OK, so I was gonna post this like 3 weeks ago and just never got around to it. I heard this and really feel like it took all the great stuff from several funk songs and mashed ’em all into one song. Bruno Mars is a great front person for the video as well as the song – and most of all – it just looks fun.
So, as the song says, “Don’t believe me just watch…”
And in case you wanna see it live…
We had debated writing an article on this, but felt that it was important to do because if there is anyone out there who can benefit from things we have learned the hard way, it is worth it. While the names of the not-so-innocent have been withheld – the message is clear, so take heed.
We were contacted by a PR firm on the west coast via a social music site. This was their original email:
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: PitchFork Music Festival PR Inquiry
Date: 2014-07-07 23:17
From: The Not-so Innocent
To: Electrostatic Rhythm Pigs
Hey there,
I am trying to reach REDACTED. Not sure if this is a general band email but I had a chance to check out your Electrostatic Rhythm Pigs EPK
One of our music interns turned me on to your profile and forwarded it to me to check out. I’m not sure if anyone on our end may have contacted you yet about our PR Campaign and REDACTED series but I had a few questions that I was hoping to speak to you about.
First off all, I’m not sure if you currently have PR representation but I wanted to set up a conference call to discuss a PR Campaign we are offering new clients that includes a Press Release Campaign, a Two Week Social Media Campaign and a spot on our REDACTED MIxTape Series that will be distributed during Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago this July. We have two spots still open on our Pitchfork Campaign this month in Chicago so if you are interested, we would need to speak with you this week.
The PR Campaign including the press release Campaign, Two Week Social Media Campaign and the spot on REDACTED is a flat fee of 295.00. Here’s an overview of it:
YES. They did do this.
NOPE. Never got this.
NOPE. Never got this.
NOT REALLY – press release was error free but never got any kind of “verified placement”.
NOPE. If they did – we never got confirmation of it. Still to this day – cannot find where this supposedly is.
NOPE. Never got this.
NOPE. Never saw any of this, or that it was ever done.
To give you an idea of the quality of press releases we produce and the media outlets where we often secure coverage in, you can check out these links:
REDACTED. Put it this way – we saw like two client testimonials. That should have been a red flag right there.
All of our work is results-driven with a money-back guarantee. Here are a couple of testimonials our music clients have recently given us:
REDACTED
I would love to discuss what your specific PR needs are and the details of this campaign, along with what song we would like to include on REDACTED. I can set up a time to call you to discuss it. Let me know if you have availability this upcoming week and the best number and time frame to reach you at.
Wishing You Success And Nothing Less!
Lessons learned:
1. ALWAYS get it in writing.
2. Even if you get it in writing, what will you do? Sue them for 295.00? You’d spend more in legal fees – scammers are smart in that regard – low fees mean a lot less likelihood of actually getting sued.
3. Verification of services should be offered at every step – you shouldn’t have to ask.
4. When you call like four times and don’t get a return call, it is probably a good indication that they are weasels, not serious PR providers.
Well, spring isn’t here yet (at least in the northeast) but the sun was out today, it was over 40 degrees (whoooo) and daylight savings time has begun. All in all as close to nice weather as it’s been around here for quite some time. Spring turns a young persons fancy to…….acoustic instruments (it also helps bring some of us out of hibernation). Over the winter months we’ve been collecting instruments for the studio to add some variety to our in house recording. Pictured below are some of the items we picked up.
Not that we’ll use everything in a traditional manner. The options are limitless. As are the variety of ways you can mic, amplify or record acoustic instruments. Here’s a video with some ideas for recording banjo.
You can count on us breaking the rules whenever possible (hhmmmm – phase shifter on mandolin?). So much to look forward to.
To add to the acoustic flavor, here’s a video of Trampled By Turtles live on NPR. Can’t you just feel spring in the sound?
Hope the weather heads to spring where ever you are.
Yes, as the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. Well, time flies even when you’re not having fun. I’m not much of a winter person so it’s been a while between posts. So I think it’s time for another round of ‘what do these things have in common’. First let’s talk some music, old school style. When writing or recording you can get away with a lot if you concentrate first on the rhythm. I came across an article that deals with the pinnacle of old school rhythm. If you want to know how to construct a groove you can’t lose if you study James Brown. Here’s an interview article with Clyde Stubblefield the original ‘Funky Drummer’. It’s an interesting read (or listen):
http://www.npr.org/2015/01/05/374818384/the-original-funky-drummers-on-life-with-james-brown
How about a clip where Stubblefield gives a live demonstration of how the beat originates:
And now hearing the beat in a bigger context:
You could put a political speech on top of that and it would still be funky.
So what else is new? Velvet Wrinkle Wreckerds and ERP have new T-shirts!
http://www.velvetwrinklewreckerds.com/?page_id=8
What do these things have in common? Ummmmmm…..does it really matter? Not really!
– Happy Winter –
It appears that the eclectic collective Steaming Mulch has finally spit out a new tune. We never quite know what we’re going to hear, but that makes it all the more interesting. The word is that there are more song partials traveling around the studio at ChurchHouse, so we should hear the next one soon……ish. Their sense of time does not mesh well with the real world. As always your guess is as good as ours as to the origins of the title (go ahead, guess. we’ll wait…………).
In the meantime…
‘Enormous And Turbo Smooth From Diamond To Rose’
Steaming Mulch
2014
ChurchHouse Productions Blog 