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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | jimsouls@aol.com |
| Subject | Re: Are professional music critics losing their clout? |
| Date | Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:48:33 -0400 |
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Funny. Having left the world of daily newspapers in the spring, I'm putting together a freebie seminar for local musicians that will provide tips on how to do their own press. One of my main points is to write a really good bio because most journalists are lazy. The tip is intended to be humorous but there's a bit of truth in it.
My main problems as a writer were lack of space and finding music I truly wanted to tout. Though I worked for mainstream dailies, I wrote mostly about indie stuff. If I didn't REALLY like the record, I'd usually cast it aside. Why be critical of a record that people weren't going to buy anyway? My preference was feature stories about artists playing in our area. Even if I wasn't in love with the record, it gave the artist a chance to get interviewed and seek some support. Plus it gave me enough background to comment about their music in a positive way. Unfortunately, those feature opportunities are disappearing. No space, and dailies are caring less and less about the arts.
As for professional writers, there are a couple excellent ones I always try to read. Bob Mehr from the Memphis Commercial Appeal and Margaret Moser from the Austin Chronicle are both terrific. In terms of knowledge, perspective, musical taste, and the actual writing, those two are tough to beat. At least for me.
Jim McGuinness
On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 5:12 AM, Popsicle Recordings <
orders@...> wrote:
> I learned a valuable lesson about record reviews when my new album got s
ome
> pre-release write-ups in some European press recently:
>
> Most reviewers are just plain lazy. 80% of a review is often a
> regurgitation
> of an artist¹s bio, and MAYBE 20% is actual comment on the quality of the
> music.
>
> The bio these guys were cribbing from wasn¹t bad, but I realized if I was
> going to be essentially writing my own reviews, my bio needed some work.
> Lesson learned, brand new bio going out with the press copies next month!
>
> Luke
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