CD art

Here is something I want to bring up, because in addition to being a publicist, I am a journalist and PR guy for a large online men's magazine, Bullz-Eye.com. So I have a giant crate of CDs that were sent to us by labels, publicists and from bands themselves. And I'm sorry to admit that we review probably 20% of what is sent in, if that. So as the bin gets more and more full, I have to e-mail our music editor and let him know what "orphans" we have on hand. I do this manually, typing in each CD title into an e-mail to our editor. And last week, I was reminded of a few things that drive me nuts with regard to CD art work....take this advice as you will, but I am sure other journalists agree with me.....

1. If your CD cover is dark, make sure the print you use is bright white. I went though a ton of CDs that had like dark blue type on black background. Seriously?

2. Put the artist name in bigger type than the album title, unless you are, say, Aerosmith.

3. Make the name and album title LEGIBLE, not in some weird script we can't read

4. Consider a light background. The darker it is, the less easy it is to read the type when you have a stack of CDs on your desk. I would say the ratio of dark art to light in the bin is 60/40.

5. Jewel cases are much better for being able to find a CD in a bin or even when stacked up on your desk. Those thin cases are kind of a big reason you may not get coverage.

I'm not being bitter, I'm just trying to help, so hopefully this info does help you!

Keep It Simple

I just read somewhere (and I've read this before) that some magazine editors and writers just delete press releases from publicists and bands if they are too long, poorly written, have too much unnecessary hype, or a combination of all of those things.

That's one reason I decided to shrink my monthly newsletters, and it's always a reminder to me that I need to keep press releases simple, almost painfully simple, to avoid being "white noise" to readers. It's not always easy convincing clients of that, however, because often clients or their managers just want to hype hype hype, and want me to be sure to include every last bit of information that is happening with the band.

Trust me, readers don't want all that. Give them a few lines about what's happening and then hit them with a link to music and/or video link...right away, if possible. If they want more information, they will ask for it...believe me, they will.

Sell Sell Sell

If getting a record deal is your ultimate goal as a band or artist, it's probably because you need some help from a third party in the way of helping to spread the word about your music. That, and you desire the prestige of being a band on a label. But getting signed isn't quite what it used to be. Oftentimes, a band signs with a label and if there isn't instant success, the label either drops the band, or holds them hostage until they are dropped or ask to be dropped. Of course, that doesn't mean success doesn't happen, because it does.

Still, the best way to get a record deal is to sell albums yourself, and lots of them. Not only does this ensure that you'll make money, it assures that record labels will notice you before you even have to approach them. And usually the way you sell lots of units is by touring and starting a buzz. And oh yeah, having a great live show helps a ton.

So where are you at on this spectrum?

Helping a Brother (or Sister) Out

The relationship between publicist and client goes both ways, in many ways. One of those ways is in the relaying of information, or at times, the lack thereof.

I was reminded of this again last night when information about one of my clients' upcoming shows had incorrect band lineup information. Granted, I had not submitted this information to the venue that posted this on their website, but the band's manager forwarded me an e-mail from the band, who had caught this.

My first reaction was one of defense. I hadn't submitted the info. However, it's still ultimately my responsibility to ensure that this kind of thing doesn't happen. And I've come to realize a couple of things over the years--venues and newspapers and blogs are going to grab information or photos from the web without our knowledge. It happens WAY more often than you might think. So getting them updated bio and photos are such an important part of a publicist's job these days. That doesn't mean, however, that we can always catch these things.

I've also come to realize that what ultimately matters is that the information published is correct. That means a good publicist should communicate with his/her clients and make sure they know of all lineup changes, show information, or other shifts in the musical solar system.
I always jump on my clients' websites (weekly) to make sure I know of shows coming up that I have to work. And I feel like I may be in the minority here. But it helps me, and helps my clients to do so.

That said, I think it's also the client's responsibility (or the label, or the manager, as it were) to update the publicist with any and all changes to the band's schedule, the band itself, or, most importantly, any breaking news.

We should all help each other out, because after all, we're working toward a common goal--getting the artist exposure.

It's a good time to be indie

Having a record label sign you and promote your music used to be a pipe dream, and for those who were/are lucky enough, it still happens these days. But labels have limited rosters and budgets now, and the landscape has changed to reflect the fact that we're in a digital world. We're also in a world where bands can and do interact directly with fans on a daily basis. So it makes sense for bands to release records on their own and keep all of their money. Of course, there are instances where labels give more of a push than what a band can accomplish on their own. But they also sometimes string bands along and then drop them just as fast as they signed them. The good thing is, for bands that this happens to, they can save face by continuing to make music and continuing to reach their fan base with said music. So it's a great time to be indie, even if it's at the longer term expense of not becoming international superstars.

Being Accountable

Today's message is simple. If you say you're going to do something, do it. And if you aren't going to deliver in the time you had promised, let the other person know that. I strive to let the other person know the status of something before they have to ask me what the status is. However, I admit that I find myself dropping the ball on this very thing occasionally, and I always feel like a bum for doing so. It's one of the things I'm working on every day to improve upon, and to be the best publicist I can be. So, are you holding up your end of the bargain most of the time? If so, what ideas do you have that can be shared with everyone else that work, that help to make sure you are delivering and/or responding to items when you say you will?

Being Professional

Some of my clients are fantastic when it comes to doing interviews, either by phone or e-mail. Some of my clients' managers also are great at this, knowing the importance of pouncing on opportunities when they present themselves. But too often, artists get lazy or choose not to put importance on doing interviews....this sometimes results in a lack of professionalism, and making your publicist look bad. It also results in no coverage when you had a slam dunk for said coverage. What's more, it casts you in a bad light with that particular journalist--you, and your publicist.
My tolerance for this type of thing is pretty low, and it boggles my mind how it can happen when I'm being paid to set up interviews and generate coverage. But such is human nature sometimes. All I can say is, if you want to advance your career, be professional when it comes to interviews, or when the media asks you for anything at all. Thanks for reading and have a great rest of the week!

Be Nice

I wrote an article a few years back about the importance of being nice to one another, after a particular publicist in my field made me feel like a piece of crap who hadn't yet paid his dues in the business. We learn about the importance of being nice early on in the sandbox, and it applies all through school, and then in the real world. Yes, today we do apply some of the things we learned in school, but one of those things, being nice to each other, is sometimes a lost art.

Today, as I run my own business, I sometimes encounter mean and angry people, some of whom don't even realize they are being that way. Problem is, there are two kinds of people--nice people and mean people, a fundamental trait (and flaw) of human nature. The more you stay away from the mean people and surround yourself with the nice people, the better off you'll be--at your place of employment, in your band, in your family, and in life. Anyway, I've tried to subscribe to that philosophy when running this PR business, but it's not always easy to avoid those who cause trouble and make our stomachs churn. But it's really a numbers game, and sometimes someone doesn't show the hand that they are a mean and bitter person until you have already committed to working together. But it's always a lesson learned, and if you're lucky enough to know the difference between these two types of people as early as possible, the better off you'll be.

I thought about this once again last week when I put an e-mail from someone in a folder I have called the "Douchebag Hall of Fame." I visit there every once in a while, too, to remind myself of why I avoid certain people I used to work with, or to remind myself that I'm lucky enough to know the difference and to avoid these DBs in the future. And also as a reminder of the importance of me being nice to those I work with and work among.

Food for thought, anyway!

The Importance of Details in Tour Press

I do a ton of tour press, and it's probably 65 or 70% of our business. So I know that the media outlets in each touring market are sticklers for details, and well they should be. If they are going to announce a show, let alone write a preview or feature about it, they need the details of that show.
Too often bands or artists post partial information on their websites or itineraries, and I'm always left to scramble when asked for that info by a journalist.

So here are a few good rules of thumb, for when you're gathering tour information for your publicist, or if you are a band who is blasting the info out to the media yourselves.

1. In addition to the basics, like date and venue with address (and preferably a phone number or web link to buy tickets), newspapers and websites listing shows need three key things--time, ticket price and ages. I can't tell you how many times I hear back from music editors or calendar editors that they cannot print show info without time or ticket price. And ages is just that...is the show all ages, 18 and up, or 21 and up?

2. Make sure your bio is up to date. If it's not, or if you don't send them one, they (newspapers or even venues) will often search the web for a bio that could be woefully out of date, and print something you may not want them to.

3. Make sure your photo is up to date and that all venues you're playing at have one. Just like with a bio, I see venues or newspapers pull one from the web that could be 5 or 10 years old, and have band members that are no longer in the band. If you want to ensure that new photos are being used, make sure your publicist has the new shot(s) and make sure you hammer home the fact that you want the current shot used when you book the show.

There is way more I could tell you about these details, but that's a good start, and plus, we have plenty of space and time on this blog. Please visit often and spread the word!

Welcome to My New Blog

Hey everyone....welcome to this new blog where I share tidbits of information about the music PR biz, offering advice and also, of course, pimping my clients. If you have ideas for blog posts or have questions about the goings on in the world of music PR, please leave comments or e-mail me. Please spread the word about this blog too if you feel so inclined. Thanks and welcome!