The Cat5 Showcase and the 19-One Art Showcase were a blast. It was the first time I had played by myself in a while and it was a nice change of pace.  Each event was attended by well over a hundred people and I got to try out my brand new guitar, a white '62 vintage reissue strat.

I performed a few songs from Duende and worked in two Arctic Monkeys tunes at the latter gig as well as a Judy Garland tune that I first heard Jeff Buckley perform called "The Man That Got Away."

Halfway through the set, I introduced the crowd the my new guitar and told them that, like a ship, every guitar needs a name.  At the merch table, we had a suggestion box and the person who suggests the best name for the guitar won a Tristan & the Juice t-shirt.  Here's some of what we got.  Go ahead, guess the winner...

What Would You Have Chosen?

Hiya.

It's with great sadness that I write to you today.  No, no one's died.  No, Colin hasn't quit the band...yet.  I'm afraid to say that I writing today to inform you that Purple EP has been delayed.

Before I give you the normal prerequisite bullshit about us taking our time and really squeezing everything we've got into the album (of course we are, every artist should), I want to say that it's simply because we can't compete with American Idol compilations or another Harry Connick Christmas album.

See, we're small time.  We rely on word of mouth and blog and magazine reviews.  Can't really create a buzz in a sea full of noise, ya know? So we're going to wait until the first or second week in January.  We feel really good about this album and we also feel it deserves its own spotlight.

The same promotional deal exists though.  The album will only be available for download on this site for the first month and you can pay what you want for it.

In Juice news, we were all really happy when Jorge, the manager of the once-beloved-now-defunct, Eleven Leprechauns called up and said he was resurrecting the location under the new name "Chicago's Tavern" and offered us another residency.  I know Colin, Sean, Phil and I always had fond memories of the place and we're excited to start another tradition there.  Our first show is next Friday, the 30th of October.

We're also pleased to be doing a benefit concert for St. Jude's Children's Hospital on October 27th at The Rock at UM.  If you haven't already, please take a look at that place and see why it's one of the greatest places in the world and deserves your donation.

Ta ta for now.
T

Bonjour! The new EP is trucking along.  We've signed up Grammy-winner Charles Dye (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi) to mix and a great launch plan that gets our work into your ears easier.

The album is expected to be released on November 10 and for the first month, it will only be digitally available for download on TristanClopet.com.

But here's the catch: Pay what you want.

Art has a different value for everyone and it's in our mind that you shouldn't compromise your indulgence and exposure  just because you don't have the funds. We just want you to hear the album.

Of course, there are options.

If you pay full price for the album ($5.95), two bonus tracks are included in your download and for $14.95, you can download the album and bonus tracks plus a voucher for a T-shirt (any size) redeemable at any Tristan and the Juice show.

As Worn By Our Fantastic Models

American Apparel Never Looked So Good

After the first month, the album will be available on CD and on all your usual online retailers

Love,
Tristan