Getting more local press

[sabriel9v]

My band has officially been around for a year, but we have received NO attention from the local press. I send them e-mails about our upcoming show dates every time we play a show and I personally know some of their editors and have told them about our music. Still no press...what can we do?

[daddymack]

take a reporter hostage

play some high profile charity shows

give a free concert for the local homeless

get sued by Quentin Tarantino

[sabriel9v]

 

get sued by Quentin Tarantino

 

 

LOL! We've always wondered if this would happen. We figure he'll either dig us or if not, we're screwed. I agree on the high profile charity event tip though...I'm actually setting up a benefit concert for a non-profit organization that provides shelter and guidance for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. My band is not in the top running, but still on the list. If we end up on the bill, it's going to be HUGE.

[scarecrowbob]

What do you do that is news worthy? Why would the paper care to report you.

 

I have never seen a paper with an entertainment calendar which wouldn't list folks, so I assume that you are looking for... well, what are you looking to get the paper to do?

[srspud]

Check into the local access cable channels. Some have programs where they will let you set up and then record your set in their studio. My last band did one years ago and it is still played occasionally.

[sabriel9v]

 

I have never seen a paper with an entertainment calendar which wouldn't list folks

 

 

We get listed in the entertainment listings all the time, but there's never a special blurb or article about the show. We haven't even been considered for the upstart roundup column and we've been around for a year.

[modulusman]

Maybe your band sucks and you don't know it. If you are not packing them into venues then why would you be news worthy.

[sabriel9v]

Maybe your band sucks and you don't know it. If you are not packing them into venues then why would you be news worthy.

 

That's not how our local press works. It's usually the editors and staff writers writing about their friends' bands...even if they aren't packing out any venues. But I'm slowly chipping away at this problem. Daddymack, thanks for the help. Modulusman, you're useless.

[modulusman]

That's not how our local press works. It's usually the editors and staff writers writing about their friends' bands...even if they aren't packing out any venues. But I'm slowly chipping away at this problem. Daddymack, thanks for the help. Modulusman, you're useless.

Your clueless.

[sabriel9v]

Your clueless.

 

No, I'm not clueless. I've been in this forum for a while now and I get tired of people talkin {censored} about people's bands and music when they don't CLICK THE LINKS that have been posted in the signature. Listen to the music first and then give advice. You can't give advice on how to make it in the pop industry to a bluegrass musician! DUH!

[modulusman]

So why should your band get a write-up in the local paper, because you have been together for a year. Sounds like where you live you have to be friends with the local press to get a story. You better buy lots of chapstick for all the ass kissing you are going to have to do. Heres an idea write a song that gets national attention. A local original band called the Clintons wrote a song about Hillary and were interviewed by Cnn and Fox News. They also got a write-up in the local paper but then again they did something newsworthy. By the way i didn't know you were a bluegrass musician.

[Poker99]

modulusman

[sabriel9v]

So why should your band get a write-up in the local paper, because you have been together for a year. Sounds like where you live you have to be friends with the local press to get a story. You better buy lots of chapstick for all the ass kissing you are going to have to do. Heres an idea write a song that gets national attention. A local original band called the Clintons wrote a song about Hillary and were interviewed by Cnn and Fox News. They also got a write-up in the local paper but then again they did something newsworthy. By the way i didn't know you were a bluegrass musician.

 

You're such an Internet gangster

[modulusman]

The point I am trying to make Sabriel is that a year isn't that long for a band. How many shows have you done? What is your total hours of playing time in front of an audience? How many people have you actually played for? You have bought into the 4 band cluster**** way of doing business. The only people who come out a head in that system is the promoters and the venue. The bands get hosed.

[sabriel9v]

 

The point I am trying to make Sabriel is that a year isn't that long for a band. How many shows have you done? What is your total hours of playing time in front of an audience? How many people have you actually played for? You have bought into the 4 band cluster**** way of doing business. The only people who come out a head in that system is the promoters and the venue. The bands get hosed.

 

 

I know bands who haven't even been around for a month, but received attention from the local press. And they weren't bringing in any more people than we were, probably less. Your opinion is slanted because you don't actually know nor do you understand my circumstances...we'll get some local press. And I'm posting the proof...

[A.Scriabin]

 

You'll be naive and I'll be condescending. Do you have a story or music that warrants attention? Even in the crowded Austin market we've managed to garner some local attention by having both of these elements coupled with a dogged determination to achieve this goal. We've been together 4 months.

 

Over 3700 posts on these forums? How much wasted time could have been better spent writing more music or networking with your local industry? Get off the computer and get in the scene.

 

I'm sure you'll try to negate this post by asking for proof that my band has acquired press or even exist. Either way, you're the one who posted this topic and have come across as both naive and childish to members who gave you thoughtful responses.

[SBF3000]

create a buzz, man. somehow. I know nothing of your area, but where I am benifits are good. Do one. Approach a foundation and say I would like to raise money for you, get other similiar bands and do it. Make it big, fun, and do some good for people to appease the karma gods. Your name will be in bold, get photographer(s), the less work a newspaper has to do the better. This does not garuntee what you are looking for, but make it impossible for your band to be ignored. Good luck, man. Whatever it is you do

[SBF3000]

even if it's a 10% of the door goes to this foundation @ your regular shows. 10% of cds, shirts etc. Be different, likeable in ways not music related, use music to help in your local area.

[The*Ataris]

Yeah, there are some pretty blunt responses here, but the point they're trying to make is the one that needs to be made:

 

Not getting press? Well, what are you doing that's newsworthy?

 

I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I have all the answers, but I'm also smart enough to see what those bands, who ARE getting attention, are doing. They don't sound the same, look the same, or even do similar draws, but they all play shows that would piss off a music editor if it weren't covered. Essentially, these shows and/or circumstances are so remarkable that the entertainment section of the paper would suffer if they didn't run the story.

 

It's not enough just to play a show in front of some people to get press--there are going to be dozens of other bands doing the same thing, you know? You have to either be the greatest thing in town (which only a select few get to be), or you have to have some sort of ancillary purpose to make up for not being the greatest thing in town.

 

Examples are:

 

1.) Album Releases. Duh.

 

2.) Video Releases. Again, new product? Make a big deal about it.

 

3.) Tour Kickoff/Homecoming Show. Lot's a music writers really respect the effort of touring.

 

4.) National write-ups. Get written about by a 'name' blog? Chances are, someone wants to hear about it.

 

5.) Recording New Material. Nothing's more newsworthy than a record release that people look forward to. In a good studio? Working with a notable producer or engineer? Even better.

 

6.) Opening good shows. Playing with another band who is doing something newsworthy? The name of the game is 'piggyback'!

 

7.) Transcendent stage show. Reason to go watch your band besides the music? Can't hurt.

 

 

...or, hell. Just work at being the best damned thing in town? I don't know.

[The*Ataris]

Oh, and one more thought...

 

Don't play on the same night 'the best thing in town' is releasing a video at a really cool theatre across town like I did on the 19th!

 

Doesn't matter how good you are and how many people come, the the news dudes will be at the other thing

[sabriel9v]

 

You'll be naive and I'll be condescending. Do you have a story or music that warrants attention? Even in the crowded Austin market we've managed to garner some local attention by having both of these elements coupled with a dogged determination to achieve this goal. We've been together 4 months. Over 3700 posts on these forums? How much wasted time could have been better spent writing more music or networking with your local industry? Get off the computer and get in the scene. I'm sure you'll try to negate this post by asking for proof that my band has acquired press or even exist. Either way, you're the one who posted this topic and have come across as both naive and childish to members who gave you thoughtful responses.

 

 

...I don't you think you guys have followed ANY of the threads that I've posted in the past few months. Because if you did, you would know what we do is newsworthy: we are recording a new ep, we've already released one, we've already played the top venues in town including charity concerts. We set up our own events and we've played a festival before. This thread is proof to me that this whole {censored}in forum is just a big vicious cycle. Hardly anyone thoroughly reads the posts, you don't remember what's been posted by certain members, and the same stupid goddamn questions keep getting asked. In addition, no one is checking music links to make sure they're giving advice to the right set of ears. It's not about me being naive or childish. I don't want to have to prepare a huge memo of explanations as to why this or that has happened every time I post something...didn't you remember the last {censored}in thread I posted genius?! This is why I'm retiring from this forum at 4,000 posts. I'm sure none of you will give a {censored} because you won't even remember that I posted this thread in the first place.

 

So A. Scriabin, thank you so kindly for telling me that you're going to be condescending when you didn't even have the goddamn common sense to do some research before you opened your big {censored}ing mouth! So who's the one who's really naive now?

[Poker99]

[A.Scriabin]

...I don't you think you guys have followed ANY of the threads that I've posted in the past few months. Because if you did, you would know what we do is newsworthy: we are recording a new ep, we've already released one, we've already played the top venues in town including charity concerts. We set up our own events and we've played a festival before. This thread is proof to me that this whole {censored}in forum is just a big vicious cycle. Hardly anyone thoroughly reads the posts, you don't remember what's been posted by certain members, and the same stupid goddamn questions keep getting asked. In addition, no one is checking music links to make sure they're giving advice to the right set of ears. It's not about me being naive or childish. I don't want to have to prepare a huge memo of explanations as to why this or that has happened every time I post something...didn't you remember the last {censored}in thread I posted genius?! This is why I'm retiring from this forum at 4,000 posts. I'm sure none of you will give a {censored} because you won't even remember that I posted this thread in the first place. So A. Scriabin, thank you so kindly for telling me that you're going to be condescending when you didn't even have the goddamn common sense to do some research before you opened your big {censored}ing mouth! So who's the one who's really naive now?

 

 

Thank you for your well spoken and thoughtful response. I now understand that yes, I am naive and childish. Thank you for this nugget of wisdom.

 

I've checked out your music and I'll be honest. In my opinion, your band sounds like any one of a couple hundred bands here in Austin that I could catch on any weeknight. A dozen EPs are released here every week in Austin. So what?

 

Your myspace page layout is a disaster and frustrating to look at. It's amateur. Do you honestly sound like Red Hot Chili Peppers or Incubus? I imagine if you did you wouldn't be on these forums asking for help with press.

 

Here's my final advice. Hire a publicist for a 3 month PR campaign. Usual cost is around 2000 dollars for 3 months work. But if you're not making that on sales and gigs then you're likely not ready anyways.

[modulusman]

Sabriel, you actually start more threads than anyone on here. Almost 10% of your posts are new threads that you start. So if people get confused it is understandable. If your band has done all the stuff you claim and still not getting any press then I can think of a couple reasons. The press has a problem with you personally or your band is not as good as you think. Why anyone would want a write-up that was based on who you know/blow is beyond me. It is not worth the paper it is written on.

[slight-return]

hey sab;

 

I'd have a concern that EPs might get classed by the rags as "album Jr"...sort of a feeler/demo project, esp if it's a lower budget tyvek sleeve, no-local-retail, etc type release...so that might not get too much coverage

 

I fear that the drive to 'get our music out there' can lead folks to release multiple short-cycle EPs that are under-financed and under-polished and just don't have enough weight to really make a splash

 

The charity thing may be a double edged sword, if it's a small charity and/or you are on a bill that's 5-6 deep of lower-level acts - you just might not get much traction beyond listing on the bill

 

 

A note on the myspace : it's very difficult to read- the ivories on the background obscures the text terribly, there is a "snake" column of text 1-2 words wide on the left, the headings aren't aligned so it comes off as disorganized

 

 

On another note h ey, it's frustrating sure - if you feel you aren't getting what you need here, don't wait til 4000 to retire, just log out (I mean that for your benefit)