My New Recording Project: The Way

To be released November 9, 2021!

I'm recording a new album at The Keep Recording studios in Denver, Colorado. My biggest and best yet--13 songs and 2 instrumentals.
Check out the above video, and read below to learn all about it!

Project Description

I wrote several songs in the 2013-2018 time frame, some of which I consider my best songs. I kept saying I would record them on a new album, but I was having too much fun playing live with my bands, Scupanon and Electric Poetry. Then, in March, 2020, a virus caused all my live shows to be cancelled. I was bummed out, of course. I love playing live for people.

At first, I decided I would spend this downtime writing new songs. But I wasn't motivated, for some reason. Then I decided that The Muse was telling me: "You haven't even recorded the songs you've written the past several years. Why should I inspire you to write more?" She was right. I needed to get these songs recorded.

How do I know that these are my best songs? It's not just because I think so. It's because these are the songs that received the most applause when I've played them live over the past several years. The songs that people came up to me and wanted to talk about during set breaks, or after the show. Songs like "3-Legged Dog," "I Didn't Believe," "Metadata," "Mama Had a Mohawk" and "Empty." You might say I've taken these songs to a "focus group" lol.

To do these songs justice, however, requires going into a professional studio with a professional engineer. That costs a lot of money. Normally the record company pays for that, but I'm independent. That means my fans and I have to be the record company. The members of my fan club, The Misfit Club, have been contributing small amounts each month. I sold a beloved old guitar and amp, and borrowed from my retirement account. Still not enough. So I'm running this album pre-order campaign to finance the rest.

How You Can Help

If you would like to help me out by pre-ordering the album, have a look at the column to the right, choose your contribution and reward level, and click the Donate button. Congratulations! You are now a "stockholder" in my "record company!" No dividends will be paid on this "stock," and you can't sell it. But hopefully you'll find the music worth it.

The Budget

As a "stockholder" in this project, you probably want to know how your money is being invested. So here are the round numbers of what will to make a professional 15-song album. I decided on The Keep Recording studio in Denver, with Jeff Kanan as engineer and co-producer. Jeff has over 25 years of experience making records, both in LA studios and his Denver studio. I am using professional musicians, some of which I was only able to get because the Coronavirus pandemic shut down their tours.

The basic goal of $20,000 includes Pre-production (song selection, song structure, tempos), Production (Recording), Editing, Mixing, Mastering, Artwork, Digital Distribution fees, and a minimal run of 300 CDs for promotion and to reward those of you who supporting this project.

The "Stretch Goals" are for promotion. This involves making professional videos, a CD mailing campaign for reviews, and a CD mailing campaign for radio. If I raise enough money, I would also like to make a vinyl version of the album. That involves costs for a vinyl master, artwork, and replication.

Purpose	Cost
Pre-Production	$1,000
Production (Recording)	$9,000
Editing	$1,500
Mixing	$5,000
Mastering	$1,500
Artwork	$1,000
CD Replication and Digital Distribution	$1,500
Minimum Goal Total	$20,000
Stretch Goal 1: 1st Song Video	$2,000
Stretch Goal 2: Review and Radio Campaign	$1,000
Stretch Goal 3: Vinyl Album Mastering, Production	$4,000
Stretch Goal 4: 2nd Song Video	$2,000
Stretch Goal 5: 3rd Song Video	$2,000
Stretch Goals Total	$31,000

Pre-Order the Album Now!

I've worked hard at my music career over the past 30 years. I've taken singing lessons, guitar lessons and songwriting classes. I've spent thousands of hours writing songs and composing music. I quit a day job to go back to college to study music for two years. I've learned how to form and lead bands. I've played over 150 gigs. I've learned how to work with professional engineers and musicians to record my music. This new album is the result of all the time, money and sacrifices I've spent over the last 3 decades of my life. It was worth it to me. I hope it will be worth something to you, too.

Take a look at the column to the right, choose your contribution and reward level, and click the Donate button. Thank you for your support, I really appreciate your faith in me and my music! --Rob Roper

Click the updates link above to follow the progress of this recording project. There are photos and videos from the studio, as well as a chart showing the progress of this fundraising campaign.

Please share this webpage with your friends!

The Pre-Order Campaign is now Closed.

The album will be released to the public on November 9, 2021.

How to Pre-Order this Album

Choose a contribution and reward level from the chart below.

Then, click the Donate button below
to contribute by Paypal, credit or debit card.

(Please note that, if using Paypal, if you select the Paypal friend option,
I won't be charged the Paypal fee and will receive your full contribution.)

You can also send a check to
Robert Roper, 2605 S. Lincoln St., Denver, CO 80210.

Thank you all for your support of my music!

Support Levels and Rewards

NOTE for $100+ donors: the album CD is already in production, so it is too late to have your name listed in the album credits.

Amount	Reward
$15 or more	Album Download
Free Download of the entire album on my Bandcamp site months before it's released to the public.
$25 or more	Autographed CD
CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public.
Plus you get...
a free download of the entire album.
$50 or more	On the Guest List
Free Admission for you at the album release show (live or internet, your choice)
Plus you get...
* A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$100 or more	Album Credit, Personal Thank You Card
* Your name on the album artwork credits. * A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD.
Plus you get...
* Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$200 or more	Guitar/Songwriting Lesson or CD Set
Choose one of the following: * A one-hour private guitar or songwriting lesson from me. * All 5 of all my previous CDs.
Plus you get...
* Your name on the album artwork credits. * A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD. * Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$300 or more	Private Listening Party
Choose 2 of the following: * I will come to your home for a private listening party of the album. Invite friends, have dinner, I'll bring a bottle of good wine. (Available only to contributers within 75 miles of Denver.) * A one-hour private guitar or songwriting lesson from me. * All 5 of my previous CDs.
Plus you get...
* Your name on the album artwork credits. * A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD. * Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$400 or more	I Will Write a Song for You
Choose 2 of the following: * I will write a song for you. We'll talk by phone, Zoom or in person. You tell me a story about something significant that happened in your life, and I'll write a song about it. * A private listening party of the album. (Available within 75 miles of Denver.) * A one-hour private guitar or songwriting lesson from me. * All 5 of my previous CDs.
Plus you get...
* Your name on the album artwork credits. * A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD. * Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$500 or more	Private House Concert
Choose 2 of the following: * I will come to your home with an acoustic guitar and perform a one-hour private solo show for you and the friends you invite. (Available only to contributers within 75 miles of Denver. Contributors farther away will need to make travel arrangements). * I will write a song for you. * A private listening party of the album. (Available within 75 miles of Denver). * A one-hour private guitar or songwriting lesson from me. * All 5 of my previous CDs.
Plus you get...
* Your name on the album artwork credits. * A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD. * Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.
$1000 or more	Executive Producer Credit
Your name will be listed prominently in the album artwork as an "Executive Producer." And you get as many of these you want: * Private House Concert. * I will write a song for you. * A private listening party of the album. (Available within 75 miles of Denver.) * A one-hour private guitar or songwriting lesson from me. * All 5 of my previous CDs.
Plus you get...
* A personal thank you card, enclosed with the CD. * Free Admission for TWO at the album release show (live or internet, your choice). * A CD, signed by me, mailed to you months before it's released to the public. * A free download of the entire album.

The Misfit Club

The Misfit Club are fans who contribute a small amount of money to my music work each month. In return, you get free downloads of all my recording music, exclusive access to home demos, live recordings, and songs from my old bands. You also get free admission to all my ticketed shows, live or internet.

Members of the Misfit Club who contribute to this recording project get the next level of rewards up for your contribution!

To join The Misfit Club, go here.

Website design by Rob Roper

There is no paid advertising on this website. There is no spyware on this site. I do not collect your personal information and sell it to corporations or government agencies.