| StoreTags: sources, music, blogging, tips
Author: 11t1 on January 25 2008 Viewed 1581 times. 12 people liked this blog. You can rate it below if you haven't already.
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I'm curious if I'm missing something here. See if you can help ...
I like blogs like pitchforkmedia & stereogum & the like, and I write a music column for my own for a local site (oxymoron, I know), and global jobs for music bloggers are few and far between, so I've decided that if I want to write about music that doesn't have a Toronto angle I'll have to start my own and see where that takes me.
But the hard part of running a music blog is going to be getting the news first. Sure, I've got a few RSS feeds that I check regularly, but once someone else has reported a story is it not already old news and am I not just regurgitating what's already been said somewhere else?
I think I need a way to get info the same way the other writers are, but how are they getting their scoops? I'm signing up for every mailing list I can whenever I see appropriate links, but that doesn't seem to be yielding any results yet. Maybe I just haven't signed up for enough yet.
Maybe the other sites are driven by tips, in which case I should just do my best to put a personal spin on all the stuff the other folks are saying and hope that tipsters add me to their tip lists.
Any thoughts? | |
Comments
01/25/08
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madeofoak
the better blogs are usually hooked up with publicists, so they get the press releases and new mp3s/promos first. find a few publicist email addy's (email or ask any band who you should contact for their publicity, you'll usually get a response) and just send out a letter saying you have a blog and would like to be kept updated on their clients' events and releases. works every time.
other than that, it's all about your personal spin. do in depth reviews that don't suck and people won't care you got the record a day late.
01/25/08
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madeofoak
try these firms to start, they're either good or good people:
link
link
link
and here's a little directory of smaller firms too:
link
01/25/08
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11t1
Oh ya, publicists. Caffeine's just not doing the trick for me anymore.
I get crap from local publicists all the time, but the decent local bands can't afford them so all I get is crap.
Thanks for the tip.
01/25/08
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theflame
I've got a release coming out on the label, actually quite a few, that I'm happy to give you first?
Or arent reviews the kinda route you wanna take?
01/25/08
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11t1
I'm doing news, reviews, feature interviews & links to videos, and I'd be more than happy to give mad props to any of the talented folks at em411, mr. theflame. In fact, that's sort of how I got started. I got Fredo to consent to an interview to help promote his record's eventual release, but my own blog has absolutely no focus, and i didn't think that did him any justice. So I decided to build something bigger that would pull in more of a music-focused crowd. It should be ready to launch early to mid-February. I'm in the process of selling my house, and I'm having a hard time focussing on anything else at the moment.
01/25/08
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11t1
here's a preview for the curious: link
01/25/08
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hecanjog
Just added you to the luvsound promo list, hope that's cool! Site is looking nice man, looking forward to it.
01/25/08
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11t1
01/26/08
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yghartsyrt
just ask labels you like, about who their promotoer is. and write them. ask them about promos.
01/26/08
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astroboy
11t1:
your linky no worky 
01/26/08
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11t1
it must've had a service interuption when you tried it out, astroboy - it's ok now
01/26/08
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esem
it depends.. would you like to be a news resource or a taste agent? I think we all need more of the latter...
01/26/08
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astroboy
yes, it's working now. looks promising.
i might have some artists in my label's roster that you could like and want to write about:
link
tell me if you're interested. i'm hungry for promo 
01/26/08
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11t1
esem - it's funny you should say that. i was originally planning to go with a tagline like, "Finally, there's accounting for taste," but thought that might be too frickin' pompous. i'm definitely opinionated, and i think that comes across in my writing.
astroboy - hit me up. helping out deserving talent that doesn't have promo is one of the things i want to deliver that other folks may not really be able to do.
i've got the webspace, the url, the design, and several PR agencies RSS feeds in my GoogleReader. all i gotta do now is get the sale of my house behind me (goes on market this week) and then i can get started making this dream a reality. the em411 gang has been my online refuge for many years now, so i'm totally up for helping you guys out when & wherever possible.
01/30/08
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theflame
I SNET YOU NEWS!
Seriously though, how's this project coming along? Getting much interest, or hasn't your house sold yet?
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