Kenny Love

 

“Now, I Know Why The Werewolf Howls”

By Kenny Love

Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” is a 1969 autobiographical

novel that focuses on the early years of author Maya Angelou’s

life.  Written at the end of the American Civil Rights movement,

the work explores the isolation and loneliness Angelou faced.

Up far too late into the wee hours of the morning, an all too

often zone in which I find myself, on one of these occasions, I

also found myself considering Angelou’s story and its parallel to

the life of not only my own, but to many musicians.

As a musician, it is more often than not, difficult to find a true

friend aside from another musician (actually, the same is often

true within the music community itself).  But, for this article’s

purpose, as an example, non musicians seem to either view

musicians as demigods due to their talent, or they are deemed

freaks of society (a few choice fans may view us as both…

simultaneously).

After all, as musicians, we do not fit the status quo…the

“blend in business as usual” scenario…the all encompassing

process of graduating high school, going to college, and getting

a job that we will retire from forty years later.

No, even if we attend and complete college, then take a job in

a local school district teaching the school band or choir in the

interest of “normalizing” our lives, inevitably, we will be placed

in society’s one of two “demigod” or “freak” molds (again,

perhaps, both simultaneously) dare we ever exit our nether

world to perform publicly to a crowd of more than one.

In my own personal experience, as well as the experiences of

my musician friends/acquaintances, if you have been a musician

for most of your life, it can be said that your existence within

the world of music supersedes your playing an instrument,

singing, performing, or composing.

It is likely and, otherwise, a spiritual “calling” that will not let

go.  And, it can easily be said to have an inescapable hold on

you…a blessing in a sense, yet and perhaps, even a curse…

much like that dreaded 30-day interval of the silvery moon that

your friendly neighborhood werewolf must endure and survive

lifelong without bringing undue attention to himself or herself.

And, it is a unique level of human spirituality that most non

artists cannot and will likely never comprehend.  In comparison

to Ms. Angelou’s work, along with our musical talent and the

enjoyment of being blessed as a creator, comes a slightly

seething loneliness that, in turn, maintains our honesty to our

“calling.”

Regardless of your favorite genre that you dare not admit chose

you, as opposed to your choosing it, you will likely agree that

the common elements of anger, sadness, and other related and

indifferent emotions can be derived from, at least, one song of

any given artist’s repertoire, whether that artist is Enya with

her “Caribbean Blue” (Celtic), Roy Ayer’s “Searching” (Jazz) 

Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” (Progressive Rock), 

Jill Scott’s “Golden” (RnB), or any of Eryka Badu’s works, as

well as those of many other artists.

And, as sad as it is for me to admit it, I have also found that

many artists (including myself) can remain too close, too long,

to their music without a vitally necessary unrelated diversion

to overtly distract and save us from instituting a “Curt Cobain.”

Because, music has a uniquely powerful way of forcing a

suppressed (and, often painful) personal history to the surface

for re-evaluation and analysis.  And, as musicians, and because

we are creators, this is, possibly, the reason for our high degree

of emotional response to it more so than non artists.

While this article has been intended to serve as “body filler” for

this newsletter, it also serves me well as a few moments of

self-reflective therapy, as my spirit eclipse’s the oh so soothing

albeit depressing sounds of Ms. Lalah Hathaway’s vocal lead

(lyrics by Ms. Bette Midler) that cascade Mr. Joe Sample’s

rendition of Ms. Midler’s ”When Your Life Was Low” (it’s on my

playlist on my MySpace page, but don’t listen too often, lest

ye fall victim to and become a might painfully enthralled, such

as my wretched soul hath done time and time again).

Ignorance is bliss, and I often wish that I remained a non artist

who had never learned what I now know about creating music,

its mechanics, or its intricacies, such as how to arrange a

particular chord inversion or a drum part’s backbeat that not

only evokes memories and/or emotions that either make me

want to soar higher than Kal El could ever dream of doing, or

seek the closest gunshop for “El Fin,” but which either can draw

the positive or negative tear from a too often dry bloody eye.

And, after having self-analyzed, self-explored and self-purged,

I too now know (and understand succinctly) why the werewolf

howls at the first light of the beautiful silvery moon.

Kenny Love

Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved

 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

How To Succeed In Getting Gig/Tour Press

By Kenny Love

I recently received a question from a musician who is having

more than her fair share of problems obtaining print media

coverage in areas where her band is touring.

Hopefully, my advice and ideas that I gave her can benefit you

and your band as well should you experience similar difficulties

with obtaining print media support for your gigs/tours.

________________________________________________

FROM: Megan

I started touring with my band last fall (we were in New York

City before that…), and we are about to leave on another tour

for our debut ep. Booking is going as well as can be expected

starting out, but we’re having a hell of a time getting any

press…we have a kit and an epk, and a press release, and we

send off everywhere, but we’re in that limbo spot where

honestly, not many people care about our music enough yet…

any suggestions?

________________________________________

[---MY RESPONSE---]

What has been occurring for several years (if not longer) and,

particularly, with local and regional print publications, is a little

thing called “nepotism.”

I utilize this phrase to describe print papers that will only

devote “ink” (press coverage) to their local/regional up-and-

coming musical artists, with the only exceptions being granted

for mega superstars or outside artists who are coming into the

media sources’ area for performances, of which the latter

describes Megan your situation.

And, since you and your band are, indeed, touring and “qualify”

for coverage in your performance areas, you should conduct an

in-depth search on the web (using Google) for print media in

each of your tour stops.

As an example, if you are playing Richmond, Virginia, you should

simply use Google to search phrases such as:

* “richmond, virginia print media”

* “richmond, virginia print publications”

* “richmond, virginia music magazines”

* “richmond, virginia arts and entertainment magazines”

* “richmond, virginia daily newspapers”

* “richmond, virginia weekly newspapers”

or similar key phrases.

You should then contact the print editors or music editors in

each area where you will appear and inform them on your

upcoming performance location, i.e., name of venue, date, time,

etc. and also request if the editor would be interested in

interviewing you/your band in advance of your performance.

At this time, you should also direct the media to your website

for advance review of your music, biography, etc. With print

publications, you can do interviews via telephone, or if the

media prefers “in person” interviews, you could simply schedule

the interview earlier in the day, prior to your performance,

which will mean you will need to get into town a bit earlier than

normal set-up time.

You should also bear in mind that, with print publications, “lead

time” (the amount of advance time publications require to

review projects before writing about them) is very crucial

in order to ensure media coverage.

Daily newspapers, generally, demand a minimum of 2-3 weeks

“lead time” and, possibly, longer depending on the publication.

The “trick” is to stay anywhere from 3-4 weeks ahead with

the (“lead time”) of each tour appearance.

Example: For an upcoming May 3, 2008 appearance, daily

print media contacts should be initiated around April 10th at

the *latest*.

Likewise, you should also contact radio station talk shows,

television morning shows, prime time talk/interview shows,

television newscasts, and cable music and entertainment

shows at *each* station in each of your tour cities.

Should you secure any media interviews, you should then

notify other media contacts in the same area that you will

be interviewing with the particular source, in an effort to

influence other area media to consider you as well, in addition

to requesting their reviewing your already-scheduled interview.

This can (sometimes) serve to foster a bit of competition

between local media, with all being good for the musical

group.

To add even better “fuel to the fire,” you should invite all

media contacts in *each* area out to your performances.

This can, potentially, serve as background media coverage

*after* you have performed, and the opportunity to get

TWO bits of media coverage, thus, prolonging your exposure

in any single given area.

Be sure to provide complementary media passes for all local

media contacts that have agreed to come out to the show, as

well as inform the venue owners of the media contact names.

This should be tightly coordinated and confirmed with venue

owners or managers prior to the show.

While this seems a bit more work, as you can see, there are

definite advantages as well as “extra” opportunities for media

coverage within a single tour location if conducted well.

Now, multiply this degree of opportunity within *each* tour

area, and you are likely to create quite a buzz on your tour

route as well as have a degree of successful results through

implementing this proactive process.

____________________________________________________

Editor’s Note: Kenny Love is a radio/video promoter and media

publicist, as well as co-owner and Director of Marketing for

Eartastic Records. Get more information regarding him from his

MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/jazzman795