There's Always Another Girl — PledgeMusic campaign
Juliana Hatfield's first PledgeMusic campaign, launched in 2011 to fund There's Always Another Girl.
Juliana launched her first PledgeMusic campaign on April 5, 2011, to fund what would be released as There's Always Another Girl (2011).
The target was reached within hours, breaking PledgeMusic's record for an artist to achieve their goal. Some incentives sold out before the day was over. Juliana wrote that she was “totally overwhelmed” and that the response meant she could make the album “the way I want to make it”, give her more studio time, and increase the donation to animal shelters.
She expanded the incentive catalogue including custom guitar picks, a 20-question email exchange, signed books and posters, and more artwork. (See the full list below)
Recording updates
Recording began at Q Division Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts, in late April 2011, making Juliana's first electric-band album since 2008's How To Walk Away.
She produced the album and played the six-string guitars and keyboards; Ed Valauskas played bass and Pete Caldes played drums. Rafi Sofer contributed backwards effects and noises.
Campaign updates included lyrics, short audio previews, studio photographs and video.
She described the extra recording time as a chance to “obsess over guitar solos and mak[e] all things right”.
Other Music
Juliana's artist profile on the PledgeMusic site before the campaign itself launched had a streaming cover of Albert Hammond's "It Never Rains in California".
Music released as updates included an improvised early version of “Sex and Drugs” (a finished version would end up on the finished album), and a cover of Jessie J's “Price Tag”.
Fans could also pledge for Juliana to record a cover of their choice. This resulted in Juliana posting covers of Neil Young's "Barstool Blues" and New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle".
Towards the end of the campaign and after the release of the album Juliana shared a Brad Walsh remix of one of the songs - "Don't Wanna Dance", which featured Walsh on vocals.
Title change
In May 2011, the title was announced as Speeches Delivered To Animals And Plants, described as being loosely based on the concept of failure.
In June 2011, it changed to There's Always Another Girl, Juliana saying the new name was “more succinct and makes sense, somehow” and suited the artwork.
The final fourteen-song track list was announced in July - see the discography page at There's Always Another Girl (2011).
Release
On July 27, 2011, the album was released digitally to PledgeMusic supporters, with a message from Juliana:
This has been a really interesting and illuminating and gratifying project and I can't thank you all enough for taking part. I hope to do it again soon.
The general release followed on August 30 with vinyl and CDs being sent out.
Incentives
The campaign offered 83 incentives:
Music
- CD — The album on CD, delivered after manufacture.
- Signed CD — A signed copy of the album.
- Special edition vinyl — A limited-edition vinyl pressing of the album.
- CD Catalog — One of three catalogue bundles of Juliana and Blake Babies releases, advance editions, singles, EPs and How To Walk Away demos.
- Rare last Blake Babies EP, “Epilogue” — A sealed copy of the five-song EP sold at shows.
- 90min. Maxell cassette both sides full w/my song ideas — A cassette of song ideas, early melodies, chord progressions, lyrics and recordings that did not all become finished songs.
- Record a song of your choice — A new personal recording of a supporter’s favourite song.
- THE LAST 20 “How to Walk Away” demos CD's — One of the final signed copies of the demos CD.
- “The New Album Download” — The album download with access to the campaign updates.
Merch
- 100% Cotton Free Trade T-Shirt — An unisex campaign T-shirt.
- Custom Guitar Picks + Download — Custom pink guitar picks, a note, the album download and access to updates.
- Signed First Act Guitar Used On Record — The signed First Act electric guitar used on the album, with photographs and video intended to authenticate its use.
Artwork
- Signed Poster — A signed campaign poster.
- Signed Vintage Concert Posters — Signed vintage concert posters, including the cowgirl and girl-on-bed/Fitzgeralds designs.
- “How To Walk Away” poster (signed) — A signed 18 × 24-inch poster.
- Signed Handwritten Lyric Sheet + Drawing — Handwritten lyrics for a chosen song, with an original drawing on the reverse and Juliana’s signature.
- Signed hand-painted watercolor self-portrait — One of a series of three small signed paintings based on a Polaroid self-portrait.
- Original acrylic works on heavy paper — Ann, Annabelle, Arthur, Augie, Avery, Bella, Candace, Franz, Georgie, Gwendolyn, Jenny, Laetitia, Lillith, Maddie, Margaret, Marsden, Martine, Matilda, More Malted Milk Balls, Ricardo, Richard, Stanley, Untitled 1, Untitled 10, Untitled 2, Untitled 3, Untitled 4, Untitled 5, Untitled 6, Untitled 7, Waterscape, Zenith and Lila.
- Original acrylic works on paper — Burst, Burst 2, Remy, Skittles, Skittles 2, Skittles on Blue, Spider Fern, Swirl, Untitled 8 and Untitled 9.
- Original watercolor on paper — Fireworks Over Water.
- Print with watercolor paint on paper — Isabella.
- Original acrylic works on canvas board — Lilacs and Lilax.
- Original oil-pastel works on paper — Malted Milk Balls and Malted Milk Balls 2.
- Original acrylic works on Yupo paper — Tsunami, Untitled 11, With Blue and With Yellow.
- Original watercolor — Stained Palm.
- Original oil painting on a canvas board — Candy Corn.
- Original acrylic painting on canvas — Lee.
- Original acrylic paintings on canvas board — Early SelfPortrait (“Only Everything” Days) and Skittles on Blue Plate.
- Individually listed artwork — My Pet Lion and I Won't Let You Go.
Miscellany
- “20 questions” — An email Q&A in which Juliana answered a supporter’s list of twenty questions.
- “When I Grow Up” Signed — An inscribed and signed copy of Juliana’s music memoir.
- A certified (by me) lock of my hair! — A bundle of hair with a handwritten note and the album download.
- Skype w/ me! — A fifteen-minute Skype conversation.
- Your name in the credits + Signed CD — A signed CD with the supporter named in the credits and a special thank-you.
- Original Workbook — A notebook of lyric workings-out, free association, drawings and rejected ideas.