I don’t know about you, but I know a lot of talented people online. I’m still waiting for their creative awesomeness to rub off on me, but it’s yet to happen. While I wait for that, I thought I’d share some ways I think we can all help those indie musicians around us while also helping ourselves. Hopefully this mostly helps others, because giving is better than receiving—unless it’s a headache. Whoever is giving me those, please stop.
… Ways to help your favourite indie musicians
Last year, I challenged myself to a monthly video blog post that focused on a new guitar riff that I created in that month. It was a lot more effort than I realised—writing, recording and replicating for video takes time. But it was a challenge that I’m going to say I completed successfully.
2019 needs a new challenge. It needs to be something different and I am looking for a challenge of a different type. Luckily, I worked out that there are 26 letters in the alphabet and 26 fortnights in a year. So the challenge begins.
… Alphabet playlist of metal—the ‘A’ fortnight
I had a quick look at a list of all the major metal albums released in 2018 today. It reminded me of the music I discovered and loved this year while also letting me know how much I missed. I haven’t been as dedicated as I have been to my love of music this year. Hopefully this post will do two things. One; let anybody who is reading know the music that I loved this year. Two; remind me how much I love music so that 2019 can have an improved focus on what is important.
… My 10 favourite musical releases from 2018
Back in 2010, I created the first real logo for my Scarebear persona. Up until then, I’d applied various designs to the original Scarebear domain, but no true branding. I’d also never really thought through all the different categories or interests of the Scarebear brand. That was mostly because I hadn’t been approaching the Scarebear identity as a brand. Recently, I revisited that and came up with the concept you see here.
The new Scarebear brand allows for the collective design style while allowing for the family of brands to stay true to their individual interests on the newly formed suite of sites for photographic, graphic design and guitar-related materials.
The brand is also more flexible now with options for stacked, horizontal and social profile representations. Should I ever try to make a genuine business out of this brand, I am now able to represent that more professionally.
… Scarebear rebranded
A rose from one of the many beautiful gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph taken on Huawei Mate 10.
Custom Scarebear plectrum by Grover Allman laying on my custom Reedsdale by Moniker Guitars (sadly no longer in business). Photograph taken on Nikon D60 DSLR.
DS-1 Distortion guitar pedal by Boss. Photograph taken on Nikon D60 DSLR.
I love water droplets on tree leaves. The leaf shapes in Canada are often visually appealing as well. Both combined on this day to create an image I am very happy with. A beautiful green leaf with lots of clean water droplets.
Nature is a wonderful thing. Photograph taken on my Huawei Mate 10.
I decided to make a weekend trip to Redcliffe so I could attempt some sunrise photographs of the HMQS Gayundah wreck at Woody Point, Redcliffe. As it turned out, this photograph I took while scouting the area the afternoon before was one of my favourite photographs from the weekend.
This photograph was taken with my Huawei Mate 10.
Skumstortion pedal by Pro Tone Pedals. Photograph taken on Nikon D60 DSLR.
