MT: How important do you think print media is for an independent artist these days?
LG: The importance of print media depends on the independent artist’s goals. For an artist who is content to lay low, play fairly locally (or coastally) and gradually accumulate fans through word of mouth by other fans, print media isn’t too important. For an artist however, who is looking to make their mark nationally and/or regionally, print media could prove extremely valuable. It not only provides the independent artist with a “portfolio” to present to booking agents, venues, festivals, etc., but it also offers a certain level of credibility and professionalism, allowing the artist to stand out a bit from the billions of others. Not to mention, in its purest form, it is one of the ways that people are introduced to the artist’s music.
MT: At what point do you recommend that an artist start working with a music publicist?
LG: Understanding print media as it is today, I would recommend that an artist start working with a publicist when they have or are about to have a finished album and are planning to tour regionally or nationally. Print media space is so limited these days; independent artists must show the press that they are worthy of coverage. Today, “worthy of coverage” unfortunately doesn’t just mean talented – it’s a question of how active you are, how much you have going on to keep us interested. Also, depending on the publicist/PR firm, an artist might need to have already put in their dues a bit, worked their fan base and shown that the only missing piece is a publicist. A publicist should be viewed as a puzzle piece, not glue; make sure you can stand and function on your own before bringing one on -- it will make it possible for them to really focus on their job at hand.
MT: If an artist is going the DIY route, how do you recommend they approach press? What types of publications should they seek out?
LG: Call me! I would recommend they approach press the same way I do it – with honesty, patience, and persistence (but not annoyance). Don’t tell press how amazing you are – tell them specifically what makes you so amazing. If you don’t get a response the first time, that’s normal. If you don’t get a response the second time, don’t give up. Keep at it, trying new ways to present yourself, offering new information about what you’re up to. But please, don’t annoy and pester them, or they’ll likely never cover you unless you get signed to a major label or start touring with Lady Gaga. If you don’t hear anything from them after a few months, you can assume they aren’t interested, or aren’t interested right now. As far as publications go, reach out to the ones that are appropriate for your music, your interests within music, as well as your interests outside of music. If you’re a singer/songwriter, don’t pitch to a heavy metal magazine.
MT: People make a big deal about getting radio play still. Is this still as relevant for the modern artist? If so, how does that work?
LG: Note: radio is not my area of expertise. You’ll want to reach out to a radio promoter and/or someone who works at terrestrial radio to answer these questions. Otherwise, I would answer this the same way I answered how important print media is – it’s all about the artist’s goals.
MT: Realistically, can an independent artist get the type of radio play necessary to really change the game for him/her?
LG: See above.
MT: Do you think major labels are going to continue to be important? Is it still a good idea for an artist to focus on getting signed, or should artists be seeking out opportunities to make a living independently?
LG: Major labels are, in most cases, well-oiled machines. They have a system, a team, and money in place that has the potential to skyrocket an artist’s career. When it works, it works well, and by that I mean, the artist has longevity. In order for the artist to make money through that label, they usually need to do consistently well for a long period of time. Otherwise, they’re a big hit with no money. The importance of the major labels again depends on the artist’s goals. Will they continue to be important in the grand scheme of things? Well, I’m personally fascinated by their existence, but I think artists can be and are successful without them. Nothing in life is forever, and nothing is certain. An independent artist would be smart to create their own well-oiled machine such that they’re able to make a living on their own. If they get signed, that’s the cherry on top.
MT: In the years that you’ve been doing this, have you felt a big shift in the way the media works, and the importance of media for an artist’s career?
LG: In the last three years alone, I’ve seen hundreds of daily and weekly newspapers, and even glossy magazines fold. Three years ago, new media - otherwise known as blogs and online media - were the cutting-edge target. If an artist wanted to be viewed as modern and “keeping up with the times,” a new media campaign was a necessity. Three years ago, writers found job security in online media. Recently, the New York Times published an article explaining how blogging is now a thing of the past, and it’s all about online social media like Facebook and Twitter. As far as importance of media goes, I haven’t seen much of a shift in that time. It’s still important, depending on the artist’s goals.
MT: What are the qualities you’ve found in the most successful artists you’ve worked with? What has stopped artists you’ve worked with from being successful?
LG: The most successful artists I’ve worked with are genuinely talented, incredibly active (consistent touring, new music, videos, etc), honest, patient, persistent, open-minded and have a great sense of humor. They also really make it a point to learn as many aspects of the music industry as possible, and always ask me questions about print media and publicity. Simply put, they are involved. Those who have unfortunately not been successful usually did nothing after releasing their albums, refused to play shows even locally, resisted setting up and maintaining ways in which to stay in touch with fans (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, artist websites), and had unrealistic expectations. By that I mean, they genuinely expected to have features in every major glossy magazine reviewing their debut album or EP. Not that that shouldn’t be a goal nor could it not happen, but to them, any press they considered to be “below” a national magazine was worthless and ignored. They ultimately set themselves up for disappointment and failure.
MT: Have you personally witnessed a lot of the effects of the changes in the industry through the artists you’ve worked with? Where do you think we’re headed as far as music and the singer/songwriter genre, and what types of people do you think will be successful?
LG: I’ve worked with artists whose music (and/or whose press campaigns) were richly funded by both independent and major labels. I’ve seen them not sell the amount of records their labels wanted them to and suddenly that motherly love they once received from the labels disappeared, as did the funding. It was devastating. Most of the artists I work with now are independently funded. Every day I see how the print media aspect of the industry is changing; it’s getting smaller and more competitive. Music publicity today is a real workout; it’s a tough, exhausting, demanding job. A sign of a good, successful publicist is that they’re checking their iPhone or BlackBerry every 20 minutes. When you see an album review of an independent artist, it probably was made possible by weeks of work, if not months, on a publicist’s end.
A bad review, while not ideal for artist nor publicist, is today considered somewhat of a success just because space for any coverage is so limited and coveted. As far as where we’re headed musically – who the hell knows! Record sales show that it changes regularly. I think music fans love singer/songwriters though, but as far as who will be successful, again it’s not only a matter of how talented they are but how active they are. A proactive, persistent yet patient, honest, open-minded, hungry type of person tends to find the most long-lasting success.
You can reach Laura at laura@redbootpr.com
-Martin Storrow for Modern Touring
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