It’s official… Cherry Juice Recordings is officially a label! Well, a sub-label of Wallshaker Music, of course. But a label, nonetheless! Laurent & Lewis’ “Motion” single – the record adore SO MUCH – will be the first release. White labels should be coming in just a couple weeks. Today, the site is officially online. www.cherryjuicerecordings.com
Paris meets Detroit… I LOVE that sound! And before you ask who the Domoticians are, they are Laurent Chambon and myself. You can finally hear what happens when Laurent and I put our heads together. ( Fabulous…
AC
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Miss Scott
Overflowing with emotions, after listening to Jill Scott speak the truth… Singing songs of love; how it feels to be in love… How it feels to grow from love... The struggle to get back up on your feet, after getting knocked down by love… Damn, I love me some Jill Scott.
I watched her videos today. I visited her website. I did internet searches on her name, just to hear what other people had to say about this angel; this old-soul, this epitome of natural beauty, Miss Jill Scott. I harmonized with her. I practiced her vocal acrobatics. Dear Miss Scott, you don’t know me from Adam… But you surely touched my soul…
I think I needed that dose of realness today. Or maybe I just needed to escape from my own reality for a day…
PS: To the supposed “friends” that were too “busy” to speak to me today – especially when I NEEDED to hear a friendly voice, or have some stimulating chat… It’s ok. Funny how life works… When you’re riding high, everyone wants to be around you… When you’re feeling a little “shot down,” no one’s around. I’m cool, though…
…AC
I watched her videos today. I visited her website. I did internet searches on her name, just to hear what other people had to say about this angel; this old-soul, this epitome of natural beauty, Miss Jill Scott. I harmonized with her. I practiced her vocal acrobatics. Dear Miss Scott, you don’t know me from Adam… But you surely touched my soul…
I think I needed that dose of realness today. Or maybe I just needed to escape from my own reality for a day…
PS: To the supposed “friends” that were too “busy” to speak to me today – especially when I NEEDED to hear a friendly voice, or have some stimulating chat… It’s ok. Funny how life works… When you’re riding high, everyone wants to be around you… When you’re feeling a little “shot down,” no one’s around. I’m cool, though…
…AC
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Open Letter to MP3Tidalwave
First, I want to say THANK YOU for supporting my album, and visiting my web site. I'm writing here to tell you a few things, about my blog especially...
I know there are some "terrible," stories in my blog, but please understand this: I'm more than just a "famous producer/DJ" from Detroit. I'm a REAL person. And these things are a part of my REAL life.
As for "The One..." I don't mention his name because first, I don't want a lawsuit. But more importantly, I'm not trying to speak bad about him. I'm not out to hurt him in any way. HOWEVER, I will not be silent about what happened to me in my career. I MUST speak the truth about it. And if that shows people the "dark side" of Detroit, then I apologize -- but I can't lie about it.
Here in Detroit, we have some of the world's greatest talent. But along with that talent, comes a dark side... There's an attitude like "I've got mine, YOU get YOURS..." Have you noticed that a LOT of my records aren't sold through "their" company? Have you ever asked yourself why? I have... And I discovered that they're not trying to help me. Ever since I parted ways with them (back in 1998), I've been on my own. It's hard sometimes, trying to find distribution -- especially companies who already deal with "them." But no worries... I'm doing okay.
Don't get me wrong... People who want my music know where to find me. I don't hide behind a mask. I don't have this mysterious image. People appreciate me for just being me.
Thank you once again, for keeping track of me. Enjoy the album... :-)
Much respect,
Aaron-Carl
I know there are some "terrible," stories in my blog, but please understand this: I'm more than just a "famous producer/DJ" from Detroit. I'm a REAL person. And these things are a part of my REAL life.
As for "The One..." I don't mention his name because first, I don't want a lawsuit. But more importantly, I'm not trying to speak bad about him. I'm not out to hurt him in any way. HOWEVER, I will not be silent about what happened to me in my career. I MUST speak the truth about it. And if that shows people the "dark side" of Detroit, then I apologize -- but I can't lie about it.
Here in Detroit, we have some of the world's greatest talent. But along with that talent, comes a dark side... There's an attitude like "I've got mine, YOU get YOURS..." Have you noticed that a LOT of my records aren't sold through "their" company? Have you ever asked yourself why? I have... And I discovered that they're not trying to help me. Ever since I parted ways with them (back in 1998), I've been on my own. It's hard sometimes, trying to find distribution -- especially companies who already deal with "them." But no worries... I'm doing okay.
Don't get me wrong... People who want my music know where to find me. I don't hide behind a mask. I don't have this mysterious image. People appreciate me for just being me.
Thank you once again, for keeping track of me. Enjoy the album... :-)
Much respect,
Aaron-Carl
Monday, October 24, 2005
Testimony
Thank God for my strength. Thank Him for opening my eyes to see through the madness I’ve endured today…
I went for a meeting today, with The One who asked me to sing on his next record. Ever since he called me the other night, it’s been on my mind. He spoke about the “benefits” of be being on one of his records – how it would “blow up” and shock the world, basically. In a way, he’s right. If we worked together, we could definitely make some magic. In all honesty, deep down inside, I yearned to record and produce records with them; to be part of their “family.” Nearly 10 years ago, when I first met him, he seemed to take me under his wing. He was like my father, in a way. Because of him, I know the difference between a good idea and a great song. I know the difference between a good song and a hot record. (But I digress, as I’m sure you get the point…)
When I learned (thank you Lord) that I was basically being used – under contract with NO rights to my music whatsoever, I got the hell away from there… It’s funny. I thought there would be a struggle to get out of my contract, but he didn’t put up a fight whatsoever. He KNEW he was in control... And with that, he let me go… Sent me on my way, with nothing but my name… But even as he did that, he kept smiling… I’ll never forget his words to me: “Go on out there; get your feet wet. And when you’re ready, come on back… You’ll always have a home…” And like that, I was alone. It happened so fast that nobody really knew I was gone. Sure, I made my own records. Sure, I got my “feet wet.” Sure, my first 8 records of my career are songs that I didn’t own rights to, but I didn’t care. I was free… I was free to make BETTER songs – which is exactly what I did.
When OVUM Recordings approached me to license the song “My House,” I knew as soon as I read the contract: bitch, you will NOT own this song. You are signing away your rights forever, and this little advance money we’re giving you is NOTHING compared to the money we’ll make off this song… But you know what? I took the deal. I took it because I knew that my record would be successful – even if I didn’t have much to show for it, besides some fame. That’s exactly what happened. My “let-me-tell-you-about-HOUSE MUSIC” speech is one of the most sampled speeches in House music today. It’s right up there with “In the beginning, there was Jack…” And no, I’m not saying this out of conceit. It’s the truth. When my record hit the Billboard Top 40 Dance chart, I was ecstatic. Although I was broke as hell, I still felt a sense of pride. And while I’m grateful that My House went on to become one of my biggest records, I’m still well aware that my contract wasn’t made with my best interests in mind. (They never are…) But hey… I wasn’t bitter. At least THIS time, I got f*cked with LUBE – metaphorically speaking…
So back to The One… Years went by, I became more successful, and all of a sudden, here comes “Mister…” This time it was to remix a song of his – anyone know what it was? I’m sure you have a clue… Of course I took the chance and remixed it, to rave reviews. And yes, the public was shocked (in a good way) that “THEY” were cool enough to work with ME… So here I am, on the B-side of THEIR record – needless to say, it did wonders for my name, but again, I didn’t own sh*t. And again, I was okay with it, because at least my eyes were open… It was a good career move… (Whoever said I haven’t paid my dues can kiss my ass… The WHOLE thing…)
Mind you, I was still hurting inside. The so-called “HOME” I had wasn’t there when I came back. When I was desperately in need of a distributor for my label, they often turned a deaf ear. That hurt my feelings… On occasion, they bought a few copies of my records to sell – but I don’t think I’ve EVER sold more than 20 records at a time to them – maybe not even more than 10.
When the first Detroit Electronic Music Festival started, I was sure to be one of the performing artists. After all, my record “DOWN” was one of the biggest records in Detroit at this time… It would’ve been perfect. But the festival came and went without me. Coincidence? Years went by, and no matter how successful I became, I was still left out of all things Detroit. The European people had no idea about this madness going on, and I did my best to “keep up appearances.” Mind you, I still loved HIM… I still hoped that someday, he’d stop treating me like a bastard child. I never badmouthed him in public. When people assumed I was still with THEM, I would politely correct them (sometimes) and tell them that I’m on my own. People asked me what happened, and I just couldn’t summon the courage to speak about it. Did I fear that nobody would believe me? Did I fear that maybe he’d tarnish my name and spoil my career? (I admit, some of his fans are more like “followers” – like a cult… It’s almost scary… To some people, he’s God. His label is their religion, and how dare this loud-mouthed “Aaron-Carl” kid badmouth their IDOL?) Was I jealous and bitter because I was banished from the kingdom? Was I just trying to use HIS name for my own personal gain? No I wasn’t, by the way… I just chalked it up to experience, and continued to move on…
Years later, I decided to break the silence and ask HIM to remix one of MY records for a change. I sent him the tune; he fell in love with it. We both smiled at the idea of being on the same project again… Nice. (Maybe this was the start of our reconciliation?) Mind you, I knew what the f*ck I was doing. I made sure that I still owned my rights to this song! But more importantly, I had to prove a point to myself. I had to prove that unless it was in HIS best interest, he would NOT support this record. Sure enough, when the record was released, they bought 20 of them. Shortly thereafter, they returned most of the records to me. Apparently, there was a “defect” in the record which caused it to skip. Mind you, I took this record to Ron Murphy, who inspected it personally. He said that while the record “might” skip on some “old” players, I should have no problem…
Needless to say, I repressed the record – which meant that I’d have to pay for an entirely new mastering session, new plates, new labels, etc… Oh… And I also changed some of the mixes on the A-side – the “defective” side. Well, the new and “improved” record came… I think he bought 10 copies, at best. What a damn shame… Poor public – the public doesn’t know or care about the drama between record labels… They want the MUSIC. And if the music isn’t available, they can’t buy it. Well, now you know WHY my music wasn’t available for more people… I was up to my ears in DRAMA – drama that I didn’t ask for. Dr. Dre said it best during an interview… “Buy it and bump it…” I like that line… It speaks volumes!
One day, The One tried to offer me a contract – he wanted me back “in the family…” By this time in my career, I’d already made a good name for myself. I was touring on my own, and quite regularly. I made my money, sold my records, got my publishing in order (thank you KH!) and life was good – WITHOUT him… But I never got over that feeling of “family.” I wanted it so bad…
It’s really funny, you know… I could go without speaking to The One for years, but I still felt his presence in everything I did. Every time I released a record, I thought to myself, “he sees this…” Every time I perform somewhere, I know he hears about it. As weird as it sounds, I often HOPED he was watching me, so he can see how much I’ve grown. Maybe he’d even be proud… So when he offered me the contract, I thought – okay… This time, he’s finally coming around…
I was wrong. Mind you, he gave me all rights to every one of my old songs – with the exception of my biggest record to date, “Down.” He wasn’t letting go of “Down” for any reason. But damn… Records like “Crucified,” “Make Me Happy,” “Shine,” – I was so happy to have these rights back… But the songs are all old. They’ve run their course… Personally, I’ve moved on. What the hell was I gonna do with these tunes? (But I took them anyway, because they’re MINE!)
But why not Down? The record is nearly 10 years old… True, it’s a classic. True, it still gets played on the radio – just like it did back in the day… Truth is, as long as DOWN is making money, the label is gonna milk it. They’ll re-release it until the public gets sick of it. To date, it hasn’t happened. So I guess THAT’S why I won’t get the rights back…
But about this contract, long story short, it was quite similar to the bullsh*t I first signed… I had no publishing… I had no ownership… The songs were licensed in perpetuity – that means forever (and that’s a mighty long time!)… This time, however, I dared to open my mouth. I dared to voice my opinion… I dared to ASK for what I wanted – which wasn’t too much at all! Now that I think about it, during this particular meeting, The One wasn’t even there. So I was left to voice my opinions to a “representative…” (Talk about a proverbial slap in the face!) The last I heard from them, they were making a new contract for me to sign – one that better fit my specifications… And I never heard from them again… Until the other night, when HE called me.
So I’m at the meeting… He was there with another “representative” – one that I hadn’t seen in nearly 10 years. As soon as I sat down, The One proceeded to tell me that I wasn’t getting ANY publishing… I could get 1/3 writer’s share of the royalties (but we ALL know where the REAL money is made, don’t we?) – by the way, I have to WRITE the verses (according to his ideas, of course), and sing them… I basically just sat there in disbelief, listening to him… (You want me to do WHAT?!)
Somehow, the topic of this year’s Fuse-In festival came up. I mentioned “you guys MISSED my show.” The representative had no clue when I even performed (no surprise), and The One replied to me “well, who do you think even GOT you to perform this year?” Hiding my frustration, I laughed and said “yes, I knew you had something to do with that…” (And all the other years where I didn’t have a chance at performing at ALL!)
Not only was I supposed to co-write the song, with no publishing, 1/3 or the writer’s credits and the “possibility of an AC remix in the future” – and promises of joining THEM on stage to sing this song… I was supposed to get up and do this RIGHT NOW. I sat there in my chair, frozen… The One left the room, leaving me and the Representative in the room alone… At that moment, my eyes were WIDE open. And I began to smile…
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I replied, “He knows exactly what he’s doing… And so do you…” (Thinking to myself, “…and so do I.”) You could tell from the air in the room; they were talking about me way before I got there. Probably making bets on how much I would whine; knowing I would have some type of attitude. Maybe even hoping I’d spill my guts out to the Representative, knowing all the time it would get back to The One. (I’ve learned long ago that you can’t trust ANYONE…) I wouldn’t even be surprised if there were hidden cameras in the room, monitoring my every move and word.
God truly opened my eyes this day! I discovered that these people don’t care about me. They don’t give a f*ck about me. Never mind the fact that I just released my OWN album… They didn’t even KNOW about the album, it seems! (And yes, I brought copies for The One and the Representative – I knew there’d be one…) I couldn’t take the bad vibes anymore… My cell phone rang just then… It was Mel, with a message from my mother. Thank God for small miracles, because on that note, I had a legitimate excuse for getting the f*ck out of there.
I half-heartedly said I’d be back tomorrow, but I think I’m just gonna do them like they do me. I’ll disappear. I drove home listening to “Liberation (Free).” I KNEW I wrote that song for a reason, and words have never rung truer… For the first time in a long time, I feel free.
Before I left, I wrote a small note to The One, asking him “what does it take to get DOWN back?” But honestly, praise God, I don’t WANT the song anymore. Yes, I wrote it. YES, I deserve it. But I refuse to sell my soul for it. I’ll have bigger records than DOWN… As of this writing, I’ve moved on from that song. Let the dogs have it. Take it to the grave, I don’t care. THEY DO NOT, nor will they ever have the BEST OF ME! When their empire falls – and it WILL fall, I will rise. Was I being predictive when I said “from the ashes to the clouds, I emerge…?”
Thank God for guiding me through the process of making and releasing Detrevolution. I’m in control. I’m releasing songs that I own. And while some people may think this is just another album, think again. This is SO ME… OOOH, does “Liberation (Free)” speak directly from my SOUL! I wrote that song for THIS moment in my life… THIS day…
“…even though you’ve left me on my own, I’m so far from alone…”
Hallelujah.
AC
I went for a meeting today, with The One who asked me to sing on his next record. Ever since he called me the other night, it’s been on my mind. He spoke about the “benefits” of be being on one of his records – how it would “blow up” and shock the world, basically. In a way, he’s right. If we worked together, we could definitely make some magic. In all honesty, deep down inside, I yearned to record and produce records with them; to be part of their “family.” Nearly 10 years ago, when I first met him, he seemed to take me under his wing. He was like my father, in a way. Because of him, I know the difference between a good idea and a great song. I know the difference between a good song and a hot record. (But I digress, as I’m sure you get the point…)
When I learned (thank you Lord) that I was basically being used – under contract with NO rights to my music whatsoever, I got the hell away from there… It’s funny. I thought there would be a struggle to get out of my contract, but he didn’t put up a fight whatsoever. He KNEW he was in control... And with that, he let me go… Sent me on my way, with nothing but my name… But even as he did that, he kept smiling… I’ll never forget his words to me: “Go on out there; get your feet wet. And when you’re ready, come on back… You’ll always have a home…” And like that, I was alone. It happened so fast that nobody really knew I was gone. Sure, I made my own records. Sure, I got my “feet wet.” Sure, my first 8 records of my career are songs that I didn’t own rights to, but I didn’t care. I was free… I was free to make BETTER songs – which is exactly what I did.
When OVUM Recordings approached me to license the song “My House,” I knew as soon as I read the contract: bitch, you will NOT own this song. You are signing away your rights forever, and this little advance money we’re giving you is NOTHING compared to the money we’ll make off this song… But you know what? I took the deal. I took it because I knew that my record would be successful – even if I didn’t have much to show for it, besides some fame. That’s exactly what happened. My “let-me-tell-you-about-HOUSE MUSIC” speech is one of the most sampled speeches in House music today. It’s right up there with “In the beginning, there was Jack…” And no, I’m not saying this out of conceit. It’s the truth. When my record hit the Billboard Top 40 Dance chart, I was ecstatic. Although I was broke as hell, I still felt a sense of pride. And while I’m grateful that My House went on to become one of my biggest records, I’m still well aware that my contract wasn’t made with my best interests in mind. (They never are…) But hey… I wasn’t bitter. At least THIS time, I got f*cked with LUBE – metaphorically speaking…
So back to The One… Years went by, I became more successful, and all of a sudden, here comes “Mister…” This time it was to remix a song of his – anyone know what it was? I’m sure you have a clue… Of course I took the chance and remixed it, to rave reviews. And yes, the public was shocked (in a good way) that “THEY” were cool enough to work with ME… So here I am, on the B-side of THEIR record – needless to say, it did wonders for my name, but again, I didn’t own sh*t. And again, I was okay with it, because at least my eyes were open… It was a good career move… (Whoever said I haven’t paid my dues can kiss my ass… The WHOLE thing…)
Mind you, I was still hurting inside. The so-called “HOME” I had wasn’t there when I came back. When I was desperately in need of a distributor for my label, they often turned a deaf ear. That hurt my feelings… On occasion, they bought a few copies of my records to sell – but I don’t think I’ve EVER sold more than 20 records at a time to them – maybe not even more than 10.
When the first Detroit Electronic Music Festival started, I was sure to be one of the performing artists. After all, my record “DOWN” was one of the biggest records in Detroit at this time… It would’ve been perfect. But the festival came and went without me. Coincidence? Years went by, and no matter how successful I became, I was still left out of all things Detroit. The European people had no idea about this madness going on, and I did my best to “keep up appearances.” Mind you, I still loved HIM… I still hoped that someday, he’d stop treating me like a bastard child. I never badmouthed him in public. When people assumed I was still with THEM, I would politely correct them (sometimes) and tell them that I’m on my own. People asked me what happened, and I just couldn’t summon the courage to speak about it. Did I fear that nobody would believe me? Did I fear that maybe he’d tarnish my name and spoil my career? (I admit, some of his fans are more like “followers” – like a cult… It’s almost scary… To some people, he’s God. His label is their religion, and how dare this loud-mouthed “Aaron-Carl” kid badmouth their IDOL?) Was I jealous and bitter because I was banished from the kingdom? Was I just trying to use HIS name for my own personal gain? No I wasn’t, by the way… I just chalked it up to experience, and continued to move on…
Years later, I decided to break the silence and ask HIM to remix one of MY records for a change. I sent him the tune; he fell in love with it. We both smiled at the idea of being on the same project again… Nice. (Maybe this was the start of our reconciliation?) Mind you, I knew what the f*ck I was doing. I made sure that I still owned my rights to this song! But more importantly, I had to prove a point to myself. I had to prove that unless it was in HIS best interest, he would NOT support this record. Sure enough, when the record was released, they bought 20 of them. Shortly thereafter, they returned most of the records to me. Apparently, there was a “defect” in the record which caused it to skip. Mind you, I took this record to Ron Murphy, who inspected it personally. He said that while the record “might” skip on some “old” players, I should have no problem…
Needless to say, I repressed the record – which meant that I’d have to pay for an entirely new mastering session, new plates, new labels, etc… Oh… And I also changed some of the mixes on the A-side – the “defective” side. Well, the new and “improved” record came… I think he bought 10 copies, at best. What a damn shame… Poor public – the public doesn’t know or care about the drama between record labels… They want the MUSIC. And if the music isn’t available, they can’t buy it. Well, now you know WHY my music wasn’t available for more people… I was up to my ears in DRAMA – drama that I didn’t ask for. Dr. Dre said it best during an interview… “Buy it and bump it…” I like that line… It speaks volumes!
One day, The One tried to offer me a contract – he wanted me back “in the family…” By this time in my career, I’d already made a good name for myself. I was touring on my own, and quite regularly. I made my money, sold my records, got my publishing in order (thank you KH!) and life was good – WITHOUT him… But I never got over that feeling of “family.” I wanted it so bad…
It’s really funny, you know… I could go without speaking to The One for years, but I still felt his presence in everything I did. Every time I released a record, I thought to myself, “he sees this…” Every time I perform somewhere, I know he hears about it. As weird as it sounds, I often HOPED he was watching me, so he can see how much I’ve grown. Maybe he’d even be proud… So when he offered me the contract, I thought – okay… This time, he’s finally coming around…
I was wrong. Mind you, he gave me all rights to every one of my old songs – with the exception of my biggest record to date, “Down.” He wasn’t letting go of “Down” for any reason. But damn… Records like “Crucified,” “Make Me Happy,” “Shine,” – I was so happy to have these rights back… But the songs are all old. They’ve run their course… Personally, I’ve moved on. What the hell was I gonna do with these tunes? (But I took them anyway, because they’re MINE!)
But why not Down? The record is nearly 10 years old… True, it’s a classic. True, it still gets played on the radio – just like it did back in the day… Truth is, as long as DOWN is making money, the label is gonna milk it. They’ll re-release it until the public gets sick of it. To date, it hasn’t happened. So I guess THAT’S why I won’t get the rights back…
But about this contract, long story short, it was quite similar to the bullsh*t I first signed… I had no publishing… I had no ownership… The songs were licensed in perpetuity – that means forever (and that’s a mighty long time!)… This time, however, I dared to open my mouth. I dared to voice my opinion… I dared to ASK for what I wanted – which wasn’t too much at all! Now that I think about it, during this particular meeting, The One wasn’t even there. So I was left to voice my opinions to a “representative…” (Talk about a proverbial slap in the face!) The last I heard from them, they were making a new contract for me to sign – one that better fit my specifications… And I never heard from them again… Until the other night, when HE called me.
So I’m at the meeting… He was there with another “representative” – one that I hadn’t seen in nearly 10 years. As soon as I sat down, The One proceeded to tell me that I wasn’t getting ANY publishing… I could get 1/3 writer’s share of the royalties (but we ALL know where the REAL money is made, don’t we?) – by the way, I have to WRITE the verses (according to his ideas, of course), and sing them… I basically just sat there in disbelief, listening to him… (You want me to do WHAT?!)
Somehow, the topic of this year’s Fuse-In festival came up. I mentioned “you guys MISSED my show.” The representative had no clue when I even performed (no surprise), and The One replied to me “well, who do you think even GOT you to perform this year?” Hiding my frustration, I laughed and said “yes, I knew you had something to do with that…” (And all the other years where I didn’t have a chance at performing at ALL!)
Not only was I supposed to co-write the song, with no publishing, 1/3 or the writer’s credits and the “possibility of an AC remix in the future” – and promises of joining THEM on stage to sing this song… I was supposed to get up and do this RIGHT NOW. I sat there in my chair, frozen… The One left the room, leaving me and the Representative in the room alone… At that moment, my eyes were WIDE open. And I began to smile…
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I replied, “He knows exactly what he’s doing… And so do you…” (Thinking to myself, “…and so do I.”) You could tell from the air in the room; they were talking about me way before I got there. Probably making bets on how much I would whine; knowing I would have some type of attitude. Maybe even hoping I’d spill my guts out to the Representative, knowing all the time it would get back to The One. (I’ve learned long ago that you can’t trust ANYONE…) I wouldn’t even be surprised if there were hidden cameras in the room, monitoring my every move and word.
God truly opened my eyes this day! I discovered that these people don’t care about me. They don’t give a f*ck about me. Never mind the fact that I just released my OWN album… They didn’t even KNOW about the album, it seems! (And yes, I brought copies for The One and the Representative – I knew there’d be one…) I couldn’t take the bad vibes anymore… My cell phone rang just then… It was Mel, with a message from my mother. Thank God for small miracles, because on that note, I had a legitimate excuse for getting the f*ck out of there.
I half-heartedly said I’d be back tomorrow, but I think I’m just gonna do them like they do me. I’ll disappear. I drove home listening to “Liberation (Free).” I KNEW I wrote that song for a reason, and words have never rung truer… For the first time in a long time, I feel free.
Before I left, I wrote a small note to The One, asking him “what does it take to get DOWN back?” But honestly, praise God, I don’t WANT the song anymore. Yes, I wrote it. YES, I deserve it. But I refuse to sell my soul for it. I’ll have bigger records than DOWN… As of this writing, I’ve moved on from that song. Let the dogs have it. Take it to the grave, I don’t care. THEY DO NOT, nor will they ever have the BEST OF ME! When their empire falls – and it WILL fall, I will rise. Was I being predictive when I said “from the ashes to the clouds, I emerge…?”
Thank God for guiding me through the process of making and releasing Detrevolution. I’m in control. I’m releasing songs that I own. And while some people may think this is just another album, think again. This is SO ME… OOOH, does “Liberation (Free)” speak directly from my SOUL! I wrote that song for THIS moment in my life… THIS day…
“…even though you’ve left me on my own, I’m so far from alone…”
Hallelujah.
AC
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Mercy, Merci
Lord have mercy… Laurent’s gonna drive himself crazy, worrying about the “Motion” 12-inch single. Mind you, I’m excited as well. Maybe I’ve forgotten what it was like to release my first record, but damn… Full versions available for FREE to download on the internet? Nobody’s gonna BUY the damn thing when it comes out! Well, knock on wood. They ARE good mixes, I must admit. But it’s not about giving it ALL away on the first date, if you know what I mean… Tease them… Give them just a little bit… Leave them wanting MORE… Then when you hit them with THE GOODS, (or in this case, the MOTION) they will eat it up. He’ll learn. I’ll be there to show him the way…
Lewis (his husband) and I also had a lovely conversation – or so I thought… Mind you, I’m always chatting with Laurent – we just kinda “clicked” like that. So Lewis and I never really had much to say to each other. But after our conversation via telephone, I’m actually kinda drawn to Lewis – and NO, it’s not what you’re thinking, bitches… I’ve seriously gained a bit of respect for him. But I digress… Maybe one day we’ll speak again… Maybe not. Who the hell knows…
Last night I received an interesting phone call from (none other than) The One -- those who know me, know exactly who the hell I’m talking about… While I thought he was calling about my “no longer submerged” line in my Detrevolution Intro, he actually called to ask me to sing vocals on a new song he wrote. (Makes you wonder, eh?) Mind you, I’d do it if the conditions were right. Do I expect to be paid? No… (this IS Detroit, and you know how some n*ggas are…) Do I expect a fair share? You’re damn right I do. I haven’t decided to do it just yet… It DOES make me think. Do I NEED this opportunity to further advance my career? Or am I doing okay by myself? I know what my friends would say… “Run, bitch! Run!!!” And considering my history with HIM and THEM… Yes, I should run like hell. But I’m strong – Lord knows I’m strong… And I wouldn’t be as strong as I am today, if I didn’t have to go through that treatment.
Wow, it just makes me look at my life now… Damn AC, you ARE making it! Talk more soon…
AC
Lewis (his husband) and I also had a lovely conversation – or so I thought… Mind you, I’m always chatting with Laurent – we just kinda “clicked” like that. So Lewis and I never really had much to say to each other. But after our conversation via telephone, I’m actually kinda drawn to Lewis – and NO, it’s not what you’re thinking, bitches… I’ve seriously gained a bit of respect for him. But I digress… Maybe one day we’ll speak again… Maybe not. Who the hell knows…
Last night I received an interesting phone call from (none other than) The One -- those who know me, know exactly who the hell I’m talking about… While I thought he was calling about my “no longer submerged” line in my Detrevolution Intro, he actually called to ask me to sing vocals on a new song he wrote. (Makes you wonder, eh?) Mind you, I’d do it if the conditions were right. Do I expect to be paid? No… (this IS Detroit, and you know how some n*ggas are…) Do I expect a fair share? You’re damn right I do. I haven’t decided to do it just yet… It DOES make me think. Do I NEED this opportunity to further advance my career? Or am I doing okay by myself? I know what my friends would say… “Run, bitch! Run!!!” And considering my history with HIM and THEM… Yes, I should run like hell. But I’m strong – Lord knows I’m strong… And I wouldn’t be as strong as I am today, if I didn’t have to go through that treatment.
Wow, it just makes me look at my life now… Damn AC, you ARE making it! Talk more soon…
AC
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Motion
I’m looking forward to Motion… And I’m not talking about the upcoming Laurent et Lewis record either! I’m talking about getting up and moving forward. DETREVOLUTION is finally released, and I’m SO ready to move forward. Orders are coming in (thank you!)… www.detrevolution.com Distributors are picking up the product (thank you too), and now I’m sitting here going “now what?!”
I DO have a couple of shows to do in Germany during November – more details about that soon. My club night with Trench (@ Corktown Tavern, Downtown Detroit) starts November 5th – which is EXACTLY 16 years to the DAY that I officially came out of the closet… How funny is that?
I AM working on these tunes with Johnny Dangerous as well, so what the hell am I sitting here complaining about? Moving forward? Shit… I better brace myself!
You know what kills me? Hooking up (e-mail, phone, etc) with an old friend, and promising each other “we will NOT stay out of touch for so long, ever again!” Only to disappear for god-knows how long… Yes, I’m having random thoughts – I’m allowed, damnit!
Well, I think it’s time for me to start surfing the net tonight… Check up on the world…
Night night…
I DO have a couple of shows to do in Germany during November – more details about that soon. My club night with Trench (@ Corktown Tavern, Downtown Detroit) starts November 5th – which is EXACTLY 16 years to the DAY that I officially came out of the closet… How funny is that?
I AM working on these tunes with Johnny Dangerous as well, so what the hell am I sitting here complaining about? Moving forward? Shit… I better brace myself!
You know what kills me? Hooking up (e-mail, phone, etc) with an old friend, and promising each other “we will NOT stay out of touch for so long, ever again!” Only to disappear for god-knows how long… Yes, I’m having random thoughts – I’m allowed, damnit!
Well, I think it’s time for me to start surfing the net tonight… Check up on the world…
Night night…
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Like Crazy
Laurent left for Amsterdam this morning, after staying with me for a week. It’s funny how inspiration works. In one short week, Laurent and I finished an entire 12-inch single (for Laurent’s upcoming release) -- and even took it to the Mastering house… You know what that means? In just a few SHORT weeks, Laurent’s new single will be on vinyl… Or let me rephrase that… Laurent’s FIRST single will be on vinyl. I’m extremely happy for him. Then again, I’m ALWAYS excited about the release of a record – especially if it’s someone that I know personally. It was actually kinda cute, seeing Laurent’s face in the Mastering house. So innocent, like a kid in a candy store. And Ron Murphy (NSC) is just a legend. I look at him and I see pure history… I’ve ALWAYS taken my records to Ron Murphy to be mastered. Over the years, he’s educated me so much – now I know EXACTLY what it takes to get “that sound” in my music. It wasn’t easy! Ron used to send me home to fix a lot of mistakes that I used to make – what’s good for CD isn’t always good for vinyl… But I won’t go there now. I’ll just say that when I took THIS project to Ron, I was confident. All those years of education had finally paid off… Ron listened to my sound and all he could say was “wow…” He was impressed… HE – the legendary Ron Murphy was IMPRESSED. I became the kid in the candy store…
Sunday night, Laurent and I went to AGAVE to hear some good ol’ fashioned House music. Oh man… We walked in the door and immediately started dancing – some disco-house tune that kept chanting “MUSIIIIIC!” on top of a funky groove from heaven… Oh WOW! Shortly thereafter, Michelle Weeks blared through the speakers, telling us to “Be Thankful!” Baby, I was in love all over again… Soon afterwards, an intoxicating deep-house version of Jill Scott’s “Not Like Crazy” filled my body. WHO said House music was dead? Jill Scott nearly had me in tears… The chord arrangements, the winding bass line – whoo lord… I swear I got the spirit up in there!!!
Damn, I wanna make music like THAT. (According to some people, I DO make music like that!)
Before I left, I made my way up to the DJ (to slap him for being so damn good!!!). He asked me to stick around for “one more record…” I admit, I knew what he was going to do. I just didn’t know which AC tune he would play! Honey, when “Liberation (Free)” came out of those speakers, I was just like “whoa…” Out of all the songs on this CD, he played THAT one? Again, I was amazed – at the same time, trying to hide my shyness/embarrassment/gratefulness… Throughout the night (before the DJ played “Liberation”), a few people had approached me to say that my song (I had no idea which one) was “evil… sick... the bomb… off the hook!” It’s one thing to travel around the world and get respect, but to actually get love from HOME? That feels good…
Now here’s something I don’t understand. I went to visit my forum (on www.aaroncarl.com) and say “what’s up” to the people… I noticed an entire thread of GAY jokes. Mind you, I have a sense of humor. I’ll even laugh at the occasional gay joke – if it’s funny, of course! However, some dumb son of a bitch writes – and I quote…
Q:Whats the Ru Paul and Aaron Carl got in common? A:Well both are black,gay detroiters,transvestites and will die from aids...
What the fuck?! Why would anyone come to MY website and leave that message about me, KNOWING I’m gonna see the shit? Personally, I KNOW who it is; the disrespectful inbred asshole of a so-called straight bigoted LOSER from – well, let’s just say I know who the bitch is… He just don’t know ME like that… Honey, I will bring Southwest DETROIT to his fucking doorstep. But I digress… I’m a gentleman. (Breathe… one, two… ichi ni…. Un, deux….. – alright. I’m better now.)
Well, it’s nearly 9:30 and I still have business stuff to do… Guess I’ll get back to work – e-mails to write, etc.
AC
Sunday night, Laurent and I went to AGAVE to hear some good ol’ fashioned House music. Oh man… We walked in the door and immediately started dancing – some disco-house tune that kept chanting “MUSIIIIIC!” on top of a funky groove from heaven… Oh WOW! Shortly thereafter, Michelle Weeks blared through the speakers, telling us to “Be Thankful!” Baby, I was in love all over again… Soon afterwards, an intoxicating deep-house version of Jill Scott’s “Not Like Crazy” filled my body. WHO said House music was dead? Jill Scott nearly had me in tears… The chord arrangements, the winding bass line – whoo lord… I swear I got the spirit up in there!!!
Damn, I wanna make music like THAT. (According to some people, I DO make music like that!)
Before I left, I made my way up to the DJ (to slap him for being so damn good!!!). He asked me to stick around for “one more record…” I admit, I knew what he was going to do. I just didn’t know which AC tune he would play! Honey, when “Liberation (Free)” came out of those speakers, I was just like “whoa…” Out of all the songs on this CD, he played THAT one? Again, I was amazed – at the same time, trying to hide my shyness/embarrassment/gratefulness… Throughout the night (before the DJ played “Liberation”), a few people had approached me to say that my song (I had no idea which one) was “evil… sick... the bomb… off the hook!” It’s one thing to travel around the world and get respect, but to actually get love from HOME? That feels good…
Now here’s something I don’t understand. I went to visit my forum (on www.aaroncarl.com) and say “what’s up” to the people… I noticed an entire thread of GAY jokes. Mind you, I have a sense of humor. I’ll even laugh at the occasional gay joke – if it’s funny, of course! However, some dumb son of a bitch writes – and I quote…
Q:Whats the Ru Paul and Aaron Carl got in common? A:Well both are black,gay detroiters,transvestites and will die from aids...
What the fuck?! Why would anyone come to MY website and leave that message about me, KNOWING I’m gonna see the shit? Personally, I KNOW who it is; the disrespectful inbred asshole of a so-called straight bigoted LOSER from – well, let’s just say I know who the bitch is… He just don’t know ME like that… Honey, I will bring Southwest DETROIT to his fucking doorstep. But I digress… I’m a gentleman. (Breathe… one, two… ichi ni…. Un, deux….. – alright. I’m better now.)
Well, it’s nearly 9:30 and I still have business stuff to do… Guess I’ll get back to work – e-mails to write, etc.
AC
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Sweetest
Hungry… Wanting to be near you. Curious… Dying to know what you feel like. Trembling… Soft brushes against my skin. Electric… Kissing your lips for the first time. Fire… The aching within the soul of my being. Euphoria… The smell of your masculinity. Drowning… Your love surrounding me.
Happy Sweetest Day – although I didn’t have a romantic day, I can still have romantic thoughts…
Love
AC
Happy Sweetest Day – although I didn’t have a romantic day, I can still have romantic thoughts…
Love
AC
Friday, October 14, 2005
Work in Progress
Tonight, Laurent and I started (and nearly finished) a FABULOUS remix to one of his songs. It’s kinda funny, working with other people. Mind you, Johnny (Dangerous) and I meshed like peanut butter and jelly. Laurent and I are also cool, although I notice that we BOTH like “control!” OOOH… Two control freaks in one studio. Thank God I’m passive-aggressive. LOL. But yes, the remix is wonderful. Actually, I’m gonna head off to bed EARLY tonight – can you believe it? Actually before 11pm, on a FRIDAY???
We’ll get back to work in the morning. Oh yeah… And Detrevolution is getting reviewed in some magazines – I can’t think of the name right now. No, it’s not old age. And no, it’s not drugs. I just have this damn French/Detroit groove stuck in my head…
Gotta love the biz…
Love
AC
We’ll get back to work in the morning. Oh yeah… And Detrevolution is getting reviewed in some magazines – I can’t think of the name right now. No, it’s not old age. And no, it’s not drugs. I just have this damn French/Detroit groove stuck in my head…
Gotta love the biz…
Love
AC
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Celebrate
I should definitely celebrate… Detrevolution has been ordered by folks in Germany, Japan, Denmark, Austria and France so far – as well as the states. And it’s really only been 3 days! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying this to brag in any way, shape or form. I’m just so grateful that people are listening to me – and I KNOW they’ll be happy with the album. I’ve even popped the CD into my own CD player, playing it and pretending like I was THEM, listening to it for the first time. Yes, I know that’s corny. I can’t help it… I’m just so excited!
Laurent Chambon is here @ my house now, and we’re having a great time. We’re producing songs for his upcoming single and album. It should be very good… More on that later. For now, I’ve got a top 10 list to do for DEQ Magazine… We’ll talk more soon.
Love
AC
Laurent Chambon is here @ my house now, and we’re having a great time. We’re producing songs for his upcoming single and album. It should be very good… More on that later. For now, I’ve got a top 10 list to do for DEQ Magazine… We’ll talk more soon.
Love
AC
Monday, October 10, 2005
I'm Here, and so is IT!
I know, I know… I haven’t blogged in a while, BUT… It’s only because I’ve been spending time with Mr. D-A-N… G-E-R… O-U-S!!! (Yes he is!) We’ve been producing some hot tracks, and that’s ALL I’m gonna say about it for now – besides, “look out!!!”
So, you DO know that Detrevolution is out now, don’t ya? You don’t? Oh, honey… Get on over to www.detrevolution.com and read up on it… I won’t commercialize it here, but just know this. I’ve been waiting FOREVER… (So have y’all…) And now the moment is finally here. I’m so nervous, but hey… It’s here.
Well, back to microphones and drum machines for me… See y’all a little later. And don’t forget to e-mail me… Say hello!!!
Mucho love…
AC
So, you DO know that Detrevolution is out now, don’t ya? You don’t? Oh, honey… Get on over to www.detrevolution.com and read up on it… I won’t commercialize it here, but just know this. I’ve been waiting FOREVER… (So have y’all…) And now the moment is finally here. I’m so nervous, but hey… It’s here.
Well, back to microphones and drum machines for me… See y’all a little later. And don’t forget to e-mail me… Say hello!!!
Mucho love…
AC
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Worth the Wait
Lord, have I been working myself to death. But it’s all worth it! DETREVOLUTION is officially OUT now. I was finalizing the webpage for the site – it’s 99% finished. Just add the music links, and voila. Complete.
Everyone’s been waiting so patiently, and I’m so grateful… Trust me, it’s worth it! Speaking of WORTH IT… I have such a special offer, it’s gonna be so cool! I’ve already told Denny (shhhh), but that’s only because he forced me. ( But as soon as I wake up in the morning, I’ll finish the final touches, and debut it for the world. Finally.
Johnny Dangerous is coming to my house tomorrow night!!! I know we’re gonna be up nearly all night, producing and acting crazy in the studio. YES, I look forward to it. Well, before I turn into a damn zombie, let me get a little sleep. I need to post on my own forum as well, but I’ll do it tomorrow – when I make THE ANNOUNCEMENT…
Love on u..
AC
Everyone’s been waiting so patiently, and I’m so grateful… Trust me, it’s worth it! Speaking of WORTH IT… I have such a special offer, it’s gonna be so cool! I’ve already told Denny (shhhh), but that’s only because he forced me. ( But as soon as I wake up in the morning, I’ll finish the final touches, and debut it for the world. Finally.
Johnny Dangerous is coming to my house tomorrow night!!! I know we’re gonna be up nearly all night, producing and acting crazy in the studio. YES, I look forward to it. Well, before I turn into a damn zombie, let me get a little sleep. I need to post on my own forum as well, but I’ll do it tomorrow – when I make THE ANNOUNCEMENT…
Love on u..
AC
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Tribute to Phallis Carl Ingram
Today, my dad would've been 56 years old. Because I will NEVER forget him, I will celebrate his special day by playing "SKY" -- the song that I wrote just for him. Happy Birthday, Daddy. I hope I've made you proud... I love you always... Aaron-Carl PS: I still miss you.
From a Soldier
I got a message from a soldier today… Originally from Detroit, now serving in Iraq… I had to fight back tears when I read his message! For starters, he listened to (and felt) “Ghetto Life.” He gave me praise for being REAL. On his profile, I noticed that he said he wanted to actually meet me. Color me humbled… oh man. I’m still in shock. He says that if he “makes it out alive,” he’ll have to get my CDs or something. Again, I’m fighting back tears. When I replied to his e-mail, I gave him the deepest thanks I could possibly give him. You KNOW that I’m gonna mail him a copy of DETREVOLUTION – complete with autograph and an Aaron-Carl t-shirt. And of course I’ll pray extra hard for his safe return home. …And when he finally arrives back in Detroit, I’d love to shake his hand – and thank him personally for putting HIS life on the line, so that others may live.
God bless that soldier. I will never forget his kind words…
Love
AC
God bless that soldier. I will never forget his kind words…
Love
AC
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Peace in the Valley
Something tells me that life is gonna change, for the better! I’ll be able to hold in my hands, a brand new album this week… BMI sends me royalties this month – and I have a feeling it’s gonna be very nice!!! Stefan and Jevon are actually behaving – it’s almost like something’s in the tap water. I’m feeling less stressed, but more blessed. (Or maybe it’s these new fat burners I’m taking?!)
Johnny Dangerous (www.johnnydangerous.net) comes to my house this weekend, for a nice recording session. I’ve been in quite the mood to create – and it certainly feels good to create for someone else! Laurent Chambon (y’all will soon find out who the eff he is) comes to my house next week, and I already know it’s gonna be FABULOUS!
Tori Fixx is coming to my house in November, and I’m so excited. I’ve just been invited to Germany (Cologne and Frankfurt) for a couple of DJ gigs! Mel’s off the couch – which I guess is a good thing. I got so tired of watching HIM look sad and distraught. God gave me a sense of compassion, and I’m certainly aware of it. So is Mel… And you know what I realized? Damn, I’m strong. I don’t mean, big brawny strong… I’m talking about the strength of an African-American WOMAN… I’m talking about the strength of a single parent… I’m talking about the multitude of strength that it takes to rise above the ashes… (Alright, so maybe it IS these damn fat burners…)
Well, it’s almost midnight. I guess I should go to bed – this will be early for me. Day #2 of these fat burners (which weren’t all that bad, mind you!) is just around the corner. Dana better bring her ass over to my house in the morning, so we can work out together.
I’ll leave you tonight with images of me playing in the front yard with my kids, trying to do somersaults with them, but falling flat on my ass because I haven’t done a somersault in about 15 years!!! And yes, the neighbors across the street had a field day, laughing at me. Or should I say laughing WITH me – because I was on the ground cracking up.
Peace…
AC
Johnny Dangerous (www.johnnydangerous.net) comes to my house this weekend, for a nice recording session. I’ve been in quite the mood to create – and it certainly feels good to create for someone else! Laurent Chambon (y’all will soon find out who the eff he is) comes to my house next week, and I already know it’s gonna be FABULOUS!
Tori Fixx is coming to my house in November, and I’m so excited. I’ve just been invited to Germany (Cologne and Frankfurt) for a couple of DJ gigs! Mel’s off the couch – which I guess is a good thing. I got so tired of watching HIM look sad and distraught. God gave me a sense of compassion, and I’m certainly aware of it. So is Mel… And you know what I realized? Damn, I’m strong. I don’t mean, big brawny strong… I’m talking about the strength of an African-American WOMAN… I’m talking about the strength of a single parent… I’m talking about the multitude of strength that it takes to rise above the ashes… (Alright, so maybe it IS these damn fat burners…)
Well, it’s almost midnight. I guess I should go to bed – this will be early for me. Day #2 of these fat burners (which weren’t all that bad, mind you!) is just around the corner. Dana better bring her ass over to my house in the morning, so we can work out together.
I’ll leave you tonight with images of me playing in the front yard with my kids, trying to do somersaults with them, but falling flat on my ass because I haven’t done a somersault in about 15 years!!! And yes, the neighbors across the street had a field day, laughing at me. Or should I say laughing WITH me – because I was on the ground cracking up.
Peace…
AC
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