I found this recently and thought I'd share the history of creating my first Extended Play (EP) CD. Enjoy.

You can listen to the EP on my Bandcamp and SoundCloud channels.

I found this recently and thought I'd share the history of creating my first Extended Play (EP) CD. Enjoy.

You can listen to the EP on my Bandcamp and SoundCloud channels.

3RD DECEMBER 2001:
Meeting with Shaneal from Bombsquad Productions to discuss the date to start
recording my debut ep “Inspiration Relocation”. Shaneal and I had spoken
previously and now was the time to act. Met Andrew Polzin who would be doing
the recording and producing. I brought the rough demos on minidisc, Andrew
familiarised himself with the songs and we arranged to start recording the next
day. It has begun...

4TH DECEMBER 2001:
My birthday, what a great day to begin recording - I’m telling you the stars are
aligned for this! Andrew’s home studio looked out into an overgrown rainforest
type garden so it was very calming to be so close to nature. Using the mini disc
recording I had done as a guide, throughout the next week I added my acoustic
guitar parts and vocals. Jaffe came in to add his electric guitar parts and some
additional acoustic parts. Ben came in to put down his bass parts and Andrew
added drum programming.

Sounds simple on the page, but in reality if took many a take to get everything how
myself and Andrew wanted it. Time was not on our side, I could only get one week
in the studio so it was more or less a song a day we had to complete.

After our 8/9hr days - sometimes 12, Andrew would continue the arduous task of
producing the tracks. He would go through every part of every song making sure
the volumes for each part were in tune with the others. If parts were not good
they would be done again. This kept Andrew up for most (if not all) of the nights,
so I was met with an appreciative smile when I agreed with the production. These
processes continued throughout the week and we were all breathing a sigh of relief
when it was over. Recording was completed on the 9th December, it was up to
Andrew now to make sure every sound was in its place.

14TH DECEMBER 2001:
Photo shoot with Benjamin Tupas. Sunrise was at 4:47am so we had to be at
Underwood Park before then. It was an extremely early rise for me (I am not a
morning person) and I had been up late the night before making jewellery, but
once we arrived it was a beautiful day so we easily focussed on the task at hand.
With Stevie Nick’s songs getting me going, but I soon had to change the disc to
either Nikka Costa, Rebekah and Bijou Phillips as Bj was tiring of Stevie (can you
really!) - we took a few rolls of film for the white dresses and the pink “rock star”
dress. Headed back home to have breakfast at about 8:30am ish and then we shot
the photos around the pool and with Bud (my beautiful dog friend) before heading
back out to the park around midday for the yellow dresses.

At about 3:30pm we called it a day after using all of our 9 films. We headed to the
1hr photo developing place and waited for the photos. I thought they would be
good, but we were pleasantly surprised by the way that the photos turned out. We
were both very proud of ourselves and the day we had put in, the early rise was
worth it. Bj’s professionalism really shows in the photos. I was exhausted, so I
collapsed into bed at about 8:30 that night, content with my day’s work of feigning
to be a model!

17TH DECEMBER 2001:
Today was the day for Angela Turner to put down her piano parts. This was the
only day Ange was free having busying herself always with not only her classical
music ventures, but her new business Fine Print (www.fineprint.com) Ange and I
headed over to the Conservatorium of Music and helped Andrew unload all his
computer things into the studio we would be using, then Ange got cracking.

I had given her the roughs of the songs that we had recorded so far, so she was
pretty confident with her parts on “Consume” and the end choruses for “Everytime
You See Fit (Drowning)” however “Falling” was a different matter. It had
“evolved” since Ange and I had first recorded it, before it was just piano, acoustic
guitar and vocals recorded onto mini disc. There was now an added guitar part
after the chorus and also bass - not to mention the rap - parts as well. But we got
there in the end and were all relieved when the 5 hours were over.

All the different instruments and vocal parts were now completely recorded.
Andrew now just had to mix the parts to be in harmony with each other and after
that the mastering would take place. I just had to wait...

On the same day my afternoon appointment was with Thomas (who I used to work
with in the Myer Centre) and his workmate Martin Mills: who would be designing
and setting up my website. Martin had just set up his own web design company
and was keen to do mine. I met him at Stones Corner and we proceeded to get
down to the website business. I brought with me the photos Bj had taken, the
biography that Bj and I had written and a copy of my lyrics, I would be sending
Martin a copy of the cd when I received it fully mastered off of Shaneal. With just
those few tools Martin created the leigh-chantelle.com site.

31ST DECEMBER 2001:
By this time I have organised an abn number for Fanatic Records and
leigh-chantelle.com and I am continuing to develop my business knowledge to start
my own independent music label/company. I had organised a barcode for my cd
off Kevin at Media Technology and am in negotiations with him in regards to the
price to print my ep booklet and to press the cd. Bj and I were working out the
best photos to use in the ep and I was writing out my lyrics, again. And I could not
sleep, waiting for everything to be complete...

5TH JANUARY 2002:
Shaneal had, throughout the week dropped off the ep, having mastered it - making
sure that the sound was “full” and of radio quality, so I was throwing a “listening
party” for family and friends. Everyone was really impressed with the ep and
couldn’t wait for the finished product. A lot of my friends had heard very rough
versions of the songs on the ep over the years and were all enthralled at how the
songs had evolved. I gathered quite a few pre-orders and almost sold out of the
Leigh-Chantelle jewellery range! Had a few cocktails, Dad and the boys smoked
cigars into the early hours and everyone knew the songs off by heart by the time
they had left.

18TH FEBRUARY 2002:
Bj and I dropped the files for the ep off to Kevin at Media Technology today. The
files show the booklet layout and design, right down to the fonts and the colour of
the disc - pink of course! We both eagerly anticipated the end product and I could
still not sleep, by this time also, the website was up and running.

25TH FEBRUARY 2002:
Got a call from Josu Abrego-Sanz of 2's Company, I had spent all of the night
before he called thinking about my plans for the filmclip and it was such bizarre
timing, the stars really were aligned for this whole project from the start! I had
been looking for someone to shoot a filmclip and Josu got my number off of
Andrew, we arranged to meet today at QPIX at 9am, Mum came along so I could
get a second opinion. We hit it off really well and discussed the plans for the
filmclip, I informed Josu of what the lyrics meant, why I wrote the song etc. Josu
would get back to me with a budget and we’d go from there.

I had also been immersing myself in the production of the Leigh-Chantelle t-shirt
range: black shirts with white writing and vice versa, all the t-shirts were unique
because each is hand painted by the artist herself! People were now being spotted
with the Leigh-Chantelle shirts on everywhere.

28TH FEBRUARY 2002:
Just a quick message to let you all know that I am able to receive and respond to
all correspondence to the email address and to thank everyone who has emailed
me, visited the site and informed others of its existence - word of mouth is working
very well at the moment, the amount of hits to the site is amazing!! (Keep an eye
out for the stickers that seem to be multiplying at a rate of their own) To all who
have pre-ordered the “Inspiration Relocation” ep I shall be receiving the discs this
coming Wednesday 6th March, so come on by to pick your copy up, all people for
interstate should receive their copies pretty soon after this date.

Work is away on the filmclip for track 2: “Withhold From Dreaming” - should be
filming around the 15th of March, the location will be the same as where the
majority of the photos from the website/biography were taken, and yes I will have
to get in the water at some stage!?!

Auditions will be held soon for band members so if you know of any talented and
committed guitarists, bass guitarists, keyboard players or drummers please let me
know. I’ll see most of you at the end of next week...Thanks again for all of your
efforts.

5th MARCH 2002:
Another meeting today with Josu and this time with the director of photography:
Arron Cheung. We met on location at Underwood Park and we explored the area
looking for positions, shots and such. We did a few test shots of myself and the
surroundings. It was a good day and we all just have to cross our fingers to make
sure the day of shooting will be. The date was set: Friday the 15th March.

6TH MARCH 2002:
Phoned Kevin at Media Technology and the ep has arrived!! I was very excited
upon picking it up, the packaging looks amazing and the disc almost matches the
back of the booklet - which was the look Bj and I were going for. Altogether it was
a very professional looking package Bj did an amazing job.

By the end of the week the majority of my friends had purchased the ep and I’m
sure a lot of the neighbours were well and truly sick of the songs being
continuously played. I had organised leigh-chantelle.com stickers to be printed
with help from Larna at Graphic Plates and Lorraine of the Gold Printer. I had put
a sticker in all of the cds I had printed, they were also being handed out left, right
and centre and I would see them popping up everywhere!

11TH MARCH 2002:
Liz from Vegan Village in the UK has advised me that they have added a few links
from their site to mine, It’s very exciting! www.veganvillage.co.uk

12TH MARCH 2002:
Been talking to Kristen Webb, the entertainment writer in the local “Albert and
Logan News” today, working out when to meet to interview me for an article.

14TH MARCH 2002:
Today the photographer from the “Albert and Logan News” came over to take
some photos for the article Kristen is writing.

15TH MARCH 2002:
After I was picked up at 5:30am this morning, the shooting for the “Withhold From
Dreaming” filmclip began. Most of the crew knew each other from other
productions they had worked on so everyone got along really well. Josu was the
director, Arron was the director of photography but we also had: Celia - camera
assistant, Stuart - gaffer, Liam - crane/dolly, Ryan - grip, Yuue - gaffer
assistant/best girl, Angela - video split, Nikki - production design, Glen -
production assistant, Kate - makeup/hair.

Clint was filming throughout as he is doing a “making of” type documentary on the
filmclip - he is also the editor of both the doco and filmclip. Ryan was the
photographer for the day, along with my dad and his favourite toy: the digital
camera! My sister Louise helped out with production design and anything else
(like the arm designs for the dream sequence) that needed to be done, as did my
best friend Trent. My parents Gwen and Bill were the wonderful vegan caterers,
which everyone enjoyed immensely - when we had a chance to eat! Notable
praises must be sung out for my good friends Clay and Nicky who along with most
of the others, were proudly wearing their Leigh-Chantelle shirts. And also to
Jefferson and Matthew who somehow managed to convince their parents that a
day at Underwood Park was more beneficial than a day at school.

It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect. I did a bit of rowing in the big
pond, a bit of walking on the board-walk, a bit of weaving in and out of trees and a
bit of immersing myself in water - which was the part everyone was looking
forward to all day! Everyone involved (including the artist herself) put in a
tremendous amount of work so I’m sure this will shine through in the quality of the
finished production. After Josu had got his perfect water shot, the sun had gone
and everyone was exhausted, we called it a day a bit before 7pm. I had an
amazing sleep that night...

18TH MARCH 2002:
Went to QPIX today to view the roughs for the “Withhold From Dreaming” filmclip.
The colours are amazing! I didn’t like some of the shots that were used so Clint
will change them before the next time I see it. It’s really hard to look at yourself
(and the end product of a song you’ve created) with objectivity.

19TH MARCH 2002:
Lately I have been working with my friend Trent H on what trading terms I am
going to use for stores to stock my cd. As I have printed these terms and invoice
statements out, today was the day to go into the stores in the city (and suburbia)
and sell my wares. All the stores I approached were keen to support new local
talent and you can see what stores stock my cd by checking out the stockists page.
This page will always be updated so make sure you ask whatever store you are in
just incase. Altogether it was a great day of building client relations and
developing my business skills. Good luck stores with your selling!

22ND MARCH 2002:
Today in the entertainment section of the local paper “Albert and Logan News”
Kristen Webb’s article was published. One of the photos that was taken the other
day was included (see www.newsphotos.com.au) plus the article mentions the
fact that I’m looking for band members, and advertises my website so I was very
impressed. Mum has proceeded to collect as many copies as possible from around
the neighbourhood. My friend Natalie would also let me know a week later that
the same article was in the “Southern Star”.

25TH MARCH 2002:
Went to see the almost final copy of the “Withhold From Dreaming” filmclip at
QPIX this evening. Clint had spent and extensive amount of time and energy and it
really showed. I was happy with all the shots that were changed, so the filmclip
was locked. Now it was time to add the finishing touches at BEEPS and change the
water colour here and there, the waiting game begins again...

9TH APRIL 2002:
Went to QPIX today to pick up the completed version of the “Withhold From
Dreaming” filmclip. It looks amazing, the amount of effort everyone put into the
whole process really paid off because the quality and professionalism shines
through. All is exciting. Over the next few weeks I will be sending off the filmclip
and/or ep, plus the biography to the media, including magazines, newspapers,
radio, tv stations etc. The fun will now begin awaiting for the feedback. Bj is now
working on the cover design and layout for the video.

23rd April 2002:
It has been confirmed that RAGE will play the filmclip for Withhold From Dreaming
so keep your eyes out for it in the coming weeks. Bj finished the video sleeve this
week so all is in place. The website will be updated pretty soon, so let me know
what you think of the changes, including merchandise and new photos from various
photographers!!

The filmclip and ep will be sent out to various radio and television stations in the
next few weeks so if you would like to request the filmclip or one of the songs see
the request details page which will be updated frequently. I would really
appreciate as many people as possible to request, so make sure you tell your
friends and family!

4th May 2002:
Very early this morning (approx 4:40am) RAGE broadcast the filmclip for “Withhold
From Dreaming” It was very exciting to see the filmclip with not only the rage logo
but my name as well on free to air tv!! Most people got up to record it and all the
feedback has been great.

To request the filmclip check out the request details page and keep checking
www.abc.net.au/rage/playlist/default.htm Friday afternoons after 3pm to see
what will be played on Rage for that weekend. You will also be able to view the
filmclip when the website updates are complete.