Hello everyone-

I have a lot of news to post, and I am happy to say most of it is really good:-)
Most of it is about Quicksilver…

First of all, I am incredibly happy to inform you that we have just learned that the Quicksilver soundscans that went uncounted well over a month ago were finally accepted and processed by soundscan.  As a result of getting credit for these sales, Quicksilver has re-entered the charts and landed this week at the #1 position on the Billboard Dance Singles Sales Chart in the USA, and the #2 position on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart also in the USA!!!  It has really happened, it seemed unlikely… or even impossible.  But it has happened and its in the record books!!!  It just goes to show that even when things seem hopeless, you have to keep on fighting, and believe, and sometimes things will happen!  Charting this high is a significant feat, and one that is almost never accomplished by independent artists in the music world.  We want to thank all of our fans that went out and got this CD, all of those who supported us at Dragoncon, and all of you who downloaded it from iTunes and the like.  We also want to thank MVD, our distributor, for hanging in there and not conceding this one away.

Because the CD was released by our own label, Wishfire Records, it is a kind of double victory.  It shows that the band is still setting records and making waves, and it shows that our little label can do the job and make things happen.  Honestly, I feel like dancing I am so happy… ooops, I just did a little jig thingy around the table…. This makes Quicksilver tied with Birthday for our highest charting single, which held the same chart positions in 2007.  Quicksilver even knocked Lady Gaga down to the number 2 position on the dance charts (I know, only for a week… but still, we are independents and it was cool when we did that with Beyonce and Madonna too).

Like Birthday and Immortal, we are preparing a music video for Quicksilver.  We finished shooting it last month and expect the video to be completed in late November.  The video was organized and overseen by Marc Shahboz who also directed the Immortal video.  We will have more information on the video credits when it is released, but we are very excited about some of the visual elements that are being used.  I think that the Quicksilver video will turn out nicely.  Here is a still or two from the video:

We have taken an aggressive marketing position in regards to the song Quicksilver (well the whole single, the “B-sides” are pretty “A-side” if you want my opinion) and are supporting it with some real advertising (and touring).  You can look for our full page color advertisement in Wizard Magazine on stands in the next week or two!   If you don’t know what Wizard is, its a magazine geared towards comics, as well as role playing, video games, anime etc.  Wizard is the owner of a convention some of you might have heard of called Comicon.  We are thinking our ad will stand out:-)  We are hoping to rally more of our fans to pick up copies of Quicksilver for the holidays, and thought a few ads in a magazine with a 200,000 or so circulation might be just what the doctor ordered.  What could make a better Christmas gift than a copy of Quicksilver???  I can’t think of anything.  really.  Blank.  Quicksilver is all that comes to mind.  You will be helping the band out and giving a friend or family member music that they will undoubtedly love;-)  Quicksilver is available in tons of stores like Best Buy, Newbury Comics, Hot Topic, Amazon.com, CDuniverse, iTunes, Zune, JandR, Projekt Mailorder, Storming the Base, and many others.  Please pick up a copy.  Think of it as an investment in our next album.  What are you waiting for???

Check out the Quicksilver info page we have put together at www.cruxshadows.org/Quicksilver.html which includes a streaming version of the disc so you can listen to the whole thing before you buy.  The video will be posted there when it becomes available as well.

Some of you may have also noticed that the Website is completely different.  Jen and I took on the task of redesigning our new website.  It was a pain in the A#$!   But I think it looks great, loads faster, and you don’t have to listen to the music player unless you want to.  We set it up so as to keep information about the band centralized and our social networking… well, networked.  It is modular and really groups everything Cruxshadows together.  We are really happy with the new site, and while I am SURE there are a few bugs floating around…  I think it is far streamlined and infinitely more manageable both for us and our fans.  Let us know what you think.  You can still access the site currently at www.cruxshadows.com .  As we stated in previous posts, there are some legal issues regarding the domain, and you may be better off with www.cruxshadows.org or www.livelovebebelieve.com .  We are still working on getting ownership to our domain name, and we aren’t about to give up on that front either.  But its good to have a backup domain or two (or maybe six).  (More on that in another blog).

The band has picked up some some support from the entertainment industry.  Daisy Rock guitar, which Cruxshadows have used for the last few years for our crunchy ‘smash you in the mouth’ guitar sound, has decided to Sponsor us.  Specifically they are supporting our guitarist Cassandra.  Look for Cassie to be playing a shiny new Custom instrument from Daisy Rock.  Congratulations Cassie!  Additionally, Lip Service has contacted Cassie about writing a weekly tour diary on their website!   Don’t miss it.  You can keep up with Cruxshadows on the second leg of our European Quicksilver tour through the eyes of Cassie on the Lip Service website.

 And the Immortal video is now playing on monitors in Journeys Stores all across the country (USA).  Give them a little
feedback and let them know you love the immortal video and The Cruxshadows:-)

We are currently in Mainz ramping up for our tour in Europe.  This time we will be playing shows in Germany, The UK, The Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland.  We are very excited because Ayria, one of our favorite bands,  will be opening for us on most of our European dates.  Our fans in America are very familiar, but our fans in Europe may not know them(her) very well yet.  Yet is the operative word:-)  Jen Parkin of Ayria is a great performer and a close friend of Cruxshadows.  We are really excited to have her on tour with us, and we hope that our fans will come out and support both bands on the Quicksilver Tour.

We have also set up a DJ pooling service for Cruxshadows music.  What we have accomplished is a list of DJs who have access to our newer material that is greater than at any point in the past.  We urge you if you are a Club DJ, radio or internet DJ, or an event promoter to please email us and start playing CXS.  Quicksilver is a great dance track, and has a fantastic dance remix that will fill the floor if you spin it three or four times.  To our fans we ask that you request Quicksilver from your local club DJ.  If they say they don’t have it then you can point them here.  You can find out more about our DJ pool at www.cruxshadows.com/DJs.html

There was a lot of unwanted excitement on the trip over here.  Van trouble, computer problems, equipment damaged, and just basically stressful situations upon stressful situations, but I feel really good about things right now… the tour is heading in the right direction. I am really excited about our charting on Billboard and getting the number one spot again.  Its empowering.  We hope that this will help to drum up some excitement for Quicksilver with our fans, and for the tour.  We will be on the road through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, and go back home and begin work on the new full length afterwards.  If all goes according to plan, we will let you know the title in the not too distant future:-)

Tweet, blog, facebook, myspace- Whatever you do, do it please… we need you to get out there and spread a few mentions about Quicksilver.  Somehow those words “Taking back my love, taking back my pride, taking back my dreams, and my life” seem to make a lot of sense to me right now.  I think we can make some things happen together.

Here’s to never giving up.

My best to you all-

Live Love Be Believe

Rogue