tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post6043272911395412467..comments2024-02-13T10:20:04.888+00:00Comments on David Hepworth's blog: More on band biographiesDavid Hepworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05973053694541321308noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-61094468774356638262008-08-01T13:09:00.000+01:002008-08-01T13:09:00.000+01:00My introduction to new artists comes almost exclus...My introduction to new artists comes almost exclusively through magazines or websites. <BR/><BR/>So from that perspective, publicity material (which a journalist or hack will parlay into an introductory article or review) is tremendously important. It has to kindle a spark of interest that is going to motivate a reader into investigating further. <BR/> <BR/>There are certain things a band should never say. By way of example: <BR/><BR/>“We play the music we want and if anyone else likes it then that’s a bonus.”<BR/><BR/>I have very little time for any band who give the impression that they buy their clothes from a secret UK branch of C&A.backwards7https://www.blogger.com/profile/04902342759719621771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-13727633330843586062008-08-01T05:54:00.000+01:002008-08-01T05:54:00.000+01:00They're not designed to make anyone enjoy anyone's...They're not designed to make anyone enjoy anyone's music. Neither is a conventional biog. It's designed to give the media something to go on.David Hepworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03541581777824775884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-7357523141471586232008-08-01T02:20:00.000+01:002008-08-01T02:20:00.000+01:00Fascinating tidbits have never made me enjoy anyon...Fascinating tidbits have never made me enjoy anyone's music any more than I would have without them.<BR/><BR/>If the music's solid, the factoids don't matter. If the music's boring, I'm sure I wouldn't care if the bass player's grandfather invented windsurfing, or if the drummer practices ventriloquism in his spare time, etc. <BR/><BR/>I know it doesn't help you with your picture captions or looming deadlines, but from a strictly musical perspective, the music is all that matters...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-48810012844173809572008-07-31T23:05:00.000+01:002008-07-31T23:05:00.000+01:00Fraser's biog is very entertaining, I can match tw...Fraser's biog is very entertaining, I can match two entries.John Inneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11860116651243372579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-65368593161861161952008-07-31T22:20:00.000+01:002008-07-31T22:20:00.000+01:00This is partly a function of the DIY Internet age....This is partly a function of the DIY Internet age. If a band does everything for themselves, including writing their own biography, they are bound to leave out the sensational stuff. Out of modesty, for one thing, to protect relationships, for another. And maybe even because they are just learning, and they aren't too good at it yet.<BR/>Sometimes you need someone to tell your story for you: one of the up-sides of the old way of doing things - the Press Officer in the paid employ of the Record Company - was they knew what they were doing, and would wring the last drop of blood from a band's backstory. And the band were happy with it because they weren't personally accountable - they could always blame the record label if any of their friends or relatives complained.Smithyladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07755203477437311889noreply@blogger.com