Erica Nockalls - EN 2 (2014) Lossless

“Once you realise, like I have realised, that every aspect of the music industry is seemingly totally sewn up (and let’s face it, pretty much screwed) it is absolutely liberating when you consciously decide to no longer care what anyone thinks and directly present the world with your wares. I’m not asking for permission, validation or approval from anybody else to make my own music, and why should I? When you cease writing music to order, and stop trying to please or impress people, then that’s when the good stuff happens. This notion has been happily rattling around my mind as I have been making EN2 and that’s the reason I’m going rogue and doing it all myself this time around. By choice I’m bypassing record labels and the usual known crowd-funding companies, thoroughly appreciating a new sense of freedom and control in a sort of I-can-jolly-well-please-myself fashion.

I started writing EN2 on January 1st 2014 and my aim was to create a record and release it within the same year. I didn’t want to spend another 18 months putting an album together as I did with Imminent Room, a small part of me knowing that I get bored of my own ideas quickly, but a larger part of me knew that the more significant reason was to make a very urgent sounding record. I also wanted to make as much of this album by myself so that it is a true, unique representation of what I’m capable of as a musician and an artist as a whole. It’s a very ‘me’ sounding record, and by that I mean I feel that it’s completely undiluted, which is what I wanted and I’ve certainly not held anything back.

EN2 is self-produced and I also decided to mix the album myself. I have never been afraid to ask for help when I need it and so midway through the mixing process I sought the opinion and assistance of record producer/sound engineer/friend, Simon Efemey. I was becoming a little frustrated mixing the thing and Simon offered many different angles to work from and suggested various mixing techniques to consider. He reassured me that in fact I hadn’t actually lost my mind as I had previously thought and he generally pointed me in the right direction, leaving me at the helm to continue with the rest of the record. Thanks Si.

I wasn’t shy either in asking a huge favour of legendary guitarist, Mark Gemini Thwaite, for him to play on five tracks. Some of the songs he worked on, Mark took my original guitar ideas and re-recorded them – only with a lot more skill and finesse than I could ever achieve. Others he had a free swim and happily and skilfully just tore right into my tracks. He’s a clever man, that MGT. All of Mark’s parts were recorded in his studio in LA.
I’m pressing up 1000 CD copies of EN2 and for now, these will only be available to pre-order through www.ericanockalls.com in order to try and generate income to pay for the mastering, manufacturing and distribution costs. Once those initial 1000 copies are sold, I may consider going through the usual online routes, and if a label shows any interest in picking up the record up after that, then I’ll of course consider my options. I’m just gonna do things my way first, and this basic version of crowd funding feels like the right way to go about achieving that, and most importantly, it’s fair to everyone involved.

Through my online shop, there are opportunities to purchase many lovely items including art, accessories and, of course, music. I’d like to thank all those who have shown their support up to this point – it is very much appreciated and will not be forgotten. Cheers!” – Erica Nockalls.