All I can say is... "Soon."

I used to make fun of Axl Rose & Dr. Dre for taking so long to finish their albums. Axl took 15 yrs. It's been 20 since Dre's last. It's been one year for me. But it's almost ready. I mean it.

I didn't mean to lie. I really didn't. I've stated so many dates that were going to be the official release of the EP. The truth is I just wasn't ready. There are many reasons for this. One is that I just wasn't completely satisfied with the way the EP sounded.  Don't get me wrong, it sounded great. I just knew it could sound even better. You've heard it in its present form. It's good. I like it. But it's not all that it can be. So even as I thank you for your patience I ask for more patience.

Last week I set up a studio at my church and recorded a ton of new stuff for the EP. I don't mean new songs, I mean new parts for several of the songs. But I will also be recording new music to include as bonus tracks as well.

As soon as the music is finished I will send it off to get the CDs printed and once I get those back I will send out the rewards to Kickstarter backers and the music will be on iTunes shortly after that.

Thank you for your continued support. It means the world to me.

It's finally coming out!

It was going to be November. Then December. Then January. Then March.

The EP is finally going to be released to the world this month!

Truth be told, I just haven't had enough money. Still don't really, but we're going to make it happen. When I created the Kickstarter campaign, I set the monetary amount for the bare minimum for finishing the recording, mixing and mastering. I did the bare minimum because the Kickstarter campaign I had done before that was not successful and I really needed to finish the process. The thing is, it costs a lot more to actually release a music pro ject, not to mention to pay for all the promotion.

If you would like to help fully fund this you can donate with PayPal to eric(at)ericcoomer.com.

I'll be promoting the music by booking concerts and interviews, and starting a new YouTube campaign with music videos and covers. If you are interested in helping me book some shows, whether at a traditional venue (club, church, etc.) or a house show, please let me know.

Oh and yes, that's a brand spanking new cover up there! For more info,  go to the official Eric Coomer website.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert made me love the art of film more than I already did.

I admired him so much.

I loved his impassioned reviews of movies he loved and hated. I loved his arguments with Siskel (and Roeper). I loved his yearly Movie Home Companion. 

I loved that he championed films like Hoop Dreams, which he and Siskel were outraged wasn't nominated for the Academy Award for Documentary Feature. 

Most critics can be taken with a grain of salt, but when Ebert loved a movie -- when he gave it a "BIG thumbs up!" -- it made me want to see it. I always looked forward to his year end lists of best and worst films. 

I remember specifically 1998. It was a year filled with wonderful, groundbreaking, and critically acclaimed movies such as Out of Sight, Life Is Beautiful, Pleasantville, The Truman Show, Rushmore, Saving Private Ryan, American History X, A Simple Plan, A Bug's Life, Pi, The Big Lebowski, etc. etc. But for his top film of the year, Ebert picked a movie no one had heard of called Dark City. It made me want to see it. And when I did I, not surprisingly, fell in love with it. What's more, he so loved the film that he provided a commentary track for the DVD.

One of the things I admire most about Roger Ebert was that when life handed him lemons...no it handed him manure...he kept on going. He battled cancer with the dignity of a prince. When it took his jaw, he kept making appearances anyway. When it took his voice he found a company that used his DVD commentaries (which also included Citizen Kane and Casablanca) to give his voice to his computer narration system.

Through and through he was a class act. Just yesterday on his blog he wrote "Thank you for being the best readers any film critic could ask for... thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."

Roger died today at 70. He will be greatly missed.

- Eric Coomer

What's going on with the EP?

Hello dear friends.

As you probably know by now, my debut solo EP, The Vast Configuration of Things, was originally supposed to be released late last year but has been delayed several times. It is available only here on my website as we continue to try to raise money to fund the printing and submission to iTunes and other stores. The money we raised here was just enough to get the recording, mixing, and mastering completed.

We have just about raised enough and (thank God) our tax return will be here soon, so I fully expect to begin the process of CD printing and duplication, submission to online stores, and rewards process by late March.

Many have asked how to help me raise additional funds so I can complete this process and get this music out into the world. The best way is to encourage people to purchase the EP at http://ericcoomer.com/music.

Here are some other ways you can help:

• You probably are involved in social networking. Let your friends and followers know about the EP on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. etc. (I'm on all of those too. Check out the links at the top right of this website!)
  
• Encourage your Facebook friends to like http://facebook.com/theericcoomer.
   
• Do you have a blog? Write a review! It doesn't matter if its not a music blog. It's still great! Know of another blog where I should be featured? Let me (or them) know!
  
• Work in a business that plays music in the background? Play my EP! (And talk to me about selling it there!)
  
• Are you able to host a concert or know of somewhere I could play? Let me know!
  
• Listen to a radio station that plays independent artists? Tell me and I'll get them my music to them.
  
• Make a video for one of my songs by yourself or with your friends! You could even use a site like GoAnimate or Animoto.
  
• Above all, pray for me and my family. That's the greatest way you could help us.
  

Have other ideas? Let me know by clicking contact above.

As always, thanks for your support and love. It means all the world to me and my family!