Hi, this is Dennis Jagard, songwriter, singer and guitarist of Ten Foot Pole, a melodic punk, skate punk, alt rock (?) band with roots in the 90’s Epitaph/Fat and '80s Nardcore scenes. We play as a full band, as well as stripped down acoustic shows, typically just me singing with an acoustic guitar and telling stories.

This Patreon account was made when I was struggling financially and looking for help to subsidize band projects. Currently I am employed, which means I have far less time to do things, but a lot more cash to invest in band projects... so I'm not pushing for the higher tiers, rather I hope people sign up to the $1 tier just to help me have an email list. Since I have cash now, my plan is to reward all the patrons who helped when I was struggling, even those that cancelled subscriptions. Not sure when or exactly what the gifts will be yet, as I'm on tour doing sound for "Weird Al" Yankovic at the moment, but I'm committed to rewarding those that were kind to TFP!

The next big thing is releasing singles, then the full album, of a full band Ten Foot Pole record we made since the acoustic album Simmer Down was released in 2020. This is a 13 original aggressive song collection, with the first track scheduled to be released May 25, 2022. Overall the sound is a bit more raw than the previous rock album Escalating Quickly, which had lots of dueling guitars and even some keyboard fluff which was a fun experiment... but this time we wanted to get back to the basics and just rock with solid songs and tough sounding guitars.

Below is the older description of our Patreon plan, which I'm not canceling... just not pushing, other than hoping you sign up for at least the $1 a month deal, so that I have your email address for sending out info (because Facebook etc actually costs money to reach you, requiring that I "boost" posts in order for you to reliably see them).

Thanks for your interest and support! I hope you like the new tunes, and the gifts we send if you are a current member! Dennis, May 23, 2022
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We are a DIY operation that depends on the generosity of our biggest fans and some independent labels to help us defray the costs of touring and recording/releasing music. To show our appreciation to our patrons, we offer some perks such as newsletters, early access to music/videos/podcasts, gifts and guest list spots that escalate along with the size and time frame of the contributions (summary below, details in the tier description sections).

My background includes working as a touring sound engineer for artists such Prince, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Jimmy Eat World, so it is tricky to juggle the schedules of my work and band opportunities. Much more about the band, music, and history can be found at tenfootpole.com and in previous posts here, including podcasts where I interview some interesting musicians, techs and tour managers.

Below are descriptions of the three patronage tiers available, based on monthly subscriptions of $1, $5 or $10. You can quit any time (so yes, you could sign up for a month just to get a specific benefit), but we hope to keep you around, or if finances are tight, that you could at least stay on at the $1 level so that you keep receiving newsletters. Unfortunately, on Facebook it costs money for us to "boost" an announcement, such as tour dates, even just to get information to our friends... so we'd love to keep you in direct contact via newsletters/email.

$1 a month: Patron: for the moderately curious and supportive who want firsties and to be in the loop. Perks include early access to hear/see/order new music, videos and podcasts; monthly or more often newsletters; a welcome letter including a FREE sticker and guitar pick.

$5 a month: Dedicated Patron: for dedicated supporters who want swag, music and discounts. Benefits include same as $1 tier, plus: an annual gift from TFP merch (a shirt or hat usually if shipped, something even better if you come to a show merch booth); FREE digital download when music is released; 15% discount on any orders from the official online TFP store (only our store, not other vendors); welcome letter includes a poster.

$10+ a month: Super Patrons: For our biggest fans who want us to quit our day jobs and do TFP full time! Benefits are all the above PLUS: guest list spots at our headlining shows (see tier descriptions for details, doesn't include festivals); access to special items, for example the upcoming acoustic release will have test pressings ONLY available to Super Patrons; 30% total discount on any orders from the official online TFP store; the welcome letter adds a band photo.

The benefits/rewards will evolve as we work hard to keep you happy, and find/create things you like.

Also note we are adding an annual membership option, where you get a discount by paying for the whole year in advance. If you change your mind, for example if your employment situation changes, pro-rated refunds are available.

Thank you very much for your support and interest in Ten Foot Pole recordings and concerts! We would love nothing more than to keep making music, full band and acoustic, and sharing it with you! Please check our tour dates in case you want an in-person explanation! And feel free to write with suggestions and requests.

Hope to see you soon!
Dennis