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Putting record production directly in the hands of his fans, Asbury Park singer-songwriter Eric Ginsberg is taking an unlikely path to the release of his next album – Fire.

“It’s no secret that the music business has changed,” Ginsberg said in a written statement.  “There was a time when every shopping mall had a record store or two, but good luck finding them these days. The dreams of signing a big record deal and having a label produce and release an album are largely gone.”

Our affiliate triCity News once called Ginsberg “one part Tasmanian Devil and one part P.T. Barnum. He combines energy with enthusiasm and creates order out of seeming chaos.”

Ginsberg recorded Fire in Louisville, where veteran musician Peter Searcy served as producer.

Now fans can pay a pledged amount each month or opt for a per song pledge to fund the next steps in production. Using Patreon, a crowdfunding website similar to Kickstarter or Indiegogo, Ginsberg is releasing the album one song at a time.

“Every month I’ll send one new song from my upcoming album, FIRE – 10 songs in all,” he said. “You’ll get to download that song and, depending on your patron level, a bunch of other goodies that make each song a whole experience. At the end of the year, I’ll spend that money to make and release a tangible album. It’s like Kickstarter, but backwards, because you get the music NOW – no waiting.”

Fans can sign on for packages that range in price from $1 to $10 per month, and feature everything from a new song each month to a package that includes the new song, an exclusive acoustic video, the song’s original demo, a demo of an additional never-before-released song, a monthly online acoustic concert, and an invitation to the album release party.

“One of the hardest things about releasing an album is that the clock starts ticking the moment you release it,” Ginsberg said. “Like most independent musicians, I don’t always have the time or money to just go out and live on the road to tour in support of a record.”

By releasing Fire via one song monthly increments with accompanying podcasts, Ginsberg said he hopes the new material will get a longer shelf life, thereby allowing for more opportunities to promote it. Ginsberg released Fire’s first song on Feb. 28 and each of the subsequent nine song will be released on the last day of the month, he said. 

“The best thing about Patreon for my subscribers is that they only pay when they get something, and they pay as much or as little as they want,” he said. “The best thing for me is that, when I release a song, subscribers will get to hear it and their subscription helps with recording expenses.”

For more information, visit Patreon.com/EricGinsberg.

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