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Going Solo
-- Posted by The_Duke on Friday, August 27 2004
Welcome to "All Things Duke"!

First off, let me start by saying thank you for taking the time to find and peruse this website. This is the first installment of a weekly (or whenever I'm inspired) column, that I will use to answer common questions that I get at gigs, through email or to speak about any number of things that are of interest to the author. ME! Some of you know a bit about my musical history and hopefully the Bio section of the site will help to give some background to those who do not.

The concept of becoming a "solo artist" and not performing/recording under a band name, started with a phone call about two and a half years ago. First lets go back to 1999 for some background information. I had formed a band called Sick Speed, that throughout it's career, had more membership changes than any other band in history. The only player that had been there from the start, was Stuck Mojo/Fozzy drummer Frank (Bud) Fontsere. It seemed like every time we'd show up for a gig, there was someone new in the band. It was confusing to the fans of the band, as well as showing instability to the music industry. The same music industry that we were asking to give us money in exchange for a recording deal. The only thing that irritates record labels and managers more than having to put up with the idiocy of most musicians, is when there is a different idiot in the band every-time there is a photo shoot.

Back to the story. I got that phone call from "my brother" Ed Aborn (he is one of my best buds as well as being the owner of the company that does this web site), and he suggested the solo artist idea. At first, it seemed a little cheesy to me, since I've always been part of a band. The first thing that I did after speaking to Ed, was to call my long time manager and other best bud Mark Willis, to feel him out on the idea. Apparently, he and Ed had already spoken and had both felt this was what needed to happen. The next day, while in the studio recording some Sick Speed demos, I told Frank that I was considering the idea of changing Sick Speed to Rich Ward. He didn't like the idea at all and not being sold on it myself, I dropped it.

A few months later, we changed the name from Sick Speed to Cafu (named after a famous Brazilian soccer player). With a new band name, a new 4-song demo and a new and well-known music attorney, my goal was to push like never before. To work harder as a singer, to hit it harder in the gym, to work the internet to death promoting the new material and to have more frequent business meetings with the legal and management team. This all climaxed in January of 2003, with a showcase booked at CBGB'S in New York. It was there that we would showcase for interested record companies. After that, if there was not at least one good offer, I was going to make changes. Don't get me wrong, Sick Speed had four "good" (good is relative) offers during it's career. I just wanted the kind of deal, that I thought we were "worth" (worth is a relative term). In hind site, I should have taken one of those offers, but all decisions, good or bad, are just part of learning and growing as a person. If I say that enough, it makes me feel better.

The CBGB'S show went great, we played our collective ass off and it was one of the band's best shows ever. It was a great crowd, and there were several A&R reps (record company rep who can pull the trigger on a deal) in attendance. After the show, I shook hands with a rep from Virgin records, who had come out to see us. She gave me the polite smile and my heart dropped. The other reps had left right after the show and I didn't have a chance to speak with them. I was stunned and couldn't believe that the show we just played, that had every body in the room jumping, singing and smiling, produced not one offer from these label folks. What could we have done different? The answer didn't matter. What did matter was that I was broke after spending my life savings on recording 21 album-quality songs, touring (without label support isn't cheap) and there were legal fees mounting. Did I mention that my marriage had ended around the same time?

**If you truly believe that everything has a purpose and that we are accountable for EVERYTHING that happens to us, than we can see every situation, good or bad, as an opportunity for growth.

So, after a few days of trying to figure out what to do with the pieces, I put all my stuff in storage and moved 75 miles north into a cabin deep in the north Georgia mountains. Not like in a neighborhood, I mean 12 miles from the nearest gas station, 2 miles up a gravel road, on top off a mountain. No tv, no phone, no internet, no neighbors, just time to think........and write music.

I spent eight months up there with a guitar, a keyboard, a small Pro-tools recording rig and some books. While living up in the woods, I would come down enough to keep Cafu going for another eight months. We had some great shows and even a successful showcase in August 2003 at the Atlantis Music Conference. But, I think that we all knew that it was over. Looking back, it had really ended for me in NY.

During that time in the mountains, I was spending almost all my energy with an acoustic guitar and writing new music. Some long phone conversations with Ed and Mark convinced me that it was time to move on and to tryout the concept that was conceived two years earlier. So, The Duke was born.

Go up a few lines to ** for my conclusion!!!


What I'm l listening to.....

Alter Bridge, One Day Remains
Peter Gabriel, Secret World Live
Bad Company, Merchants of Cool
Styx, Grand Illusion
Fozzy, All That Remains

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