Help us with our first release! :)

Hi friends and family! 

Many of you read my recent Facebook post about Pascal's band, Portrait of a Nightmare (and here I am again, begging you to read this whole post!). This is his dream, and we are doing our absolute best to make it happen. One thing that isn't very well known is that it takes a LOT of "start-up" money to make it in the music industry these days.  We are making some big personal sacrifices and have spent thousands of dollars so far to get to where we are. 

Where we are is actually pretty good.  In the works we have an album, produced by one of the best in the industry, and a music video, directed by one of the best in the industry. The band's first show was a success, and there are more in the works.  

The next step is releasing an EP (2-3 songs)! This release will cost quite a bit, so we are hoping to raise funds so that we can release as soon as possible. Right now, it looks like it'll cost us somewhere around $9000 for everything involved. 
That money will cover:
-an excellent, professional PR campaign (to help our reach to potential fans go as far as possible, and also the biggest expense!)
-costs for the actual physical release (CDs)
-having teaser videos made 
-purchasing merchandise 
-a few more pieces of equipment for live shows that will make the performances even better (which isn't technically part of the release, but will definitely help with the band's success!)
-and I'm sure the further we get into this the more release-related expenses will pop up

 We are also putting as much of our own money as possible into the band account right now, but we can't realistically earn this amount through work in the next several weeks so we are looking for other ways. That's where you come in... as much as we hate to do this, we need to ask for your help.  If you would like to support us donating here is a great way to do so.  
If you are unable to donate, another great way to support us is by following our social media pages and liking the posts there!
 
Anyone who donates will receive a free download of the EP as soon as we release it! We can also send you some free stickers if you'd like! :) 

If you'd like to donate through Paypal, Venmo, or Chase Quickpay we have those set up as well (and then we get the whole amount!).

One more important point: should the actual release expenses not equal the amount of donations received, any money raised will still be put towards band expenses. Generally, bands have to pay to play live shows in Southern California, until they're very well known, and it's typically between 300-800 per show. For every performance we have to pay a drummer. There are tours we *might* have a shot at later in the year, and we would also have to pay to be part of any tour, so this money is really just a drop in the bucket for the overall picture.... and we promise that any donations will be put to VERY good (and smart) use for the band. 


THANK YOU for taking the time to read this novel. :) And double thank you if you're able to make a donation.
 
Okay, I will officially stop writing. BUT if you didn't see my original FB post, I've copied down below if you're interested.

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Hey friends, it's important announcement time! Do me a favor and read the whole post... I know it's long.

For the past few months we have been hard at work on Pascal's band, Portrait of a Nightmare. We've been working with some of the best people in the industry to produce an album, music video, art, photos, etc. 
It's been a crazy adventure and huge learning experience for me personally... I never had any desire to be in the music industry and now here I am managing a band. Most of the time I'm pretty sure I have no idea what I'm doing, but the effort to learn and do this is completely worth it because these guys are very talented and deserve a shot to do what they love.

We've sacrificed a LOT to give the band the best chance at success. Between Pascal, Tass and myself we've poured thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into this project. We're living with our parents again. We're trying to find jobs that will accommodate the time we need to put into the band. I'll be honest, I miss living a "normal" life, having a stable job and our own place, being able to pay bills without stress. But when we were living that life (before the travel, obviously), Pascal wasn't really alive. He went to work each day feeling hopeless, like he was giving up on his dreams and passions; and I wasn't happy with seeing him like that. Since we've been focusing on the band full-time he's exuberant! His happiness means the world to me, and this is the path that will maximize that. So here we are! The guys have written some seriously awesome songs, and we've brought in some great people for the live performances (which we are working on booking now).

Now I have a favor to ask of you all: please "like" the page. Please make sure you are also "following" it so that you'll see our posts. And pleeeease like the posts when you see them! The music is industrial rock/metal. I realize that a lot of you aren't into that genre, but I hope you'll support our journey anyway by SHARING the page, because even if this type of music isn't for you I can guarantee you have friends that will enjoy it.  :D Social media is such and important part of the music puzzle these days, and also a very difficult part.

As of right now we don't have a release date for the single, but this music is GOOD. If any of our friends would like to hear a sample please message me!

One last this - PLEASE like this post. The more of you liking it means the more people FB will actually show it to, so help me out by interacting with this post.

Thanks friends... your support means a lot to us and will help more than you know.. There will be more announcements coming soon.  <3

PS: wanted to add a special thank you to a few people... Logan, Travis, Matt, and Lauren, thank you all so much for contributing your time and talents. This endeavor wouldn't be the same without your help!