Hello everyone.
It's your pal Alan checking in. Hope you have all been well and are enjoying the cooler weather as I am. Or, if you don't like cooler weather, maybe you're enjoying the last few warm days. Whatever your preference, your well-being is the main thing I'm hoping for here.
By this point, I am sure you have seen at least some mention of Thrift Store Cowboys here on the blog. We love the band. They are sweet people, make great records, are amazing live, have all kinds of positive qualities such as humor, kindness, pretty eyes, elbows that aren't ashy, and they come complete with neato affiliations including Amanda Shires' (fiddle player for TSC) solo work, Cobra Rock Boots (guitarist Colt Miller's custom-made Western footwear) and the tastiest mushroom fajitas ever courtesy of drummer Kris Killingsworth. Now that you've had that little recap, I'd like to vomit emotionally about the band for a quick sec.
Thrift Store Cowboys were the first band I found when I moved to Lubbock in 2005. They were the "big" band in town and for good reason. Their songs and, specifically, their sound exist in a unique vacuum, and develop seemingly from some secretive interaction with stimuli not of this time or place. The somewhat mysterious and off-kilter beauty created by the band elevates to affecting levels when seen live -- their performances make faces hot, limbs tingle and jerk, hearts rage with life and the anticipation of it.
More than this, though, Thrift Store Cowboys became my friends during my time in Lubbock. We shared ideas, struggles, advice, houses, couches and the little money we had. Overall, we shared life and I enjoyed every minute of it with these fine people. If this band had not believed in me and pushed me to book my first major tour (theirs), I very well may not have found what it is I love doing and have been doing ever since.
The band's 4th studio album, Light Fighter, will be released October 12, but you can get it from iTunes in its entirety now (just click the link on the album title). Also, TSC will be embarking on a month-long East coast tour starting on the 12th in support of the new record. This is especially exciting for us because the band hasn't toured the East coast and Midwest for a couple of years now.
The final mention I have for you today is a project Thrift Store Cowboys have going in conjunction with Kickstarter. The widget below will link you to the project and fully explain what it is and how it works, but don't worry, it is very simple:
- The band put together special, one-of-a-kind gift packages and offers available for a limited time only.
- You can click the widget below and view the various packages/offers and decide what best suits you and yours in terms of usefulness, price range, personal preference, etc.
- With your help, if enough purchases are made to reach the band's goal of $4000 within the allotted amount of time (currently 18 days), the band will receive that money to be used for touring expenses, recording and manufacturing costs and other expenses necessary to keep an independent band going.
If you have any questions/concerns, whatever, please feel free to leave a comment and I will promptly get back to you (that is, if it pertains to me or requires a response. i mean, if you say something is cute or something like "hey! i really dig that man," i may just leave it at that and not respond).
Also, please "friend" or "like" or "follow" the band if interested. Those things help considerably in strange little ways too tedious to explain. You can also sign up for the band's email list at ReverbNation :)
Thanks so much for your patience and attention and bless you for supporting the hard work Brandi and Kelly put into this blog.
Take care,
alan
Thrift Store Cowboys