Friday, April 11, 2014

ITP V.014 THE MUSIC BUSINESS: INVISIBLE ORANGES INSTRUCTS BANDS ON HOW TO ADDRESS PROMOS/PRESS RELEASES


We've all been through it before, from both sides of the fence, sending out promo's and band info to press, media, and webzines.How does a band/artist get the promoter, zine editor or writers to even READ the promos? Well respected metal webzine INVISIBLE ORANGES instructs bands on what NOT to do, if you want a little publicity.





ITP V.014 EDITORS NOTE:
Want to get press on ITP? Learn to write a PRESS RELEASE or/and EPK (electronic press kit). If I write a press release for you, that will cost you at least a pack of cigarettes. Send band/artist info SPECIFIC TO: release title, release date, where your band is from, previous release and/or label, band pic or cover art (CREATIVE COMMONS PLEASE) and music sample (SOUNDCLOUD/BANDCAMP/YOU TUBE-DIGITAL MUSIC NOT PHYSICAL, UNLESS I'VE MET YOU, LIKE YOU, and YOU GAVE ME A FREE DEMO as I DON'T RIP MUSIC) from the bands/or labels official music channel. From there ITP is under FAIR USE (of your likeness)  promoting your band.
** band and artist EPK should have the release title, release date, where your band is from, previous release and/or label, band or pic or cover art (and music sample) within the first two paragraphs, I don't read through superficial hype and information, I just want my lead in your press release, as you EPK should be spell and grammar checked as I've done that after professional PR sent EPK.
Tour dates while not mandatory, should be the last thing posted in a EPK, and if that is the primary promotion,electronic tour flyer with dates (separately) PRINTED out, legibly in the form of the above EPK as described above.
The most primary info of your EPK should be in the first two paragraphs, as A.D.D, we really don't like reading through huge press releases, and I freak if my "lead" is to hard to find in your EPK, strapped for time. Music samples (one track or a sample, recorded, not live nor fan filmed) straight from the bands/and or labels official SOUNDCLOUD/BANDCAMP/YOU TUBE  really helps if I like it.
** Get on social media and add webzines, bloggers, and promoters to your contacts, regardless of being signed, and be low key, and NICE, now we know who you are, if you're a jerk, we may print that too.Be unique, be your self.




FROM SAINT VITUS:
Music biz advice for bands—how NOT to write your promo email to that hip blog.

FROM INVISIBLE ORANGES:
"It’s actually pretty easy to put together a perfectly respectable coverage request on your own. The trouble is that since most musicians have never been involved in the press side of things, they don’t know what’s expected of them when they compose these message. As a result, many good upstart bands shoot themselves in the foot by reaching out to writers with aggressively non-good e-mails. How many diamonds in the rough have I missed because the e-mail they appeared in was either annoying or confusing as hell? Too many, I fear."
Band people, learn from the folly of others:
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