Nerissa Campbell: home

I am gonna be on tv! I was chosen to be a part of the weekly show Metro Elvis - which is a showcase of musicians and artists in the NY area.

It's on TWC Channel 56 and RCN Channel 83 in Manhattan at 10pm on August 20th.

AND on streaming video! (Just go to www.mnn.org at 10pm Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday 20th August '08 and choose Channel 56).

So, for all of you out there who don't live in NY, or haven't had a chance to come to a live gig, you can see a gig of mine on telly - er, I mean your computer! And if you were there, then maybe you'll hear your fabulous clapping and my appreciation for your support (that's harder to hear in real life, but it's there!).

Chick Singer Series!

I have been taking a fabulous class on Monday nights called Artist's Books, which is a great mix of bookbinding techniques and artist book techniques. I have been having an absolute ball. I have been both drawing and making books and photo albums for quite a while now, so this class feels perfectly catered to me! I am learning some great new things and my creative juices are quite literally overflowing - which I just love! I feel that one of the most frustrating things for me as a musician is that I am on a 'high' musically for a while and everything is going full-speed and then I hit a wall, and I lose the inspiration. I don't know where it goes, but I am always left feeling like I am maybe being lazy that I should force myself to get in there and write and practice and KEEP GOING! But I have come to realise that I just don't work that way. I really need those peaks and valleys - it's almost like a rest at the top of the mountain. Still, I am always sad at the times the musical well has 'dried up', so to speak. And then I start drawing more. And making things. And then I get inspired by those things which I just love doing, that I give no credit to as a talent, I just do them because I love to. And so the inspiration does actually keep going around in a circle - to use the mountain analogy again - the stopping is actually taking in a magnificent view! I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and have wondered about making a (very) limited edition of hand-bound, hand-drawn books that will come with Musings of a Telescopic Tree when it comes out. I think it is high time that these inspirations that help me through the dry spells got a little credit.... don't you?

I am *finally* going into the studio to record my next album, Telescopic Tree. It has been so long in the coming that I have even started 'nicknaming' the title!! For ages I have had the title "Musings of a Telescopic Tree", but in the many months of preparation (procrastination?), it has been shortened to simply, Telescopic Tree. I like it! I don't know quite what it means, but I like what it conjures up.

So, July 2nd is the big recording date, and I have some really fabulous people onboard to help me out with it. I am so happy to have enthusiastic and encouraging people to work with and share my music with!

I will keep you posted on the release date (and the party that goes along with it!) - I am thinking it will be a little later in the year - maybe September. But I promise I will post some 'sneak peaks' before then!

And if you are in NY and want to hear the band first-hand, we will be performing at 55 Bar on July 1st as our last gig before the big day... (details on the gig page).