One reason I picked the word "create" to sum up my year is I wanted to drive towards not only coming up with ideas but actually finishing projects. It probably sounds like I keep saying there's something new around the corner and you're never actually going to hear new music, but there is, and I promise you will.

A big part of the first 6 months of 2017 has been moving the pieces into the right place, setting up the board if you want a chess analogy (and who doesn't?) One Proud Monkey has taken up a chunk of my creative time (you know there's a website for the band too, right?) and we're expecting half an album's worth of mixes back any day now, but I get heaps of crazy ideas all the time - in fact my iPhone memos are filled with scratches of ideas and half finished songs.

I've offered to write songs for people this year but time isn't infinite - thankfully, or procrastination would be epidemic I fear - and I've also been exploring ideas outside of my usual pop/rock/acoustic fare.

In a way I'm putting all this out there in the hope that it'll keep me honest but if I meet my expectations you'll get a One Proud Monkey album, a solo album and EP, an electro-pop experiment, something heavier and something lighter, some co-writes with some really great local performers and some off the cuff stuff I'm trying to organise around weekend recording sessions, honestly I'm excited just writing this.

I had the chance to sit down with a local film maker last week, he's doing a documentary on the local scene and he asked me what could be done to improve things around here and I said something along the lines of that local artists need to start releasing the amazing music they are making. Not saying that I think everything I make is amazing per se but I really want to lead this by doing, so I'm spending the next 6 months ticking off every project I've just promised.

Also, if you're on that edge I want to help pull you across the line - I'd love to see as many people in the area write and release their own music, if you feel like you need a shove, get in touch - I feel like there's a wave breaking around original music in these surrounds so jump on the board!

Thanks for listening,

Clint

PS If you do want an early listen to the new One Proud Monkey stuff, please check out the website. All my projects will be released through here, my newsletters and clintonhoy.bandcamp.com