June, 2000

BFUpdate - PERSONAL

Yes, I'm writing a separate update to my "close personal friends" and will
continue to do so at Rachel's suggestion. How you got on this list is up to
the Fickle Finger of Fate, so if you don't want to receive these "Personal"
emails, either suck it up, change your email address, or forward this to
the FCC. They love to get this kind of email, I'm sure.
3Com: Sucking. Working long for the short-term gain of others is not my
definition of a good time. "Pro Bono ad Infinitum" is not my slogan, nor
will it ever be, so look for a change in this department very soon. I did
get a response back from the online interactive PBS documentary but, while
they found my work interesting, my background wasn't quite right for their
"Growing Up Female" project. There are other jobs in this cesspool we call
the DC job market; perhaps the next line I cast will yield better results,
so long as I stay away from special interest groups. (Like the women.
They're a pretty tight-knit group, you know.)
I'm getting my affairs in order to start freelancing again through the AFM
Local down here. Working with amateurs and these "musical start-ups" hasn't
panned out too well so far in El Departamento de Dinero. I've actually been
told, in response to a request to start making something other than a minor
cut, to overbook myself and they'll pay my market value. In response to
that, I'm going to just start working scale club gigs and not have time for
the games that so many think are the art of Freelancing. Pain in my arse,
these things are. The bad part is that they'll probably get at least minor
distribution by next year and I'll be kicking myself for not sticking it
out and getting sucked into playing every Borders in the Metro area and
rehearsing every once in a while to hammer the lines into the bassist and
biting my tongue about how the drum parts sound because the drummer is the
guitarist's brother and I'm just the hand percussion guy who brings the
most gear to the gig and always loads out alone and before everyone else
because I've got a life aside from this little Club called an "acoustic
duo... er... quintet sometimes" that gathers together like a high school
reunion in a different library each time. Then again, maybe I'll just join
the union again.
WWWhynot: In 1997, I designed my first website. It really sucked. I got
better. Now, I want to do it for most of my living, supplemented by gigs.
Any thoughts or hints out there? Come on, you creative types... throw me a
bone here. I'm thinking of selling some CDs online - anybody want to talk
about doing a label?? Hey, you never know...
Thinking a lot about life right now. I'm moving into Rachel's place later
this month (in fact, I'm typing this on my 1997 PowerBook at her desk right
now) and am finally feeling the first of stability. You married types out
there (you don't have to be married to be a married type, by the bye) know
what I'm talking about. Throw me your advice, oh sage masters of
cohabitation. Unless it's heavy, in which case I probably won't be able to
catch it. Haven't been working out. No time. You know how it is. First you
think you can skip a session, then a whole week due to travel, and then you
wind up five months older with twenty extra pounds sitting on the couch in
a wifebeater eating day-old pizza and stale Coke because Pepsi reminds you
of Diet and Diet Anything is Bad. But I'm not that way yet. Just take it
easy with the advice.

BFUpdate

Greetings from Washington, DC! I am moving this month, so please note the new contact information.
___________________________________________________
1. questpercussion.com? What's that?
2. Design/Hosting
3. Music
4. Schedule
5. Contact Info
6. Subscribe/Unsubscribe
7. Okaybye
___________________________________________________
1. questpercussion.com? What's that?_______________
It's official: I've obsolesced the questpercussion.com domain. Very soon, you won't be able to see that domain or send email there, as many of you are already aware. The Quest Percussion Group is still around, but its activities do not justify a marketed web presence just yet. There are many good things going on at and through brianfending.com - check it out and give me your much-wanted feedback when you get a moment.
2. Design/Hosting__________________________________
These functions of brianfending.com are up! Check out a couple of active customer domains:
http://www.oasisnewsfeatures.com
http://www.angel-fall.com
Please let them know what you think of the websites. (It keeps me honest!) I'm currently offering great, reasonably priced services through the website. Contact me from there for more details, but I can run Unix or NT server platforms, forms, shopping carts, graphic design, mp3 ripping, etc. There's virtually no limit to the design capabilities of brianfending.com. Oasisnewsfeatures.com has been a success of particular note in that it has amassed over 13,500 hits in less than a month. (!) There's a lot to be said for using print media to support your online presence! That site has some major revisions coming up next month after I switch back to the Mac platform, so check out the 'old school' version while you can!
The actual design and graphic content of brianfending.com itself has suffered under heavy time constraints, so plan on seeing some big "all-nighter/-weekender" overhauls in the next few weeks. The goal is to have some positive (online) zine reviews of the site this calendar year.
3. Music____________________________________________
This month I will have continued appearances with Gray Code (http://www.metatronpress.com) and Angel Fall (http://www.angel-fall.com). I was in the studio this past weekend with the Benji Tomasetti Quartet, the results of which might yield part of a CD by Fall. Since I last BFUpdated, I've begun work with another improv group ('Sci Dolom Rah!'), played the Frankford Arts Fest (Philadelphia, PA) with Gray Code, played at a lot of promotional venues and regularly at Chadwick's in Old Town Alexandria with Angel Fall, and been composing a bit in my spare time. Barco Rebar rehearsal spaces have been working out great - please let me know if I can be of any assistance referring you to my contact there if you're in need of rehearsal space in Northern Virginia.
4. Schedule_________________________________________
Aside from a few business trips here and there, I'll mainly be in the DC area for June and July, save a weekend in late June where I'll be visiting Western NY. I have a few larger events to promote, but those will get targeted mailings and mention in the BFUpdate for those months.
5. Contact Info_____________________________________
[CENSORED]
http://www.brianfending.com
fending@brianfending.com
6. Subscribe/Unsubscribe_____________________________
This mailing is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe, please reply to this email with the subject "REMOVE" or fill out the form at http://www.brianfending.com/contact.php and select to "UNSUBSCRIBE."
7. Okaybye___________________________________________
Okaybye.