So I’ve been neglecting my site right here a bit. I feel bad about it, but hey, it’s not like there aren’t a million other ways for you guys to follow what I’m doing. One of the main reasons I began to blog less here is because I made an executive decision to keep this site strictly about my work, and I began to blog about all the other stuff over on Tumblr.

If you use Tumblr, hit that link and go follow me on there. Of course, Twitter and Facebook are also good ways to keep up, you’ll find those links in the top right.

I’ve still been working hard on “Emanate” – although the new Swami album set to be released in 2011 has been taking up the majority of my songwriting and recording time over the past year. I’ve co-written and recorded vocals on every song, rapped on all of them and sang on some of them too. It’s easily our best work to date, and right now our management are talking to multiple major labels to make sure this is our biggest release yet. I can’t wait to get it out there for you all to hear it. Of course, this means that there have been a lot of delays to my solo project, but it is still an ongoing process, and very much a labor of love….  because you only get to make your debut album once, and I intend for this to be the ultimate showcase of what NEOFUNK is all about. Haters can step the fuck back because this shit will hit you like an atomic bomb.

Also, stay tuned for my brand new collaboration with Kazz Kumar, “Fashion Part 2 (Neofunk Style)”….. hitting the airwaves in January….get ready!

Peace and be wild,
S-Endz…. aka Casey Rain The Neosoulja
x

So in 15 hours or so from the time of writing, it will be a new decade here in the UK. I for one welcome it with open arms and happily say "Good Riddance!" to the Noughties. Click the "Read More" link to find out why:

The Noughties sucked as a decade. I mean, really. Think about it. Of the years 2000-2009, 8 of those years had George W Bush controlling the worlds most powerful country. I mean, who let this guy in? OK fair enough, you guys made a mistake voting him in the first time. But you realized and then…..the bastard cheated his way back in. Obama’s first year in office hasn’t been anywhere near enough time to counter the damage done by the Bush Administration, but I am certain that over time, Obama will be able to lead the country and the world in a better direction.

What about music? Well, the record business died over the last decade and it seemed like cultural movements did too. Where’s the movements like there were in every decade prior? Grunge and the rise of commercial hip-hop and alternative rock in the 90′s, electro, new wave and post punk in the 80′s, metal, punk and funk in the 70′s, rock and roll in the 60′s……well what the hell does the Noughties have to show for itself musically? Nada.

2009 felt like it had to just outdo the suckiness of the whole rest of the decade on it’s own. Economic recession. The death of the king of pop. In my case, more heartbreak and personal issues than I care to even waste another second getting upset about. In short, a terrible, terrible year. I’m confident that the Tens is going to be a GREAT decade though. I can’t explain why right now, since we’re not even in it yet. But I CAN feel it. There’s something stirring, an energy that some forward thinking people will harness. The Noughties has left us all downtrodden, resentful and angry. This anger is our gift and the force that will guide us to a better tomorrow.

I plan to start off the Tens with a bang. The release of my long awaited, years in the making solo album (I PROMISE it’s nearly done!!!)….the new Swami album that is our most ambitious project to date and will hopefully elevate us to previously unseen heights……THIS IS THE NEW BEGINNING.

But don’t just take my word for it. Drop me a line and let me know why you feel the Tens is going to be awesome. I can’t be alone in feeling like the draught of the Noughties will lead to a new renaissance of the Tens. I mean, once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up, right? Happy new decade to all of you.

Peace love and be wild.

Casey "S-Endz" Rain.

P.S – Big shout out to Bobby Friction and all the listeners of the FRICTION show on the BBC Asian Network who placed ‘Sugarless’ as the #2 song of 2009 in the Top 50 songs countdown show. Hey, I guess 2009 wasn’t all bad

If you don’t know who Martin Atkins is, go and do your homework. From Public Image Ltd with Johnny Rotten, to Killing Joke, to Nine Inch Nails, to his industrial supergroup Pigface, to his legendary label Invisible Records to teaching music industry strategies at some of the mos prestigious universities and music industry events around the world,  to pioneering DIY music business industry models, when Martin talks, you better listen if you wanna learn something from someone who’s been there….done it….and LITERALLY wrote the book (If you’re in a band, his book TOUR:SMART is ESSENTIAL reading).

Andrew Dubber is another man to be taken seriously. A music industry expert and the man behind the website newmusicstrategies.com and the infamous "20 Things You Must Know About Music Online" e-book (also essential reading for anyone in the music industry).

And if you don’t know who I am, just hit the "About" button at the top of the page and figure it out. But suffice it to say, I’m an artist who is proactive and vocal about the nature of the new music model online, who strives to stay three steps ahead of the game. If you’re familiar with the band I am in, Swami, then chances are you’ll have noticed and been impressed by our vociferous attention to social music media.

Check the video and learn something.

Peace. S-Endz