Week 32 – ‘Things I Do’

by Frank Hamilton

Week 32,
Things I Do,
The title rhymes,
So it must be true.

I can’t believe we’re in August and have been for 10 days already.  Everything’s going so fast.  32 weeks in…

It’s been an exciting start to the month and there’s a lot left to come.  Orla Gartland is coming round next week, Dion Dublin the week after, I’ve been invited to play Reading and Leeds festival and I have a date to record that song I mentioned I was having trouble finishing the other week…

It’s not been all fun, games and Ukelele’s though.  Recently something’s been playing on my mind and keeping me awake more than usual.  Promotion (or lack of).

We’re now entering the final 20 weeks of #onesongaweek – which are without doubt the most important 20 weeks of the project and consequently my life.

I don’t talk about this stuff very often because I want it to be all about the music and the words but  the fact remains – stats are very important.   I guess that’s why lots of other artists (no names mentioned but a few spring to mind!) spend all their time begging for followers on Twitter and not enough of it writing songs.

Right now I have 1,200 and 2,400 (give or take) followers on Twitter and Facebook respectively, and in plain and simple terms that’s not enough to sustain and career without a record label.  It might get me through #onesongaweek if I’m lucky… but it won’t persuade someone to give me the money I need to make an album in 2013.

The frustrating part (which also happens to be fantastic) is that I’ve sold LOADS of records in comparison to these stats.  The ‘You, Your Cat & Me EP’ alone has done over 12,000 copies to date.  WHERE ARE YOU ALL?!

One really annoying thing is that there’s still a lot of people out there who have no idea I’m back making music again.  Look at this comment on Lauren Aquilina‘s post of our song from week 29.  I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry…

So this weeks blog is the first mention of what’s going on in my head… but it sure as hell won’t be the last.  The next 20 weeks need to serve a purpose – to put me in a position to do more musicy things (make the album) in 2013.  Simple.

So if you’ve been enjoying #onesongaweek there is ONE simple thing you MUST start doing:.

SHARE, SHARE, SHARE.

If you like it – share it!  Post it on Facebook and/or Twitter and tell your friends.

Then there are 2 things you really should do (if you haven’t already):
– ‘Like’ the Facebook page – facebook.com/frankhamiltonuk
– Follow me on Twitter – @frank_hamilton

And finally for those of you who care enough to give up a small amount of time… have a little think about it the next time you’re bored.  I mentioned before I have 1,200 and 2,400 Twitter and Facebook followers…  well we need to double both of those (at least).  How?!

Maybe you’ve had a genius ‘guerilla marketing’ idea or your brother in law happens to work in online PR?  My friend Andy suggested we make little flyers (a picture of Usain Bolt winning the 100m with a funny caption about #onesongaweek for exampe) and post them all over the internet so I guess that’s a start!  Anyone good with photoshop?!

So that’s the boring part of this weeks blog out of the way.  Boring but essential.  Here’s the song (finally!):

 

The Blurb:

‘Things I Do’ is about doing some shitty things but wanting to give them up for someone really special.

I tweeted yesterday that there were 3 different directions I could go in with the production…

  • Upbeat with a ukelele.
  • Reflective with an acoustic guitar.
  • Dark/Moody with a piano etc.

I didn’t see the replies until I’d almost finished tracking all the instruments but the vast majority wanted to hear some ukelele – so it’s a good job that’s the version I went for!

I’m not going to say a lot about it for three reasons:

  • It’s one of those songs I’d rather not talk too much about.
  • I didn’t get to bed until 6am. I’m exhausted.
  • I’m heading to Peterborough in a moment to watch a football match and forget all about #onesongaweek for at least two hours!

 

Favourite Lyric:

“You could be the reason that I leave the house
You could be the tablet that sorts my head out
You could be the one thing I can’t help but think about”.