I'm not sure whether there should be any fuss over this story about a music PR website paying music journalists directly to review music or not.
(From The Guardian)
Over the past few weeks dozens of music journalists have received emails with the subject heading: "We pay journalists to review bands". The email came from a new music PR agency, The Men From the Press, and is part of a bid to end the traditional mailout of free CDs for review and, controversially, put money directly into journalists' pockets.
Hacks simply have to log on to TMFTP's site, listen to music and write a brief comment on it. The idea has been welcomed by some bands struggling to pay for a publicist (the agency's founder, Dave Chisholm, promises bands to "get your music to the right journalists"), but it also raises questions about PR in the music business...
You mean: as opposed to paying music journalists to write press releases? You mean: as opposed to taking out adverts in publications, and expecting a favourable review or article in return? You mean: as opposed to sending music journalists tons of free CDs, secure in the knowledge that they'll get a good price for them on amazon? You mean: as opposed to plying music journalists with drinks or drugs or flying them to another country? You mean: as opposed to placing an advert for the music being reviewed right next to the star rating online at The Guardian or Pitchfork (or five million other sites). You mean: as opposed to supplying goods for an online shop based upon how favourable the review is?
I've even been asked directly by bands if I'd review them in exchange for money. I've had musicians offer to sleep with me - presumably in exchange for a good review, as I'm not exactly George Clooney. I've even had fans of musicians offer to sleep with me in exchange for a good review. Is that any worse than the above?
Fuck. Some folk just don't like to see hypocrisy exposed. It's right there in front of them. Stupid pricks.
Would I sign up for this site myself? No. It looks fucking terrible.
ReplyDeleteI had that George Clooney offer to sleep with me. Still wouldn't persuade to me to say that Batman and Robin was anything other than arse, and not in a good way.
ReplyDeleteOh crap! I always thought people were buying me drinks and giving me stuff because they liked me. That would explain their agitation when I gave their sucky bands bad reviews. :(
ReplyDelete(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteDennis R. White and Gavin Crabtree like this.
Bianca Rosemarie de Valentino
nice post E! :) xo
23 March at 11:22 ·
Ben Martin
Give them my e-mail address. I gots no soul.
23 March at 11:30 ·
Englane Albiona Ranas Read
Is it bad that I can't really tell whether or not you're for or against 'The Men From The Press', Everett? I'm not quite sure what to think of it...
23 March at 11:40 ·
Everett True
I'm not for or against it. I couldn't give a crap either way because it's a shit-looking site. I'm just commenting.
23 March at 11:43 ·
Englane Albiona Ranas Read
Okay. I actually quite like the idea of it, but that's because I'm already a quote/interview/review hungry whore and I want as many people to listen to my rough as fuck demos as possible.
23 March at 12:00 ·
Bianca Rosemarie de Valentino
'The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.' ~Hunter S Thompson :)
23 March at 12:15 ·
Englane Albiona Ranas Read
Exactly. =) I love Hunter S Thompson.
23 March at 12:21 ·
Jeff Tartakov
Make them start paying you NOT to review their music.
23 March at 12:30 ·
Didier Becu
Great statement, just am not sure about the George Clooney-thing :)
23 March at 16:10 ·
Everett True
100 bucks for an indifferent review. 1,000 bucks for a good review. And 2,000 bucks for a bad review.
23 March at 16:25 ·
Everett True
Tell you what. You donate some money to a "charity" of my choice via Paypal on my blog - and I'll write about your music. The offer is open to everyone. I'll have to list it in a new section (maybe entitled Money Talks)...but I'm being completely genuine about this offer.
23 March at 16:26 ·
Bianca Rosemarie de Valentino
what are interesting turn of events! that's a great idea E! :)
24 March at 04:46 ·
(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteEverett True
Bands! Send me a 100 bucks and I'll write you a 100-word review! Can't promise you it'll be favourable, though...
23 March at 11:48 · Comment · Like
Frank Menesch
What the fuck are you going to do with 100 male deers?
Also, make the review 'All work and no play make Everett a dull boy' ten times.
23 March at 11:50 ·
Everett True
Frank, you talk good sense!
23 March at 11:51 ·
Colin Buchan Liddell
Greed AND integrity.
I can see why you still need the money.
23 March at 12:17 ·
Bianca Rosemarie de Valentino
I still remember the look on your face when I played you a song I made... seriously it was priceless! lol! ;)
23 March at 12:30 ·
Chris Hearn
hmmm... you should sell the band an adspace and write the review for "free". that's what they do these days right?
23 March at 12:58 ·
Greg Charles
send me 100 bucks and i will write a review of 'live thru this - american rock music in the nineties'
23 March at 14:00 ·
Aaron Michael Rabins Hartman
My favorite review from the 90s: "Its not good. It just isn't."
Worth much more than $100.
23 March at 15:25 ·
(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteEverett True
Patronage music journalism: donate money to me via my blog, and I'll write you a review. What could be simpler?
Everett True
On Twitter, I've been offered...um... 27c already. C'mon my fearless Facebook friends - buy yourselves some press and cut out the middlemen. (I'm not guaranteeing good, but it should be amusing.)
23 March at 18:39 ·
Dan Cross
I'd like to but I hate paypal. Can I mail you a twenty?
23 March at 19:10 ·
Everett True
sure.
23 March at 20:14 ·
Hugh Brown
Patronage or corruption?
23 March at 20:48 ·
Everett True
A little bit from exhibit A and a little bit from exhibit B. I'm not sure. I was aiming for transparency - so, if anyone bites, I make it a feature. Run a series called Money Talks (or similar) and list the bribe offered.
23 March at 20:52 ·
(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteRingo P Stacey likes this.
Simon Keeler
yes, reading about this, and seeing the website, really encourages me!!
23 March at 20:23 ·
Everett True
I know. You think they could've made a bit more of a fucking effort. Guess it keeps the costs down!
23 March at 20:23 ·
Everett True
Everything about it screams "scam". Paul Lester is quite visibly on board though, in the list of publications you can reach via the site.
23 March at 20:24 ·
Simon Keeler
no comment on Paul Lester. this is just depressing to be honest. Pay to Play rearing its ugly head. i dont care, decent writing for real reasons will out-last penny grubbing charlatans with blinkered (and paid for) tastes
23 March at 20:26 ·
Simon Price
Yeah, someone showed me this a few weeks ago and I thought it stank, frankly.
23 March at 20:42 ·
Nita Keeler
UGH. what a load of utter nonsense. this is quite frankly disgusting.
23 March at 21:00 ·