Nifty Noodles

February 2009

Nifty Noodles

February 1, Forward Progress

When I started to “redefine” my music and purpose at the outset of the NehoSoul Band and Red Road Records, I saw it as a one time adjustment. It was primarily one of attitude. But with those adjustments came a reality check that nothing in the music industry is as it was!

Releasing the Still Dancin’ project was hardly a blip on the radar screen. Sales were quick and short lived for the most part. Given the economy and the new Technology it’s hard to rate the enthusiasm for soul music. But there’s no looking back time allowed at this point.

I continue to make Motorcycles and Recovery programs “collide” in my solo performances. Also including Denver Cooley, pastor of Rushing Wind church in Colton and President of Bikers For Christ/ inland empire chapter. We’ve taken to riding with whole posse’s of Bikes to events, sharing the stage in one form or another.

I have discovered a real need for a more energetic form of Church Music in the biker world and so at this point I’m writing songs with Bass Player Ricky B. from the NehoSoul Band that would be sing able for the audience. Bikers seem to resonate more with an old school style of Rock and Roll… ie: Areosmith, AC DC, Doobie Brothers, and the Eagles. So with that in mind we’re trying to bring that sound into the future with inspiration from younger artists like John Meyer, Jason Mraz, India Arie and others.

I’ve written four songs toward a new “biker church” project. Including “Wanna take my Harley to Heaven”, “I can’t imagine” (what I would do with out) “I choose” and “I C U” …thinking about having other lead singers on this as well to keep it from sounding like I’m changing music styles personally.

I’ve also decided that I like writing and staying home best of all these days. So with that has come a working relationship with Level Seven Partners, who are helping me with book proposals to Random House and Hachette Press, as well as possible Christian publishers.

In the marketing and visibility dept. we continue to build the Still Dancin awards concept. And a You tube production called “Duncan’s Diatribes”… doing a video version of my rants on the music business currently published in Christian Musician Magazine and Indieheaven on line mag.

I’ve also started a new relationship with “Final Word T.V.” a developing internet t.v. network in hopes of finding a new voice and audience. We are considering a video form of Radio Rehab for t.v. …. We’ll see. Just dreaming about how to play the cards we’re dealt.

O.k. so there’s that…. Bryan D.

Front Office, 2/06/09
NehoSoul Headquarters, Riverside, Ca. …

I was describing to my Bass Player Ricky B, over the phone, how the current situation is for me. The music biz as we know it has completely disappeared.

I told him laughing only a little “It’s like I used to put seeds in the ground and watch em grow. But now the soil needs to be plowed before I can plant. But I need to build a plow and buy a mule first. I feel like I’ve got a raise the mule too, from birth and feed him on top of that!

This year has already come with letters from the government, questioning every aspect of my taxes. I’m joining the millions of baby boomers who are finding a new role in the care of their parents in their failing health. I’m growing quiet in the realization that everything is changing. There are more responsibilities and less compensation!

The good news in all this is I have found passions for writing like I’ve never had!, everything from songs to articles for magazines and book proposals. I have less time to complain, self pity is just a waste of time. I’ve set out to read a book a week this year. Of course I’m falling behind a little. I’m reading encouragement books mostly and at least three times a day. I’m reading “Starting Over” by Bob Gass, “Word For Today” by Bob Gass, “Laughing Matters, finding humor when life stinks” by Phil Calloway for starters. This keeps me in a proper frame of mind. I finished “Good News For those Trying Harder” by Alan Craft and “At First Sight” by Nicolas Sparks. I’m almost finished with “The Reader” by Bernard Schlink.

I believe to write well I must read much. But I’m looking for insights as well, on survival of attitude. This is coming from a guy who didn’t read a whole book all the way through High School! … I faked my book reports the whole 12 years!. (what an idiot). “Starting Over” is the best read… I read every chapter at least twice because he is talking about overcoming and seeing failure as a matter of ‘Creativity” rather than defeat!

Ricky and I have agreed that music has returned to the 60’s when it was all about “singles”. Gone are the days of CD’s at this point. Individual songs are downloaded and airplay is being redefined as well. I am overwhelmed with the need to learn new processes in computer technology just to communicate effectively. Copyrights, non profit status filing, registrations, pay pal accounts, on line banking, web management, podcasting and recording over the internet are all things I’ve had to face in just the last year really.

I’m trying to keep up but I’m getting outrun at the moment. Even so I feel more driven than ever in my life, with maybe less to show for the effort. I find myself on some days actually euphoric. If there’s gonna be a future I’m gonna have to invent it for myself I think. Still I wake up every morning wondering how to define my passions for writing and music. There is an alarming understanding that nothing in business from the old models is valid. Except maybe getting people to hear it!

Good news is we’re recording new songs today and the process of songwriting and recording still comes with the joy of creating. We’re tracking two songs this morning “Wanna Take my Harley To Heaven” and “I can’t imagine”. The Harley song is already being requested as a website opener for “Bikers For Christ”.

O.k., So there’s that… Bryan D.

Front Office/ Riverside, Ca 2/22/09

I motorcycled in to another recovery gig in the local desert community of Beaumont, Ca. . It was the second of an experimental outreach where I have been incorporating Denver Cooley in my presentation. He’s pastor of a biker church called Rushing Wind Church, in Colton.

This gig took on a poker run kind of feel. I met two bikers in Riverside and rode to the “secret hideout” in Colton where Biker’s for Christ and Black Sheep members often meet. (it’s a Starbucks) 8).

We met another 12 bikers there and rode to “Buckles and Belts” (a leather shop and meeting place in Calimesa) where 10 members of Armor Bearers were waiting. Talk about an entourage we rode from there to the Gathering Place, a small church in Beaumont, with about 30 bikes.

The regulars attending Celebrate Recovery were wide eyed at the sights and sounds of a thundering heard of motorcyclists rolling in to the church parking lot. There was a $2. spaghetti dinner, followed by the recovery twelve step reading with Biblical principles and scriptures. I then performed a mini concert and introduced Denver, who absolutely wowed the packed house with his humorous story of salvation and recovery. Denver is the most refreshing discovery of my recent travels. Honest, down to earth and 100% Biker dude. He’s easy to hang with and very unassuming.

This year I feel like everything is completely new and even though many of the folks that came to this gig showed up with entire collections of my earlier recordings, I felt like I was someone else completely at this point. I sang IF YOU WANNA BE LONELY and THINGS YOU BRING, I LOVE YOU SO, and CHAINS from the NehoSoul Project. And it went over like any great worship music might. Although it was announced as a Bryan Duncan concert that’s not the way it felt. I was contributing to a bigger picture where everyone had something to offer.

It may be that in the coming year I am starting over from scratch. Whatever you might have thought about my past endeavors… don’t come expecting to recognize anything about the approach. It’s good to have a box that you can think outside of eventually. I am clearly outside any boundaries now that I ever assumed were there in the past.

O.k., So there’s that… Bryan D.