As The World Tunes

HYPE

by Steve Bussey
GeoSynchronous Records

Hype is the art of getting the public’s attention. It is more formally known as public relations, and it involves all forms of press and media including newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, web sites, and street level “buzz”. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS, or the Grammy people) recently held a workshop in Orlando on hype and how to get the word out on your band. A panel of experts in the business discussed press kits, logos, web sites and other hype tools and answered questions from the audience. Here are some of the highlights.

The panelists consisted of Darrel Massaroni, manager of Seven Mary Three and My Friend Steve; Shayni Howen, owner and manager of Sapphire Supper Club and Figurehead Records; Matt Keleman, Arts Editor for Orlando Weekly, and Jay Marley, Art Director and Owner of Pyroglyphics Multi Media Graphics; and Ivan Bernstein, Executive Director, NARAS Florida branch.

A press kit is a necessity for any musical act. This will be sent to anyone who may write about or hire your band. The panelist all agreed that it should be plain and simple, but professional, and that you only have about 15 seconds to make a good impression. It should answer the questions who, what, where, why, and when. A photo should be included, but if you do not have a good one, it is better to leave it out. A photo projects an image, so be sure yours projects the image true to your band. The panelists reviewed one press kit from what they thought was a country artist, but it turns out she specialized children’s music. They saw the hat she was wearing (only vaguely resembling a cowboy hat), and immediately jumped to a wrong conclusion. A picture is worth a thousand words, so be sure it says what you want it to say.

Don’t use fluorescent paper, it is fatiguing to the eyes, and the reader may be inclined to set it aside. Also, colored paper does not copy well, so it would be difficult for the recipient to copy or fax your info. Club owners like posters and quarter page flyers that they can use to promote your concert. You should include some generic ones with blank space at the bottom to be filled in later with the specific date and club name.

Darrel Massaroni said mailing lists work well on the local level. Seven Mary Three used them effectively until they went gold, at which time it was too costly to maintain a large national database of constantly moving college students. Seven Mary Three still use stickers, which they give away at gigs (some bands sell them). They had thirty thousand printed with the cover artwork from their CD “Orange Avenue” and the Seven Mary Three logo. The stickers help maintain name recognition of the band and their CD. Seven Mary Three also maintains a sophisticated web site, and recently used it to let the fans pick the first single from “Orange Avenue”.

It is a good idea to call first to see if there is any interest in your type of music and to find out the specific person to send the press kit. Make a simple follow up call after a few days to be sure they got it and to see if they want anymore. Don’t be a pest, but keep in touch with the person until they do something or tell you no. Always tell them some new development with the band each time you call. Fax or email are also a good follow up methods, and less time consuming for both of you.

So get out there and hype your band. Let the world know about the new and improved, giant, jumbo, recyclable music!

About the author: Steve Bussey is a singer/songwriter/guitarist and is currently the owner and general manager of GeoSynchronous Records (http://www.pan.com/geosync, Listening Line 800 235 9193, ask for a free catalog), an indie label handling artists such as Les Dudek, Mike Pachelli, Bong Water Taffy, and Big Red & The Bus. Prior to this, Steve earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering and Acoustics from Georgia Tech, designed sound equipment and guitar amps for Fender, and supervised design of communication systems for the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center.