

I was thinking that if (for some reason) NZ On Air don't see the potential in this song I would start a fundraising campaign for it. Good idea???

If you've got an opinion on the matter - which I'm sure you have if you've read to this point - please drop me a line.

Cheers
Katie

Here's the song "Should've Said No" that I'd like to get recorded!

Red Bull anyone???

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:49:49 -0800

So if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you'll know I'm in a competition to win recording time!!

You can win yourself a years supply of Red Bull & $500 worth of Music Planet vouchers!!
The more you vote & share the higher your chance of winning. Just vote, scroll to the top and enter your details. They will then give you a unique link to share. I'm also now on page 2 of voting.

Voting closes 26th May!! PLEASE VOTE daily & SHARE right HERE!!!

Here is the full clip of one of the songs I'd like to record in the Red Bull Studios if I win. It's called "Should've Said No". The sound quality is a little poor due to the rowdy crew down in Fox Glacier but you get the general idea.

I need your support!!!

Thu, 10 May 2012 02:08:40 -0800

As many of you may know I have entered in the Red Bull Sound Vault Competition.
If I win I will get 24 hours in studio to record my latest songs and around $20,000 worth of music gear! So you can see why I'd want to win.

I managed to get passed the 600 vote mark today so I shared the clip down the bottom on the right! It's a little snippet of one of my latest tracks called "Should've Said No" and I'll share the entire song once I get to 1,000 votes.

It's pretty simple to vote. You must be signed up to Facebook then head HERE look for my face and click vote! Super simple. It would be great if you could share this blog with your friends and family and also share the link on Facebook.

I'm sitting at 6th place today and we have until the 26th of this month to get me to 1st place!!
Advocates 1558
As Colour Fades 1398
Albion Place 1130
Tunes Of I 823
Name UL 742
Katie Thompson 676

HELP ME WIN RECORDING TIME!!!!!

Fri, 04 May 2012 22:03:03 -0800

PLEASE HELP ME WIN RECORDING TIME!!!!

Please vote here http://on.fb.me/JSqnOm YOU have a chance to win too!!!

I need your help - if I win I will get 24 hours in the Red Bull studio to record my next single!!! We will of course record more depending on how we go.

The more you vote & share the higher your chance of winning the $500 musicplanet voucher and a years supply of Red Bull! So it's a win win all round!!!

Voting closes at the end of the month!! PLEASE do it daily!!!!
I'm about 200 votes behind first place so come on boys and girls lets get clicking!!!!

You can join the Facebook Event I have started online and for everyone who says they're "going" to this event aka gonna vote every day & share I will give you my next single for FREE!!!!

So first off I had a blast on tour with Fleur Jack! We raced around the South Island and met some great people. We had soo much fun we're talking about doing it all again in Summer! Click HERE if you'd like to check out more pics.

A little easter update

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:13:37 -0800

Happy Easter or whatever it is you're meant to say today! I personally have been in the garden, playing my guitar, chucking out old clothes that live in the bottom of my dresser draws because I don't like/wear them and I have eaten one whole chocolate egg and I plan on attacking another one before the day is through. Completely eventful day today! You??

So remember my post a month ago??? About wanting my Dad to give up smoking.

Well fingers crossed - he's been smoke free for 1 month on Tuesday 10th April. I don't know what done it - I still don't know if he read the blog (fairly certain he did) but who cares what it was that finally made him decide enough is enough - it's freakn AMAZING!

For those of you who don't know I work with my parents and every morning I use to walk in the door and my hayfever would start up straight away because of the smoke. Now though I haven't even had to take any pills so that's a big plus for me. Plus side for Dad is he's looking healthier and smelling better (aka not like a dirty smokey unloved person). He won't talk much about it but he does seem happier too - I am so proud of him. It can't be easy giving up something you've done for around 30 years of your life.

Thank you to everyone who left their comments publicly or privately. It was supportive and sad in some cases to see what you have been through either yourself or with a family member.

Music wise . . . I'm just getting songs sorted for the South Island tour that is coming around super fast. Even considering buying a pretty little light to make me blue (or red) while singing - I think I will!

Hmmm ok better go hunt down that bunny and make him hand over the egg!

KT x

A TALE OF 2 INDIES!!!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:27:49 -0800

Well ladies and gents you read right - Fleur Jack and I are doing a flying visit around the South Island this April. We've talked about it for quite sometime and I'm stoked to announce it's going to happen.

Fleur Jack has played music in Australia, Hong Kong, all over New Zealand and most recently navigated solo for five weeks of shows across Canada and all down Americas wild west.

In 2010, she became the 51st artist in the world to successfully raise to target on the website funding platform 'Sellaband', which she went on to fund the recording of her debut solo album. Her alt/country & rock/pop styles of "Ghosts of Cimarron" has recently been released this year.

If you don't know who I am by now head to the bio!! But seriously - I will be performing a mixture of songs from my debut album "Tall Poppy", "Impossible" and also some favourite covers of mine. I've even gone the extra mile and managed to get some more of the old "Tall Poppy" albums done up just in case someone wants a copy!

We're heading to Christchurch, Dunedin, Te Anau, Fox Glacie r & Runanga WMC.

CHCH

DUNEDIN

TE ANAU

FOX GLACIER

New Music Video Out Now

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:56:23 -0800

The official music video for Cruel to be Kind is out now!

Thanks to Andrew Dean, Sade Jones, Nathan Moore, Katie O'Brien (Little Sister Films),
Logan McMillan (Gorrila Pictures), & NZ On Air for funded through Making Tracks.
Please share the music video via email, facebook and which ever other way you know how!

A 4 year old hand shake . . .

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:03:07 -0800

Strange title for a blog . . . yes well I thought that way you might actually read it! :)

4 years ago on my 21st birthday my father gave a speech. For those who were there it was very memorable for what was said (many things were said) but one topic that was a rather big joke at the time was me not having my full drivers license. I have been given grief for this for about 10 years now. So as the night went on more and more drinks were consumed and dad was still going on about my license so I said "if you stop smoking I will get my full license." I thought I was safe as he's been smoking for a good 35 years of his life and he thought he was safe because quite frankly I don't care what anyone else said. In fact the more everyone wanted me to do it the less inclined I felt to follow through (I believe that's kind of how Dad feels about the smoking too).

However I am now 25 and I thought I should "man up" because quite frankly it's about time and also I'd like my father around for as long as possible. He is an amazingly strong man and I have always had a lot of time for what he has to say - I usually don't make any major decisions without his opinion first. I had a friend lose her father not so long ago and our dad's are/were around the same age. I see what she is missing out on by him not being here and it makes you think just how precious life really is.

One day I will have children and it would be a crying shame if they only got to hear about the man that has been such a major influence in my life. Or if he lives long enough to see grandchildren I don't want their only memories to be of a smoky smelly old man that couldn't breathe properly because he wasn't strong-minded enough to look after himself. His health is fine at the moment but I don't want cancer to be what makes him finally give up.

I had considered starting a facebook support group for him but I thought I might get strangled for that so I wanted to put this little blog up so that if people feel like leaving words of encouragement or advice for him they could.

Dad if you read this - I love you, I'm sorry for the blog but I figure if I try EVERYTHING possible - you might actually help yourself! It isn't my intention to shame you into doing it I just want you to know that you are worth it. It won't be easy but anything worth doing rarely is.

I done my part of the deal - your turn!

Katie x

Cruel To Be Kind Music Video

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:44:53 -0800

Well I was lucky enough to receive my very first NZ On Air Video Grant so I'm off to make another music video with the talented Logan McMillan. We have some super cool locations - places I haven't actually been myself yet so I'm quite excited to have a look around. So stay tuned on Facebook to see some pics. You can try and guess where we are.

The concept for the music video is really interesting - can't wait to see what everyone thinks of it once it's done.
If you haven't already had a listen to Cruel To Be Kind - I've put it in below thanks to SoundCloud!

Cruel To Be Kind by KatieThompson

Other than that I'm busy booking some gigs around the place. So it looks like clear weather this weekend which is what we need for the shoot so fingers crossed people!! Oh that reminds me - would you like to see another "making of" for this music video?

Update soon!

KT x

What will 2012 bring!

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:13:00 -0800

Well didn't that year go fast! Wishing everyone an even better year than the last one.

Just thought I'd give you a little update. Hopefully you've seen the official music video for Impossible!
I'm trying to get the views up a little bit so go on - have another little look - also if you have any friends you think might like the music video please pass it on!

I was lucky enough to receive a NZ on Air music video grant for my song Cruel to be Kind so that will be first on my list of things to get done this year!! Very exciting!

Lastly it is my Birthday on Monday 9th so it would be a great present if you could share either a music video or song of mine with your friends and family!!!

Cheers
Katie xx