Ok, so we had a few problems with other local muso's just not digging what this band does. And that's all good. It doesn't bother me that other musician's don't dig it. In fact, it wouldn't bother me if the public didn't dig it - let's get real, Bon Jovi might have 80,000 fans in New Zealand that love them!! But they'll also have 80,000 people that hate them, and probably another 80,000 that really just don't give a damn.
Every band will have their share of haters and those that don't care for it, so it didn't bother me too much that there were half a dozen muso's that visited and ran that local forum that hated the band I manage.
Anyways, I sent out the press release after that forum saga just letting them know about this bands album release etc. The next day I received an email from the main local newspaper's music editor asking if I would send a copy of the album in to them - he would pass it on to one of his reviewers to check out and review.
Of course I saw no problem with this because, even if you didn't dig the music, you could still hear the calibre of musicianship in it, so I sent him a copy. A week later, I received an email suggesting that they shouldn't print the review as it was so bad that it wouldn't do the band any justice with their first review being so bad.
That same day we received some emails from a guy (locally) stating how he thought the music "rocked" and how great it was. However, we thought nothing of it because we have received many of those emails - albeit many are generally international. So we wrote back to him - as we reply to every email/message we get.
We ALSO received that same day, an email from a Hotmail account that was in the name of the band I manage!!! I knew that we hadn't created a Hotmail account, so read it and it was one of the worst hate-mails you have probably ever seen! Ok, that's cool, didn't bother me. Just left it. But then we got more... and more!! All over the next day or two and he assured us he would "contact every reviewer I know in the North Island" to ensure the band don't get a good review. After reading them, it was pretty easy to see that he was the one that had reviewed the album.
I then decided to contact Hotmail to let them know what was going on - as I didn't know if this person was contacting others in the name of this band. And that was the only thing that really worried me…. [.. continue here..]
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Other people can stop you temporarily. You're the only one who can do it permanently"
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Devil Rears It's Ugly Head... (Part 1)
Thursday, May 1, 2008
When People Love To Hate You
Ok, assuming you all have a local live music scene - how good is it? I'm talking about your particular city/town (not the whole country). Seriously, I'd love to hear about it - how involved are you? Are you mates with the other bands? Do you work together and put on events/shows? Because that’s what I want out of a live music scene locally.
I'll now share with you the beginnings of much drama and tall poppy syndrome that the band I manage have suffered.
When the guys finished their album and it was all mastered and ready for release, I was given a suggestion to check out the local music forums. Thus thinking this was a great idea, I googled music forums in our area.
I came across a site that was based in our area, and had some of the local bands involved in the forums. They had the usual posting area's that you see on forums (i.e gigs, music, bands, general chat etc). So after looking round the site a bit I signed up and in the 'music' section created a post letting people know that this band had a single coming out with the album following shortly after. It also mentioned that this band had already received 73,000 views on YouTube and if you would like to be kept up to date, visit the artist website and sign up to the newsletter.
So, anything wrong with what I wrote? I would have thought not. It was a local forum, local muso's, I thought the support would be great! I couldn't have been more wrong. It started from there and hasn't stopped since. After that first post, they attacked the band's music, insulted them personally and then all these pseudonym's started popping up in the name of this band!! They all started arguing with each other and it's about that time that we stepped right back from the situation and broke the ties. It was crazy to watch, and almost laughable. However, we did not wish to associate with such types and have not been back to that "forum" since.
This is the perfect example of a clique – there were ringleaders involved and it could almost constitute internet bullying - they ridiculed the band and the whole situation became larger than life with different pseudonyms impersonating the band and rumours flying within their circles.
A real hate for the band had developed... simply because they were viable - and very good at what they do. Leagues above the muso's on that forum - and they knew it... the beginnings of Tall Poppy Syndrome made itself known.
That's all? No.. not by a long shot. More coming...
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Pay no attention to critics. No one ever erected a statue of a critic"
Repercussions Of Tall Poppy Syndrome
Ok, so back to the whole Tall Poppy Syndrome and how it's effected us thus far. For a start, one of the repercussions of Tall Poppy is that it has revealed different cliques in our town.
After the drama that happened with our sound man, I have since realised that he is involved in that clique - hence the reason at both festivals, his mates' bands had a nice big sound, but when the band I manage came on - there always seemed a 'problem' and the mix was never as good.
The troubling thing is, the main clique around here is a bunch of musicians that are fully against anything commercial or mainstream - and do not want to see anyone succeed. Unfortunately, this leads to ostracisation of those outside the clique and leaves them subject to insults and bullying. Ok, you're thinking, we're all adults here, so they can't do much damage. Right? Wrong.
Unfortunately for us, it turns out that this clique of musicians here in our town pretty much run the live music scene - they work at CD stores, within the local media, at the student union offices for local techs and uni's, are in with venues. These muso's have gone to a couple of extreme lengths to make our lives a misery...
I will get to how and why in the next post... stay with me for it!
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Ideas won't work until you do"
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
My Gripe With MySpace Musicians!
Ok, I'm going to interrupt my usual blog entries with a gripe that has really been bugging me! And it's happened again today!!
As you know from my previous blogs, I have the band I manage involved in several of the popular social networking sites. MySpace is one of the most 'musician-friendly' ones, and it certainly serves it's purpose. But one thing is really getting on my nerves!
We get a tonne of friend requests from bands, and that is all good - on EVERY friend request the guys get, I go and comment on that persons page, just to say thanks, good to meet you, whatever. The general public always respond... but bands don't!
I don't get it, I think it's really rude! Ok, I know that when you 'add a friend' on MySpace (especially from a band), they are not REALLY friends - it's just basically a networking tactic, and I'm all good with that. But how hard is it to comment back and show a little interest? Who knows, you could network with some great bands and you never know what opportunities could arise from that...!
Instead, it's like they add you simply to add another number to their friend count and make themselves look popular.. is there much point to that if you never communicate in any other way?!
Tall Poppy Syndrome
Ever heard of the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome'?
Basically, it is slang for the tendency to criticise highly successful people (i.e tall poppies), and 'cut them down'.
New Zealand has a terrible case of tall poppy syndrome with people constantly being knocked down, simply for letting themselves shine. People are criticised by their peers for merely striving to achieve the best, yet society wonders why a lot of young people settle for mere mediocrity in their chosen field.
In December last year, I sent a copy of the band's album to a VIP in the New Zealand music industry. He absolutely loved it and he met with myself and the singer to have a chat. He wisely advised us to watch out for 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' here in New Zealand. At the time I didn't greatly understand that point he made, but I took the advice on board anyway.
I guess the main point here is that when you have something good, something that has the potential to be very successful - you have to watch out. There are people that will try and cut you down (generally those that are in the same industry, i.e in this case - the local struggling musician circle), that don't want to see you succeed - because it shows that they are not as good.
When that happens, you need to be at your strongest. Don't let it get to you - recognise it for what it is - jealousy. Let it be your motivator. That is exactly how I am now. I have a point to prove, but not only that - I know that this band is that good. I'm not biased - but I do know what it takes to 'make it' and it's also proven from the email, comments and response we receive from the general public. We also have the support from very prominent NZ music figure (more on that later). Whatever happens, stay strong, keep focussed on your goals, keep your live show polished and finally - keep writing great songs!
Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer - you will see that in this case, there are people that have gone to great lengths to try and bring this band down... stay tuned and I will tell you what happened...
