The end of the year is coming up… FAST and FURIOUS! I wanted to make something to commemorate the awesome year the guys have had through the eyes of you, the fans! Since we haven’t been around the whole year, we need some help!

Here is the plan…

I am going to make a video for each of the guys. No more then 10 minutes per video (most likely less!). I want the video to include pictures and video from the eyes of the fans. They can be of performances, you meeting the guys, a photo of you with one of the guys, WHATEVER! As long as it is YOUR picture or video, it doesn’t matter what it is!

I’ll take everything sent to me and create montages for the year. This could be really cool, but I need the help from you all to make it amazing!

Want to participate?

1. Send me an email with your video or picture attached to shackofsoul@hotmail.com no later than Wednesday, December 23, 2009.  Put the guy’s name and End of Year Video in the subject line (ex. Sam Bradley – End of Year Video) so I can sort them easily.

2. Make sure whatever you are sending is YOUR personal photos/videos. Do not send any promo shots or any photos or video you do not have permission to use.

3. Be sure to include your name that’d you like used to credit you for participating. If you have a blog or a Twitter you’d like to link to, let me know. I will try to accomodate.

4. Should we receive a huge response, your photo or video may NOT be used. It will be at our discretion. I don’t want any hurt feelings! We will do our best, but I make no promises.

5. Even if you have sent us stuff in the past, please resend it for the video. I don’t want to surprise anyone by using something they didn’t want put in the video.

So, what do you think? I’m kind of excited about doing this.

And if you want to participate, but don’t have anything to send, you still can! I need help picking out a song for each guy to use on the video. Leave your song suggestions in the comments and we’ll run a poll next week with the best ones!

First batch are from our good friend, PokerStarlight (who I get to meet this weekend!). These pics are from Sam Bradley & The Men’s performance in Atlanta on Nov. 10. Great pics babe!!

Digging the sweater!!

More pictures after the jump!

Personally, I love these really "intense face" shots! And the lights provide a cool background!

Looking for some divine intervention? LOL

Another nice shot! Love the smile!

Play it Sammy, PLAY IT!

Sam with the Men! Who is he pointing too?!?

Sam singing sans guitar!

Is that water, or maybe a little something else? Shhh... we won't tell!

And from Mtn_lioness, who made the Sam show in Chicago on Nov. 12, we have a few more pictures and she had some nice words about him:

My friend and I went to Sam’s show in Chicago last night and had the pleasure of talking to him for quite a while as well. We were so impressed with his stage presence and charm! We look forward to seeing him live again sometime. His music is great, but his music live transcends greatness!

I love how he seems to be glowing. Hilarious.

Sam with all the Men. The blue smoke is killer looking!

A little bit fuzzy, but the smile is too good not too share!!

So, you going to see the guys on tour! We’d love to see your pics and hear your stories. Send them on over to shackofsoul@hotmail.com and we’ll try and get them posted!! Oh, and if you are seeing Sam this Saturday in Dallas, be sure to come and say hi to LiLi and me. We’ll be the ones by the bar!

Clickity - click to go to Sam's site!

Sam rolls out his new site, and it is stellar!

Okay, I know you think I am just saying that because it’s Sam and because I’m fangirling a bit over our site being included on the links page (well it is!). But hey, I like to think I’m a straight shooter. And I got this fancy degree in marketing and public relations so I’m full of credibility.

But seriously, it’s a great site. It’s clean, easy to navigate and even strives to get you, the fans, involved.

Like most music sites, it has the typical news, tour dates, biography, etc. But delve inside and it’s way more then an average music site.

First off, I went to check the photos section (duh!) and not only are there the typical promo shots, but also a Fan photo section. Basically, we can all submit our photos of Sam or with Sam and they will be posted in their own album on the site. Kind of like bringing Facebook to the website. It’s really a great idea. And I may or may not have already submitted mine!

They’ve also done the same thing for videos, so get over to the video page and submit your best Sam video there, too. Holding that camera still while telling all your girlfriends to shush while Sam plays has finally paid off for you! (But not you GarnetGurl. You can not submit your video. You know why.)

Another great feature: Ask Sam! Do you have a burning question you’d like to ask Sam? Maybe you clammed up when you met Sam and forgot to talk to him (::cough::LiLi::cough::)? The best questions will get answered and posted for all to see. All I ask everyone is too stay cool with the questions. Actually, all of my readers know this already, but geez I hope other people can follow that rule. You know the rules of our blog? Yeah, they should apply to Ask Sam too.

So Sam, kudos to you and your team for putting together a top notch site. The wait was well worth it! (And thanks for linking to us! We love you so much for that!)

I asked these “Man Fans” 5 quick little questions about their love for the guys, and here is what they had to say!

Jon

1. Who is your fave Brit boy and why?

Marcus – because he is just so fun to watch

2. Have you been to a show and if so, what did you think?

Yes I went to both shows here in Dallas. When my sister drug me out there the first night I really wasn’t a big fan but I didn’t want her and her friends going down to that part of town without a guy. But when the show started it was awesome. Bobby was great and Marcus really surprised me. He is fucking awesome.

3. As one of the few guy fans, what made you become a fan?

What really made me a fan was how the guys acted around me. At the show the guys had to use the restroom in the dressing room and when I went back there the were just really cool and talkative.

4. Favorite song?

Shadows of the City

5. Why should other guys give the Brit boys a chance?

Because the are just really cool and fun guys. They are just like any of my friends they just talk funny.

Nominated by his sister Katie!

Author side note: If you were at the Dallas shows, Jon was the guy in the Dallas Cowboys jersey! LOVE IT!!

More after the jump!

Michael (By they way, he is a sarcastic one!)

1. Who is your fave Brit boy and why?

I like Bobby because it sounds like he’s gone through some things and he’s putting that emotion into his music and it sounds like he also really tells a story in his music while the others, no offense sound more like they’re writing fluffy love songs. But I like Marcus, too because he got a blues-y style, it’s different compared to what we are used to hearing in the US.

2. Have you been to a show and if so, what did you think?

No, I have never been to any of their shows.

3. As one of the few guy fans, what made you become a fan?

I’m not a fan, I have to listen to this stuff because my wife is three feet from me and she doesn’t wear headphones like she should, like I do.

4. Favorite song?

No, because I don’t know any of the names of the songs to begin with.

5. Why should other guys give the Brit boys a chance?

Mmm. I don’t know? Maybe they’ll get cool points from chicks, if they’re lucky.

Nominated by his wife at The Pattinson Project!

Shaun

1. Who is your fave Brit boy and why?

My favorite recording artist from the “Brit Pack” would have to be Sam Bradley. He has an amazing voice and we have already seen him live twice. He puts on a good show and we have spoken with him briefly twice, and he was very nice to talk to and down to earth.

2. Have you been to a show and if so, what did you think?

Yes I have been to two shows and am scheduled to go to two more in the winter. He had great crowd participation and interaction, good stage presence.

3. As one of the few guy fans, what made you become a fan?

My wife…lol. She had said that she liked this guy and that I should listen to him. When I first heard him I was not…thrilled with Sam, but slowly over time I listened more and more to him and really began to enjoy his voice and his sound. It is a big change for me – while I listen to a variety of music I mainly listen to rock and classic rock. So the switch to the nice bluesy, soulful sound was a nice change.

4. Favorite song?

Do i have to pick only one??

Sidenote from the wifey: Yup, you have to pick just one. Maybe two, but Amber & LiLi may get mad.

Well if they will get mad then I’ll only pick one….Hmmm let me think…Well if I can choose only 1, I hate to say this b/c it is probably almost everyones favorite, would be “Too Far Gone” by Sam.

5. Why should other guys give the Brit boys a chance?

The Brit Pack is a good group of aspiring singers that give a good show and really put a lot of themselves into their music. I like their soothing sound at the end of the day or when I am trying to wind down.

You can also follow Shaun on Twitter!

Jon (Yes, a different one!)

1. Who is your fave Brit boy and why?

I suppose right now it would have to be Sam Bradley. I really have not yet had a chance to enjoy any of the other’s music.

2. Have you been to a show and if so, what did you think?

I took my loving wife to see Sam for her birthday. I really enjoyed the show. The venue was packed and we were right up front at the stage. Afterward we were able to experience the “meet and greet” where we were able to talk to Sam and “The Men”. Autographs followed along with a little discussion about their music.

3. As one of the few guy fans, what made you become a fan?

First of all I like the music styles. Second, Sam plays his music for the fans and really caters to them. Third, his music is original.

4. Favorite song?

I really like “Derek” I think it has a good groove to it, and the lyrics are great.

5. Why should other guys give the Brit boys a chance?

Why not? If you are a fan of music, you would really enjoy their styles. Where would we be today if we only stuck to “American” music? I have enjoyed music from several other countries. For example: U2 – Ireland, AC/DC – Austrailia, Midnight Oil – Austrailia, The Beatles – UK, I could go on with a whole lot more, but you get the point. Their (the Brit boys) music is up and coming music that fit so many lifestyles. They bring soul, rock, jam and a little bit of edginess to the table. I am looking forward to hearing, and possibly meeting more from them.

I am hoping to get a chance to listen to some more from the guys soon.

Nominated by his wifey, Amber at Eyes of Amber!

James

1. Who is your fave Brit boy and why?

Sam Bradley is my favorite of the three. His voice reminds of a young Billy Joel. (and having Bobby be my favorite, would mean I’d be agreeing with my wife and we can’t have that. LOL!)

2. Have you been to a show and if so, what did you think?

No unfortunately. Sam’s only been in Michigan once and we missed him.

3. As one of the few guy fans, what made you become a fan?

Well, I learned of the guys from my wife’s slight *insert sarcasm here* obsession with the “Brit Pack” as you girls call them. HaHa! I had, at first, only heard of Bobby, because of Amy’s insistence of listening to his CD on auto replay. I finally got myself an iPod awhile back and stole all Sam and Bobby’s songs off of Amy’s iTunes library and  I was extremely impressed with Sam’s music. He’s also a great instrumentalist. Bobby is also a great guitar player. You just have to appreciate that kind of raw talent and ability from all 3 of them.

4. Favorite song?

Passport by Sam Bradley

5. Why should other guys give the Brit boys a chance?

Umm..if you can’t beat em’ (or banish your wife from going to 4 Bobby Long concerts in November) just join em’. It’ll definitely get ya some points with your woman! LOL! But no seriously, I usually tune out anything Twilight related and just assumed I wouldn’t like their music at first, but all 3 guys seem pretty cool down to earth and are very talented. It’s kinda refreshing to see and hear that some musicians, such as Sam, Marcus and Bobby, still write, sing and perform their own music. That’s not very common anymore.

And Amber, I’m making Amy upload these pictures I took of my 2 year old Son (that won’t say “Daddy” but can pick Bobby out of a picture AND will point to the radio, in the car, and say “Bobby”?? then put his fingers to his ear because he wants to hear his music!! WTH??)  watching this video of one of Bobby’s concerts on my wife’s laptop. Yes, my 2 year old, will stand in place for a period of greater than 3 minutes and watch a video of Bobby Long playing. So, again, I reiterate, if you can’t beat em’, join em’! LOL!!

All together now… AWWWWWWW! So cute! Bobby, meet your youngest fan!!

James (and his son) were nominated by his wife Amy (AddictedtoRob)!

These pictures are of Bobby (duh!) and his most recent show in Atlanta. They are absolutely gorgeous and I think GarnetGurl should be a professional photographer or something cause DAMN!. I have no additional words to describe them other then enjoy!

Merry Christmas everybody!

Marcus, Bobby & Sam

Welcome to the newly created Shack of Soul, a fan site for the fans, by the fans of Bobby Long, Marcus Foster and Sam Bradley. Our idea came after we went to see the guys in Dallas for the first time. We both fell in love and realized these guys needed a fan site where fans could come and just have fun and learn more about the guys. And we want you all to be just as involved. We want to post your pictures, your videos and your stories about the guys!

This site is also meant to be a Twilight/Rob Pattinson light zone. That means that unless there is a direct correlation between the guys and Twi/Rob, then we will not report things like “Rob’s BFF says…” or “Twilight artists…” But, if Rob jumps up on stage to do a duet with Marcus, then we’ll definitely cover that!

We are going to start our new blog with our own introductions and fan encounters, right after the jump!

Meet Amber

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Amber and I run another blog (Rob My World). I’ve been talking up Sam and Bobby a little bit on my other blog, but when I went to Dallas I was a changed woman. I went to the Friday night show with Marcus and Bobby, as well as the Saturday all-niter will all three of the guys!

When Marcus first came on that stage, for the first time in the U.S., and started to sing, I thought I was going to die. His voice was so soulful and full of emotion. It was something that I had a hard time feeling when I listened to his MySpace page but that I truly “got” while he stood in front of us and crooned. This is how bad it was, Sam was in the audience watching and I didn’t care. There was nothing else in the world other than Marcus and that guitar!

Then Bobby came on and won me over with his emotion, the amazing faces he made while he sung, the hair, EVERYTHING! I had never really been to a small gig like that where you had so much personal interaction, and I felt that with Bobby. When he was singing, it felt like he was just singing to me and no one else. It was AMAZING!

The next night was the first time I saw Sam live and that man has a stage presence that cannot be beat. He comes off like the seasoned pro and plays fan favorites in addition to his own songs. Sam had me won over before I saw him live, but  after seeing him in person I just couldn’t get over how really great he was.

Meeting all of the guys was another great treat! They are truly appreciative and seem willing to do anything for their fans. They stayed out in the rain to sign autographs and take pictures. They waited around till 4 a.m. to make sure everyone got to meet them. I just couldn’t believe that these guys were not only such amazing performers, but that they were humble, sweet and in Marcus’ case, even nervous.

I came home and decided that blogging about them on a Rob-related site seemed unfair to the guys. They are trying to separate themselves from Twi/Rob, and it’s understandable why. And I want to help that processing by separating my own love for them and placing it all in a Twi/Rob light zone. So, here we are!

Meet LiLi

Coming from Austin, I can safely say that I have seen hundreds of shows in my life.  And I while I am no music expert, I do know what I like and what I don’t.  Usually I tend to veer towards the heavier stuff– I like it loud, hard and fast (that’s what she said).  So it’s pretty rare that I get into many singer/songwriters, but when I do I become fiercely loyal.

All three together-- *died*

That is exactly what occured the first time I heard a Bobby Long track.  I was hooked from that first note.  Which of course, after many You Tube searches and Myspace listens, his music led me to Marcus Foster and Sam Bradley. Naturally, I was pretty stoked when all three were in Dallas the first weekend in August and a group of us went to see them play at Poor David’s Pub.

The first night was only Bobby and Marcus and the second had all three of them playing.  Both shows were seriously two of the best that I had seen in a long time.  All three played solo, only their voice and guitar and yet all three were so completely different in style and sound.

Soulful– that’s the only way to describe Bobby.  He sang from deep within and there were moments when he was so completely immersed in a song that I felt like an intruder spying on something private.

Marcus, who incidently played his first ever American show that first night, was just incredibly raw and powerful.  He would get so lost in his performance that he would just take off and riff.  That to me is the beauty of seeing live music.  Watching an artist take his own song and change it up in the heat of the moment because he feels it and that is where it takes him– and Marcus does it beautifully.

And of course there is Sam, who (shhh, don’t tell the others) was the one I was dying to hear the most.  He did not disappoint.  There is one word to describe watching Sam on stage– electric.  As soon as he grabs that mic and begins, he just owns you.  He stage presence and interactions with the crowd are magnetic.  You can’t take your eyes off him.

But it doesn’t end there people.  These guys, who have been on the road and had a full weekend of commitments aside from Poor David’s Pub, were so generous with their time before, during and after shows.  They stood and visited with fans until the last person in line was gone.  All three were nothing but gracious to everyone and took the time to sign endless items and take dozens of pictures up until 4am on the last night.

It is artists like these that I feel like we should be supporting.  Those who are working hard, making good music and never forgetting to take time for their fans.  That is why I am excited to start this new site with Amber.  I just want others out there to discover, learn and enjoy the music of these guys.  So, stop by often and let us know what you think.  Or even better, share with us your pics/vids/stories of seeing Sam, Marcus and Bobby live.  The more the merrier!

Image courtesy of Krazy_Kidd