Overview

My name is Chris Lovejoy. I'm a pop punk folk rocking cowboy and I don't care who knows it. I hail from the woods of old New Hampshire and I currently reside in industrious Jersey City, and it is with great pleasure that I present to you: my Plaid Dog Crowdfunding Campaign for my upcoming studio EP.

From jump, there has been no escaping music– and I mean that in the best way. My dad– my pops, my old man, padre– has been tickling the ivories in a classic rock band since before I was born, and my mom has forever instilled in me a love for r&b, funk, and the theatricality of… the theater. Growing up, I was set up on the kitchen floor, hitting pots and pans with chopsticks. When I turned 9 and heard “Holiday” by the boys from the bay area (that’s Green Day, folks), I decided it was time to see about the guitar. I figured music would be something that would always have a place in my life– maybe not at the forefront as a “career” (I could play power chords, but I was no Johnny Ramone).

I definitely had fun with music. Banging drums in middle school/ high school bands, playing with seriously talented friends who grew up without TV and who could rip through theory books like they were the Sunday funnies. Then at college, it was jazz band and a cacophony of cover bands playing anything from Bruno Mars to Freeeeebiiiiiiiiiiird! (And we actually DID IT too!) I would still pick up the guitar here and there, play through American Idiot now and then, but I was musically more comfortable on that “I-can-count-to-four” throne. Then Stink 182 came together– yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like– and I was suddenly playing a whole lot more guitar on stage to people who are OK with just power chords and the occasional squeaky Guitar-Hero-wrong-note solo.

The final pivot to a life of creating musical fusion did not come until I was told I did not qualify for Naval Aviation because of my eyeballs. Weird twist, I know. Navy? Where the heck–? My best buddy from grade school is a pilot for Uncle Sam, and that was a path I was strongly considering as my time in higher education neared its end. But I couldn’t do it on account of I’ve got a bad set of specs in the ol’ cranium, and because of that, I qualified neither for LASIK nor handling million dollar machinery miles in the sky. So, Wonderful World of Entertainment (and of course the service industry too), here I come.

The last couple years have offered invaluable insight and experience into the musical world. Between Boston and NYC, I’ve gotten to collaborate on film soundtracks, develop my power chords to include fingerpicking (!!), and play in a real punk rock and roll band: Planet Mercury. We’ve played on the road from Chicago to Nashville, slept on floors from Fredericksburg to St. Petersburg– the Floridian one, not the Russian one– and usually finish every show in a sweaty, smelly mess. It’s awesome. Through experiences like these, I’ve been able to develop my musical voice. And dare I say, I’m ready to take this big step.

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my upcoming professionally produced studio EP.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded EP with Carter Sanders in Boston, MA. Carter is a Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Carter and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life.

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Upside Down,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Upside Down" on my own, to create an EP of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts. Carter and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the EP. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this EP. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the EP will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

It's hard to express how much this project would change my life.

The success of this campaign would mean that folks like you still believe in rock and roll– sticking it to the man and taking a chance on someone like me. I have nearly always thought in terms of music, drummed on my leg, clicked my teeth to the beat of whatever tune pops into my head; if this campaign is successful, I can put these tendencies to good use and continue down the path of artistry (cool band name, “Path of Artistry”). Another huge part of this path is the development of community within the world of music. Working alongside producers, engineers, and studio musicians with a common goal of delivering something worthwhile and meaningful is hard! But oh boy is it fun. This collaboration creates an invaluable network of ears and the means to keep going. I look forward to more opportunities in creating musical fusion– be it live performances, studio sessions, or heck even movie scoring! Even if just one person can relate, I will have met my goal. You are not alone.

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.