Mailbox

February Album-in-a-month / RPM Challenge

February is coming and I’m starting to think about the RPM Challenge again. Do I dive back in so soon. I took 8 years off last time. Is one year enough recovery time? Last night and this morning I brainstormed the following list of possible projects I could do in February for the RPM Challenge. I realize many of these of not strictly to RPM standards in that I wouldn’t be starting from scratch on February 1st but I don’t mind bending that rule this year.

1. Picnic*
   • Record the first song Greg and I wrote together back in 1991 with Greg on guitar.
2. Neb Crabula 2014 tracks*
   • Greg laid down a handful of guitars and vocals when he came up to visit for a possible Neb Crabula EP.
   • I could flesh them out by recording the drums, keys, etc.
3. Unfinished Solo Tunes
   • I have a handful of solo tracks in various stages of completion I could finish up.
4. Mahout concept album*
   • Mahout is traditionally Greg talking and me making music that goes behind it.
   • The three words “Mahout concept album” popped into my head yesterday so I texted them to Greg and we chatted about them.
5. Nothing
   • Literally. Do nothing but chill, goof off, take the month off from music.
   • This is always an option.
6. The Musical
   • Finish writing the songs for the musical we’ve been working on.
   • Maybe even record some backing tracks for them
   • File this option under “Should.”
7. Conventional solo album
   • Like it says. Me just hammering out an album on my own.
   • Been there, done that.
   • But to be fair, I won’t be inviting anybody over to my house during lockdown so this might be it.
8. Mailbox Live
   • Pick 30-60 minutes of classic Mailbox material to record and video in a “live”-like setting in the studio.
   • Mix and master it for a “broadcast” at the end of the month.
   • Easy and fun idea if not the most ground-breaking.
9. Elephants of Scotland album
   • Write an album of EoS material and record my parts (drums, keys, acoustic, vocals).
   • Yeah, just write a whole prog album. Make it a double-length concept album while yer at it, ya nutjob.
   • I would record the rest of the band and finish the album up after the world opens up again.
10. Elephants of Scotland Acoustic Album
    • Re-record a bunch of EoS tunes in a more acoustic style.
    • I’ve done “The Other Room” and “Full Power” in the past and I liked how they turned out.
11. Different Collaborator
    • Instead of EoS or Neb Crabula, write and record an album with somebody else (preferably just me and one other)
12. Backing Tracks
    • Jam out an album’s worth of instrumentals that somebody could add songs on top of later.
13. Radio show
    • I was provisionally invited to appear on a radio show/podcast to perform a few songs and get interviewed.
    • If that happens, I should probably focus on rehearsing for that.
    • And I think I’d be able to release it.

* Would require Greg’s availability. Our schedules are looking like they might not jibe this February.