Sound Clips From "things I Know For Sure" Are Here!

[Ben E Lou]

I'm not a big-time technical guy, so BIG thanks to Craptacular for giving me the tip on how to do this. I've got sound clips from six of the songs in a zip file. These will end up being the clips on my web site, but I thought I'd go ahead and post 'em here as well. They're in a zip file that's about 3 Meg. Let me know what ya think. Here ya go...

<u>SOUND CLIPS</u> (http://www.benelou.com/Sound%20Clips/soundclips.zip)

[Easy Mac]

Cool Cool. I think you should go by Skydog for your album, has a better stage name :) I'll turn them on after Nas and 50 Cent finish on my computer

[SaintAnselm]

This is just my 2 cents but I really like all of them. It's also kind of cool having a couple of the songs in their bare bones version so I can hear what was added. I like all of them though. Congratulations on the CD and I will be buying it as soon as it's available.

[Craptacular]

It was especially nice to get previews of "Follow Me" and "Deep Within". Those sound like very nice, uplifting songs with a sweet tempo. I can just picture you on a bar stool in a club, surrounded by your audience, just jammin' away and showing everyone a good time.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Craptacular
It was especially nice to get previews of "Follow Me" and "Deep Within". Those sound like very nice, uplifting songs with a sweet tempo. Thanks! And how 'bout the changes to the others that you'd heard already??? Ed just did a FANTASTIC job in my opinion of augmenting the spirit of the songs. I just LOVE the strings in Beneath The Smile...and he also changed the percussion track from programmed drums to live, which also adds a lot IMHO. I doh't think I could be more pleased.

[Ben E Lou]

Bump.....and shameless sticky. :D

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by SkyDog
And how 'bout the changes to the others that you'd heard already???

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but in casual listening, I don't detect a difference between the versions of "Daddy." I didn't get to listen to the prior version of "More Than A Dream" more than once or twice, but I think the bongos (?) add a nice touch.

The strings in "Beneath the Smile" fit in perfectly ... not too much, but just enough to give it a little extra "mood".

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but in casual listening, I don't detect a difference between the versions of "Daddy." I didn't get to listen to the prior version of "More Than A Dream" more than once or twice, but I think the bongos (?) add a nice touch.

The strings in "Beneath the Smile" fit in perfectly ... not too much, but just enough to give it a little extra "mood". 1. MAN that took you a long time to post. I was at the Who's Online area and it said you were "quoting post" for like 30 minutes. ;)

2. "Daddy" just added harmony vocals. Not much difference there.

3. "More Than A Dream" feels VERY different to me from the version I had posted. Kind of has a James Taylor groove to me, with the harmony vocals and the percussion.

4. Yeah. That song sounds "regal" to me.

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by SkyDog
1. MAN that took you a long time to post. I was at the Who's Online area and it said you were "quoting post" for like 30 minutes. ;)

I type realllllllllllllllly slow. :) Actually, this happens a lot; I'll start a post, get interuptted, forget what I'm doing, and come back a while later.

[Anthony]

SkyDog - do you actually own this website? is this place yours? if not, i fail to see how someone could blatantly misuse their "authority" around here for what basically amounts to free advertising and webspace.

now that people actually have sent in donations, i'm not sure if paying to store your mp3's were what they had in mind.

i wouldn't have a problem if you linked to your own personal webstie and tried to draw interested customers there (hell, this place has become a trading post for all text-sim developers anyway), but to have your stuff here is bad form in my book, good songs or none.

i'd hope you'd excercise better judgement. if you do in fact own the website, and this is your place to do as you see fit, then i gues i'm in the minority and i'll find other places to frequent.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Hell Atlantic
SkyDog - do you actually own this website? is this place yours? if not, i fail to see how someone could blatantly misuse their "authority" around here for what basically amounts to free advertising and webspace.

now that people actually have sent in donations, i'm not sure if paying to store your mp3's were what they had in mind.

i wouldn't have a problem if you linked to your own personal webstie and tried to draw interested customers there (hell, this place has become a trading post for all text-sim developers anyway), but to have your stuff here is bad form in my book, good songs or none.

i'd hope you'd excercise better judgement. if you do in fact own the website, and this is your place to do as you see fit, then i gues i'm in the minority and i'll find other places to frequent. If you actually LOOKED at the link before going off on another of your rants, you would have realized that they're not stored here. It is a link. Didn't you JUST say that you wouldn't have a problem with that???? Sheesh. :rolleyes:

The last time you went off on me I asked that as I walk away, you take heed to the sprig of mistletoe attached to the bottom of my shirt. I suggest the same thing now. Good day.

Sincerely,

Ben

[Anthony]

then i guess i don't have a problem.

why the need for the sticky, then? i guess it's for the masses of FOFC'ers who flock here everyday pouring through the threads for any new tidbits on your cd.

it's nice being the moderator, huh?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Hell Atlantic
it's nice being the moderator, huh?Sometimes, but not when I have to deal with some people's behavior. :rolleyes: I guess it balances out in the end.

[Ben E Lou]

UPDATE

Ed has made the changes we've requested, and has sent a Fedex that I'll receive tomorrow morning. Pending my approval (which I'm 99.9% certain he'll get based on the changes he's told me he's made), he has an appointment with <u>Mayfield Mastering</u> (www.mayfieldmastering.com) on Sunday. The CD goes gold by the end of the day Sunday, will be sent out to be printed on Monday, and we'll have final copies in hand by mid-March. We're looking at a March 28th release party in the A.T.L. WOOHOO!!! I'm excited! :D

[McSweeny]

rock on

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by SkyDog
We're looking at a March 28th release party in the A.T.L.

Get a webcam!

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Get a webcam! Yet another bit of technology that I know nothing about. Is this feasible for a reasonable price? I have access to a very nice laptop (P4, 2.4GHZ, 512MB RAM), so I reckon it is do-able on that end. I guess I'd need a web connection at the venue. Not sure about that one. Finally, what price range am I looking at for a webcam that would give reasonable quality. Talk to me, oh technical advisor. ;)

[Craptacular]

Honestly, I have no experience with a webcam. Looking at Best Buy's website, you can spend $30 or $150 on one. I really don't know how involved and expensive it would be to get a decent picture up and running. I just thought it would be cool for those of us far away from Hotlanta. ;)

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Honestly, I have no experience with a webcam. Looking at Best Buy's website, you can spend $30 or $150 on one. I really don't know how involved and expensive it would be to get a decent picture up and running. I just thought it would be cool for those of us far away from Hotlanta. ;) It does sound cool. We'll investigate this one.

I'm listening to the"final reference" copy for the third time today, and I love it. I've already called Ed and gave him the go-ahead to have it mastered and duplicated. We're rollin'!

[Ben E Lou]

LATEST UPDATE

The following e-mail went out to everyone in my address book tonight: Dear Friends:

For those that didn't know, Jen and I decided a little over a year ago that it was time for me to compile my songwriting efforts over the years into a CD. I've been working with producer Ed Cash, who has brought his fantastic talent and special touch to the project. I'm now thrilled to announce that Things I Know For Sure is finished, and in the process of being reproduced! We will be having a CD release party on Saturday, March 29th in the Atlanta area. It will take place in the Coffee House that is in the lower level of the Family Life Center at Dunwoody Baptist Church on Ashford-Dunwoody Road. I'll be performing songs from the CD, as well as some others, accompanied by a full band. It should be a fun evening. I'd love to see you there if you can make it. Mark your calendar!

NOTE TO THOSE OUTSIDE OF METRO ATLANTA: We will be planning and announcing shortly two other similar gatherings for family and friends in each of our home towns: Columbus, GA and Greensboro, NC, so if you can't make it to Atlanta for the initial release party, don't fret! :-)

SONG CLIPS AVAILABLE
A web site is in the process of being developed, and the CD will be available for sale there. For now, the small single-page placeholder has clips from some of the songs on the CD. Go to www.benelou.com to listen.

Thanks for listening,



--Ben

[korme]

Ben rules :D

[korme]

Dude, I could listen to that intro music from Daddy on www.benelou.com all day I think :)

[AnalBumCover]

Any plans on touring to Sunny So Cal? :)

[EagleFan]

Very nice job SkyDog.

[Anthony]

still stickied...?!?

wow. i don't know what to say anymore guys.

[Dutch]

Skydog,

I finally got around to listen to the new clips. I'm not sure if your singing is improving or it really has it's own uniqueness that is really growing on me! I really thought the sound clips were fantastic.

I'll be "promo"ing Beneath the Smile tonight at my wife's girl party. I'm hitting the road but I got to set up the playlist. So it's in the mix! Of course it's the first version we heard, but that's good too.

Can't wait to hear the full album, and I'll let you know what the ladies think. :)

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Dutch
Skydog,

I finally got around to listen to the new clips. I'm not sure if your singing is improving or it really has it's own uniqueness that is really growing on me! I really thought the sound clips were fantastic.

I'll be "promo"ing Beneath the Smile tonight at my wife's girl party. I'm hitting the road but I got to set up the playlist. So it's in the mix! Of course it's the first version we heard, but that's good too.

Can't wait to hear the full album, and I'll let you know what the ladies think. :) Thanks for the kind words Dutch. It must be the latter (the singing is growing on you), because chronologically, "Beneath The Smile" was the penultimate vocal recording.

[Ben E Lou]

The new and improved CD cover art....
http://www.benelou.com/images/cdcover2.JPG

[Fritz]

Much nicer Ben

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Fritz
Much nicer Ben Thanks. How 'bout that hole in the guitar???? Willie Nelson ain't got jack on Ol' SkyDog...

[STK]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Da forum don't understand da kind of problems and pressures 10 grand come wit'!

I realize that volunteering to moderate a forum such as this is akin to agreeing to be shot in the face, repeatedly.

That said, shameless self promotion should not be "stickied" this long.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by STK
That said, shameless self promotion should not be "stickied" this long. Heh. Is this better???

[couriers]

Originally posted by STK
I realize that volunteering to moderate a forum such as this is akin to agreeing to be shot in the face, repeatedly.

That said, shameless self promotion should not be "stickied" this long.

Granted this may be true in most cases but considering all the time and effort that SkyDog has and continues to put into this board how could it possibly hurt to allow a shameless self promoting sticky to stay around as long as he as moderator thinks it is appropriate. SkyDog has always included this forum in many of his decisions surrounding this venture since nearly day one. If we can't tolerate something as minor as this then there is something definitely wrong with us.

Maybe we should have a poll about it. :D

EDIT: the transcript of the chat with Jim could go though since no one has replied in over a month now and the FOF Time Killer is a total waste of a sticky, IMO.

[kcchief19]

Sorry, couriers, but while I appreciate the effort that Ryan and Ben and our past moderators put into the site, saying they should be able to sticky anything they want to for their own personal interest is not OK. If Ben was coming out with a book of hard-core male gay porn photos, would it be OK to sticky that?

I hope SkyDog sells a million records because I like him and he's a good guy. But using this board for self-promotion, whether it's for an album or just stuff he's interested in (OOTP, for example), it's wrong.

[couriers]

What if he used the sticky function to promote a convention where free copies of FOF were being passed out? Although I see the difference in promoting something for a price as opposed to promoting something for free I guess that the only point that I am attempting to make is that SkyDog seems to have a good sense of fairness and that we should extend to him the same courtesy. In fairness there should be nothing wrong with him using the functions of the software to inform other members of what is going on with us all. In this case it happens to be about him personally but I still don't see there being anything wrong with it. As far as the hardcore male gay porn photo book, well as long as there was no offensive material in the thread then I don't see a problem with that.

In the end it most likely boils down to both sides having legitimate arguments to help prove their point. I highly doubt that either side is wholly right or wrong so it should boil down to tolerance. In this case the tolerance should be higher and the benefit of the doubt should go to SkyDog.

This of course gets blown out of the water if the sticky function was being overly abused or simply over used. However, this does not appear to be the case, so far.

There is no need to divide people over such a small detail but I felt that a two sided argument is better than a one sided complaint so stating the other side seemed like the thing to do.

No big deal and no skin off my back either way. :)

[Anthony]

this fucking sucks. i bring this point up and no one says anything. STK brings it up and skydog quickly unstickies this.

couriers - why should the mods here benefit from free exposure to personal endeavors - especially things that have nothing at all to do with gaming? if people are interested - don't you think the thread will naturally get bumped or remain a hot topic? why shove it down people's throats. why couldn't he do what he's doing now - promote through his signature?

i find it funny that the front page hasn't been updated, but he finds the time to sticky something about his cd. oh wait, i forgot - he'll claim he doesn't know how to update the front page. he'll make a poll concerning screen sizes that people use so that he can fine tune his own website - yet when's the last time the poll on the front page been updated?

it's nice being the moderator, huh?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Hell Atlantic
this fucking sucks. i bring this point up and no one says anything. STK brings it up and skydog quickly unstickies this.Wow! That worked MUCH better than I thought it would. I didn't think it would get his goat that badly! :D

I wonder if I can teach him to fetch...

[couriers]

Originally posted by Hell Atlantic
this fucking sucks. i bring this point up and no one says anything. STK brings it up and skydog quickly unstickies this.

couriers - why should the mods here benefit from free exposure to personal endeavors - especially things that have nothing at all to do with gaming? if people are interested - don't you think the thread will naturally get bumped or remain a hot topic? why shove it down people's throats. why couldn't he do what he's doing now - promote through his signature?

i find it funny that the front page hasn't been updated, but he finds the time to sticky something about his cd. oh wait, i forgot - he'll claim he doesn't know how to update the front page. he'll make a poll concerning screen sizes that people use so that he can fine tune his own website - yet when's the last time the poll on the front page been updated?

it's nice being the moderator, huh?

It's really not that big of a deal. Just like every other thread that someone is not interested in they still have the choice to ignore it no matter where it is located on the page. Just because it stays at the top doesn't necessarily mean that it is being shoved down our throats. At least it doesn't feel that way to me and if that is not the case for you personally then I am sorry that such a little matter upsets you so greatly.

The main reason that it doesn't bother me is simply because I am left with the belief that if one of us asked SkyDog to sticky a thread promoting one of our books or movies or weddings or funerals that he would highly consider allowing it to occur. Obviously there should be restrictions on how long it should remain stickied, if that is even a word, but to make such a big deal out of it seems shallow.

Also, what would stop SkyDog from bumping the thread to the top every time he logs on? Would that make any difference or would that be a violation of his member privileges? It makes sense to save him the time and aggravation and just allow it to remain stickied, if that is even a word, for a month or so. Furthermore, if it continually gets bumped then it pushed other threads down the list as opposed to being stickied and not affecting anything else at all.

Lastly, promoting through his signature is an excellent idea and should be followed whenever possible. Just like I have already admitted to there are good arguments for both sides and I am more than willing to go along with whatever game plan everyone decides on. It just seemed like such a petty thing to fight about and knowing some of the battles that have been going on around here lately it would make more sense to save the energy for more important issues.

[Buzzbee]

SKyHootie - Just curious what is the connection with Dunwoody Baptist Church. I work down the street from DWBC and pass it regularly on my way to Chick-Fil-A.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Buzzbee
SKyHootie - Just curious what is the connection with Dunwoody Baptist Church. I work down the street from DWBC and pass it regularly on my way to Chick-Fil-A. No direct personal connection here (other than She Who Must Be Obeyed works out there....her office is quite near it as well). Some friends who used to be on the local Board of my ministry are members there, and got the location for us. We chose that location because:


1. The big youth room in the bottom floor of the Wellness Center is perfect. It is big enough to hold a decent-sized crowd. It has a very nice in-house sound system (thus avoiding the expense of renting one). Also, we held a Young Life sponsored event there a few years back, and therefore know a few little things to do to give the room a *very* cool coffee-house style feel.
2. I wanted it to be more accessible to more of metro Atlanta.I've been in Tucker for six years, but I also did Young Life in Cobb County for three years, and therefore have a lot of friends over that way. I wanted to move it around the Perimeter a bit from Tucker, so that old friends could get there a little easier as well. I also wanted it near the Perimeter, so it would be easy to find. Again, DBC made lots of sense.
3. The price was right. When our friends who are members talked with them, they got them to allow us to use it at no charge. :)

Where do you work?

[Buzzbee]

Geac. Across the street from Perimeter Mall, off of Ashford-Dunwoody - (Perimeter Center East).

[Ben E Lou]

Well, an "alpha" version of my web site had to go up yesterday, because 1,500 postcards were mailed out and hit homes yesterday. The final version is being developed by a professional. I just threw the text up in a very basic format to give people something to look at until the site is finished, since we needed to go ahead and get the info out about the release party date, being that it is now less than three weeks away. Here are the links:

ALPHA VERSION (http://www.benelou.com) (all links active, text close to finalized, theme to undergo radical overhaul, done by Ol' SkyDog)

INITIAL BETA BUILD (http://www.benelou.com/design/index.html) (no working links yet, theme set, being developed by Anderson Hughes at www.burningbulb.net)