We have crossed the 60k mark!! Thanks for that, you wonderful creatures. We’ll do a high-res (as possible) live-stream of the listening party for all backers. For our next stretch goal…
If we cross 65K, all packages of $100+ will receive a UNIQUE 4X6 photograph.

Taken by me on my Leica M6 and printed at San Francisco’s own Photoworks on Kodak matte paper. I’ll sign and write some location info or other explication on the back. These are one-off prints, they are actually the only print I have of each photo. It’s a 1 of 1 kind of scenario. LET’S DO IT.

Stereogum is premiering a song from the Diamond Dogs cover record today. Here it is.

If you haven’t picked up Diamond Dogs yet, it’s getting closer and closer to selling out (we’re under 150 left).

Other things on the brink of selling out:

HOUSE SHOWS (1 left in SF and 1 in US available), the “T-SHIRT of your choice + BOTH NEW RECORDS on Vinyl” bundle (12 left), and the “DAGGER BEACH and DIAMOND DOGS on vinyl” bundle (25 left).

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New rewards just posted:

I WRITE YOU AN 8 SECOND SONG WITH YOUR NAME IN IT – $75 (limited to 8, unless they are easier than I think they’ll be!)
I can also do this for someone you love (or a theme or idea you love). This is going to be a 24-track analog extravaganza, not some busted-ass demo. There will be background vocals. I can also precede the song with “You’ve reached [YOUR NAME HERE]” and I believe you would have an amazing outgoing VM message.

DIAMOND DOGS TEST PRESSING – $50 (limited to 7) A 200g QRP test pressing of my Bowie cover record. The extra good news: I’ll ship it to you at least a month before the full artwork versions are ready. Test pressings sound VERY GOOD.

Remember, I love you. I was seriously fantasizing about bailing from the music game this time last year. No more. With any luck, I’ll be able to pull off a remix record of Dagger Beach that will be a free download this summer.

Below: My Bowie cover of “Big Brother” titled “A Better Whirlpool.” Also, my twitter doppleganger, @not_john_vanderslice, fixed my poster for the Diamond Dogs show I did last year.

Hello! I hope everyone has something nice planned for the weekend. I’m working tomorrow, but I’ll be hiking Armstrong Redwoods in West Sonoma on Sunday.
Some short announcements…

If we reach 60k, we’ll live-stream the Dagger Beach listening party happening on May 2 at Tiny Telephone. We’ll make it as high-res as possible.

After that, I’ll have another stretch goal that will most likely involve exclusive content for backers only™. More on that soon. Speaking of content, I’ll be premiering a track from Dagger Beach sometime next week!

The vinyl is printed!! It sounds stupendous. The artwork is in production at Bellwether. Joe Williams did a wonderful job on the gatefold vinyl and digi-pak. They’ll both a have a nice insert that includes lyrics and extended album credits. Diamond Dogs lacquer will be shipped to QRP on Tuesday.

We’ll definitely be able to ship before the album is in stores (somewhere the God Of Delivery was just shaken from a long nap).

I added a VINYL CASE only reward.

Billboard and Flavorwire interviewed me about the campaign and Brooklyn Vegan posted something nice.

Thanks for everything, this is has been one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. What if I just run Kickstarter after Kickstarter because I’m so addicted to watching that wonderful counter? (That sounds awful… okay I won’t do that.)

XOJV

Below: Dagger Beach Test Pressing, Miette and Clover approve of same

Hello!

I wanted to send a quick note to all my backers and tell you how incredibly AWESOME you are!!! I’ve been staying with my mom in Pittsboro, NC since the launch. Watching my unflappable mom get incredibly excited and personally invested in the campaign was magic for me.

My mom (wisely) forced me into piano lessons when I was 6, bought me Led Zeppelin records at 12, and defended my honor against the jerk-ass principle of Churchill High School (even though I was clearly a restive ne’er do well barreling down the wrong road).

So thanks for making me look good!!

Please share this campaign with anyone you think would be interested. We are doing this one on one, without a label or publicist. It feels SO different for me.
We are fast nailing down dates for the video shoot and the listening party. They’ll be some interesting (and weirdly interesting) new rewards introduced in the next week or so.

If we get to 60k, we’ll do a live stream from the control room of Tiny Telephone to give you a feel for the listening party. I think I’m going to buy some really good alcohol for that. (The listening party I mean, although I might also be drunk for the live streaming.) We’ll be playing Dagger Beach and Diamond Dogs directly from the 1/2″ tape.

Joe Williams and I are working on a new VINYL CASE for the collector who owns the back catalog. It will include DAGGER BEACH and DIAMOND DOGS on vinyl. We’re also brainstorming on super special items to throw into every package. I’ve decided against including tufts of Clover’s impossibly soft and cloud-like fur.

I’ve decided to print DIAMOND DOGS at 200g instead of 180g. There will be no other versions of the vinyl. It sounds too good to compromise. That shit is hella expensive but I clearly have the MOST AMAZING BACKERS IN THE WORLD. (You make me want to tour, you know I won’t be able to say no to that right?)
Remember you can always combine rewards or be as creative as you like. I’ve already set aside the entire month of April for organizing your goods.

I’ll send out a survey closer to delivery dates, then you can give me very detailed info about what you’d like me to write/sign, or any other additions and changes to your order. If you’ve customized your order or combined rewards, don’t be shy reminding me that! I might be a little overwhelmed by then:)
I’m going to do my best to make sure everything works well and that everyone is thrilled with their goods. I know I’m very happy right now. This experience has energized and INSPIRED me to make more music!!

Much love to you,
JV

Ps Here’s my mom!

My Kickstarter is ALIVE! My new album, Dagger Beach, comes out in early Summer on my own label, Tiny Telephone. I need your support to help with the enormous costs of self-releasing this record. This Kickstarter is both a fund raiser and a pre-order for the new record.

I am a little fearful of doing this on my own. The cost alone of printing vinyl is around 12k. Speaking of…

The Dagger Beach vinyl issue is a 200g pressing from QRP, the best vinyl plant in the country. It sounds HELLA GOOD. I’m really proud of this record, it’s dirtier and weirder than anything I’ve done since Cellar Door.

I’ve also made a full-length cover of Bowie’s amazing Diamond Dogs. A *very* limited run of 200g vinyl records will be available through Kickstarter as well. We’ve got two new t-shirts (including an updated version of the famous Library Card), digital downloads and tons more stuff.

Other rewards you may be interested in: LIMITED EDITION SCREEN PRINTS, I WILL MARRY YOU (to another person), HOUSE SHOWS, I WILL PRODUCE YOUR EP, LISTENING PARTY FOR DAGGER BEACH, TINY TELEPHONE / TAQUERIA TOUR in San Francisco, UNRELEASED RARITIES CD, and ohh so many more.

All artwork for the albums, screen prints, t-shirts and more by the great Joe Williams!!

My new record will be released in late spring, I’ll have tons more info rolling in a few weeks, including the launching of my Kickstarter this Tuesday, February 19. I’ll be releasing my cover of David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs on a limited run of 300 200g LPs as well. You can pre-order both on the KS, I think the Diamond Dogs will sell out pretty quickly.
Track listing and info is below. I CAN’T wait for you to hear it!!!!!!

Dagger Beach Track Listing 
1. Raw Wood
2. Harlequin Press
3. Song For Dana Lok
4. How The West Was Won
5. Interlude #1
6. Song For David Berman

Side 2 
7. Damage Control
8. Song For The Landlords Of Tiny Telephone
9. Gaslight
10. Sleep It Off
11. Sonogram
12. North Coast Rep
13. Interlude #2

Artwork by Joe Williams

Dagger Beach was recorded by Ian Pellicci and JV
at Tiny Telephone A & B
Mixed by Ian Pellicci at Tiny Telephone
Assisted by Shawn Alpay and Kelley Coyne
Mastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service

Produced by Ian Iellicci and JV
Thanks to James Riotto for editorial insight

All songs JV, except
“Song for the Landlords of Tiny Telephone” written by Shawn Alpay
and “Interlude 2” by Rob Shelton

Everyone is invited to this celebration of Tiny Telephone’s 15th year. I’ll be your host, and every engineer and friend of the studio will be present and accounted for. Also we’ll be serving some delicious drinks and playing good music. Please come!!

Tour dates are over there >>>>>
All shows co-headlining with Crooked Fingers. These will be my last shows until the record is out sometime next year. All shows are solo, damn I miss Jason Slota but he’ll be out with me next tour. I’ll have a rarities CDs at the merch table. They have B-sides, orphans, covers, and unreleased songs. Plus my entire back catalog on RTI vinyl. Hope to see you out here!!

This is SUCH an excellent festival.