Hardback Version Update

Hi all

Right then - here's a bit of an update on the proposed standard hardback version of "Lifting Shadows". For those of you not keeping tabs on this, this version is just a single normal hardback, with a few photos in it. ie the type of band biography you can find down any Borders branch.

The publishers had planned to get this version out by Christmas / early 2009. However this was something I wasn't comfortable with, as there wouldn't be a huge amount of new text to add in. I felt this would be just printed for all the wrong reasons. I have therefore agreed that this will be released Spring 2009, by which time I can add in detail on the writing and recording process of the next DT album, as well as really go to town with the chapter on the band's various side projects.

Paperback Version

I've had a few people ask me if there was any way they could buy the paperback version of Lifting Shadows, which the band were selling on tour. Well, it looks like they had a few copies left over which are now available via Fanfire :

http://www.fanfire.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/fanfire.woa/wa/product?sourceCode=FANWEB&sku=DRA43489

Please note that the text is in the main the same as the original, limited edition with a few smal updates that continue the story to the ProgNation tour.

Really Getting Into This Again

This is great. Takes me back 4 years to when I was first knitting together research for the DT book. I've been slotting info into place on Liquid Tension Experiment as I valiantly battle with this long-talked-about proposed bonus chapter - "Dreaming Aside" - for the second edition of the book. Over the last year, I've not really had the book writing "bug", but now I'm feeling back on form and having a blast again.

I'd also been toying with the idea of writing another book on another band, but really I don't have the heart for that at the moment. I think I'll just stick at being "DT biographer" for a long while yet. Plus there are very few bands that I have such a strong affection for as Dream Theater, and long may that continue. So the idea of writing a book on the Foo Fighters can Foo(k) off for the time being. Really not that interested. Plus the experience with the bird-with-the-studded-glove (see blog entry June 3) has meant that I come out in an unpleasant rash when anyone mentions the Foo Fighters.

So given that the first Liquid Tension Experiment album was written and recorded in five days, my task is to emulate them by writing and finishing "Dreaming Aside" by the end of August. Might not make it, but I'm going to have fun trying !!

Sorry To German DT Fans

Well, it was hoped that Lifting Shadows was going to be translated and published in German, but the prospective publishers are now not interested. There aren't that many German rock book publishers, so you can probably work out which one it was. Cough. Iron. Cough. Cough. Pages. Cough

But why I hear you ask? Well apparently, for the broader market, it wasn't "spectacular or entertaining enough." They are also of the opinion that there isn't the demand from German DT fans for such an edition.

"What can we do about this outrage?" I hear you cry. Or more accurately, "Was können wir über dieses Verbrechen tun?" (gotta love BabelFish.com)

I've no idea what you can do. Short of perhaps emailing said publisher and suggesting they are wrong, but I would never be the one to suggest such a thing as they will probably get very cross.
Still . . .

Anonymous Asks

"Anonymous said...
When are you hoping for a release of the book? New chapter would be great, though there is always scope for a second edition"

Oh come on and leave your name - it's far more fun!
Well as you know, the limited edition version was released last year (there are a handful of copies left btw at http://www.dreamtheaterbook.com )
There was a second version released for the band - a paperback they sold on tour.
This version I'm now talking about is effectively the second edition and I think they want it out by the end of this year / beginning of 2009.
The side projects chapter may have to wait for now though given the deadline.

Apparently . . .

There are people that read this irregular, inconsistent stream of nonsense that I occasionally motivate myself to write. So, I will try and update it more than I have been doing. But if you do need your daily dose of rock gossip, then I heartily recommend Dave Ling's diary (http://www.daveling.co.uk/diary.htm). But you've still got to check back here. OK? Do we have a deal?

Was at the Spock's Beard gig last night at the Academy 3 in Manchester. I can't believe I've never been there before. It's an odd venue. Accessed via a spiral staircase into the loft space of the building, decorated in a sort of prison-dirty-protest style, and with a stage the size of a small family hatchback, it's certainly "interesting". Spock's were on fine form, with Ryo Okumoto going walkabout from the stage (well, it's raised about a foot off the ground . . .) to the bar, mingle with fans and even getting his photo taken with members of the audience while the rest of the band were still playing. Set list was great too.

As for all things DT related? I'm updating the text for a single hardback edition which will be more widely available than the limited edition (and obviously won't include all the sparkling extras such as the "Images" book or the CD). The publishers need it by the beginning of September, so it's keeping me occupied. I was hoping to add a chapter on the band's side projects but the more I research it, the longer it gets, so I doubt I'll get that done in the next 8 weeks. Still . . .