Christmas is coming…
Hello everyone,
It has been an awful long time since I posted any news. I apologize, but I have been a little… well… preoccupied:-) This is a relatively short post considering all that is going on… but here goes.
The Big Announcement!
As many of you have already been made aware, Jessica and I are having a baby. It is our first child and we are really excited. The most recent sonogram revealed that we will be having a little girl. We have a picture and she looks beautiful:-) We are keeping her name a secret until she is born… in case we change our minds or something:-P
Here's a photo of our little girl
Some Fans are Concerned…
Having a baby will certainly present new challenges for Jess and me, and obviously for the whole Cruxshadows project. But it is not the end of the band… So please don’t worry about that. Cruxshadows is not only my life’s work, it is my livelihood, and it is more important now than ever before that we continue moving forward. I have a baby to support afterall.
Which brings me to the next topic…
The Experiment.
I have spent the last few months in the studio trying to get the foundations for the new album together. Things are not going as smoothly as I would like, and I keep finding myself desperately trying to stay on track. I know that money is very tight for everyone, present party included, but I need to do something to bring in some revenue. So I have an experiment I would like to try…
I know a lot of you love Christmas and the holidays that surround it… I really love it. Halloween to New Years is my favorite time of year. Jessica and I got married on the fifth day of Christmas in ’07, so it is our anniversary as well:-) Anyway, for years I have wanted to record a Christmas song and this year I finally did it. I recorded “O Holy Night” which has always been one of my favorites. I know some of you may not be as fond of it as I, but if you do like the track I am proposing a shareware concept. From now until the 12th day of Christmas (that is about 3 weeks from now) I will put the ‘O Holy Night’ track AND the re-edited version of ‘A Promise Made (Wedding Day)’ in honor of our anniversary, online for download. There is a donate button below with the links to the songs. You can pay “something” for the songs. You don’t have to pay anything… I know that not everyone has spare funds this time of year, but if you can and you like the tracks, we really appreciate it… whatever you think its worth. If not, consider it a Christmas present from the band:-) After the 12th day of Christmas the songs will be removed from the website. We are submitting them to iTunes currently, so they can be purchased there if you miss things, although I am not sure if it will be in the iTunes store in time for Christmas. If the songs seem to do well offering them as shareware, then we will see about doing more direct offerings in the future. If not, we will chalk it up to experience. Feel free to send us your feedback and let us know what you think about the whole thing… Oh, one more thing. Because so many people have asked: If you wish to use “A Promise Made (Wedding Day)” in your own wedding, there is no problem with that… none… We would be honored
Anyway…
Here are the links. You will need to right click (PC) or Control+click (Mac) on the song title below to download that file.
O Holy Night (MP3)
O Holy Night (AAC)
A Promise Made (Wedding Day) (MP3)
A Promise Made (Wedding Day) (AAC)
Speaking of iTunes
The Cruxshadows will be releasing more of our back catalogue in iTunes and other digital download sources in the next few weeks. We will keep everyone notified of when the titles actually go back up. We are revueing which titles need remastering at this point…
Thats it for now. I’ll try not to be such a stranger. Remember you can follow me on twitter (thecruxshadows). I’m a lot better about keeping up with that.
Happy Holidays to everyone-
Live Love Be Believe
Rogue
Rogue,
First, congratulations to Jessica and yourself on the little one coming. May God greatly bless you all as a family.
Secondly, The shareware idea, great. Even if songs are posted for a limited time, I believe it will reach out to an already loving audience.
Third, thank you for the music. Several songs by CXS have been soundtracks for life, both high moments and low.
With respect and best wishes from Oregon,
Jason
congratz on the little girl to both you rogue and jessica!
i love the new christmas song (and i’m not a fan of christmas songs at all)
no only did it caught my attention, it made me smile throughout the whole song. something i’ve needed this year especially with some family deaths this year…
i wish you and the rest of cruxshadows a happy and safe holiday and new year!
There needs to be a video with this song. I can just imagine Rogue in a snowy area singing this song.
First of all: Again congrats to Jessica and you, I hope you’re all doing well 🙂
And thank you so much for providing those songs for download, O Holy Night is just amazing! So very peaceful, perfect for that snowy weather we’re having in Germany.
I hope you’re all having a wonderful Christmas time and a great start into 2011 🙂
Love your rendition of O Holy Night
You guys should make a Christmas Album I would so buy it and I know others would to. Amazing thank you again for doing this song it to is my favorite.
Best wishes to you and yours.
Well, you already did a christmas song (cover), don’t you remember “War is over”? 😉
But thanks for the new song anyway. 🙂
How’s a new album progressing? I’ve been so used to a new CXS album almost every year, the current delay seems pretty long. Of course there happened a lot since – some world tours, the theft, moving, getting a child, etc. Still, I’m anxiously waiting to see you live with new songs…
I wish you a very merry christmas, a healthy baby (when is it supposed to be born?), and a happy new year.
Thanks so much – these are both beautiful. Also thank you for the reassurance that we will not be losing one of the best bands out there right now. I wish you and Jessica the best with your coming baby and all of CXS a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Can’t wait to see you guys in concert again:)
This… I am speechless.
Your O Holy Night makes me cry so hard.
This will become my official new christmas song…
Your voice is so strong and beautiful, it’s unbelievable.
Thanks so much for this.
Oh, and I am one of the persons who WILL use A Promise Made for her wedding (if it ever comes to it), I decided that when I first heard it, it’s wonderful.
Congrats to the baby, and all the luck in the world to you, your family and the band!
Love,
Sylphera
thank you, thank you, thank you. that is my favorite christmas song too. you’ve given me shivers and goosebumps… i haven’t felt that way about a song since i was standing in the middle of concert choir in college. the arrangement is simultaneously creepy and fully gothy, yet ethereal and pure and beautiful.
congratulations on the baby… i know you and jessica will be amazing parents! by the way, finding baby clothes in black and red is insanely hard. we’ve tried with our son… everyone sees him in “normal” clothes and can’t believe he’s the child of gothlings :).
all our love to you both, and the rest of the band. we can’t wait to see you guys again!
Jen K. & John P.
Happy news for you and Jesse! What wonderful adventures await you two with the new little one on the way.
Many good wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a New Year rich with the blessings of life.
Thank you so much for the songs. Oh Holy Night is very moving. It’s my dad’s favorite also – I am sure he will really appreciate hearing it – since he is a CXS fan, too.
Congrats on your anniversary, too! 🙂 A very happy time of year indeed!
Much love and (((hugs)))
Cassandra
(Gopal’s sister)
She couldn’t possibly be anything but adorable with two stunning parents! 🙂
I wonder why you failed to mention your cover of Happy Xmas (War is Over). It’s my favorite track on the Excelsis Vol 2 collection.
I can’t wait to get home and download the tracks from you! Money is tight here as well, but I’ll pay a little something for them I promise. 🙂
The songs are wonderful, thanks so much for making them available. I think its a great idea to post songs like this and I’m happy to make a donation. You guys are awesome and its great to see that a run of bad luck isn’t holding you back. The fans are coming together buying things from ebay and now we have a chance to hear some new songs.
Best of luck with the little princess! Can’t wait to hear the good news that she’s made her entrance into the world. I hope Jessica and baby are healthy 🙂
I have never heard you go so all out on vocals before. Well worth the donation. I eagerly await these remasters and of course the new album… Merry Christmas.
As soon as I saw the song you chose I KNEW I would love it. You have an amazing voice and I’m so glad we’re getting to hear it in this way. Like many others, I think it’d be a wonderful thing to have a Christmas/holiday music album – I can just imagine some of the arrangements!! Happy Holidays and a joyous New Year to you and yours.
Congratulations to you and Jessica on the pregnancy! I’m so happy for both of you!
I’m listening to A Promise Made right now and it is beautiful. Possibly the most beautiful song I have ever heard, and I’m being sincere in saying this.
And as for Silent Night, I don’t think I’ve heard a more touching rendition before. I’m not usually one for Christmas music, but I think that if you guys ever did decide to do a Christmas Album it would be marvelous & I would certainly buy it.
I’m not able to donate right now as I do not have a job. :/ I am looking for one though and once I do get one, I will be happy to donate to you guys.
I wish you all the best and again, Congratulations! I’m imagining you two with a baby girl and it’s going to be wonderful!
Much love & Have a wonderful Holiday Season!
Congratulations – you two will be wonderful parents. I thank you for all the wonderful music, and look forward to many albums to come. Always keep looking for that positive influence and remember that you all have many dedicated fans behind you.
O Holy Night is just amazing!! Mind you I absolutely despise Christmas music except maybe for the 40’s and 50’s versions… And I have to agree on the video idea! Keep writing the most amazing music ever! And Congrats to you and Jessica!
Thank you so much! I was thrilled this morning to see that Rogue had recorded “Oh Holy Night” Now, I get to hear my favorite singer sing BOTH of my favorite Christmas Carols. Hearing Rogue’s voice on the CD player in my classroom makes me smile and today was a day that I needed those smiles. Thanks for saving my day!
Merry Christmas, and may you have a wonderful and exciting new year with all the joys that are coming 🙂
I LOVE O Holy Night!! and congrats with the baby!
and the song really cheers me up and i needed it too with the death of mom and having to live with some one i have only met once in my life.
O’ Holy Night is one of my very favorite christmas hymns. Very well done, its just lovely.
Thank you for the two wonderful songs. It was the Cruxshadows that brought myself and my husband together. It was about 5 years ago you had come to Kansas City and it was my 1st Cruxshadows concert. There my not yet husband kissed me for the 1st time. Fast forward two years later and we got married. You had just came out with A Promise Made on your pod cast. We borrowed it for our wedding. You brought us together and we felt if the band could not come this was the closest we could come it. Cruxshadows did come back again to Kansas City and we got to thank Rouge for everything and told him we use the song. He was smiling !!! Thank you Cruxshadows for giving me the man of my dreams.
PS
Mazel Tov to Rouge and Jessica on the upcoming birth of your daughter. Both Stan and I hope to be happy parents like you very soon.
Congrats and welcome to the Goth Parents club! Your little
Gothling is beautiful 🙂 thank you for the music you make, rainy
days in our house often consist of our three year old dancing
around the living room and almost singing along with out massive
Cruxshadows playlist
Congratulations to you, Jessica and the Cruxshadows family.
I’m looking forward to a new album. I hope all works out. Have a
happy new year. May it bring you good fortune and
happiness.