Good evening, Planet Earth!
Happy Holidays to everyone out there and it is my pleasure to launch this brand new edition of the WILL BLACK DISPATCH directly to your inbox. In addition to having the newsletter sent conveniently to you via email, I will also start publishing it on a bi-weekly basis. My goal is to have closer communication with friends and fans around the world who enjoy listening to my music and I believe this newsletter will be key to achieving that.
This month marks the end of my 5 year run as entertainer at Hog Penny Pub here in Bermuda. It has been a fantastic experience for me that I will never forget and I will always be appreciative for. Along the way I made many new friends, performed nearly 1000 shows, finally got back into songwriting and released my first album of original material. Unfortunately Bermuda has not been spared from the global economic downturn and tourism here as dropped huge since I first started in 2005. Therefore the owners of Hog Penny have decided to not have any live entertainment for next season and I have in turn decided that it is time to make a much needed return to Toronto, Canada. My plan is to land in T.O. sometime in the early spring, start a new rock band and begin performing throughout my home country for the first time in almost 10 years. I have been away performing abroad for so long (since 2001) that most people back in North America have never heard my music, or seen me perform - 2010 will see that all change! I will post all upcoming gigs and performances here in the newsletter and at www.WillBlack.com. Chances are also good that I will wind up south of the border in the U.S. doing shows as well.
Back in November I traveled to Toronto to audition for the Canadian production of Broadway rock musical, Rock Of Ages. I spent a solid 2 weeks rehearsing the acting and singing in preparation to audition for the lead role of Drew, but I ended up not getting the part. My audition was strong, but it was my lack of theatre experience that likely held me up. It was a new experience for me to go through such a high profile process in the theatre world and I’m glad I made the effort. It would have been very cool to be performing in that show, but in the end I am now available to commit myself fully to writing and promoting my new rock album next year. I am going in the direction that I belong.
That’s right, I am hard at work on writing and recording my next album of rock ‘n roll music, The Blinding Heights. This new album is more rock than my last record and I’m really liking what is turning out from these current sessions. The first 2 tracks are more than halfway through recording and I expect the first single to be released to everyone online in late-January. The new songs and all my current material are available at my newly launched www.WillBlack.com/music page. This will be the main website I will be using to release all future material for listening & downloads, including the current “Digital Edtion” of my first album, Dancing With The Dead.
I will also be releasing about a dozen new YouTube videos over the next few weeks. I’ve got some great movies of my monthly power trio experience, MacBlasky performing at Hog Penny in October as well as a bunch of solo acoustic tunes as well. I’ll have more info on the videos in the next issue of DISPATCH.
Please take a look around this new version of the newsletter. I’ve included links to my large Photo gallery, Will Black Radio at Jango.com and all my online connections as well.
I hope Santa Claus brings you everything that you have been wishing for. My last show at Hog Penny is on New Year’s Eve and I look forward to seeing many of you there. If you aren’t in Bermuda, keep your eyes and ears open as I might just be playing in your part of the world sooner rather than later ;)
Rock on,
Will Black
“Rock 'n Roll is the most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression it has been my misfortune to hear.” – Frank Sinatra
