| Features | Artists - How to PR Yourself |
|||||||||||
Read this week's other feature on Independents Day -
|
Words by Greg Harper
Although there is no surrogate for an experienced and enthusiastic publicist or press officer, there are steps you can take towards the media as a new artist to gain some exposure. The first thing you need to do is realize that there are thousands of bands out there fighting for interest, and the chances are, a lot of them will be at the same level as yourselves, so thinking you’re above any kind of promotion is naïve, not to mention kinda stupid. Step one should always be to remember you’re the voice of your band, the front, and ought to be rotating the crowd before a show, taking names for a mailing list and meeting the potential fans. Getting fans on board is vital to getting the press’ attention as publications will need to hear about your band on the grapevine to take them just a wee bit more seriously. Once you’ve got a few return customers you can look at getting serious; how do you promote your gig? How do people know you’re playing, beyond all the names on your ever increasing mailing list, of course? At this stage you’ll want to start getting your gigs listed and your band name out there in some publications. Again, you’re competing with a lot of bands so start small and build a natural interest by aiming towards the
the web based publications. They’re far more likely to get back to you and can offer great coverage if they like your music. Contacts for websites are usually on there somewhere, hit the ‘contact’ button, simple. Invite the team down to a gig, be sure to give them all the information for upcoming shows as well, and direct them towards your RAWRIP profile so they can hear your great tunes. We’re assuming, naturally, that you’re not a New Kids on the Block cover band. Bombard enough websites, and following that your local fanzines, and sooner or later somebody will check your band out. This is where it’s all down to your performance. A good show will excite the writer into giving a positive review, especially as you’ve worked the crowd before the gig and met the young writer and heck, maybe even bought him a drink for his trouble. Keep in mind that 99% of online writers are there for free, not even expenses, so bang a beer in their hand and your 7 out of 10 has just boomed to a solid 9. Cheeky, but oh so true. Collate these positive live reviews and repeat the aforementioned steps. Use quotes from the reviews in your emails as writers get jealous when other publications know, and like, a band before them. Being first on the scene is what drives these people, play on that until your lips bleed. So, you’ve got fans coming to shows thanks to previews and listing on websites that are saying nice things about you… where to go from here? If you’ve got enough underground press talking about you, then you can hit the big guys. Flick open a copy of the
NME, Clash, Notion, The Fly, whatever floats your boat and look for some contacts. They won’t know you from Adam and may just snub your email, but molest them enough and you’ll get some kind of response. Show them your positive reviews, bathe them with your articulate charm and talk of great stage presence, remind them how the editor of Rockfeedback thinks you’re the next Bon Jovi, and talk your band up to the point their arms twist right out their sockets and they send a reviewer down. Again, do a great show and the rest is easy. By time you’ve got The Flygiving you a live review you’ll be looking at getting signed and maybe, just maybe, you should leave it to the industry pros to take your press from here. Knowing which journalist at which paper or magazine to talk to is an art form built on years of getting to know the publications and their writers. There really is no substitute for a good publicist, but in your first meeting with a potential agency they’ll ask if you’ve been doing all the things we’ve mentioned here. A publicist will get you the features that count, put the CD into the right hands and use their clout and reputation to get you coverage, but it’s always up to the band to sustain their ground level credibility. If you’re a good band the process of working up the media ladder is much sharper than if you’re the next McFly, though please never assume that you’re the bollocks as eager music writers will pick you apart within minutes. When promoting your band towards the press, nothing should be beneath you, and the more committed you are, the more likely we are to see you around. Good luck, God speed and please don’t believe that the NME is the be all and end all of music press Related links:
|
Artist reviews Editorial features ------------------------------ Online vs Printed press - Is there room for both? ------------------------------ The Great Escape festival round up ------------------------------ Do you really still need a label? ------------------------------ Our writer's top 10 gigs of 2008 so far ------------------------------ Are these the best 10 albums of this year so far? Give us your thoughts ------------------------------ Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man release their debut ep "The Lay Of The Land, The Turn Of The Tide" ------------------------------ The River Rat Pack Tour - Listen to exclusive live recordings and interviews from the River rat Pack page on RawRip. ------------------------------ Johnny Foreigner release their debut album - "Waited Up 'Til It Was light" - RAWRIP get an exclusive. ------------------------------ "Why no one is going to Glastonbury - The rise of the small festival"
|
||||||||||
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think?: Showing 6 out of 6 comments
| ||||||||||||
