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Scranton musician using crowd funding Web site to back new album


PHILADELPHIA &ndash; Two weeks ago, Chet Williams didn&rsquo;t have any money for a new album. That changed when he signed up for Kickstarter.
Williams, 20, a Scranton native known for his work with So Long, Pluto and Awkward Silence, had no idea about the site until a friend introduced him to the concept.
Kickstarter, www.kickstarter.com, allows individuals to begin a project and use &ldquo;crowd funding,&rdquo; or public financial support, to bring it to life. According to the site&rsquo;s blog, more than $7 million was donated to a variety of projects in March 2011 alone.
The Temple junior marketing major launched his project to fund the solo album, &ldquo;We All Walk Fast and Nod in Unison,&rdquo; on April 22 and raised more than $970 towards a $1,750 goal in the last two weeks.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m overwhelmingly surprised. A lot of friends have given me $25, $30 or $50 towards getting this project done,&rdquo; Williams said, adding that a former music teacher, Jim Buckley, donated to his project. 
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way I would have been able to raise $950 in less than two weeks. You can reach so many people in an instant, and that helps so much.&rdquo;
Backers can fund projects on a variety of levels and gain different rewards. For example, anyone who donates $25 to Williams&rsquo; project receives a pre-release, signed copy of the album.
If it isn&rsquo;t completely funded by Thursday, May 26, all pledges are sent back to the proposed donors. It&rsquo;s one way Kickstarter ensures projects are completed with public support.
Williams said relying on the donations of others can be a bit nerve-racking.
&ldquo;The future of the album doesn&rsquo;t hang in the balance, but when it comes out does,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If this doesn&rsquo;t work, it will be delayed a few months.&rdquo;
If it does work, Williams hopes to release the album in August. He plans to record the 10-track album in June and July with Carl Yost at East Room Recordings. Yost was a former student at Temple who left his studies to pursue the Philadelphia-area studio full time.
Williams&rsquo; project may reach its $1,750 goal if the record of music-related donations falls in his favor. According to the Kickstarter blog, more than $13 million has been given to music projects since the site launched in April 2009.
The album will also include a unique mixture of instruments and a variety of musicians from both Philadelphia and Scranton that will build their sections to fit into a musical &ldquo;skeleton&rdquo; he wrote and performed, Williams said.
Get involved

Support Chet Williams&rsquo; crowd funding effort by visiting http://kck.st/hubh5l. Williams must raise $1,750 by May 26, or all pledges will be returned.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ChetWilliamsMusic.

ALSO ON KICKSTARTER

&#8226; Scranton-based writer John Kolsun is working to raise $2,000 before June 4 to back a graphic novel series. More at http://kck.st/exwrqR
&#8226; Clarks Summit native and composer Tony Marasco hopes to raise $800 before May 27 for a proposed large-scale, multi-media art endeavor. More at http://kck.st/hgRAdR

Scranton musician using crowd funding Web site to back new album <p