Patreon Things – 2
this page contains ALL THE THINGS funded and fueled by my patrons since i started using patreon in march of 2015. join the community and help us make more art…it’s an amazing group and WE. ARE. THE. MEDIA.
update, July 2019: after FOUR PLUS YEARS of creating dozens of art projects supported by patrons, we’ve officially released too many things for one web page to take! this page lists Things #1-50. view Things #50-100 here.
THING #50: Amanda Palmer – Bride-Tripping
April 27th, 2018
Bride-Tripping – short story: in 1999, a young amanda palmer (aspiring musician, street performer, lost soul) and alina simone (aspiring filmmaker, lost soul) went on a road trip. this short is culled from over 25 hours of footage that alina took on the road. almost twenty years later, alina and editor amanda laws went through the footage. read the full backstory HERE.
THING #49: The State of All The Things: MARCH 2018
March 31st, 2018
The State of All The Things – MARCH 2018 – a monthly deep-dive, JUST FOR THE PATRONS, into what i am working on to show you all the work and resources that go into making our whole system go. it’s a lot. divided up into four parts: What Happened This Month, What’s Coming Up, How The Patron Is Doing, and a Community bulletin board (i.e. other things/people to check out and support). this is a patron-only post.
THING #48: Current 94
March 20th, 2018
Current 94 – this is the first time i am sending you all a demo of a song that is probably going to change/grow, but, in a strange way, i’m in love enough with this demo that i’m happy to let it leak, find ears, be heard by you. please enjoy it as much as i enjoyed recording it. read more about the making of the song and support the creation of MORE ART on patreon HERE.
THING #47: “Fighter” feat AFP by Patty Monroe
March 8th, 2018
“Fighter” feat AFP by Patty Monroe – i met patty monroe last month in south africa and we hit the studio together in cape town. this is her song “fighter”, played live with me on vocals and piano. this song is available on soundcloud only. if you want to read about the backstory of the making of this song, go to my patreon.
THING #46: Amanda Palmer – Strength Through Music 2018
February 28th, 2018
Strength Through Music 2018 – the original video for “Strength Through Music”, which was on my first solo album Who Killed Amanda Palmer”, was shot on location at and featuring students from Lexington High School, Lexington, Massachusetts, USA. we filmed it back in 2008 as a response to the mass shootings at columbine high school. the thousands of dollars that this remix will earn on my patreon page will all be donated to March For Our Lives (www.marchforourlives.com) which is taking place on march 24th, and the song is also available on bandcamp for $1 – all of that money will be donated to the march as well.
THING #45: Amanda Palmer – Judy Blume
February 12th, 2018
JUDY BLUME – it’s judy blume’s 80th birthday and i have a brand new awesomesauce video and essay up on the huffington post. this is jason’s directorial debut for another artist and i think he KILLED IT. a local new orleans filmmaker, sean o’grady, also came on super-last minute and did a stupendous job with a fantastic local crew (on almost no notice). JUDY BUME OVERLOAD. but that’s okay. it’s her goddamn 80th birthday and why not. so you get to watch…and read.
THING #44: Amanda Palmer – The Mess Inside
February 1st, 2018
The Mess Inside – some of you may have noticed on The Social Media that i was part of a podcast series last week called “I Only Listen To The Mountain Goats” with Welcome To Nightvale’s joseph fink and john darnielle (who is the gorgeous songwriting force that is The Mountain Goats). i covered a song called “The Mess Inside”. there’s an official video. read more about the making of the video HERE.
THING #43: Quartet for Dolores
January 26th, 2018
QUARTET FOR DOLORES – 100% of proceeds from digital downloads go to Chernobyl Children International (www.chernobyl-international.com), a charity close to dolores’ heart. read more about the making of these songs and support the creation of MORE ART on patreon HERE.
THING #42: The AFP + Christopher Lydon Conversation
January 16th, 2018
The AFP + Christopher Lydon Conversation – This Thing is a really beautiful Thing, and a Thing that i’m hoping to do more of. as for my partner in crime, christopher lydon – for those of you who aren’t familiar with him – is a long-standing radio interviewer (mostly found on National Public Radio in the states) and he’s an old hero of mine. read the full backstory and listen to the podcast HERE.
THING #41: ANNUNCIATIONS: Offline in Cuba – by Juan Carlos Zaldivar & Amanda Palmer
December 23rd, 2017
ANNUNCIATIONS: Offline in Cuba – by Juan Carlos Zaldivar & Amanda Palmer – a letter-documentary from cuba, december 2016. read the full backstory of how this whole trip and project happened HERE.
THING #40: Amanda Palmer – “Labyrinth” from The Grinning Man
December 18th, 2017
“Labyrinth” from The Grinning Man – me, in full throated musical-theater form, singing the character grinpayne’s heartbreaking song “labyrinth” from the new london west end musical “the grinning man”, backed by the budapest film orchestra. read the full backstory and listen to the song HERE.
THING #39: Amanda Palmer – How Would You Like To Play God
December 11th, 2017
How Would You Like To Play God – this is the song was written as a semester long songwriting exercise, using input and inspiration from a select group of wesleyan students, michael pope, and myself. i gave the students a writing prompt, and told them that i was going to collect their pages, read them, and write a song inspired by what they’d handed me. this was the prompt: “what would you kill to fix?” patrons can read the full backstory and listen to the song HERE.
THING #38: Amanda Palmer & Jherek Bischoff – Live at Union Chapel
November 16th, 2017
Live at Union Chapel with Jherek Bischoff – this was webcasted LIVE from Union Chapel on november 16th featuring jherek bischoff, plus a quartet! this show was immensely powerful: it felt like a perfect culmination of all the Things this year. jherek and i did some newly-arranged and live material we’ve never tried before. the feeling in the room was warm as warm can be and the audio and visual quality is IMPECCABLE!! patrons can view the full webcast HERE.
THING #37: Amanda Palmer – Mother
November 15th, 2017
MOTHER – this song is dedicated to the current administration. original song by pink floyd. performed by mother amanda palmer. arranged and conducted by honorary mother jherek bischoff. 10% of profits from this 7” record, will go to a dutch NGO called Because We Carry. read the full backstory of the making of the song, HERE.
THING #36: Amanda Palmer – In Harm’s Way
October 30th, 2017
IN HARM’S WAY – so: i have been working on this song and video (with countless collaborators) for almost a full year, and it’s time has come. it’s a deeply emotional one for me. 100% of digital proceeds from this song until nov 30th, and 10% of profits from this 7” record, will go to a dutch NGO called Because We Carry. read the full backstory of the making of the song, HERE.
THING #35: Amanda Palmer – The Ride
October 26th, 2017
THE RIDE – this is the song i wrote in the 36 hours after reading your 1,183 (mostly heartbreaking) comments on this prompt post about what you were afraid of right now. i warn you. if you don’t like art, get out now. run far far away. i’m really proud of it. i keep saying that about my work lately, but in this case, i’m profoundly proud.
THING #34: Amanda Palmer – Small Hands, Small Heart
September 28th, 2017
SMALL HANDS, SMALL HEART – this song was made FAST and with a lot of help from my friends. 100% of the proceeds from the download of this song until october 28th will support the Hurricane Maria Community Recovery Fund working on immediate relief of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. read more about them here: mariafund.org. read the full backstory of the making of the song, HERE.
THING #33: Amanda Palmer – Drowning In The Sound
August 31st, 2017
DROWNING IN THE SOUND – this song was written as a two-day songwriting exercise on august 29th and 30th, 2017, using input/inspiration/comments from over 600 patrons. it wound up being a response to the insanity of internet politics melded with the recent total eclipse and the devastation of hurricane harvey….and, y’know…other stuff. Read the full story, HERE!
THING #32: Amanda Palmer – Grown Man Cry [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
July 28th, 2017
GROWN MAN CRY– the official video for Grown Man Cry, directed by australian director Steven Mitchell Wright (The Danger Ensemble). made RETROACTIVELY THANKS TO THE BEAUTY OF PATREON. read the entire story behind the video, including a note from the director, HERE!
THING #31: AMANDA PALMER & EDWARD KA-SPEL – LIVE IN LONDON
June 29th, 2017
LIVE IN LONDON – recorded live for webcast at the legendary HEAVEN nightclub in london on june 13, 2017 during the “i can spin a rainbow” world tour. if you’d like to view the webcast in it’s entirety, watch it here!
THING #30: AMANDA PALMER & EDWARD KA-SPEL – I CAN SPIN A RAINBOW
May 5th, 2017
I CAN SPIN A RAINBOW – i am incredibly proud of this album, which was written from scratch by me and my songwriting hero, Edward Ka-Spel from The Legendary Pinks Dots. this album has taken us years to finally realize, i hope you love it as much as we loved creating it. read the back story and listen here!
THING #29: AMANDA PALMER & EDWARD KA-SPEL – “THE CLOCK AT THE BACK OF THE CAGE” VIDEO
April 28th, 2017
THE CLOCK AT THE BACK OF THE CAGE – this song, “the clock at the back of the cage,” is far and away my favorite on the “i can spin a rainbow” album, because it’s the most painfully personal. the video came about as the result of a cosmic collision and was directed by christy louise flaws, and luke o’connor. watch it here!
THING #28: AFP-CAST, AFP & MISSY HIGGINS TALK MOTHERHOOD in MELBOURNE
March 31st, 2017
AFP & MISSY HIGGINS PODCAST – on sunday, January 15th at 11 am, missy higgins (an extraordinary australian songwriter) and i got together in The Astor Theatre in Melbourne and talked about what was on our minds regarding motherhood and life..and we played some music. listen to the full podcast & download all of the songs here.
THING #27: FLOATING IN A COCKTAIL GLASS
January 30th, 2017
FLOATING IN A COCKTAIL GLASS – a Thing from the Crypt! a new-old song, “floating in a cocktail glass”. i’ve had this song, a lush many-layered soup of vocals and drunken piano, sitting in the vault for over two years. this came to be with the help of jason webley, who, along with a dead woman named margaret, inspired the whole thing. read the backstory & listen here!
THING #26: THE ANGEL GABRIEL (postcard from havana)
December 24th, 2016
THE ANGEL GABRIEL – this may be my favorite Thing yet. using your patronage, we employed about 50 local havana artists, actors, painters, costume designers, dancers and film crew to make this, and we also filmed a ton of behind the scenes and we’re currently doing interviews with a ton of these (and other) havana locals!
THING #25: “EVERYBODY KNOWS” (LEONARD COHEN) w/ JHEREK BISCHOFF
December 14th, 2016
EVERYBODY KNOWS – i don’t think i need to go into what a huge leonard cohen devotee i am, his death hit me harder than bowie’s, harder than prince’s, even though it was the least unexpected of the three. he was old. he said he was ready to go. but still. the loss of him is like losing family. jherek and i texted each other the night he died. we knew we’d do something. we put on our gloves of muscial-death-work, and we made “everybody knows”, one of my favorite leonard songs of all time. we also enlisted neil gaiman for this cover of “democracy”, which was released through PEN America.
THING #24: RAINBOW’S END with EDWARD KA-SPEL
November 30th, 2016
RAINBOW’S END – it’s been a dream of mine to actually co-write and record with Edward for YEARS – i think we first toyed with the idea 6 or 7 years ago, and it’s just been on the list of things to do before i die. “rainbow’s end” is the first song from our forthcoming full, collaborative album ‘I CAN SPIN A RAINBOW.’
THING #23: “WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD” ANIMATED VIDEO
October 31st, 2016
WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD – JACK & AMANDA PALMER (CHIARA AMBROSIO ANIMATED VIDEO) – a stop-animated version of “wynken blynken and nod” by italian stop-motion animator chiara ambrosio. she had *total* creative license to take the song and run with it. this animation took her over six months of working, painting, set-building and shooting in her studio in london. this was the second video for “wynken” after jim batt/kim boekbinder/nicholas kahn’s time-lapse video here.
THING #22: PIANO IS EVIL
October 25th, 2016
PIANO is EVIL – i spent a solid week in upstate new york recording piano arrangements of the 13 original songs from “Theatre is Evil”. patrons were given a download of the album before anyone else. i also pressed a thin little CD and made a few hundred copies that were sold on tour.
THING #21: WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD ALL-NIGHT VIDEO! from the JACK & AMANDA “YOU GOT ME SINGING” RECORD.
October 19th, 2016
Wynken, Blynken, & Nod video – shot over one, long, beautiful and crazy night in upstate new york with a little help from our friends jason webley and the cast from “welcome to night vale”.
THING #20: SKETCHES FOR THE MUSICAL JIB (a 5-SONG EP with jason webley)
September 13th, 2016
Sketches for the Musical Jib – a batch of new songs by jason webley & AFP: the whole long story, and ALL THE MUSIC, LYRICS, CREDITS, AND ART
THING #19: ON THE DOOR (song with brendan maclean)
September 2, 2016
On the Door – one of my most ridiculous Things to date. in terms of pure tongue-in-cheek dance-mania absurdity, it’s up there with “map of tasmania”, my last humorous attempt at making you laugh with a dance track. ….and i hope you enjoy the eff out of it. it’s a collaboration with australian singer-songwriter-trax-master brendan maclean and australian producer paul mac.
THING #18: THE DRESDEN DOLLS LIVE @ CONEY ISLAND (webcast)
August 31, 2016
THE DRESDEN DOLLS LIVE @ CONEY ISLAND – we captured the full beauty of the dresden dolls live at coney island amphitheater with SIX FANTASTIC CAMERAS and brilliant sound. includes bonus footage of the crowd, the brigade AND the amazing opening band, brooklyn’s own PWR BTTM.
THING #17: THE SOUND OF PEOPLE DANCING (a live-recorded song with Thor & Friends)
July 31, 2016
The Sound of People Dancing – A “sonic postcard” written and recorded at Le Poisson Rouge on July 19th with my touring partners Thor & Friends. listen here.
THING #16: ‘YOU GOT ME SINGING’ (a cover album with my dad, JACK)
July 15, 2016
Jack & Amanda Palmer – ‘You Got Me Singing’ – The Dad Record! My very first fully-patron backed album. it’s a record of twelve cover songs made by me and my dad, Jack Palmer.
Please have a look at the project page to get the full story and hear the album: https://old.amandapalmer.tasty.studio/you-got-me-singing/
THING #15: LAURA (a cover of Bat for Lashes with brendan maclean)
June 22, 2016
Amanda Palmer and Brendan Maclean – “LAURA” – a cover of “Laura” by Bat for Lashes that i did with brendan maclean at the sydney festival 2014, plus an accompanying video that we created using footage from the festival (with the help of amazing direction and editing from Larry Heath from the AU Review and extra camera work from Johnny Au).
THING #14: PURPLE RAIN (a cover with Jherek Bischoff)
May 31, 2016
Amanda Palmer & Jherek Bischoff – Purple Rain – Jherek recorded the strings live in L.A., and I cut the vocal for this song in a huge converted church in Hudson, NY. I found myself thinking, as we started recording, that the entire experience of Prince could be summed up by those first two lines of “Let’s Go Crazy” (which we decided to mash into our arrangement, because why not). It sums up, perhaps, the experience of any human who tries to hammer out some offering that can become to soundtrack of our lives; the music to which we can dance and sing and scream ourselves clean. The mantra, basically, of any artist who humbly stands before an audience and offers their voice:
Dearly Beloved.
We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.
…….
Thank you, Prince. With your music in our ears, we will hopefully punch a higher floor.
THING #13: “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” (animated video)
May 3, 2016
Jack & Amanda Palmer – “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” (art by David Mack): animation by David Mack for “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”, from The Dad Record: 250 paitings worth of gorgeous animation that the wonderful david mack did, on commission, for this track, “1952 vincent black lightning”…that we wanted to lead with. most of the album is my dad playing guitar (and me doing a little ukulele) but there are a few piano tracks, played by me…and this is one of ’em. watch it here!
THING #12: NYC QUARTET THROWDOWN with Jherek Bischoff & friends (webcast)
April 13, 2016
Amanda, Jherek Bischoff and friends Live at City Winery, NYC. 3/29/16. Lots of my songs arranged for STRING QUARTET performed in a teeny sweaty club in New York, beautifully recorded.
THING #11: “MACHETE” (New song and accompanying 8 minute documentary)
March 9, 2016
My first full-band song since “theatre is evil” with ben folds on drums, jherek bischoff on bass and string arrangement and ryan lerman on guitar.
THING #10: “A MOTHER’S CONFESSION” a song with footnotes (a long song about the darkness of parenthood, includes blog with 69 footnotes)
February 25, 2016
Read all the lyrics & the story behind the song here.
THING #9: STRUNG OUT IN HEAVEN w/ Jherek Bischoff (An EP of string-covers of Bowie songs – made in honor of DB after he passed away)
February 5, 2016
Read the full story and listen to the EP here.
THING #8: THE 12 DAYS of AFP-NESS (an archive project)
December, 2015
THE 12 DAYS OF AFP-NESS – (see what i did there?): an archive project in which i hired alex knight to spend two solid weeks sifting through hard drives for great old AFP and dresden dolls ephemera – old posters, rare letters and posters, old unreleased footage, unreleased demos, and one new unreleased song i made with my dad. basically a buffet of weird stuff from the AFP closet, all bundled as one THING.
- day 1: “BRIDE AT PIANO” 1999 show poster
- day 2: “GIRL ANACHRONISM” live with ambitiour orchestra
- day 3: “LOST” acoustic performance on a berlin rooftop
- day 4: PRINCESS ROULETTE photos
- day 5: “PIRATE JENNY” live video from nyc, 2010
- day 6: “GROWN MAN CRY” piano demo, 2007
- day 7: “INSTITUTIONALIZED” – suicidal tendencies cover
- day 8: I WILL NEVER BE A CLASSICAL PIANIST – letter from piano teacher to amanda’s mother, age 11
- day 9: EIGHT FOOT BRIDE DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE
- day 10: “RAGGIN’ ON THE MAN” – bottomfeeder demo, 2011
- day 11: THE DRESDEN DOLLS DEBUT ORIGINAL TRACKLISTING
- day 12: “SO MUCH WINE” – the handsome family cover, featuring jack palmer
THING #7: NEIL GAIMAN INTERVIEWS AMANDA PALMER (interview video)
October 31, 2015
NEIL GAIMAN INTERVIEWS AMANDA PALMER at boston book festival – a DOCU-FILM of neil gaiman’s first (and who knows, maybe last) official amanda-interview, at a church for the boston book festival (warning: it’s weepy, the baby was a mere 6 weeks old). watch it here!
THING #6: TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES (a living-statue performance-art surprise)
August 31, 2015
TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES: a public art performance at nypl – a nekkid, 8-months pregnant living-statue performance-art surprise at the NY public library (including a flash-mob children’s book drive) and a documentary film of the process/day! made by my soul-brother michael pope. read / watch the full backstory HERE!
THING #5: BEHIND THE TREES (an animation)
July 30, 2015
BEHIND THE TREES, a bizarre animation by avi ofer – an animation collaboration (based on a voice memo i made to remember weird shit neil says when he’s half-asleep) with animator Avi Ofer (i LOVE this one)
THING #4: LIVE AT UNION CHAPEL in LONDON (webcast)
June 30, 2015
LONDON WEBCAST at Union Chapel – a pro-quality WEBCAST of my UK book tour london show @ union chapel. watch it here!
THING #3: “THE THING ABOUT THINGS” (a new original song)
May 26, 2015
“THE THING ABOUT THINGS” – a ukulele song – a solo ukulele SONG about losing Things
THING #2: THE DRESDEN DOLLS: LIVE AT ROUGH TRADE (webcast)
April 19, 2015
THE DRESDEN DOLLS: LIVE at ROUGH TRADE, brooklyn – a by-popular-demand pro-quality WEBCAST of THE DRESDEN DOLLS live in brooklyn. we then made the video watchable for all here!
THING #1: “BIGGER ON THE INSIDE” with Zoe Keating (a new original song)
March 9, 2015
“BIGGER ON THE INSIDE” – a song featuring zoe keating on cello – the first patron-powered THING!! a solo ukulele SONG about Anthony, loss and death… read the original post here.