It' s been a bit too long since we updated this post, which is most of all our fault.  I guess it's all our fault. Sometimes this happens when we're really busy, however, and especially when we are working on new stuff.  We're going to paste our most recent band-blogletter below, but in a nutshell JT and Alli just returned from the UK, they have a wonderful batch of tunes for their new record which we are working on now, the Clouds have an upcoming UK tour, AND the Clouds are working on OUR batch of new tunes which we hope to be recording in the Fall.  We've been busy and we're going to be busy.

And here is the detailed explanation:

Family, Dear-friends, quasi-dear friends, estranged family!  We begin this very pregnified letter with a call to action -- As many of you know, JT and Alli have gone into the studio to record their first offical duo album, Birds of Chicago.   We hope to build on all the excitement and rave reviews garnered by the most recent JT Nero album, mountains/forests (more on those raves later) which, of course, featured Alli and the Clouds, but still, mysteriously, came out as a JT "solo" album. As it turns out -- and several albums in, somehow this is still a horrible surprise to us -- albums cost money to make. JT and Allli recently applied to and were accepted by Kickstarter, the absolutely fantastic website for grass roots arts fundraising.  A brief explanation of what we mean by “grass-roots” fundraising.  Let’s look at two old models for bands to make money: A.)   Band has money saved, most likely borrows more money with interest, makes an album, sells album to fans at shows andpays loan back and replenishes their bank account. B.)   Band is “lucky” to get signed to a label.  The label fronts money for a record.  The band then goes out on the road, sells those cd’s, and almost all CD profits go back to label. And now we have Kickstarter.  The new model.  You – all of you – are the people who have supported us for the last 9 years, for our entire career.  You’re the people who have repaid our loans (many of you have actually loaned us money AND helped us repay the loan.)  So now, with a great little idea like Kickstarter, our fans get to be our record label.  The fans – the people who really care about the band to begin with – get to donate whatever they like (and, of course, receive compensation for their donation…more on that to follow.) As I write this, we are two days into a 30 day campaign to raise $15,000 towards the production of Birds of Chicago (It'll actually end up costing a little more than $20,000 to make, but we try not to dwell on that). Click HERE for a link to our fundraiser page.  As you will see, there is a tiered system of pledges, starting at ten dollars. You can actually donate as little as one dollar - but at ten bucks you qualify for the first tier of compensation - an advance digital download of the album. As you move up the ladder, the rewards get juicier and more plentiful.  If everyone on our beloved mailing list gave ten, we'd be well over our goal. So, while we want to emphasize that no donation is too small and every little bit helps, we also want to remind you that if you are a Big Dawg contributor, it is certainly ok to feel superior to those who gave less.  Right now, only two days in, we've got over $6,000 pledged... a damned fine start. In all honesty, it’s some “It’s A Wonderful Life” type shit.  Seeing all our friends, family, and fans from around the world chip in is…heartwearming  Zuzu’s petals.  It is important to note that if we break through the ceiling of our 15,000 and raise more, we will put that money to work for this album, too. We will NOT use the extra funds to pay for our traditional album-wrap celebration party at Medieval Times. It was shitty of you to even think that was a possibility. So thank you, thank you, thank you all, in advance for helping us get this music out into the world - we are incredibly excited about this batch of songs, and deeply indebted to all of you for making it happen.  What else? As we mentioned mountains/forests was showered with praise from around the globe - and nothing feels better than global praise.Americana UK just bestowed it the number 2 slot in their 2011 top ten list, right behind another "little-band-that-could" from Chicago, Wilco.  And if you haven't seen it yet, please check out the Sun-Times' article about JT and Alli (our hometown press continues to be extraordinarily kind.) JT and Alli will be on the road all feb in march, highllghted by Folk Alliance in Memphis, SXSW, and a first appearance at the historic songwriters' haven in Nashville, the bluebird cafe.  And what, you ask -- we really hope you ask - are the Clouds up to? Numerous things.  The Clouds have a return trip to the UK booked in March and April (those dates will be up on our site soon.)  Also - nation-building of course - there are simply too many babies in the Cloud family now to count.  Well I suppose we could count them, but it would be exhausting. Aside from the UK tour, however, we’re working on the new Clouds record.  All the sensitive plucking and strumming that has been done in the service of jtand alli's rustic dreamtopia has left all clouds, even JT, hungry to make a lean, take no prisoners rock and roll record -- and that's exactly what we''ll be doing in March and early April. So, you may be starved for a bit for a proper Clouds show, but when we re-emerge, it will be with some vicious new tunes to play you... We're copying the closest upcoming dates below (Toledoans!  JT and Alli will be at the Ark in Ann Arbor this week!), but look for all the upcoming dates up on www.jtandtheclouds.com or www.jtandalli.com, or, as always, check in with us on facebook.  Many Blessings upon you all -- love,  the Clouds

Americana, UK, the UK online music journal dedicated to the full spectrum of Americana music , just listed "Caledonia" as one of the top 10 albums of 2010.  This is a really great honor, and we intend to pay it back over the next couple weeks.  Thanks to Americana, UK for doing what they do.

http://www.americana-uk.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=504&Itemid=266

UPCOMING SHOWS: Before the December tour (see "gigs" above), there are a couple of important Clouds dates in Chicago and Wisconsin. The Clouds have been laying in the cut, waiting for Nero and Mikey to get back from tour, and are ready to unleash on their hometown with love and viciousness.  On Nov 19, we will be joining our friends and heroes, the Lowdown Brass Band at the Mayne Stage in Rogers Park - a historic convergence at a historic theater, newly rehabbed and absolutely gorgeous. Rounding out that super bill will be the wondersome Moxie Motive.  This  show should, quite simply, be pretty unique.  There aren’t too many opportunities to see the Clouds in a venue like this, and you can have dinner before or during the show. Click the link above to see for yourself.  Great date night.  Great night to go out with the guys, or the girls.  Great night to be by yourself.  A night just to be with the Clouds!  The following night, we will be in Madison at the Frequency for a pretty amazing night with the Right Now, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, and other local acts as part of the Frequency’s “Rock and Soul Revue.”  Scroll to the bottom of this email for show dates.

THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS: JT Nero finished up a solid year’s worth of touring with Po’ Girl in Lethbridge, Alberta on Oct 31st.... and a great year it was, highlighted by the Netherlands and UK runs last spring, an absolute thrashing of the the lovely west coasts of America and Canada, and triumphantly ass-reaming turns at some of the great North American summer folk fests, among them Kate Wolf, Strawberry, Vancouver and Calgary.....
Now in 2011, JT is ready to re-blaze those territories, with JT Nero and full Clouds tours being finalized as we go to press. Look for all those dates to be up on the site, and we’ll talk a bit more about upcoming dates here in a minute, but first...... the NEW ALBUM
Again, JT Nero has suffered greatly, so that you might be pleased... the new album, mountains/forests, is set to be released into the wild Dec 1st. Recorded in a cabin in Washington Island, WI in 3 days and nights,  mountains/forests features the Clouds, Alli and Benny from Po’ Girl and Michelle Mcgrath, JT’s old singing partner from his San Francisco days, and is a more acoustic, rustic  affair than anything this corporation has ever put down before.
Whether rowing a small boat through fetid lily ponds or observing corrupt aldermen through high powered binoculars, JT Nero remains as relevant to all of humankind as he was when he first slouched onto the scene in 2009. His Dark Materials are still dark, but you may find them a bit more dappled or even washed with sun on this new outing. Maybe it’s the stunning harmonies of Michelle and Alli, maybe it’s the crickets bellowing between each song... but it is the overall effect is unmistakable.  The single, Mi Salvador What’s Happenin’, is up on both the Clouds site and Facebook right now - check it out for a wee taste of what’s coming, and please "LIKE" it, tweet it, and viralize it in any way you are willing in advance of our release.

DECEMBER CD RELEASE TOUR!!!:   Nero is set to take off on a CD release tour of the Eastern US and Canada at the beginning of Dec, with Po’ Girl’s Alli Russell and Mikey “Lightning” August along for all eastern dates, and Michelle McGrath joining for the midwestern run. Finally all of the Clouds who played on the record will join up for an EXACT recreation of the album in a VERY SMALL setting - the Whistler - in Chicago on Dec 21st...... the space is small, the cocktails are invincible.  And yes, the CD will be available at that show.

Along those lines, we will be releasing the new disc through our website, CD Baby, and other outlets on December 5th, so that should pretty much complete your holiday shopping list.
It’s great to be back home…we can’t wait to see all of you in Chicago and Wisconsin in the next few weeks.  ALL of our upcoming dates are pasted below.

LOVE, Nero.  LOVE, Clouds.

 
 
I.) "The Last Three Months - rebefriending JT and the Clouds"
 
We haven't spoken since our CD release, and we do want to thank everyone who packed the Empty Bottle in April, as well as the irrepressibly cool Pool of Frogs and Baby Teeth for helping us out on the big night.  It was the most fun we've ever had at a CD release.
 
Immediately after our release, JT Nero (along w/ Mikey Lightning) toured the Netherlands and UK for eight weeks with our great friends Po' Girl, and they played to packed houses practically everywhere they went.  Since returning to the States, the Clouds went down to the Thirsty Ear Festival and had a great time.  Great sets, great crowd response, great weather, great friends, and Chris Neal came home and blogged about bullwhips.  All true!
 
JT Nero and Mikey also recently played the Kate Wolf fest out in Cali, and the Clouds have just begun our usual run of summer shows (oh, Washington Island, we hear your call....)  We're capping our summer run with an August recording of the NEW JT Nero record on Washington Island (featuring an incredibly incredible special guest, for all of you old school fans...)
 

 
II.  How You Can Help JT and the Clouds Destroy Every Obstacle in Our Path!
 
People are always asking us: what can we do to help?  People are always saying: "We will literally do anything to help you.  Anything you ask.  What can we do?"
 
Well, we're not afraid to say it.  We do need your help.  Here's what you can do: help us viralize the living shit o ut of ourselves.  What does it mean for something to "go viral?"  Scholars have been debating that since the beginning of the Internet.  And the truth is nobody really knows what it means.  But the basic metaphor, we would argue, is that your success is like a virus: it spreads!  Help us spread ourselves, dear friends!
 
If you haven't seen our new video, go to our website, or just track us down on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6HinS_Iq-8).  Watch it.  Put it on your Facebook pages.  Send it to friends.  OR post a link to our website on your pages.  We've got a free download of "Low July" available on the new website.
 
In everything we do, let's keep the "virus" metaphor in mind, remembering that not all viruses are bad.  Some are good.  There is a virus, for example, that allows us to convert "air" into oxygen in our lungs, just like cows contain a certain virus in their stomach lining that allows them to turn grass into "energy" (which is why babies shouldn't drink cow's milk OR eat grass - babies don't have that good virus.)
 
In short, if you want to help, watch our video, visit the website, and "share" them if you like them.  Last we checked, 600 or so people have watched our video.  Can't we double that in the next month???  That's what a virus would do!
 
And on and on!

We love you!

The Clouds