there are only a couple more posts in the History of Classical Music left
Don't worry on that count - at my current rate of production there's enough to keep us going till 2014...
These responses are gratifying, though my concern was never one of being underappreciated, more about whether the whole of MiG gels together. But GP's insight about the 80% is valuable - if most of us feel the same way then it both validates such concerns while also alleviating them. If I might manage some sort of topographic analogy, if each person's contribution is a mountain peak, does that mean MiG as a whole is a single mountain range; your answers make me more certain that it is.
As for GP's
I have written a bunch of reviews because I am not sure I know enough in systematic terms about any given area of music to write other things
I'll happily admit that most of what I've written in the Classical History series is stuff I've learned while writing it.
I didn't think you felt under appreciated. My statement about enjoying your articles was meant (in a roundabout manner) to express that while your writing is in a different genre, I still love to read it.
You're quite right with the mountain range analogy.
GP - I know you're out of the country at the moment, but when you get back could you give me a quick rundown on how you went about contacting labels for reviews? I want to try the same thing, and since you had success I figured I should stand on your shoulders.
I'll be interested to hear GP's process, too, but for myself, I've typically contacted the artist directly (or, if their site lists a media person, then that person instead). If it's a small label, I'll often cc the label in on the conversation, since they can often help expedite things. For instance, the Hoob Records label contact has been instrumental in helping me get contact info and process various requests for promo copies, bio info, AAJ dotd stuff, etc.
That's a good plan too jonahpwll. If it weren't that I would love to review pretty much anything a couple particular labels put out, I'd start that way. As it is, I think it behooves me to work label to artist at this point.
@craig, just landed in Kristiansand and for tonight at least have wifi. I've basically just looked up the contact email on the label's site and used it to email the label head (the scale of label that I've been working with is typically run by one person). I've written them a note telling them that I write for MiG, giving a brief description of MiG, and giving them a link to my existing pieces on MiG so they can verify that I do/can write and have a legit venue. I then tell them that I'd be interested in reviewing a particular forthcoming album and ask to be added to the list for the press pack/promo copy. So far the response has always been an enthusiastic yes - they are keen to get reviews, and providing access to digital copy essentially does not cost them anything.
As soon as the review is written I write back and tell them it will be posted within the week, then I write to them again with a direct link on the day when it goes up, and I tweet it with a @ reference to the label. This usually results in the review getting linked from their site. They have also sometimes added me to their list for further releases, which has resulted in being offered access to subsequent albums, which I have so far not taken up (I'd rather review an album because it excites me than because the label has another one out this week; If anyone particularly wants to review the recent Celer release (drone) I think I can get you access to a copy).
FWIW, the one time I approached the artist it was to ask about a review copy of an album self-released by the artist, and that was not successful; my impression was the artist perhaps was not used to how the press thing works, and basically told me where I could buy it.
Here's what I write in my emails:
Dear [label head]
I review music for a recently established music blog, Music is Good (http://musicisgood.org/), the aim of which is to bring good but less widely heralded music from a wide variety of genres to the attention of a few more people. You can read my previous reviews and articles here: [add link to the archive of your pieces here] .
I would be interested in reviewing [album] that I understand will be released in [month]. Please let me know whether that would be of interest to you and if so how I can get access to a review copy.
Thank you for your fine work at [label].
Regards
Just a question about this discussion: emusers is a publicly visible forum, right? Would the above be better whispered/conducted via the Mig gmail or is it OK to discuss label strategy here? I guess I mentioned no names.
There's nothing wrong with posting the above. Hundreds of emails similar to that go out every day to labels, artists, and publicists. I remember the first such email I wrote. It was ridiculously long in exposition. The label rep responded with a, "Sure, no problem."
To us, it seems like a big deal, but to many of the labels and artists (even the "little guys"), it's S.O.P.
@Craig - could you make two minor corrections to my published piece, "That '70s Show" when you get a chance?
In the paragraph beside the album cover, it lists the label for the re-issue as Stony Plains Records. It should be Stony Plain (drop the 's'). In the same paragraph, the Riverman Music re-issue year should be 2007, not 2009.
Just two days ago I was looking at an upcoming releases list and saw Kate Campbell has a new album due out April 3. It was too bad I didn't know about that when I was writing the MiG review on her Sept 2011 release. I contacted the label to get on the mailing list to stay informed of Kate's new releases and added the comment that I had just written a review on Two Nights in Texas and provided them the link to MiG. I mentioned to them I had made the comment at the end of my review that considering Kate's most recent release of new material was in 2008, we could expect something new from her any time, but had no idea a new release was just around the corner.
I just got an email from her label asking if I would like a copy of her new CD to review. Of course I said yes! (Hope nobody minds another Kate Campbell piece soon.)
MiG Staff article idea: I was at my favorite record store yesterday, thought back to jonahpwll's posts about brick and mortar, and realized that with Record Store Day next month (the 21st I believe) we should do a joint article about our favorite stores.
Good idea. My only personal hesitation is that my recent foray (reported on these fair pages) into the record stores of Grand Rapids taught me that they basically don't stock any of the music I want to buy.
If I can get my head back above water at work after the Norway trip fast enough I should have the FareWell Poetry interview ready to go by later this week. Main remaining task is translating some of the answers from French - some of them include some technical film-making terms that I'm having to work at tracking down correct equivalents for. There's well over 2000 words of material, so I think it should go up in two parts.
I have some great memories of brick and mortars, but they're either gone now or so far into my past or so far away geographically that I'm not sure I'd be comfortable writing about any of them.
I am, for all intents and purposes, stranded on an island of digital music shopping.
It is a nice idea, however, and hopefully some will be able to contribute.
Possible variant: write a paragraph each about an important record-buying memory that involved the physical medium. Then it needn't be tied to current stores but could affirm their value in principle.
Yes I could too. I'd have a mega problem about writing about current stores. We have the Recod Store Day at the same time. There was an article in our Sunday newspaper about the independents still going here. Outside London there are only a handful, and most of those are struggling. Shame. But I could certainly write a paragraph or two about Andy's Records who had a stall on Cambridge market way back and eventually developed into a regional chain of a dozen or so shops. Those were the days....
As long as I don't have to be 100% upbeat then I can say some nice things about buying classical music in the still-existing Tower Records in Dublin. Any attempt to discuss the general state of classical music sales on the island of Ireland would quickly dissolve into despair and rage.
The only contribution I could make to a bricks and mortar joint effort would be to mention my visits to a little independently-owned store that I used to frequent eons ago that is now out of business - but I'm not sure if I could even recall its name. My only other positive experience was thumbing through used CDs at a Hastings store where I found some real treasures - but Hastings has long since changed their organizational display which makes it impossible to find such treasures now.
I've been meaning to go back and read it myself. Whenever an album really connects with me and maintains that connection over a long period of time (as Float did), it seems like my ability to attain any type of analytical stance gets retarded by the extended love affair. Which, sometimes, leads to poor writing.
I've been thinking . . . (yes, it does happen)
- To send an email to Camomille label owner Vincent Fugere to let him know about the Bento interview. It was after all because of him I found out about MB in the first place.
- Unless ofcourse someone already has done that ?
Feel free to send an email. However, he probably knows about the interview. I included the label in my tweet, and the label retweeting the MiG announcement of the interview. I assume it's a small enough operation that he or someone standing next to him handles the label's twitter account.
However, that said, you never know where a personal email might lead.
Comments
These responses are gratifying, though my concern was never one of being underappreciated, more about whether the whole of MiG gels together. But GP's insight about the 80% is valuable - if most of us feel the same way then it both validates such concerns while also alleviating them. If I might manage some sort of topographic analogy, if each person's contribution is a mountain peak, does that mean MiG as a whole is a single mountain range; your answers make me more certain that it is.
As for GP's I'll happily admit that most of what I've written in the Classical History series is stuff I've learned while writing it.
You're quite right with the mountain range analogy.
Craig
Craig
I'll be interested to hear GP's process, too, but for myself, I've typically contacted the artist directly (or, if their site lists a media person, then that person instead). If it's a small label, I'll often cc the label in on the conversation, since they can often help expedite things. For instance, the Hoob Records label contact has been instrumental in helping me get contact info and process various requests for promo copies, bio info, AAJ dotd stuff, etc.
Cheers.
Craig
As soon as the review is written I write back and tell them it will be posted within the week, then I write to them again with a direct link on the day when it goes up, and I tweet it with a @ reference to the label. This usually results in the review getting linked from their site. They have also sometimes added me to their list for further releases, which has resulted in being offered access to subsequent albums, which I have so far not taken up (I'd rather review an album because it excites me than because the label has another one out this week; If anyone particularly wants to review the recent Celer release (drone) I think I can get you access to a copy).
FWIW, the one time I approached the artist it was to ask about a review copy of an album self-released by the artist, and that was not successful; my impression was the artist perhaps was not used to how the press thing works, and basically told me where I could buy it.
Here's what I write in my emails:
Dear [label head]
I review music for a recently established music blog, Music is Good (http://musicisgood.org/), the aim of which is to bring good but less widely heralded music from a wide variety of genres to the attention of a few more people. You can read my previous reviews and articles here: [add link to the archive of your pieces here] .
I would be interested in reviewing [album] that I understand will be released in [month]. Please let me know whether that would be of interest to you and if so how I can get access to a review copy.
Thank you for your fine work at [label].
Regards
Just a question about this discussion: emusers is a publicly visible forum, right? Would the above be better whispered/conducted via the Mig gmail or is it OK to discuss label strategy here? I guess I mentioned no names.
To us, it seems like a big deal, but to many of the labels and artists (even the "little guys"), it's S.O.P.
Craig
One more post before we reach the 14th century!
In the paragraph beside the album cover, it lists the label for the re-issue as Stony Plains Records. It should be Stony Plain (drop the 's'). In the same paragraph, the Riverman Music re-issue year should be 2007, not 2009.
Thanks.
Kez
I just got an email from her label asking if I would like a copy of her new CD to review. Of course I said yes! (Hope nobody minds another Kate Campbell piece soon.)
I'll make the changes to your other article when I get a chance.
Craig
Thoughts?
Craig
I am, for all intents and purposes, stranded on an island of digital music shopping.
It is a nice idea, however, and hopefully some will be able to contribute.
Perhaps I'll do a Dispatches from Funkytown highlighting the local independent record stores (of which there are a surprising amount left).
Craig
I've been meaning to go back and read it myself. Whenever an album really connects with me and maintains that connection over a long period of time (as Float did), it seems like my ability to attain any type of analytical stance gets retarded by the extended love affair. Which, sometimes, leads to poor writing.
- To send an email to Camomille label owner Vincent Fugere to let him know about the Bento interview. It was after all because of him I found out about MB in the first place.
- Unless ofcourse someone already has done that ?
- It is a great interview, BTW.
However, that said, you never know where a personal email might lead.