Post by kentonist on May 16, 2007 9:16:20 GMT
I thought it might be an idea to get this thread rolling nice and early.
Song07 is an amazing idea, with a fantastic line-up... well, and some band called ist whose lead singer, frankly, is Canadian. ;D
Now it needs to be a success. It's good for the region, it's good for the artists, it's good for music in general to have an event so geared to great songwriting.
But, in order to promote anything these days you need to think outside the box. You can't just post things on the internet, or place ads in magazines and hope for the best. You have to be proactive.
And sometimes, just sometimes, you're never to going survive unless you get a little crazy.
I refuse to admit I typed that last sentence.
Personally, I think all of us, shall we say, less famous artists should be a big part of this. We have the headliner draw of the Proclaimers and the Levellers, there's great known acts on that will draw a mainstream crowd. To get it cooking, we need to get Song07 head and shoulders above the alternatives.
1. All artists who are playing should be promoting the festival itself. It's cross-promotional. We can't just sit on our haunches and say "Hurrah! We're playing a festival with the Proclaimers!" We need to be out there selling it, like it was that first gig in the back of a pub and you needed to make enough petrol money to get home. Let's all get in this together.
2. Let's get more of the artists on the bill in the press and on the radio. Most have professional releases available... Sell the bands to press and radio on the back of the festival, and then further sell the festival on the rising profile of even MORE of the bands.
3. There needs to be a strong branding effort, and a more forthright one. Get to the press tell them what Song07 is and, as we all know with the press, what it ISN'T.
People need to know that:
1) It's about GREAT SONGWRITING. It's not all going to be three argyll jumpers singing "The Wild Rover". Unfortunately - and I couldn't disagree with this more strongly - when most people hear the word "folk" that's what they think of...
2) It's a REACTION to the homogenisation of music. Some people may be inclined to think Song07 is safe. Mr. Stead must know this idiocy backwards - The Beautiful South were forever wrongly painted as MOR, because they bothered having melodies, when in fact, they were great songs with hidden depths, and more than a little razor in their apple.
Song07 needs to stand up and say that there's a problem... not enough real songs are getting through, and Song07 is here to change that.
Sometimes fighting talk is the only thing that will move you forward.
But these are just ideas... Morning ideas as well, which means the coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet.
This thread should serve to collate EVERYONE'S ideas, plans and schemes.
Let's blow everyone else out of the water.
K.
Song07 is an amazing idea, with a fantastic line-up... well, and some band called ist whose lead singer, frankly, is Canadian. ;D
Now it needs to be a success. It's good for the region, it's good for the artists, it's good for music in general to have an event so geared to great songwriting.
But, in order to promote anything these days you need to think outside the box. You can't just post things on the internet, or place ads in magazines and hope for the best. You have to be proactive.
And sometimes, just sometimes, you're never to going survive unless you get a little crazy.
I refuse to admit I typed that last sentence.
Personally, I think all of us, shall we say, less famous artists should be a big part of this. We have the headliner draw of the Proclaimers and the Levellers, there's great known acts on that will draw a mainstream crowd. To get it cooking, we need to get Song07 head and shoulders above the alternatives.
1. All artists who are playing should be promoting the festival itself. It's cross-promotional. We can't just sit on our haunches and say "Hurrah! We're playing a festival with the Proclaimers!" We need to be out there selling it, like it was that first gig in the back of a pub and you needed to make enough petrol money to get home. Let's all get in this together.
2. Let's get more of the artists on the bill in the press and on the radio. Most have professional releases available... Sell the bands to press and radio on the back of the festival, and then further sell the festival on the rising profile of even MORE of the bands.
3. There needs to be a strong branding effort, and a more forthright one. Get to the press tell them what Song07 is and, as we all know with the press, what it ISN'T.
People need to know that:
1) It's about GREAT SONGWRITING. It's not all going to be three argyll jumpers singing "The Wild Rover". Unfortunately - and I couldn't disagree with this more strongly - when most people hear the word "folk" that's what they think of...
2) It's a REACTION to the homogenisation of music. Some people may be inclined to think Song07 is safe. Mr. Stead must know this idiocy backwards - The Beautiful South were forever wrongly painted as MOR, because they bothered having melodies, when in fact, they were great songs with hidden depths, and more than a little razor in their apple.
Song07 needs to stand up and say that there's a problem... not enough real songs are getting through, and Song07 is here to change that.
Sometimes fighting talk is the only thing that will move you forward.
But these are just ideas... Morning ideas as well, which means the coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet.
This thread should serve to collate EVERYONE'S ideas, plans and schemes.
Let's blow everyone else out of the water.
K.
