CARTEL

Back in April the boys and I found ourselves in Anaheim preparing for a few shows in the SoCal area. At that time, it was a fairly tumultuous period for Cartel. We were out of a label. No tours on the horizon and no real direction for the future of the band. It was this day that we sat in the hotel bar enjoying lunch and a few adult beverages that we commenced the new phase of ourselves. We decided at that crucial juncture to put our heads down and work on songs that would become the EP that we're now finishing up. We committed ourselves to doing this OUR way. No label. No producers. No peanut gallery. Just us. Just you. So we holed up for a few days and recorded "Lessons In Love" with the hopes that it would be the catalyst for greater things to come. Now we sit with the song hitting the market just in time for us to finish up the remainder of recording for the upcoming EP. The reason we're putting this proclamation out there is because we want all of you (fans and general public) to know what exactly we're trying to achieve. No longer are we focused on cajoling with radio brass in order to gain a few spins on their station. No longer are we mandated to generate music for an industry that's lost touch with their constituents. We're just 4 dudes who like playing music together and want to share that experience with the fans that we've come to know and love over the last 7 years or so. So what you're going to get is just us. Just Cartel doing what we love to do. We conceived every facet of our career from this point forward with the expressed intention to only produce the music for the people that have kept us going all these years. You. The fans. The meaning to all of this. We recorded this ourselves. We're overseeing every last detail of it's promotion and placement. And our hope is that you'll enjoy it and spread the word amongst your fellow music lovers. The only way we can continue to make music and tour is if we get the support from our fan base. This is where you come in. This isn't a ploy to say "we really want you to buy this"...of course we do, but it's important for you to know that you now have more power than ever in supporting music you love. Go to shows. Buy t-shirts. Throw a dollar in the tip jar for the merch guy/gal. It's the little things that keep bands afloat and we'd love to continue to bring the very best we have to the table for you. Direct support for the bands you love to hear and see is the only way that our scene can survive. So stop putting the power in the hands of a select few industry figureheads that just want to fuel up the G6. Support the music you listen to and realize that every little thing you do has a direct impact on the people who make the music for you. The handmade t-shirts. The posters held up at shows. The hearts made with your hands. They all go to show us and other musicians that you really care and it means the world to us. We love you and can't wait to begin this journey with you all. We're all in this together.... One Love Will