SG Radio feat. Josh Freese – Sunday April 3rd2

by Blogbot

This Sunday (April 3rd) our very special in-studio guest will be drummer extraordinaire, and all-round top dude, Josh Freese.

Josh has worked with some of the biggest, craziest and/or coolest names in the business; He’s a member of The Vandals, Devo, and the on-hiatus A Perfect Circle, and has played with NIN, Sting, and Guns N’ Roses, to name but a few.

Fresh off a tour with Devo, the wacky skin whacker will be in-studio talking about his forthcoming E.P., My New Friends (a follow-up of sorts to 2009’s Since 1972), and the novel way he plans on pimping it.

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About Josh Freese

Josh Freese (drummer for A Perfect Circle, Devo, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, The Vandals, Guns’n’Roses, The Replacements and Sting. amongst others) released Since 1972 in 2009. It quickly became a widely discussed release as much for its unique marketing strategy as it was for the music itself.

Outlets worldwide reported on the unique, tiered pricing plan that ranged from $7 for an album download to $75,000 for a package of goodies that included Freese joining the purchaser’s band for a month, going to his house to pick clothes out of his closet, and a flying trapeze lesson with Robin Finck from Nine Inch Nails. On Apr. 1, Freese releases My New Friends, which is both a follow-up and an extension of Since 1972.

Let us explain.

In early 2009, Freese announced the aforementioned 11-tiered pricing plan For Since 1972. He freely shared that he had no expectations of people actually buying the “ridiculously priced packages” (his words) but was aware that the press attention he received for the grassroots marketing was not only fun for all, but would help propel sales of the album that was a personal labor of love many years in the making and completely self-funded.

Of course Freese, who has been playing professionally since he was 12, was game for any of the promised stunts and pranks he outlined in the various packages, but did divulge his wife was fearful that he would be spending weeks eating at P.F. Chang’s Restaurants with “complete strangers” (see $250 package).

Other highlights from the purchasing options included original songs written for the buyer, taking possession of Freese’s used Volvo station wagon (after being given a personal tour of Disneyland) and a miniature golf outing with Maynard James Keenan (Tool/A Perfect Circle) and Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh.

So did he sell any of those “ridiculously priced packages”? He sure did. While the $75,000 package is still available, Freese sold the $20,000 package, all of the $5000 packages, and multiple $500, $1000 and $2500 packages. Freese’s wife was right; all 25 of the $250 packages that included a meal with Josh sold out within 24 hours of the packages going on sale.

Between breaks in his touring and recording schedule, Freese penned songs for and about the people he met through the promotion – the result being the five-song My New Friends EP. He once again played all of the instruments on the release and will release three videos in the weeks leading up to the Apr. 1 release.

Asked if he had any plans for new pricing strategies for My New Friends, Freese shared, “I have a few things up my sleeve but it won’t be as elaborate as the last batch. It took a lot out of me that last time around…I am going to have a few involved ‘packages’ that will include everything ranging from customized ‘box sets’ to having Dexter from The Offspring fly us in his jet up to San Luis Obispo and go see Bubble Gum Alley (I think if ya slip Dexter a C-note he’ll do a few doughnuts or wheelies on the way back).

“I’m also trying to get Tommy Lee involved in a séance up at Danny Lohner’s castle with one of the buyers too. Maybe have him DJ while we get in touch with the spirit of Divine or Buddy Rich or something.” Freese plans to share the package details via his website on April 1st. “I am proud of this record and hope the same 812 people that got the last one rush out and snatch this one up too!”

To cyberstalk Josh Freese visit his website and follow him on Twitter.