Artist Statements - Advice/Examples

MilanPan!c

So, we've prolly all had to write on.

Who's proud of theirs?

Post examples of the good and bad please.

Here's a particularly bad one, IMO:

Hailing from the live music capital of the world, ******* is an up and coming band fully dedicated to the art and compassion behind music. Their songs are some of the best examples this world has to offer as to how music makes a person feel, and they drive home a stake of serenity into any listener's soul.

Post the good and the bad!

And any advice on writing a artist/band statement.

uniqueusername2

MilanPan!c wrote: »

So, we've prolly all had to write on.

Who's proud of theirs?

Post examples of the good and bad please.

Here's a particularly bad one, IMO:



Post the good and the bad!

And any advice on writing a artist/band statement.

Oooh thats a nasty one!
I had to write a press release before for the band I was in if thats the same kind of thing. Found it very hard not to be cliched, or too clever. I got other people to write a paragraph or two for me (friends who were good with words) and then I distilled them with my own ideas and came up with something half decent.
Though I wouldn't dare quote it here!:D

miju

What kinda statements / PR blurbs we talking about here. We talking about general press pack stuff or writing press releases for sites / papers etc to pick up on?

MilanPan!c

miju wrote: »

What kinda statements / PR blurbs we talking about here. We talking about general press pack stuff or writing press releases for sites / papers etc to pick up on?

More like the artist statement; what is your band all about?, etc.

miju

MilanPan!c wrote: »

More like the artist statement; what is your band all about?, etc.

In the case of artist statements IMO you need to keep it concise and waffle free so in order include:

- What your band sounds like (things like genres and a few various influences of what your band sounds like not aspires to be or as influenced you as a musician)
- Any major gigs of note including supporting any big acts (remember if your on the same billing as a band then you can tie em in somehow ;-) )
- Details of current previous releases including singles, ep's, albums and chart positions if possible (course you could always have released an e-single that got x amount of downloads ;-) )
- very short story on the band etc (bearing in mind we've all read a million times about the best band, crazy stage energy / presence, thundering drums etc etc)
- contact info for press / pr or management / booking enquiries

anything else in a band statement is wastage. now press / pr blurbs are a different animal.

MilanPan!c

miju wrote: »

In the case of artist statements IMO you need to keep it concise and waffle free so in order include:

- What your band sounds like (things like genres and a few various influences of what your band sounds like not aspires to be or as influenced you as a musician)
- Any major gigs of note including supporting any big acts (remember if your on the same billing as a band then you can tie em in somehow ;-) )
- Details of current previous releases including singles, ep's, albums and chart positions if possible (course you could always have released an e-single that got x amount of downloads ;-) )
- very short story on the band etc (bearing in mind we've all read a million times about the best band, crazy stage energy / presence, thundering drums etc etc)
- contact info for press / pr or management / booking enquiries

anything else in a band statement is wastage. now press / pr blurbs are a different animal.

This is good!

I think either make is short and memorable (i.e. give it personality) or make it short and factual... make it easy to digest....

miju

MilanPan!c wrote: »

This is good!

I think either make is short and memorable (i.e. give it personality) or make it short and factual... make it easy to digest....

I'd lean alot more towards short and factual. You are sending these to management, bookers, labels, licensors etc and they don't particularly care for personality per when making potential decisions etc.

Especially the former who would be more into facts & figures.

MilanPan!c

miju wrote: »

I'd lean alot more towards short and factual. You are sending these to management, bookers, labels, licensors etc and they don't particularly care for personality per when making potential decisions etc.

Especially the former who would be more into facts & figures.

I Was thinking more like for your online presence...

Some bands can make personality go a looooooong way.. successful bands...

Just depends on the band and their market I would say... or at least assume...

miju

ah well in that case your talking more of a Press type blurb. So that would be more along the lines of:

- how band came to be
- genre / influences
- gigs of note
- releases / achievements / review snips etc

Wouldnt have any facts of figures in something like that for an online presence, site page etc

Waking-Dreams

I've written a good few of these over the years; very difficult to get the right balance of not too arty-farty/blowing your own trumpet, to something that sounds interesting.

Best advice I can give is, less is more. And always start at the end, meaning don't begin with how the band started way back when paddy met mick, etc, talk about what the band is doing right now, releasing an album, etc. and then work backwards or include some history but to be honest, no one really cares how a band formed (it's usually in the same kind of way all bands form).

rcaz

Had to write one of these for a gig we played once. So headwrecking, but in the end, compared to the other dudes on the bill, I think we came across best. So many bands with 'powerhouse drumming' and 'brooding lyrics'... FFS! Let the audience decide for themselves how much of a brooding powerhouse your band is.

I think we had the term "rock music from electronic music fans", and not much else. Sparse, but I think it's better that way.

MilanPan!c

I know there's a legitimate argument to be made for a bit of hyperbole, but I wonder how statements like, "the most exciting new band," and, "the best songwriter of her generation" are actually peecieved.

I know I'd want to be pretty damn impressed by the music/songs to not vaguely hold that against the band, but the flip isn't much better:

"The 23rd most popular indie rock band in Dublin"

"In context, a reasonably popular blues band from Cork"

etc.

I guess, a bit of hyperbole is ok as long as you're not obscenly ridiculous?

Waking-Dreams

Yeah just keep it to a minimum. One has to make it sound a little hyped up (because all press is like that) but maintain an attitude of humble pie.

I think the back of DVDs and book summaries can be a great source for ideas. These have been written by professionals in most cases, wheras bands often copy press releases from other bands.

miju

Waking-Dreams wrote: »

I think the back of DVDs and book summaries can be a great source for ideas. These have been written by professionals in most cases, wheras bands often copy press releases from other bands.

Very good tip there. Most press releases will be picked up if you send in a press release that is near "print ready".

So in other words your press release nearly reads like an article that puts band in a positive light but is not glowing with bias either. Lazy journos always pick up on these and do some slight editing and rewording and they've a quick article without much effort.

galwaybabe

Here's our one. I got a friend to write it and I tweaked it after.

Introducing Ireland’s newest high energy fusion folk band, Fling! They are the chief foot stompers at a hot and heavy hootenanny, a meeting of East European gypsies and trad fanatics under a bridge in La Paz, Bolivia.

Fling are the smiling souls still crafting songs and greeting a new day when everyone else has gone to bed, they are the collective sound of a thousand idea’s, journeys and rhythms born to make you feel good. Based in Galway in the West of Ireland, their music has a twang of everything from South America to Russia while never forgetting their roots in Irish Trad and Bluegrass and good old rock and roll. Fling’s highly original material leaves audiences enthralled and exhilarated.

Come dance with them!

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/flingfolk#ixzz0uJppyNSQ

rcaz

What's that apostrophe doing there in 'ideas'?