My Favorite Things And Songs Blog Part II

This is a continuation; Lets begin with “Ribbons And Pearls”

"Ribbons And Pearls" is a collection of hopeful tracks I wrote when I was relatively sad. I found myself alone and asking myself real life questions. I was a bit angry at God for my past troubles and heartaches, which I believed stemmed from abandonment issues. I believe I was being reconciled through the writing. With songs like “To Come” which expressed the truth that God knew all and was behind even my fear and pain and would make good come from it and yes I would “come” to Him. I believed God was writing me the love songs telling me He had “Nothing But Love” for me (a favorite track on the disc) and “Ribbons And Pearls”, where he gave me something to hold. (HIM and the music) I was lonely and asking questions about my choices. He answered them through the songs. I like this disc a lot. This was the beginning of my journey with Tom Landry and his talents on guitars and other instruments. I was learning to do more myself at this point with producing in Pro Tools and using my natural instrumental talents. I mixed and mastered the disc myself and I think it sounds great for my first time. I was determined to learn and I knew the best way was to study and do it hands on.

I am proud of this collection and it was a great growing experience. Again, industry was having a difficult time classifying me with this disc. They were wondering, was I a Christian artist, a secular,
or new age gal…I was a woman who found my Creator through music and was searching to understand more in depth. That’s about it! Another favorite track on the CD is “Psalm 124”. I did not want to sing this song when I composed it…because I did not feel delivered. I did in faith though, believing we must speak those things that be not as though they are …so they will come to pass. Wheewww!
What a mouthful! To this day, it always lifts me up when I listen and sing to this track. Tom and I really enjoyed playing and singing this one too.


"Amazing Power"
Is a favorite collection of mine because I was doing my best to feature songs that would be uplifting and appealing to a wide range of listeners. I have many favorites on this album but my all time fav is “All I Ever Want”. I really enjoyed the recording process because we were adding new instruments like Violin and Pedal Steel Guitar. Tom Landry was giving me some really great guitar tracks and we were finding ourselves really excited creating together. We knew we had something really special the two of us working together. I especially like the rockers on this album like “Fall Away”, and “Immigration Song”,
not to mention the title track “Amazing Power”. This collection was “loaded” with great music. I love “Agony and Ecstasy” as it was written when I was really feeling excited and frightened at the same time with my muse (love). But honestly, every song on this album is great and I would definitely recommend purchasing “Amazing Power”.
I also did the mixing myself and the mastering. I actually find this album to be one of my best products. The music has a great organic feel and stands powerful as a whole. I was learning the business of creating (producing) and marketing my own collections. It was an exciting time, but I had so much more music to get to. I was doing the best I could to fund the process and to put it out there manufacturing and marketing to radio but money was running out. We made it through though and did get some radio airplay.


"A Miss Kristin Christmas"

I will only say that this whole collection, (seven songs) are favorites and this disc should not be missed if you are someone who tends to feel the downers of the holiday season and needs uplifting.
I can tell you firsthand that most of these songs came through my own great sadness and I think that is what makes them so beautiful. I was alone a lot with my family across the country. I was coming to terms with being on my own and making my own happiness. This would come as these songs were developed. Production on these tracks is raw and real. Not perfect or puffed up…just pure.
I do hope you will listen to the whole collection some season or seasons of your choosing.
I believe you will find the songs heart touching timeless and classic.

"The Runner"
I was most excited about “The Runner” yet it was the collection I hated to sing the most.
The songs were sad and I was even sadder….As far as the tracking was concerned; Tom and I were thrilled to be rocking hard and creating a free form style. Money had pretty much run out, and so we were doing most all the work ourselves. I was in a bit of a depression when I was to sing the tracks, and the whole collection pretty much was a discussion on what was going on with me running from myself and love throughout my early life. My spirit was leading me to expose my dark side so that I would put it to rest once and for all. I believed others could relate and would be healed when they were to latch on to what we were doing. I must say that after this album showed up and was sent out around the world, I was relieved and felt I had made peace with the past and was free from depression. I believe this collection has the power to heal depression, if one just “goes there” so to speak, head on right into the dark. My two top favorite tracks are “Torch Song” and “Many Ways To Die”.
These were both so emotional to put out there yet so cool and moving, that they will always be on the top of my list. When I wrote “Torch Song”, I set out to write a great 1940’s style siren’s torch song.
I was having a vision that felt like I lived in another life and time like the 1500’s or something and this man whom I loved was living through this with me. It’s odd because I feel like I know this man in my lifetime today too… Weird huh? What a mystery! And “Many Ways To Die” was such a play on words and Toms guitar playing so off the hook HOT, this track always makes me move. “Falling At Your Feet” and “Faithless Heart” are two more favs on this collection too because they are really hopeful tracks and there is always a place for those in my heart. I like the dreamy stuff and the deep stuff. These both stand out to me. One more mention and that is to not miss “Always Been Poor” and “The Lost Years”
Two outstanding expressive tracks that will ignite your fire one way or another! Both songs extremely difficult to sing and put out there because they had sad content, but what I tend to do is to sing the sad stuff and then have the uplifting truth come along too in the same song. It really works for me making it really groovy and really heavy all at the same time! HA!

That’s it for now…
My favorite songs on my favorite albums…these are a few of my favorite things!
Ho~

Have an inside look at our recent recording session

We headed into the studio last week to record drums for the new rockin collection of great tracks due out spring 2009. Recorded at Soundtek Studios in Campbell, CA; and engineered by Thom Duell, with Tom Landry (guitarist) and Craig Martin on drums~ A good time was had by all. Now Tom knows he needs to call me QUEEN but he slipped up and called me the B word. It's not easy being the only woman with all this testosterone floating around. I gave him a good spanking after the session. Check out this cool video.

Find the Cheer .. It's in the music this year!

The Holidays are fast approaching and with so much negative news of our country's economy, we are all seeking new ways to find the cheer this year. Now we can find this by the simple things we enjoy most, like decorating a tree, putting up lights or creating wonderful new delights.

There are many ways to discover this holiday happiness, but one you do not want to miss is through the discovery of unique new music. Music that uplifts the heart and soul and puts a song in your step.

Many know and believe music has the power to elevate and effortlessly change a mood to rising above and away worldly thoughts, transcending limits and bounds. Even if one has not read the highly acclaimed book "This Is Your Brain On Music" by Daniel J. Levitin one may understand the idea that there is a science to this splendor of music that seems as if to descend from the hand of God.

Music is good medicine and living without our favorite recordings and soul touching serenades is almost like living without food or water. It feels dark, desolate and lonely. Finding the music our souls need to wake can be challenging in the new music frontier with so much to choose from. That is why it is with great gratitude my hat goes off to all the elves who have assisted Big Fuss Records and Miss Kristin with the creation and production of splendid new music. Extra special praise to Tom Landry, Brett Tyson, Michelle Pollace Mills, Robert Berry, Robert Holme, Craig Martin, Suzanne Weller, Donnie Woodruff, Nancy Ourricariet, Erick Thorton, Thom Duell, Alison Daniel, Terry Schultz as well as others (you know who you are). My heartfelt admiration, honor and thanks for your efforts. (I would not be where I am today without you gifted souls.)

With three new collections presently in production, we look forward to a busy and prosperous 2009. We are excited about this great new music we have in store and will keep you in the loop with information as the work continues and nears completion.

"A Miss Kristin Christmas" is getting more airplay around the world than ever before; Music Directors are enjoying adding "The Time Of Our Lives" and "Power To Believe" to their play lists and "Desert Seas" has been well received at Public Radio Broadcasts in the New Age genres and select shows. The music has a magic radio is catching hold of slowly but surely.

We at Big Fuss Records would like you to catch hold of the magic this Christmas with your own copy of these wonderful CDs.

You can find all the Miss Kristin physical cd's at CDBABY.
And you may find the downloads on iTunes as well as most other retailers like Amazon.Com
Emusic
Rhapsody

Please do listen in and add me as a friend on myspace.
A MISS KRISTIN CHRISTMAS
MISS KRISTIN DESERT SEAS
MISS KRISTIN THE RUNNER
MISS KRISTIN AMAZING POWER

JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK

A Miss Kristin Christmas
Miss Kristin delights in creating warmth and sincerity on these seven songs that easily spin around your head before parting, pending their phantasmagorical return.
A Miss Kristin Christmas on Itunes


Desert Seas
Desert Seas features warm and catchy beats with sparse meditative vocal musings alongside intricate musical meanderings, conveying joy and delight, darkness and light in a comforting rite of passage.
Desert Seas on iTunes


The Runner
Miss Kristin runs the gamut of love and toil again with this high powered collection. Beginning with the intense title track "The Runner", in which Kristin asks the question, are you running from love? Like a moth to a flame, without fear of getting burned, Kristin expresses herself beautifully and faces her own fear head on in a way inescapable. With the passionate rocking guitars once again of Tom Landry, "The Runner" lights a contagious fire.
The Runner on iTunes

Finally, I would personally like to wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and 2009 year ahead.
May your faith stay strong and your light grow brighter.

If you are not on the Newsletter list, Join here!
Look for the Miss Kristin Sign Up Form to your right!
Thank you for being a loyal Miss Kristin Newsletter Member.
We will continue to provide you free music opportunities every month on the music page. So don't forget to remember to check in to MISSKRISTIN.COM every month and get your free music.

I love you all and appreciate your loyalty.
I'll see you in 2009!

Sincerely,

Miss Kristin

CHANGE BECOMES AN EXCITING ADVENTURE

The whirlwind of change blows ~history in the making~
Change happens and all around change is what everyone is talking about.
From our government elections to big business on Wall Street, change is inevitable and it will continue to occur for good or bad depending on how we see it through our own eyes.

However we may view and judge the changing events that fill our lives, it is one thing to go with the flow, and quite another to get caught in a cloud and not be able to see and freely move with necessary growth and adapting. In other words, blocking the flow and experiencing stagnation.

I believe this happens when we unnecessarily attach to people and outcomes.
Desert Seas is finally complete and we are releasing the collection on the Big Fuss Records label November 15th 2008. I am thankful for the journey. Some things are worth the wait.

I am not a perfectionist but a realist and lover in creating my music.
It is most important for me to gather and express all possible emotion in a moment, creating a moving and heart touching lyric and melody. This is the basis of a great song. All the production in the world will not help a song that just doesn’t have heartfelt feeling!

Today with the music industry changing rapidly, and with myspace being such a great portal of exposure for the independent artist- one has to follow their own heart and do the best they can with what they have got because it really does come down to touching hearts.

I think a lot of the highly exposed and marketed manufactured rock and various other highly produced pop style music is waning on the everlasting and sell-ability mostly due to deeply touching the listener. This music sounds cool when you first listen, but then the craving for it does not exist frequently because it is missing something very real. (my personal opinion) It is compressed and processed to sound cool, contemporary, and big. Some think this steely production is called “radio ready”.
Well I am all for being radio ready and having great sound, and I will continue my journey in learning to become a great producer; but I choose not to spend thousands of dollars on processes, and more of my thousands on marketing.
My goal is to tug on your heartstrings and with “Desert Seas” I embarked on a journey with a friend who left me with half the bag, and am I glad he did. My sound genius friend got me going by doing a bit over half of my mixes on “Desert Seas”, and he blessed me with some of his great gift. He is really amazingly talented and has an outstanding ear, but he is a quirky artist guy who needs to be free to do his own thing most of the time. He does not work well on time schedules and unfortunately has a heavy load just living, and because I have a large body of work, my needs are to be as self sufficient as possible. I choose not to be dependent on others! No, I will not be like Guns And Roses, (keeping my fans waiting for the next 10 years) so, I proceed and follow my heart by doing the best I can with what I have learned and what I have within me. We do learn best from doing, and I’ve learned alot from this last production experience and have stepped up my game. I thank my friend for this.

I’ll continue to keep my recordings relatively organic and perfectly blissful in heart pounding emotion. It’s a new age and a new music game. I think its all about getting real. Just like the elections, and I encourage you all to vote. Find your voice and use it! Be real and honest and unafraid. (Lord help me)
That is my advice and the way I choose to live my life.
Check out “Desert Seas” if you are interested in an instrumental “New Age” listening journey.
This music is healing, uplifting and relaxing. Perfect for in your home while going about your bliss.
Purchase mp3 Downloads from Amazon.Com Here
Listen at MySpace Here
Stay tuned ~ More Love to come,
Miss Kristin

Part II My Favorite Things~ The Early Years

Let’s start with my earliest writings, “The Secret Of Your Heart”.

This album was written first, but finished and released later than “Trouble Child” and “You Cant Hide Love”. “The Secret Of Your Heart” features my earliest writings and is a very 80’s rock style. This was my coming awake album, the time when I realized my gifts and desire to express myself. The title track did pretty well and charted on radio for a time, and really all the songs are special and tell my story. But by far my favorite track is “Stardust”. I wrote the song thinking of my brother who died years before. He was 19 and got hit by a train.(or jumped into one)(I will never know) but he was my best friend growing up and this event devastated me and my family. I could never really sing “Stardust” live, I was too broken.

Now years later, it is a joy to sing and a most beautiful track.

Other fav’s on the “Secret” album are “The Only One”, “Never Give Up” and “One For Me”. I guess at this time of writing I found my purpose and reason for living on. “Little Child” was a testament to that. “Little child, now dry your tears, it’s a new day, now don’t you fear”.

Next in line, “You Can't Hide Love”! “You Cant Hide Love” was the beginning of my journey with Robert Berry assisting in production and creation of the musical parts. This was also the beginning of my alliance with Alison Daniel as artist and visionary.
Two great unique people and many other exceptional musicians went into the making of this classic rock jewel.
“You Can't Hide Love” should not be missed if you are or become a real fan of Miss Kristin music. With songs like, “Sex Weapon”, “What A Feeling”, and “The Earthquake Song”; this collection is the most timeless collection I’ve ever produced.

It garnered much attention overseas, and put me on the rock star map. Now my personal favorite song from this collection is by far “Rockin Away”. Chances are you will hear it live at one of my shows one day. “Rockin Away” came at a time I had realized that rock and roll was my true love and what I came to the planet to do. I’d loved and lost multiple times by then and made a conscious choice not to marry and have children but to devote my life to music. How nuts is that? It seems against everything we women live and stand for, but for me it was my truth, and still is. There’s more to the story, but I’m still “Rockin Away”.

Next came “ Trouble Child”. “Trouble Child” was my funnest and the beginning of my new age sounding music. I was steering in a new direction and it was exciting! I’ve always had people attempt to classify me and this collection had them guessing. Was Kristin Contemporary Christian? New Age? Rock? Pop? I called it “New Age Folk Rock”. My hope was to be real, and not worry what people thought, just to be me as pretty and as ugly at times as it was.
“Trouble Child” tells the beautiful story of finding my way to loving myself and facing the judge within.
Don’t miss this song (Trouble Child) it is excellent.
Every song within this collection is really something special to me as it tells my story. I was in jail at the time when I wrote most of it. I was busted for drug possession, (thank God) saved my life. Meth, and coke…whatever I could get my hands on. It’s not a new story so I won’t go into it. I’m just glad I went through it and came out the other side. My other especially favorite track from this collection is,
“Love The Most Excellent Way”. Please have a listen or download the single from Itunes. It’s heavy, and well worth the listen.

Stay tuned for Part III of My favorite things blog:

Miracles Abound

When the dreams come true.

Thank God we have the songs we create, sing and listen to, to comfort us in the times we have no choice but to wait…and then wait some more.

My vision is great and my means are small. My dreams when returned to me were returned in grandeur. At times it might appear to be more beneficial to not be so centered on my dreams,but alas they are my light and lamp through this dark and beautiful world.

So I wait and I keep my mind set on these dreams through my imagination at all times.

I’m sure many of my musical dreams are like yours; A rockin world tour, America, Europe, Australia, Canada, China… Imagining my set list with the songs I want to cover and of course my personal favorites! My theatrical performance and costumes…Jamming with the hottest rock artists from the past and present…Bono, Madonna, Jimmy Page.

Meeting with publicity hounds and doing interviews for radio and TV around the clock. Riding the whirlwind of music wave in bliss….let me go on…

I love half my songs a ton, and the other half not so much. Funny, huh? The ones I love not so much probably because they expose a dark place in me or are really hard to sing. Some are sentimental and healing and some are pure fantasy get your yaya’s out and pleasure.

With seven albums already released and another three in production on the way, I thought it would be a great time to let you in on my favorites from each collection so far.

I also thought it would be fun to create a video of a few of my favorite things to go along with this blog. So be sure to check out the video on my page. It’s quick and pretty cool.

I am placing this blog in three parts because it is so large.
Please read on.

Blessing and a Curse

Woaaa… it’s not easy viewing myself in pictures and video~
I feel cursed and blessed - It’s very intense.
I’ve been blessed and cursed with this body builder’s physique; the structure of a Grecian goddess.

Now I am 50% Greek and 25% Swedish and another 25% Norwegian. That’s it. And when God handed out the genes of Olympia I guess I was near because my body cries out “pump you up” to me with every photo!

It’s difficult enough creating personal songs that reveal the heart let alone exposing one’s self also through the video and photography medium. I’m sure many of you artists will agree, it’s always a challenge to be ok with what you release. Be it music, photos, video, art, and to feel great about it.

We artists tend to be perfectionists and often times we end up taking a lot of takes to get the best shot and such. And then even then we are iffy and critical when we look at the work.

Well, I have trained with the vision of being a great performer for 16 years consistently and my foundation is thick and strong now. Kinda like when Janet Jackson and Madonna came out, they were thick and strong and then got their cuts from touring. (I always believed this would be true for me to)

I felt and believed a great performer who was able to dance and sing at the same time had to have a lot of endurance. So for years I diligently listened to all kinds of music to encourage me while training and Steven Curtis Chapman’s “When the Rubber Hits the Road”, still stands out to me. I guess that’s because when my opportunity to fly arrives, I’ve planned to be fully prepared and capable of the grueling and pleasurable task of touring. By then I hope to be “in the zone” for the duration of the task. Now sometimes with the way the music biz looks I ask myself am I a bit nutty? Might I be diluted?

With gas prices so high and ticket sales for shows down, it is easy to get into doubt. Alas though I continue to train to keep what I have gained.
If not only for my health, strength, and wellbeing.

And even though sometimes I feel like I may look like I am going out for the wrestling team I prevail.

I’ll keep putting the pics and vid’s out until one day….I get that call saying
WoW- Would you like to be on American Gladiators? Just kidding. :-0

Let me rock your world. Stay tuned!
I know your gonna love me… nonetheless

My Cure for Anxiety - Desert Seas

My Cure for Anxiety - Desert Seas

Lord knows it's hot outside, and for the first day of summer, June 21st, a real mixture of light and dark in California. Sun, rain and heat, fires burning and a spring of drought ~we've been going to extremes, just like "Desert Seas" ...and I am putting the finishing touches on this Moby like collection. Along with it come some laughs and the occasional tears. I guess I like going from one extreme to another. (I tell myself....)

Desert Seas evolved and was birthed through anxiety.
I was changing again with new people around, and everyone going to the beat of thier own drummers.
My antidote was to sit down at the recording equipment in the evenings and musically medicate myself into relaxation. These melodies were comforting. I was coming down into it. So this unique collection has a calming effect on me and others who have had the opportunity to listen. Music the medicine. Funny though it has a lot of energy too. I love tribal beats and so I had some real fun with some cool rhythms! Always an experiment; 'twas much fun and much learning.

I composed the album entirely and played all the instruments except for on the final track "After The War", where my friends from CHAM, Donnie Woodruff (played jazz piano) and Nick Jaramillo offered up his poem "Soldiers Prayer".

My good friend Terry Schultz of Schultz Painting is about to tackle the art work. So if all things go well, we should be releasing it say early September.

The thing with me is I have this huge catalog of some 2000 songs I wrote over 10 years of my life. I really pray hard to stay focused and to keep on creating as to leave my legacy. I believe I have a story to tell. A brave one.

I hope you stay around to listen.

Thank you for reading this.

Moocho mucho much love to you always.



Miss Kristin

New Free Music ! Love, Miss Kristin

New Computer Fun!!

Oh My Gosh!! I have gone computer crazy!

I am having a blast!

Lucky me, to meet so many interesting people while searching for a new computer for portable pro tools recording.

I'm sure most people by now have heard of Craigslist, right? Well I have been seeking a good used macbook to take here and there, and Craigslist has me in its hooks...Searching for a Macbook with recording capabilities is super fun and addicting! I've got to get the best deal too and then be ready to fly when it shows. The best deals have a line of people seeking too! When I get something in my head that I want to do, I am pretty persistant.... I usually find a way and persist until I have achieved my goal! (Thank God above I am the same way with my music.) But really, women love to shop and I am 100 % woman and if I could I would shop all day! I can see why some people like those kind of jobs, assisting others in attaining what they need! (I believe they are called personal shoppers.)

I think if I were not in a full time music biz, I would definitely consider this line of work! HaHA! But since I am a busy musician and label owner as well, I may have to hire my own personal shopper one day. I guess I better enjoy it now while I can!

And when I come down from my shopping high, I hope to get back to the new age record ("Desert Seas") I am almost finished producing!

I hope your all having as much fun as I am this spring!

Bless you all!

Be blessed!

The future is bright! Keep ALL the faith!



Love, MissKristin