In an age of abundance, adding a personal touch to promotional efforts can go a long way toward securing coverage.
The world of music journalism is a bit of a mess. After years of major publications downsizing or going out of business entirely, blogs rising and falling in popularity, podcasts emerging, and influencers becoming a reliable source of promotion, it’s hard to know where to turn for coverage. Even if you can figure it out, there is another challenge in getting the outlets or personalities you want to cover your music to pay attention.
The number of ways to promote your music has grown over the last decade, but the number of artists competing for the attention of those outlets has grown even more. The average music writer/influencer receives more than one-hundred emails a day, with many receiving several hundred more than that. Those messages contain everything from advance access to a record to news about tours, premiere requests, and countless ‘heads up’ emails about emerging talent.
Most music influencers are unpaid. A select few work full-time, with many more working freelance on a story-by-story basis, but the vast majority promote the music they care about to the people who trust their opinion without compensation. To say these individuals are stretched thin as far as time and attention are concerned is an understatement. The music press has been running themselves ragged for years, and it’s likely they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
With all this in mind, it’s important that publicists and independent artists alike take an interest in the outlets and influencers whose attention they hope to gain. Sending a pitch to an outlet unfamiliar with your work in 2019 is like tossing a coin in a wishing well. Even if it works, will you ever know if it’s because of your email or sheer luck?
The path to raising interest in your latest release lies in making members of the media feel seen and cultivating a friendship with them before asking for coverage. A few ways to do this include:
Following outlets and writers online.
Interacting with current content offerings (Like, reply, share, etc.).
Initiating contact by referencing specific articles or content.
Asking how they are before asking if they can help you.
Follow-up pitches with personal emails. Tell them why you think the material will matter to them, and tell them why it matters to you as well.
Avoid copying and pasting the same email to everyone. Make each communication unique.
Just like making friends, not every attempt at engagement will immediately produce results. Everyone is trying to gain the affection of people who can help them, so even the more earnest messaging may be lost in the whirlwind that is someone’s daily activity online. The key is to not lose hope and remain persistent. Don’t be over-eager and absolutely do not get offended when replies do not happen as fast as you desire. Everyone is caught in the struggle, and everyone is doing their best. Remain calm and always be looking for an opportunity to help or otherwise show support. If you can do that — and if you write music fitting of what your target covers — results will come in time.
Hello again, everyone. Welcome to the first industry spotlight feature of the week. We originally began working on this specific article in the first weeks of the year, but due to delays and scheduling troubles we were only able to complete it in the last week. We think the information received was well worth the wait and hope you will as well. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Last week, the website I started a few months after beginning my career as a music critic turned six-years-old. It was the first ‘birthday’ I had spent away from SXSW, and instead of spending my hours strolling Sixth Street debating which pizza place(s) to indulge in I spent time reflecting on all the opportunities that had come my way as a result of taking those first steps to put my name out there. I thought of my first interviews and reviews, as well as the people who made them happen. Today, in a somwhat full circle moment, I have the honor of sharing the journey of one of those people with all of you.
For the better part of the last decade, Jerry Graham was known as the man behind Warm Fuzzy PR. It was his company from the very beginning, and during its existence Jerry was fortunate enough to work with some of the biggest names in modern hard rock. In 2011, however, he decided the time had come for a change and joined forces with The Syndicate as the director of publicity.
The rest, as they say, is music industry history.
I originally met Jerry during the first few months after the site mentioned above came into existence. No one knew my name or anything about my writing, but Jerry offered me the opportunity to work with several of his smaller projects. As time went on he aided me in contacting bigger names, and even helped me in setting up several interviews in the hard rock arena I will never forget.
The music industry is an insanely difficult place to make a name in, but thanks to people like Jerry driven young people are able to find opportunities to showcase their skills before entering the workforce. He’s an industry lifer who only wants the best for his team and everyone they’re connected with, which in this business is essentially anyone able to read this post. He’s kind, intelligent, and one of the most down to earth people you will ever meet.
You can learn about Jerry’s journey in music by reading the interview below. If you would like to know more, if you just want to keep up with everything related to Jerry’s latest publicity efforts, please take a few moments to follow The Syndicate on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: Hey there, thanks for joining us. We ask everyone the same question to begin. Would you please share your full name, job title, and the name of the company where you presented work:
J: Sure, Jerry Graham, Director of Publicity at The Syndicate.
H: You have a long history in music, so we actually have a lot of ground to cover today. I’d like to start by learning a little about your history with music. When you think of your earliest memories with music, what comes to mind?
J: I grew up in Brooklyn in the late 70s, so disco and funk were all over, blasting out of car speakers and those giant portable boom boxes. Rock was happening, but the first real memory I have is the song “Don’t Stop The Music.” It’s this 8-minute, big funk song that has this chipmunk voice that says, “aw, you don’t want to stop.” I remember my dad took me took work in Manhattan when I was like 5, and that song played somewhere in the office, and I just remember being fascinated by it.
What’s funny now, is that when my son was born a few years ago I got that CD for him and started playing it. Now he and my daughter love it as well, and they actually sing it on their own. It’s funny how it came back around like that.
H: Speaking on music purchases, can you remember the first album you bought with your own money?
J: Probably not. I mean, I can guess, but it will probably be wrong. One of the earliest ones I can remember is Living Colour ‘Vivid.’ I also remember, as far as hip hop, there was Kid-N-Play ‘Too Hype.’ Those two in particular stick out to me.
H: This answers really showcase at what point in music history you began purchasing your own records.
J: I guess [laughs]. I always grew up around hip hop and stuff, but my love of rock and metal didn’t start until later. I don’t really have a point of reference for that.
H: That’s a good point. When do you think rock and metal come into the picture for you? Those genres have played a big role in your career.
J: I remember being in high school. There was a girl who wore a Gorilla Biscuits shirt, and people who wore Misfits t-shirts. I guess it was Metallica’s ‘Garage Days’ EP in high school that made me aware of that stuff, but as far as loving it, what really kicked it off for me was hardcore. I’m more into hardcore than metal, and that stuff really kicked it off for me when the post-hardcore era started happening.
…THAT’S WHAT IT WAS. It was Helmet. It was Helmet, ‘In The Meantime.’ I remember seeing Beavis and Butthead talking about Helmet and how they didn’t even dress like they were cool. I’m butchering their delivery, but that is what captured me. Orange 9mm, Helmet, Quicksand. That whole genre drove it home for me, liking hard rock and punk that is.
H: Moving a bit forward, you went to college before jumping into the music industry.
J: I graduated from University at Albany. It was called SUNY Albany at the time.
H: ..And you studied Theater at the time? Did you have aspirations for life in Hollywood?
J: Oh geez, yea, I wanted to be an actor. I got a degree in Theater and ended up working in the entertainment industry for about 3 years. I had a variety of jobs, including casting and extra work. Dabbled in standup comedy as well.
Then I got sick of that lifestyle. I really didn’t enjoy it as far as…doing it. Basically, if you’re going to do those things you have to really commit, you know, ride or die. And I really didn’t have that mindset, but what I did have was music. No matter what was going on in my life, I turned to music. I didn’t turn to entertainment or standup comedy, but music was always there and dear to me.
I had a lot of day jobs as well, which I was not good at because I could not focus on them. I remember, at the time, Walter from Quicksand was starting a label. I said to myself that I really wanted to be a part of it and be involved. I called the office and they told me they weren’t hiring. I told them I didn’t care and that I wanted to be involved. It wasn’t really an internship. I came and worked for free, basically. Whatever they would let me do I did. It wasn’t even that I gravitated towards publicity right away, it was just something I tried while there and it fit my personality really well.
H: Not long after this period you ended up launching your own PR firm, Warm Fuzzy Publicity, which you ran for a decade. How did that come together?
J: When I decided I really wanted to do this, I started going to NYU at night for a certificate in Public Relations because I thought having an education would help me get ahead in the business. What I learned there was great, but I definitely learned more doing things on my own.
So I did that, then I worked at another company for 18-months and hated it, but I did get to work with heavier bands. When I parted ways with them, I immediately started my own company because I felt like I couldn’t really get a shot otherwise. I was supposed to speak at a conference in Boston through my previous job, but when I left that gig they filled my role at the conference. I decided to go anyway, and emailed Hydrahead Records, who were based in Boston at the time about meeting up to talk about PR. When I got home I was very pleasantly surprised to have an e-mail from them and they became the first client of Warm Fuzzy Publicity.
H: You ran Warm Fuzzy for a decade, and in that time worked with a number of artists and labels. Then you joined The Syndicate, which is where you remain today. How did The Syn come into the picture?
J: The Syndicate had a PR person back in something like 2004, and she was awesome, and then she left the company and for one reason or another they did not formally offer a music publicity service for a number of years. My colleague Matt, who I believe you featured before, did that and Comedy, which began to really take off. They decided they wanted someone to aide them in offering more music publicity services and I connected with Moose, the general manager here and Tracey, one of the partners. We hit it off from the interview process and yea, that was two-and-a-half years ago now.
H: I’ve noticed that anyone who joins The Syndicate seems to stay there for a long time.
J: For me, everyone here is very down to Earth. Everyone is genuine and not too guarded about being themselves, and that’s what I like about working here. It’s not like I wear a cardigan to work or have to go to certain shows to be seen. The people here are very passionate about music and we’re all very normal, if you know what I mean.
H: What advice would you give someone looking to get started in the music industry?
J: That’s a tough one, man. It’s not the same as when I started, and I am sure people before me said the same thing. It’s like…I don’t want to compare it to a gang, but it’s the kind of thing where you’re either a lifer or you’re not. This industry is going to give you knocks every day, and you’re either going to take the knocks and keep coming back or you will find something else to do. I don’t know if there is really any advice, but I guess mine would be that if this is what you want to do you have to be available 24/7. That’s it. Especially for management. If a band a band is stuck somewhere at 3am you need to be prepared to handle that. If you’re in publicity, you need to be prepared to cut a vacation short if need be or pull an all-nighter to correct a project.
H: Do you have any career goals or lifelong aspirations you feel you’re working towards at this point, or are you more in the groove your professional life?
J: That’s an interesting question. I will say I really enjoy the international opportunity that being at the Syndicate has allowed me. For example, we just did the US publicity for the M For Montreal festival. A couple years ago I went to Oslo, Norway. I greatly enjoy that because 1. it allows me to see other aspects of the world and 2. it’s nice to be a part of these major events, bringing people together and such.
There are just these great experiences outside of the normal artist, album, tour area that I spent so many years cutting my teeth in. It’s exciting.
As far as career aspirations I will say that I am enjoying how things are moving, and how these new aspects of what I do are beginning to open up.
H: That’s great to hear. What can you tell us about The Syn’s plans for 2014?
J: Well, we just had a very successful run at SXSW including our Hype Hotel presented by Taco Bell showcases, The Laugh Button Live comedy shows as well as running U.S. PR for the French Tech party, M For Montreal and artists from Germany, Brazil and all over. Andrew W.K. is a whirlwind of activity for P.R. at all times so we have a lot of fun things to promote for him in the coming year. There’s a lot of coming projects for the P.R. dept so I can’t talk about all of them here but I will say on the music side that we have a well-balanced roster of indie rock, heavy music as well as some global music, hip-hop and EDM.
H: That covers everything, I think. Before I let you go, do you have any final thoughts or observations to share with our readers?
J: No, not really. It’s not like I’m an editorial person or anything, but I will say that I am very thankful for the people who have given me a chance to work with them over the years.
Hello and welcome to the first post of the new week. We were getting a little bored with the posting schedule as of late, so this week we’re switching things up and starting things off with a brand new PR spotlight. If you know of a person or PR group that we should highlight in a future spotlight, please email james@haulix.com and share your story. We look forward to hearing from you.
We’ve learned multiple times in this series that no two people have the same journey into the music industry, and today’s talent is no different. Nate Sirotta is a one-man PR machine with years of experience in the music business. From fronting nationally touring bands, to working with some of the biggest names in music, Nate has taken the road less traveled a number of times in life and always come out better for the effort. Now 27, Sirotta finds himself one of the go-to publicists for alternative rock, and as you’ll learn in our interview he still has plenty he hopes to accomplish.
Nate is a close friend of mine in music, and over the last five years of writing I’ve come to consider him one of the hardest working publicists in any genre of music. His drive to succeed has already lead him to the top of the music PR game, and instead of being content with that success he continues to grind, hoping to help as many young artists as possible along the way. It’s an honor to share his journey with all of you, and I certainly hope it helps guide aspiring professionals towards further success in their own careers.
If you would like to learn more about Nate’s work, check out Total Assault and Impulse Artists. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the company you work for, and your role at said business:
NS: My name is Nate Sirotta – Director of Digital Marketing at Total Assault and CEO/founder of Impulse Artists.
H: Everyone has to start somewhere. What are your earliest memories of music, and to whom do you attribute your discovery of it?
NS: I was brought up in a musical family. My mom and grandparents always stressed the importance of music in life, which is where my initial inspiration came from. I started playing in bands as a drummer when I was 15, and then started fronting a band called Down for the Count when I was 18, which eventually went on to tour nationally in the Warped Tour/indie-band circuit. I attribute all of my networking ability and PR background to the experience of building that band from the ground up and self-managing the business end for nearly five years before I entered the professional world at the age of 23.
H: Do you recall the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still have that release today?
NS: I’m not sure if it was actually the first album, but New Found Glory’s self-titled album was definitely one of the first albums to really light a fire and instill a drive for success in the music industry. I do indeed still have that compact disc in my possession today.
H: You were born and raised in California, which is where you reside today. When did you realize you wanted to work in the entertainment business? Did you have any specific career goals at that time?
NS: Having pursued music as a writer and performer before digging in as a publicist and artist manager, I started wanting it as a freshman in high school. I spent about eight years learning the ropes via trial and error, meeting as many industry folks and fellow musicians as I could, and rehearsing endless hours in a tiny lockout. I think at the start of all that my initial goal was to be a successful musician as opposed to a publicist, but the drive and passion for the industry has always remained the same. It has been an awakening experience for me to realize a passion equally as fulfilling as writing and performing – the opportunity to help artists that I believe in achieve their goals and really maintain a hands-on mentality throughout. For me, the fact that bands and artists value my opinion and seek out my guidance is more than I could have ever asked for.
H: Publicity is an interesting career choice for anyone to make, and that goes double for those who aspire to a career in music. What attracted you to the PR side of the industry in the first place?
NS: Without knowing it, I was acting as a publicist for my own band throughout my days as a musician. I was a natural at building relationships and pitching my band to everyone and anyone who would listen, so this career path has never really seemed like “work.” Additionally, the opportunity to expose artists that I love to people that will listen is beyond fulfilling. You don’t always get to work with artists that you love, but when those projects come along, it makes everything worth it.
H: What was your first gig in the music industry (paid or unpaid), and how did you land the position?
NS: I was hired as a junior publicist for a company called Transfer Media Group in 2010, which was my first real PR gig. I had a close friend from high school who was working there at the time, and she got me the interview. I was hired on the spot and worked there for about a year before working as an independent publicist.
H: You started your own company, Impulse (artist management and public relations), back in 2009. What inspired you to step out on your own?
NS: It felt like the natural thing to do after several years of self-managing a band. I figured I would utilize my network and knowledge to try and break bands that I believed in. Impulse is definitely more focused on PR and digital marketing at the moment, but there will come a time where we take on management projects that make sense and that I’m head-over-heels for. There is so much talent out there with very little opportunity in front of them, so it’s exciting for me to be able to create opportunities.
H: Who was the first band to join the Impulse roster, and how did you come to work with them?
NS: The first band to join the Impulse roster was a pop/rock band from Pennsylvania called The Brightlife, who have since disbanded. They were good friends of mine who opened for my band on a 2008 headlining tour, and I was pumped at the opportunity to help them grow.
H: There seem to be more small management and PR firms popping up by the day. What is one piece of advice you would offer aspiring publicists that no one told you back in the early days of your career?
NS: I think persistence is the most important quality that many industry professionals tend to lack. It takes a long time to get things off the ground, to solidify your network, to ensure a perpetually growing network, and most of all – to see income. It bums me out when a boutique company has a good thing going and then decides to pack it up after six months because they didn’t land “that one project” or get “that big piece.” It requires failure and mistakes to do great things. It requires time to see results. Stay the course and good things will happen.
H: Earlier this year you joined the team at Total Assault. Please tell us a little about your role at the company and what it is you do on a day-to-day basis.
NS: I am currently Director of Digital Marketing at Total Assault, and manage a team of two other digital publicists. I correspond with clients on a daily basis, build marketing plans, pitch ideas and stories to writers and editors, monitor media coverage, and am constantly trying to grow our company’s contact database and strengthen relationships.
H: What is the biggest difference between what you do at Total Assault and the work done with Impulse?
NS: The biggest difference is not necessarily in what I do, but with whom I work. I work with a lot of major labels and Top 40 artists at Total Assault, whereas at Impulse I work with mostly indie artists and labels looking to lay the groundwork for a strong online presence.
H: As a publicist, what is the biggest mistake you notice young bands making when trying to garner attention from blogs/listeners?
NS: Over-selling. Every writer from here to the moon has read every elevator speech ever written in the history of mankind. I’ve found more success in 2-3 sentence pitches than in lengthy, multi-paragraph ones that often times get overlooked. The press can smell bull %$*# from a mile away, so it’s important to not insult their intelligence with an overly salesy approach.
H: Impulse has worked with a number of small bands over the years. Where do you turn when you’re looking to discover new music?
NS: Word of mouth is where it’s at. I do frequent the blog circuit to see what’s buzzing, but personal recommendations and referrals from my contemporaries are my primary source for quality music.
H: Let’s say the tables have turned and the bands are coming to you. What advice would you offer a band hoping to work with you in order to make themselves stand out from their competition?
NS: Help me help you. I’ve seen so many artists with budgets come to me asking to solve their problems and make them magically relevant. It doesn’t work that way. In order for a publicist to have an impact, the work ethic needs to be there on the band’s end – actively posting new and compelling social content, BEING ON TOP OF YOUR EMAIL, rehearsing and perfecting a live show, providing quality content to work with, engaging fans, and ultimately wanting to further themselves as artists.
H: Writers must contact you constantly. If you could make one suggestion to strengthen their efforts in setting up coverage, what would it be?
NS: Be respectful and be flexible. Please don’t be demanding. I don’t care if your blog gets five million unique views a day and you recently covered Katy Perry’s brother’s lawyer’s aunt’s bridal shower – if you start demanding credentials that I can’t necessarily provide, I will not go to bat for you. I try to accommodate everyone who is interested in covering my artists, so as long as you act like a professional and give me enough notice, I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.
H: Do you feel there is still a need for record labels in the modern music industry? Why?
NS: I think it’s important for labels to exist. They provide an all-encompassing aspect of the industry that covers artist management, distribution, publishing, PR, and booking. I think that record labels maintain the small amount of chivalry left in the industry – despite the fact that many people might think the exact opposite. I’ve probably met more honest, hard working label reps who actually believe in their artists than I have managers, booking agents, and….*gasp*…publicists.
H: Piracy is one of the most discussed topic in the industry today. Do you feel album leaks are preventable? If so, how would you advise an artist to keep their music safe while still getting the word out?
NS: The further we get into the digital age, the less likely it will be for records to be kept fully under wraps. It’s important to keep certain files and sounds protected, but labels will always lose money due to piracy and artists will always have to find alternate forms of income to stay afloat. If money isn’t lost from piracy, it will be lost in some other way, shape, or form. Especially for baby bands and indie artists, an album leaking wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. In the beginning, exposure and awareness should always be the number one priority.
H: When it comes to working with your clients, how do you prefer to share their music with press? What is it about this method that appeals to you the most?
NS: I definitely try and avoid making writers/editors download anything. A private Soundcloud link is usually my first approach, and if they request a download – I’ll be happy to give it to them if I can. The easier you make the album to listen to, the more likely the press is to cover it.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
NS: I would love to see people taking calls and meeting in person more than doing things via email or IMs. The personal aspect of the industry has progressively diminished over the past twenty years, and I think relationships would be stronger, deals would be made faster, and the level of general understanding in the professional arena would be much higher and more comprehensive.
H: Your roster is as eclectic now as ever before. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?
NS: I thought you’d never ask :p
I’ve been working with Culprit for about three years now, and they’re on the verge of dropping their new EP on August 20th – very excited for that one. I also just started working on Pepper’s new record, which comes out on September 3rd. So far, it’s turning out to be one of the most fun projects I’ve ever been a part of. I could go on and on about new releases, but I’ll spare the readers for now.
This was a really cool experience, by the way. Thanks for having me and letting me unload on some topics I feel strongly about.
