A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE FROM THE STRANGE FAMOUS CREW:
Happy New Year, StrangeFam!
We'd like to thank you for sticking with us through another year, the 27th since Sage Francis put tracks to tape and kicked off this thing that is still going and growing over a quarter-century later.
Since the fall of 2021, SFR has released 7 projects over 14 months, including a fantastic four in 2022:
the magical Even In Death, a collaboration between old friends Seez Mics & the late, great Cubbiebear; Unwound, the official full-length, self-produced debut of Mopes (who you used to know as Prolyphic); Pigeon Man, the Strange Famous debut from Jesse The Tree, a hometown Rhode Island emcee that Sage discovered in Europe, because that's how that type of thing goes (Mopes produced all of that one, too); and the second Seez Mics bookend to the year, his collaboration with the mighty multi-hyphenate Aupheus, Cancel The Guillotine.As the new year begins, we'll continue to bring you more videos & instrumentals & merch & maybe even a remix contest or two from these albums.
We'll also continue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the undisputed classic Sage Francis LP Personal Journals (we decided the anniversary doesn't end til its original release date in April - but make sure to grab the double vinyl reissue at your local record shop before they disappear). We've got a few special & very limited edition PJ-related drops you're going to want to keep your eyes out for in the coming months.
SFR crew were doing big things outside of official SFR channels as well:
- don't sleep on B. Dolan's Patreon offerings, or his never-ending quest to keep the legacy of the legendary & deeply-missed Alias alive - he is the force that brought Deep Puddle Dynamics back to wax for a whole new generation to experience. - Scroobius Pip continued to own the worlds of cyberspace & cinema with his skillion-listener podcasts & appearances on the silver screen (we sincerely hope you've made a weekly appointment with his Distraction Pieces 'cast) - BlackLiq dropped records with his metal band Armagideon Time & producer OhBliv, rappelled down a skyscraper (seriously), believed the children are our future and acted as such every day, and made a heart-wrenching, must-listen appearance on the Invisible Choir podcast (courtesy of Early Adopted) to tell his unbelievable-but-true story. You should go check that right now. - Wheelchair Sports Camp returned to the stage in 2021 in a big way, not only with shows, but with a full-on stage production of Alice In Wonderland put on by Phamaly Theatre, featuring Kalyn as the Cheshire Cat, set to a soundtrack composed by WSC. In 2022, the crew released their masterpiece on Vinyl & CD so the rest of the world could join them through the looking glass, and performed the soundtrack live from front to back! They also trekked east to perform in NYC's Central Park at the Disability Unite Festival. - dan le sac got married (congrats!) & continued to churn out sonically astonishing bleeps & bloops like no other. - Our invaluable behind-the-scenes division of mad geniuses like Inkymole, Pat Jensen, DJ Zole, Buddy Peace, and ClassSick Custom continued to contribute their magic to SFR while also doing many amazing things on their own that you should take a peek at.
2023 is looking to bring our most jam-packed release schedule yet, bursting with old favorites & new crew (and a few fresh collaborations between the two), including:
the fist-punching-through-the- Strange Famous sophomore ventures from Trademarc and Lee Reed
a searing sequel outing from BlackLiq x Mopes
the star-studded debut album from SFR newcomer Oldboy Rhymes
even more Mopes than you can shake a Prolyphic CD at! and while nothing is etched in stone yet, but don't be surprised if somewhere along the way you hear from Cas One, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Jivin Scientists, Seez Mics, Jesse The Tree and even more.
Oh, and... the biggest reason you've read this far... NEW MUSIC FROM SAGE FRANCIS!?!?
Honestly, we have no idea. Only the Sage knows. But it's bound to happen sooner or later, and what is the New Year about if it's not about #HOPE?
Unfortunately, we can't close out this year without remembering those we've lost: this year cost us maybe the strangest of our Famous, the hilarious and multi-talented Curtis Plum. He was one of one, maybe two at most. More than that? That's getting carried away. We're forever better for having had him in our fam.
Once again, thank you all for the love and support - we literally couldn't do this without you. May our entire StrangeFam be about to step into their most magical, magnificent year yet.
SFR-4-LI(F)E