Aberdeen Journals and local music

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

yeah i was trying to remember that too...

was it not a band called stranded or something? .

yes, that was they....

And I distinctly recall selling a few more copies of their cd in One Up whilst that incident was taking place.

[Stichman]

...Can fire actually be erotic?

I suppose if you have a fire fetish, it can be. Hmm.

[Neil]

yeah i was trying to remember that too...

was it not a band called stranded or something? im vaughly sure it began with an "s"...

Yup, it was Stranded. Who knows where they are now.

[Guest Bob]

I thought it was a funny, interesting little article. Perhaps you lot missed the point; their drummer is quite young and they're quite old. It's not rocket science!

Say what you like but 'Erotic Fire', as far as band names go, is pretty unforgettable.

I'm not suggesting the scene should warm itself in the embers of Erotic Fire's glory, but as an idea aberdeen-music could sponsor them to bring more attention to equally good, but more commercially inept bands in Aberdeen.

[Frosty Jack]

The fact is that Aberdeen Journals are a steaming pile of provincial shite. They have no journalists who have any idea about a local music scene, and they don't particularly care either. They don't cover music per se, they only do stories of local interest. If you contact them and simply say 'hey my band are playing a gig in xxxx' - they will almost certainly ignore it completely because there is no story.... They always always need to have an angle. Doesn't matter how fantastic your band is, you can not expect them to print anything about you because Bert & Irene Normal from Seaton don't care so neither do they. But if you contact them and say 'hey we're playing a gig in xxxx, and we're raising money because our guitarist has only one kidney and no hands' then you're in.

gig = don't care

angle = article

qv. Estrella.

[stuartmaxwell]

i think that is slightly harsh. as mentioned sean wallace pulled a number of srings to get features on arkade/imp gigs when I lived up there

[Jim Stax]

i think that is slightly harsh. as mentioned sean wallace pulled a number of srings to get features on arkade/imp gigs when I lived up there

As is the case here: You have to make them interested by offering them something. The story in the press today was about how a band wanted an exceptional drummer and would settle for noting less and found one in a 15 year old. Having listened to the music one has to ask why but hey ho. Shite floats!

[Ollie]

erotic fire?

[jester1470]

We always found them not too bad for stuff if there was a story and not just a 'Look at my band, arent they ace'. I would guess this story got coverage as its assumed to be of local interest and not a review persay or talking about the band and their music, more on their search for a drummer, and i suppose that can be said to come over the local ineterest news heading.

I guess the best way to get coverage unles you're going for gig reviews etc is to have a story to tell them.

Cheers

Stuart

[Guest Jake Wifebeater]

The fact is that Aberdeen Journals are a steaming pile of provincial shite.

That's it in a nutshell. Does anyone actually WANT to get a mention in the local shitrags? Not that I ever expect to, but if they approached me I'd tell them to fuck off on principle. Whenever I see a band get coverage in the local press, I cringe with embarrassment for them. Even worse is getting coverage on North Tonight, it's the automatic kiss of death in terms of credibility. Fuck it, who needs them anyway? Bollocks.

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

Mmmm, Erotic Cakes.

[lepeep]

Someone should start a good, proper 'zine dedicated to local bands.

and there, in a nut shell, is the problem...

it's always "someone elses" job to do it...because most of the people that want something like this, are too lazy to get off their arses and do it themselves.

"too much hassle for me"

"I don't have the time"

"I don't know all the bands"

kainfitamean?

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

That's it in a nutshell. Does anyone actually WANT to get a mention in the local shitrags? Not that I ever expect to, but if they approached me I'd tell them to fuck off on principle. Whenever I see a band get coverage in the local press, I cringe with embarrassment for them. Even worse is getting coverage on North Tonight, it's the automatic kiss of death in terms of credibility. Fuck it, who needs them anyway? Bollocks.

Yeah! Damn right!

Now we have the answer as to why bands from Aberdeen tend to stay local.

Here's some tips, peeps:

1. Don't encourage anyone outside of your immediate circle of friends to get into your band. That way, you won't have to worry about anyone you don't know getting to hear your music, and you won't have to deal with an objective audience.

2. Don't let your band be promoted by anything outside of your control (ie. local press/media) because that way, you might be 'misconstrued' and they might say things you don't agree with. This way, people won't get to hear about you, and there'll be no chance of you reaching out to any potential audience. Which is a GOOD THING.

3. Don't promote your gigs through available media. There's nothing worse than the thought of people coming to see your band because they're 'curious'! What you really want is a die-hard crew of friends who come to your gigs becuase they're your friends. Sure, there's always a slight random element to every gig, but you must grit your teeth and deal with it, becuase it cannot be helped.

4. Think small, act small.

If you follow these handy tips, you will never have to worry about 'selling out'.

Here's to remaining small and local forever!

I am, of course, being completely sarcastic.

When your band is big enough or important enough to dismiss the local press, then fair enough to you.

Until then, quit wanting to bite the hand that could potentially feed you.

And I feel the need to point out that this post is not directed at Jake Spike at all, it's just that his post prompted me to write this.

This post is dedicated to any of you who have ever wanted to be in a successful band, and then carp and moan that you're not 'famous' or 'successful', without doing anything at all to bring that situation into existance.

And, yes - this is exactly what I did during my 'musical career', and it's why the best I can do now is a shitty wee acoustic gig in Belfast, just for something to do on a dreary Friday night.

I coulda been a contender! etc, etc, etc.

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

and there, in a nut shell, is the problem...

it's always "someone elses" job to do it...because most of the people that want something like this, are too lazy to get off their arses and do it themselves.

"too much hassle for me"

"I don't have the time"

"I don't know all the bands"

kainfitamean?

As usual, Mr Peep says what I want to say, more insightfully and succintly than I can.

Bastard.

[Lemonade]

and there, in a nut shell, is the problem...

it's always "someone elses" job to do it...because most of the people that want something like this, are too lazy to get off their arses and do it themselves.

"too much hassle for me"

"I don't have the time"

"I don't know all the bands"

kainfitamean?

Indeed I do, however I was being relatively tongue-in-cheek as I thought there was one already. Don't One-Up sell local zines? But if there isn't, I spose a decent zine that people actually buy and that doesn't look like it was printed on a dot matrix in someone's bedroom would be good. But it's too much hassle for me. I don't have time and I don't know all the bands.

[Guest Jake Wifebeater]

And I feel the need to point out that this post is not directed at Jake Spike at all, it's just that his post prompted me to write this.

This post is dedicated to any of you who have ever wanted to be in a successful band, and then carp and moan that you're not 'famous' or 'successful', without doing anything at all to bring that situation into existance.

If it's not directed at me, then don't feel the need to quote my post, chimp.

Maybe, just maybe mind you, some people are in a band for the love of kicking up a racket and genuinely don't care about the "reaching a wider audience" thing. I'm at a level I'm happy at, getting happier by the week.

I'm not interested in having a slanging match with you or anything, you're generally one of the brighter guys on here. I just get niggled at the implication I'm someone embittered at not being further on than I am. Not everyone's interested in chasing some futile dream of stardom, I'll leave that to the wannabes, ta.

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

If it's not directed at me, then don't feel the need to quote my post, chimp.

I knew I shouldn't have quoted the post! ARRRGGHHH!!!

I'm really, really not having a go at you.

Yer completely right in saying that not everyone wants to be rich/famous/cliched/etc, and you definately don't fall into that category. I've seen Spike Piledriver, and I know that's not what you guys are about.

However, there are bands out there who do want to be rich/famous/cliched/etc, and they tend to have the same opinon of the press and the methods through which one can try and achieve success.

I really am having a go at them, because I'm a bit fed up with people whining that nothing ever happens, or whatever. I did it for years, and then got bored of hearing the sound of my own voice. So I quit music, to all extents and purposes. As peep said, it was always someone else's fault....

Now I'm a professional music slegger*, so all's well that ends well.

*In contrast to my former 'career' as professional music sleg.

[Swingin' Ryan]

Just imagine Wembley Arena, it's packed to the rafters....the lights dim, a hushed silence falls over the rabid crowd.....and then over the tannoy somebody says 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage.....Erotic Fire'.

It's never going to happen is it.

[Frosty Jack]

http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/gigs-event-announcements/47823-erotic-fire-julias-shadow-evil-demon-theory-fri-15th-feb.html

[Edgar Graham]

This thing about the drummer was in The Sun as well today.

[Gemz]

Yup, it was Stranded. Who knows where they are now.

They had a break but are back workin on new material...i think you might hear of them again shortly...

I think it was management that was behind the 'People's Court' thing??? She was a bit strange...

8-)

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

Does anyone remember the time the Needles were in the Sun?

It's a prime example of what we're talking about.

There was no mention made of their music at all, and the entire article - which was more or less a full page spread, if I remember correctly - was about how they were Scotland's most accident prone band (with one particularly brilliant lie concerning Johnny Wolfe's leg being cut in half by a skateboard).

This is just the way newspapers work. if you want to read about music, read a music magazine.

People who read papers, generally aren't reading them for insightful music coverage, especially if it's local press.

But papers will print anything that they think has an interetsing angle that will be picked up upon by it's readership.

What they DON'T want to hear is -

My band are great.

We have brilliant songs.

We are emotional.

We are intense.

Etc.

What the DO want to hear is -

I formed my band as a means to getting over the trauma of being in a plane crash in the Andes where I was forced to eat my own parents.

I'm in a band with my dad/mum.

I met my wife becuase she plays drums for my band.

The motivation behind my music is parachute jumping, and I want to be the first band to do a gig 40,000 feet in the air on parachutes.

Etc.

I'm being facetious, but I'm just trying to highlight the fact that local media WILL cover this stuff if you feed it to them in a way that makes it worthwhile for them to publish. As a journalist for a music magazine and a news website, we can't just print anything. It has to have some kind of potential appeal, and generally that appeal (depending on the audience it's being aimed at) lies outside of the music.

And ultimately, I think it's worthwhile to do this sort of stuff if you want to sell records, be famous, etc, becuase it's the kind of stuff that gets complete strangers into your band, and allows you to create a buzz about things.

As Jake Spike says, not everyone wants to be famous, but there are lots of you out there who do want to be famous, and you could do a lot worse than starting at this level.

[Guest Steven Dedalus]

And as a wee treat, I have used my journalistic research skillz to bring you the Needles article in question! Hooray!

"MEET Scotland's answer to spoof heavy metal act Spinal Tap.

Aberdeen outfit The Needles have spent the last TEN YEARS in plaster.

The rockers have broken arms, legs and even jaws with their manic stage antics.

And just like classic 1980s comedy This Is Spinal Tap, it's the drummer that's suffered the most from their crazy stunts.

Now the boys - Dave Dixon , Paul Curtiss and brothers Johnny and Richey Wolfe - are convinced they'll never play a gig without one of them being covered in cuts and bruises.

Frontman Dave, 24, said: "We take our lives into our hands every time

we get up on stage. You name it, we'll chuck it - guitars, tables, chairs, amps, nothing is safe."

But just like Spinal Tap, it's drummer Johnny who bears the brunt of the on stage violence.

While the others have suffered from broken limbs, 24-year-old Johnny's foot was nearly severed in a freak on-stage accident.

Dave said: "Johnny once took his skateboard on stage and ended up having a bizarre accident that left his foot hanging on just by the skin. It's a miracle the surgeons managed to save it."

The band - who have been compared to US sensation The Strokes - are playing at this year's Triptych festival in Aberdeen and hope to make an appearance at T in The Park in July.

But no matter what happens, they've vowed never to tone down their bloodthirsty act.

Dave said: "Going wild on stage is what it's all about and we don't want to calm down.

"We've been playing like this since we were 15 and now that we're living the rock and roll dream we're not going to give it up." "

The Sun - 16/04/04

[Guest idol_wild]

That is amazing. It almost makes me like The Needles.

[Lemonade]

What a load of gash. Can't beat the Sun for a bit of made up news and tenous movie linkage.

I remember Edgar Prais making the tabloids a year or two ago when suddenly all the papers on the same day reported that they have the same name as a QC. Quite how that story broke is a mystery. Maybe Christy just phoned all the papers one by one. "Ho bawbag, we've got the same name as lawyer."