Contrary to popular belief, most musicians, at least the ones I deal with, are not a collection of egomaniacs. I’ve been fortunate in my coverage of the greater-Boston/New England music scene to have dealt mostly with professional musicians and music industry professionals. Yet, there is a no set of standards and or guidelines for what most of us would consider professional. Because of this, there are still plenty of people in the music scene that most of us would consider nonprofessional in their dealings with others.
While many of you will shake your head and widen your eyes in disbelief in what you’re about to read, these things, some minor, some not so minor, take place regularly, it happens because some players do not know any better because there are no official guidelines to direct them.
Case in point: about a year ago I had to track down a singer for several weeks because she continued to be unavailable by phone at the day and time she asked me to call to interview her. When I asked what happened the first three times I called, she replied, “I’m a very busy woman, Bill. I have other priorities.” Wow, I remember thinking to myself. A singer has higher priorities than being profiled for a feature article about her band and music. She seemed to think that was all it took to justify not keeping our first three appointments.
Now I know what many of you are thinking. You’re wondering why any musician would pass up opportunities to get publicity for her band. You’re also wondering why a musician would speak so haughtily and unprofessionally to a music industry professional who was trying to do her and her band a major favor. Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that this person is just being stuck up and unprofessional, let’s look at another possibility. There really are no professional standards as to how one should be interacting with other music industry pros. Some players know it is a job, and they take it very serious. Others may feel that their band duties are not as important as their daytime careers.
The very same person recently e-mailed me to ask if I could change the headline of a live review I gave her band nearly two years ago. She wanted something more positive because that live review is in her press kit and on all of her websites and social networking pages where everybody could see it. More recently, she wrote me to push for me to come down and give her band a better review than last time.
Granted, most musicians would simply extend an invitation to a live show and leave it at that. Yet, that doesn’t make the musician I was dealing with a bad person. I don’t think the person in question has any clue how unethical, inappropriate, and unprofessional many would consider what she was writing to me. It certainly made me very uncomfortable when she asked me to change a headline to something more favorable to her band.
Again, it is less about a character flaw in this person than the reality that there are no set standards. The music industry tries very hard to be professional, yet, we are not like doctors, lawyers, therapists, police and fire officials, and other professionals in which it is clearly defined in law and in their institutional practices what they can and cannot do, how they should and should not handle their interactions with others.
Let me make another case in point: several months ago I received an e-mail from a blues singer regarding her interest in getting a live review. It was the first time I had ever heard of this singer. Her note went something like this: “Bill, I’m (name withheld). I’m one of the blues singers in Boston. My band (band name withheld) has a gig at Smoken’ Joe’s Friday night.” And that was all she wrote. She didn’t at first come right out and write what she wanted me to do with that information. So, I wrote back, “Yes, and?” To this she replied, “And I would like to get a live review of my band.”
Usually, when someone I have never met, heard of, or dealt with before makes a request, that person will give me information about their background, who they have worked with, where they play out, so I’d have a clearer idea as to what caliber they function on. That is how most of them distinguish themselves among the other bands they are competing with for the attention of the press. Other times, they send me a link to their music so their music can convince me they are someone I might like to focus on. So, I asked this lady in a reply, “Can you give me some information on your background, training, where you play out, and how you have worked with in the past”? She replied “You can find all that on my Facebook page.” When I asked her if she could send me a link to her music, she again directed me to go to her pages.
I certainly did not drive from New Hampshire to Boston on two days notice to review someone who wouldn’t do me the brief courtesy of better identifying herself, her music, and her band. The sense I had of this woman was she felt entitled to the coverage. She didn’t seem to realize that she was competing with several other bands that had sent me invites to shows that weekend. I didn’t feel she was introducing herself as much as announcing herself. I didn’t feel she was requesting me. I felt she was directing me.
But before anybody dismisses her as an snotty musician who feels press coverage is her birthright, I remind that the reality might be more complex. While most musicians would have handled it better, I suspect this person just doesn’t know what she is doing. She may have grown up in a small town where her family is involved with numerous local activities and has always called her local newspapers to demand coverage for community theater plays, bowling league championships, and her softball games. Local newspapers are obligated to inform local readers what is going on locally. Music magazines are obligated to find the best possible talent to share with readers. We don’t interview and review musicians and singers simply because they exist. But, some do not understand this.
Again, it comes down to the lack of professional standards. It is hard to dismiss someone as nonprofessional and or unprofessional if nobody can agree on what constitutes being professional and nonprofessional.
Recently, I wrote an article about a guitarist who won his local battle of the bands contest and was gearing up to compete in an international competition. During the interview, this guitarist said he didn’t have a lot of competition at the local level because the booster club that put on the local competition didn’t do a very good job of publicizing this local competition. Right after the article came out, a member of that club’s board of directors wrote me to say that the article cast her organization in a bad light, and she asked if another article could be written to make them look better.
I know. To many that would sound like an excess of self-esteem. A professional, many would say, would have simply ignored the public criticism and worked on improving the organization’s marketing strategies. Again, though, you have to consider that the person who wrote me for a second article just doesn’t know what she is doing. It might be a matter of simply not knowing how she should have responded, or not responded, to the article.
Just weeks ago I had the privilege of interviewing a very well respected music producer. Between the time I conducted the interview and actually posted the article on this site, he wrote me to request he read the review before I made it public. Now anyone who has dealt with the press knows we do not show our subjects the text before we put it in print and or online. To do so would relegate us to the role of someone’s personal public relations officer rather than the independent objective writers, journalists, reporters we are. When I told this producer this, he said I was wrong. He referred to a trade industry magazine for gear heads that he said let him edit an article about him before it was published. This producer had obviously been dealing with a trade journal that was more focused on advertising within a targeted direct market audience. A reporter at a major daily newspaper like The Boston Globe could get fired for showing the subject the article before it was printed in the newspaper.
Again, though, the difference between a musician who asks to read the article before it is printed and the more polished pro who simply thanks me for my time and says he/she is looking forward to reading it is a matter of knowledge and experience. I know that the professional musicians and the professional publicists are shaking their head at these examples, some of you in shock, and thinking along the lines of, “Those people Bill dealt with don’t know what they’re doing.” That is right. They don’t know what they are doing. Not knowing is the root of many problems in this world. Including the one I’m currently writing about.
If we take the path of forgiving them for they know not what they doing, we will be taking the first step toward resolving this problem. The music industry is not regulated by law and government like doctors, lawyers, police and fire officials, therapists, school teachers, and many others. And thankfully so. Yet, through working with more experienced musicians, young players and people picking up a microphone and or guitar for the first time can get a better handle on what is a no-no and how to better present oneself. Turning people off with unethical requests, unfair demands, and inappropriate interactions can be limited by letting more people know what is unethical, unfair, and inappropriate.
Great article Bill. Perhaps it’s just my young age and lack of decades in the business (but I’m getting there…), but I had always assumed that the press prints what they see/hear and how they convey it is completely up to them. I thought *most* of us musicians did the whole finger-crossing-damn-I-hope-I-didn’t-suck-too-bad-that-night dance whenever there’s press in the room. I guess egos range all over the place, but I must say, I was a little surprised to read these stories. Best of luck in future reviews, interviews, etc. and here’s hoping for people to have just a tad more humility. By the way, my band is playing this weekend…. 🙂
I must say that I find this article to be a tad unprofesional on your part. You have to remember that ethics and professionalism go both ways and while in your eyes this article may be fine I have a feeling that a lot of people may percieve it differently.
A few other notes: “among the other bands they are competing with for the attention of the press” setting up your own website does not in fact make you part of the press or the music industry. It makes you someone with time and an opinion.
Now when you write about the booster club not doing a good job publicizing the battle of the bands you reported this as fact that was relayed to you from the musician. You don’t in your article state if you went out of your way to see if this was in fact true. So I’m curious because while you call out the booster club for asking for a second article as the first cast them in a bad light you never say if you in fact know if the publicity was adequate. You just took what essentially was a musicians opinion and reported it as fact which seems to be against the basic ethics of journalism.
It would seem to me while the musicians in question may have taken your reviews and articles a little personally you also come of to me anyway as a fan with a bit of an ego that considers himself a “journalist”
Best of luck
It is funny how people like JW have strong opinions but will not idenitify themselves when they post their strong opinions.
As far as saying I’m not press simply because I have a website, time, and an opinion, can only say I have been a music journalist for about 20 years. I’ve written for local New Hampshire newspapers like The Telegraph, Foster’s Daily Democrat, The Salem Observer, The Londonderry Times, and The Derry News.
I’ve also written for Metronome Magazine, Skope Magazine, SoundCheck Magazine, Blues Audiences Newsletter and for Boston Blues Society’s print magazine and its online zine BostonBlues.com
Nationally, I’ve written for Rockrgri, Venus Magazine, WomenWhoRock.com
I follow all the rules of journalism, checking quites, facts, editing, not playing favorites, not showing text to subject before it runs, etc.
As for using the musician’s quote alone, I had no reason to investigate that. A musician would be more likely to exaggerate how well a competition was contested rather than say only a few people entered the competition. Secondly, it was not a matter of contention, I was simply interviewing the chap about his experience and he told me he didn’t have a lot of competitiors because the event was not well publicized. Finally, the booster club in general has been known to have problems getting the word out, as nobody ever knows when or where their competition took place. I didn’t even know they had a local competition this year because it wasn’t widely reported.
I’m not sure why you are describing me as a fan with “a bit of an ego that considers himself a journalist” so I cannot argue with it much. If that is in reference to my coverage being mostly positive, I can only respond, as I always have, with I keep it positive by not covering bands that do not impress me. I do not see any value in writing about mediocre, lame-o bands.
It does seem strange to me “JW” that you have so much to say but do not identify yourself.
Bill Copeland
BillCopelandMusicNews.com
LIke dealing with a bunch of little kids! Wah, Wah, Wah I should have a degree in psychology all the immature idiots I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with all these 16years, You can never win and jealousy and envy rule over talent the art and entertaining.
A great write Bill, nobody could claim otherwise, agree or disagree!
;)-
You are not alone Bill. Every occupation has it’s own similar burden of dealing with folks who are clueless about the proper way to act. As a journalist, you have the unique advantage of being able to get it off your chest to your audience in one click of the “enter” button!
I’ve got to admit, as I was reading the article I had many of the same thoughts as JW did. As to why he, and I, choose to remain anonymous? Come on Bill! Anyone reading your newsletter is a potential subject for a future article. Hopefully a positive one! It might be difficult to give an objective review to someone who was a little too honest in their judgement of your work?
I think I was preaching to the choir.
Bill, This is what makes the world such an interesting place!! I read your article, very accurate and oh so true. I have known you a long time and I have also been a musician in New England for a long time THERE ARE NO ETHICS IN THIS BUSINESS!! I have seen people buy airtime for their music, buy music awards, buy peoples opinion to sell records, buy up supplies of there own records to fool awards committees, and on and on. They all know who they are. And those are the same people that cast the first stone!! they have no idea of the hard work thats required to set the standards necessary just get one’s respect in the music business. If it were so easy everyone would do it! Unfortunately some parent’s can’t be honest with the younger group of up and coming musicians and it puts the wrong idea in there mind!! they all are told they are already rock-stars, Sometime the truth hurts, but the hurt goes away!! And thats when guidelines and reasoning
become so prevalent and real musicians are created!! Very rarley does it happen overnight. I was once talking to B.B.King at a show in N.Y.C. and we were talking about age, and he said to me I don’t want to hear about age, no one even knew who I was till I was 50 years old!! That was very profound! We as older musicians must instill this respect in our new musicians so they can understand and pass that knowledge on to the next generation of musicians. So Bill please keep doing what your doing, nothings broke so don’t fix it!!
the best to you
DLL
Hi Bill…. interesting article topic, but it almost seems like you are giving leeway to people with poor professionalism simply because there is no written code of ethics. I guess I’m not so easy to cut them a free pass (though I’m a musician, not a journalist.) Tact, manners, all that good stuff should be learned early on at home, in school, and just by personal trial-and-error, because we all need to take that out into the real world at some point in order to compete and succeed…whether we’re a doctor or a blues guitarist. I would say that you are in your right to not feature or interview someone who comes off as rude or egotistical or entitled. Let the better people (granted, they should also be talented performers) be the ones who get the reward…survival of the fittest.
My parents actually taught me the Musician’s Code of Ethics. Back in those days, we called them “manners.”
I think Jon nails it (above qoute).
Peoples “professional” behaviour tends to mirror their personal behaviour.
If you are kind, courteuos & considerate away from the stage (or the office, or the venue or the friggin newspaper bike route for gods sake!), that’s the behaviour you will bring to your workplace as well. And , of course, the reverse is true. Doesn’t make them “bad” people -just ignorant.
Great article!
Spot on, Bill! I almost became an English teacher and had to prepare a sample lecture. Why do we need to study English when we already speak it? I said you could be the best basketball player in the country, but if you talk with Michael Jordan…”Yo dude, I am the baddest B-ball player you’re ever seen,” chances are Jordan would pass on you. It’s about communication.
We know most musicians have big egos and tunnelvision when working on their own projects, but those who are humble and respectful when dealing with others, will go much further in their profession than those who think they are all that matters.
Bill, remember YOU are the audience! Musicians, artists, performers must hone their craft to appeal to you, not the other way around. Just as they have worked hard to master their instrument to get in the band, then worked hard at the band to get in the club, then worked hard in the club to draw a crowd they should LEARN to put effort in to affording your attention. Don’t you perform for them…it’s the other way around. I hope this article serves as a “music” lesson to some…free of charge!! Thank you.
Found this link on Facebook via J. Prouty band, and it has valuable information. Our band does its best to be professional, and recognizes the time invested by others in this business. Agree, it’s not just communication, but the RIGHT kind of communication.
I find this an interesting argument. I also wonder about the professionalism here. For such a professional operation, I see an inordinate amount of typos, misplaced musical style references, incorrect prepositions, etc., in your reviews. Additionally, the responses above certainly include such typos. If it’s all about communication, as stated above, I believe the emperor has no clothes.
I think the anonymous negative responders are the ones most of us would deem unprofessional or nonprofessional.
—Bill Copeland
Bill I enjoyed you article as I do read as many of your blogs and reviews as I can. I think you’ve always been very professional and upfront in your reviews of the New England band scene. I always question when somebody reply’s to a post and stays anonymous. If you make a statement then you should own it. I think you provide a great service to the local music scene. I know personally that you love what you do and have been doing this for a long time. I can also verify that you’ve been writing for many different NH newspapers and magazines for the many years I’ve know you. Keep up the good work.
Bottom line is, whether we’re talking about musicians or doctors, anybody doing any kind of business anywhere should have the common sense to offer common courtesy in their business dealings. Nobody “deserves” a certain kind of treatment. If we put ourselves out there for consumption and sales by the public, we’re fair game. Some will like us, some will not. There are many different tastes. But a lack of common courtesy deserves a lack of attention. If people can’t assist you in assisting them with promotion, they’re not worth your time, Bill. You provide a great service and those on the receiving end should be pulling out the stops to give you any and all information you need from them.
The “anonymous posters are the unprofessional ones” argument is a straw man. Some prefer to post anonymously so as to make our views heard without being judged. You don’t like it because you’d prefer to point a finger at us to say “See? Unprofessional musicians all around!” You have a more public forum, and feel that you’re due more respect than you really deserve. Frankly, I’m appalled at the typos I find here. A Blogger does not a music journalist make, no matter how much you stamp your feet and turn red when describing you hobby.
Dear Opinionated,
The comments from the people who have signed their names sound like the rational thinking of professional musicians and music industry professionals. The people who signed their names are very well-respected in the greater-Boston/New England music scene.
The anonymous posters reflect the kind of snippiness most of us find in the musicians we would consider to be unprofessional. I’m not even sure what you mean when you write “feel you’re due more respect than you really deserve.” Are you saying that it is OK to disrespect me, a person who goes out of his way to help the music scene, because YOU perceived me as un important?
Does perceiving me as not deserving respect reflect an attitude? Why would you try to parse how much respect I should be getting and just be respectful? You’re either someone who respects others, or you are not. You can’t talk in terms of how much respect a person deserves. Respect is respect. That are not different degrees of it.
Again, the people who will not reveal their true identities keep proving themselves to be the very same lot most of us would deem unprofessional.
Thank You.
Bill, you’ve got it pegged.
This is a very interesting article.
Many bands/musicians no longer want to use a “manager” and a good music manger in invaluable. Yes, there are bad mangers, we know that, but when a band or musician (let’s say Artist) has a great business/band manger, it can help tremendously in regards to professional etiquette and guidance. You put this load on an Artist without a good manger, and it’s very easy to see both an experienced and inexperienced Artist unravel or act unprofessional. Let’s face it, sometimes you can do it all and sometimes it’s just to much. I spent 25 years in the medical field and we found this with Doctors. There are so many talented Doctor’s in business for themselves, I’m not speaking of clinical practice or in a hospital but rather in a business model or self made invention and it was very hard for them to balance both the medical side and business side. In general, if you “freed” them from the business side, the stress level went down and they actually performed better within their respected field.
I LOVE working with musicians, always have but I would like to see an escalating trend of good managers on a local level.
Your poorly proofread article makes some valid points. But to speak of music making as a “Profession” is a bit of a stretch. It’s a craft. A profession involves an advanced degree and a code of ethics. Incidentally, I have been a local music journalist for nearly 30 years.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for proving my point. Attacking a fellow journalist with a sarcastic opening remark says a lot about you. Saying that music is not a profession also tells me you are misinformed. Musicians often have degrees from Berklee, N.E.C., and or other music colleges or music departments in major colleges and universities. Most do have a code of ethics. Some do not. Saying you’ve been a music journalist for 30 years after denouncing music by saying it’s not a profession says a lot about you. Why would you call yourself a journalist who covers a certain industry if you do not even consider it an industry?
I suspect you write for one of those free music magazines in Boston and that you have never studied journalism or even been paid for your work.
Bill Copeland
BillCopelandMusicNews.com
Dear Bill,
Typos aside, for me it’s the content of the article. I was reading the metronome mag when you were writing in it way back then. I was in one of the bands. Whether it was favorable or not it was the truth as you saw it. To me music is a personal opinion. Just because I don’t like something doesn’t make it bad. Let’s face it though, sometimes it is just that, BAD. As far as attitude, that seems to be bad everywhere, even driving. But music is a profession and whoever says it isn’t doesn’t know what they are talking about. If it’s not a profession or industry then what are all those artists doing playing venues and putting out records, (oops, dating myself)? Those are the kind of comments and people that shouldn’t talk about things they do not know. Well Bill, I’ve always liked reading your articles, good, bad or indifferent. When the new band I’m in is finally gigging I will email you for a review and let the chips fall where they may. Thanks for your time and valuable opinions that have kept the Boston music out front………….Remember, truth helps growth!
Just my two cents…
Nowadays anyone can have a blog, or music magazine, …or band for that matter.
(ahh the joys of accessibility through the internet)
What I see here is not a “professional” publication covering “professional” bands, but simply an amateur blogger covering amateur bands, but luckily, there’s room and a place for everyone and on any scale.
That being said- a few thoughts,
First off, to be taken seriously as a “professional” or to be seen in that realm (band or writer) I suggest the following ideas;
Get paid.
(Just a little humor to kick things off.)
Tips For Writers
1. Spell Check! Check your grammar. If you aren’t able to write clearly, literately, and objectively enough to edit your own material, you aren’t a very good writer. Maybe try Dragon or have someone else check your work. I would say that’s a big key to success.
2. “It certainly made me very uncomfortable when she asked me to change a headline to something more favorable to her band”.
The image you portray- (As well as remembering some photos previously on your site) I’ve been told you have propositioned female musicians to take scantily clad photos in early interactions with them. Can’t say that’s very professional. Its just plain creepy, though I don’t think your motives were deviant. You were made uncomfortable by someone unhappy with your work and being asked to change it! How comfortable is it for a female musician to be asked to take provocative pictures from a male stranger? Not a professional journalist does that make.
If you’re a music journalist, on any level, lead with the music (yes hearing it via a link provided should be enough)
3. Its 2012, most forms of media are highly over-processed and meticulously penned. Its very common for advance copies to given to camps of the subject matter for approval or review. Journalism is now all a PR machine. (I.E. Rolling Stone doesn’t bag Kanye West because he sells copies of their magazine.) It’s not all about musical integrity. (Pop music, hello! shocking I know) Its a large marketing machine and largely based in monetary means. I believe that landscape has changed muchly over the last 20 years and its now common place to “approve” articles. It’s “scratching each other’s back”. A good review for a band will be promoted by that band and their fans and in turn increases site traffic for you. A negative review is not usually reposted, maybe why you don’t post negative reviews. You sell advertising based on traffic.
I agree its off putting, and don’t agree with the idea or request by the bands in question, its simply the narcissism of today and to be expected in today’s industry. I’m especially saddened by this as a journalism major myself.
4. “Music magazines are obligated to find the best possible talent to share with readers”- not just bands that have played with someone famous, or a famous venue, or knows someone you know.
As a music journalist, you seem to be offended by bands making you aware of places to see them, what kind of courting process do you want exactly? Bands are fighting for attention and while your article alludes to bands asking for reviews, I doubt they assume it will be positive. If I were asking for a review I would be aware that is may be negative or not published. I think they are more putting it out there to make you aware of it. (Hey! You should be flattered that people know who you are!). And for the bands you cover, I can’t imagine there is much in the way of a “resume”. But say a really good band hasn’t worked with anyone of note or played a large venue, I don’t think its crass to invite you or provide you with anything other than the music. After all, that’s what your magazine is about.
5. Know your audience or more importantly, your subject matter . You’re not interviewing Aerosmith or full-time working bands here, which means your “musician” has a day job. And based on this thread, most of your readers, are these musicians themselves. Not just fans. So being able to work comfortably and appreciating that idea that is key. Nothing get’s people’s attention like money, I can see why the day job wins when even extraordinary musicians are being severely underpaid.
Just a note: It didn’t seem as though your first subject matter was horribly interested in your piece. Why chase? Work with the people that want to work with you. Perhaps Point 2 was a factor, and she was debating the pro of having the publicity and the con of being uncomfortable? just a thought.
6. As inappropriate as it was of that band to ask you to change your review, complaining about it is as equally so. You are not dealing with doctors and lawyers. You’re dealing with local garage bands and just above. (They, as well, are not dealing with Rolling Stone!)
If you want type A, review ties for a living.
And for bands:
1. Be on time, reliable, and up front. If you lay out the boundaries and parameters ahead of time, it will save you head aches. And once you set those parameters, stick to them. That’s human decency, not just professional decency. This will make or break your career.
2. In the same realm of being up front, be up front about what you expect from people. They will let you know (sometimes in an online rant) what meets or exceeds their expectations. But be honest, and don’t oversell. (that’s helpful for both sides)
3. Listen to the buzz about people, if its continuously negative, think twice about working with that person, or at least head in with your eyes open.
4. Lose the what can YOU do for ME attitude. Working relationships have to be mutually beneficial. MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. No one likes a sense of entitlement. (think Pedroia’s comments this week, and people love him!) What’s the benefit of working for YOU? What makes you different or more notable than any other band?
5. Lose the ego. Be the musician and person you are, instead of just telling everyone, and then by making impractical demands. Lay your cards on the table and let them fall where they may. You catch more flies with honey than a battering ram. (By the way everyone thinks they Jimi Hendrix, but not everyone is Jimi Hendrix. Catch my drift?) Before you cop the attitude that your excrement doesn’t smell, make sure someone other than your mom, girlfriend, relative, or grade school buddies confirm this.
6. Because most musicians carry this hope of “bigger and better things”, they will always be people out there to abuse and prey on that hope. Don’t LOOSE IT. Just know that it makes you vulnerable to people’s poor intentions. I say this is as a generality to be aware of. Especially for women.
7. Music is personal for musicians and fans. For others its business. Remember however personal it may feel or seem, THIS IS A BUSINESS when you’re asking to be a professional.
Overall, I find the old adage, you are the company you keep, to be true. And it rings true here.
You want professional- be professional, and work with professional bands.
Musicians have egos, but so don’t self submitting authors. In the article, you make it seem as though these reviews are doing a favor for bands. The term mutually beneficial again comes to mind. I see more musicians publicize you, than you publicize musicians. And again musicians re-posting your articles and directing people to your site is what get you paid. If you are, you know, getting paid.
Everyone has a widely accessible platform now. How that platform is used and what is produced is what determines quality.
Professional and human decency are important. Medication is helpful. Money rules. And oh yeah, the music should be considered.
Bill, on a positive note, thanks for what you do in terms of support for the local music community. I do appreciate another “voice”.
Try to let things roll off your back as musicians and most people have to, sometimes its best to let things go than continue a train of negativity. You give opinions for a living but got flustered and the idea of people reviewing you. Just something to think about. (If I or bands were to review you, what would I write?) Offensiveness doesn’t just come from difference of opinion, or shouldn’t anyway.
And musicians, keep on keeping on, but work for it, and if you want it to be your life, act like it and step up to the plate and be courteous. Don’t throw your hat into a ring that you don’t want to get into. Ask and you will receive, just be careful what you wish for or promise in exchange.
Kindness goes a long long way.
I wish both musicians and Bill the best of luck moving forward and perhaps “on the spot”, improved and honest communication and respect will help avoid embarrassing diatribes like this in the future.
Sincerely,
Two Cents
PS and somewhat OBVIOUS
Those who remain anonymous seem to be doing their best to stay our of your sights for providing their slice of truth. Perhaps they think it won’t be welcomed, as I do.
For everyone providing a name, they are all just kissing your ass to stay in your graces- which means they are a smaller band than you are a publication.
Dear Two Cents,
You really ought to consider changing your name to $50.
I find it really odd that you have so much to say but do not want to identify yourself.
I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I am a professional writer. I’ve been paid by many publications to write articles and reviews. I was also a staff reporter at one time. I graduated from Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire with a BA in English. That is a Catholic college with a very demanding academic program and a very demanding English degree concentration.
Focusing on typos is a very petty, small-minded thing to do. It shows that you don’t think on a very high level.
You are very self-indulget in your own ego. You are here telling me and the bands I write about that we’re not that good, and then you go on and of lecturing us about improving ourselves. I think you might want to talk to somebody about that.
I do not write positive reviews to get them posted by the artists I write about. I only focus on top notch artists. Most people who read me get that. For you to call these bands “garage bands” shows a lot of attitude and ignorance on your part.
I wasn’t offended by the artist who didn’t identify herself beyond saying “I’m one of the blues singers in Boston.” I was commenting that she didn’t do a good job of identifying herself or her music to convince me, on two days notice, to drive 40 miles to review her. She seemed to feel entitled to the coverage and that is a sign of an unprofessional musician.
I don’t know why you’re suggesting I need to learn to let things roll off my back. I wasn’t being sensitive at all. I was describing a very serious problem in the greater-Boston music scene. These types of people are only hurting themselves, and the scene, by not doing a better job at presentation. Many musicians said I “nailed it.” I said the underlying problem is that these things I was describing were the result of a lack of agreement on what is and what is not considered professional conduct among working musicians.
And, as for your comment about photographing women scantily clad, you really ought to research something like that before you libel someone on a public internet forum. I have never, ever asked female musicians to let me take pictures of them scantily clad. What would I do with such pictures? You even said you were “told.” The reality is that I once pondered and tried to organized a large group of artists from many genres and many scenes into a professional pinup photo shoot that would promote my site as well as the artists involved. It called for them to pose in American flag style bikinis, pin up style, for pics to be posted on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The women in question I had either known for some time or I had a presumed comfort level based on their own promo shots and Facebook profile pics. A Rhode Island artist already had pin up pics and shots of her bellydancing troupe on her page before I met her. One Worcester artist has been doing burlesque and cabaret for years. A Pat Benatar tribute artist dons, as the real Benatar did in the 80s, a bodysuit for her concerts. I was also going to eventually get permission to use their individual shots for a calendar to raise funds for a shelter for homeless veterans in my home state of New Hampshire, and then in other New England states. These women could say yes or no. I also had a professional photographer who had secured a function room at the very public Precinct venue in Somerville, Massachusetts. (It never took place due to the logistics of getting everybody together in one place at one time).
That is a far cry from an artist asking a reviewer to change a review’s headline, which was an act of arrogance, immaturity, and ignorance. For you to write that she was simply asking for a change in something she wasn’t happy with shows a lot of ignorance on your part. Professional musicians do not ask reviewers to change reviews to something more to their liking. That is only a matter of common sense. Professional musicians don’t pay much attention to reviews, postitive or negative, never mind asking that they be changed to something more to their liking. The artist could clarify a misquote in a feature article or request a spelling correction. But to ask me to make a review’s headline more positive is stepping out of bonds. I also wrote how this person was pressing me to come down to her next gig and write a more positive review. The fact that she was presuming I would give her a positive review was very strange.
For you to go on and on telling me and the people I write about that we’re not that good at what we do is simply an act of ego, pettiness, sillyness, and vindictiveness. For you to then tell me you appreciate what I do for the scene is simply incoherent. Your tendency to keep telling these bands that they’re not that good and then encourage them to keep on keeping on is also incoherent, not to mention very patronizing.
I think you’re either friends with the people who recognized that I was writing about them, or you just like to travel the internet looking for people who you feel you can lord yourself over. I think you are the amateur blogger and I think there is no substance, factually or psychologically, to anything you’ve written here.
You are a good example of the type of person who sits at home with a computer and an ego and writes things that reflect nothing more than the ego of someone who spends too much time alone.
Thank You,
Bill Copeland
There is no compa
this blog and blogger obviously mean well. it’s a nice thing to do, to try and support local musicians and the music scene through hobbyist-style faux-journalism. at the same time, i think the writer of this blog should really focus on his own level of professionalism. two die hard rules should be to always fact check and spell check. you can’t expect bands to be thrilled about your articles or to want to help you promote your blog if you can’t even do a basic spelling and fact check of your copy. a quick scan of the articles on this blog reveals tons of grammatical and spelling errors, and clunky headlines. before you rant about the professionalism of the artists who are doing you as much of a favor as you are for them…you might want to raise your professional quality level by several points.
Hi there Just A Tip,
You’re actually pretty funny. I do use a spellcheck. I do verify facts, but if there are any factual erros, please point them out. As for “tons” of erros, don’t you think you’re too excited about something small?
I’m sorry to disappoint you people who like to keep saying I’m an amateur and now “hobbyist-style faux journalism” but I have written for actual newspapers. You can call Mary Karlin at the Nashua Telegraph, Amy Diaz at Hippo Press, and Jenn Stevens at Portsmouth Herald Spotlight Magazine. They hired me. They paid me.
I appreciate that you think I mean well, but I do have a name, which is right on my blog, BillCopelandMusicNews.com. “This blog and this blogger” is actually not a blogger but a full fledge journalist using a blog format to present an online music magazine. But you can call it what you like if it makes you feel better to diminish and minimalize me.
I thank the numerous professional musicians who continue to request interviews, CD reviews, and live reviews. I would also like to thank the anonymous responders to this Opinion Piece for their hilarious “insights” into the problems with me, my writing, and my online music magazine.
Bill Copeland
I haven’t read every single comment posted here but I did read your article Bill. I think the bottom line, least for me is that here are assholes everywhere.
Good manners and common sense are not always at the top of everyone’s agenda, for anyone to request a review by you and then not give you the time of day is just plain rude no matter which way you look at it. I would hope that most bands/musicians would be happy for any kind of publicity provided by your and anyone else in your field.
Musicians with a lack of ethical standards ?, yes there are some out there just as there are booking agents who want a slice of the pie for doing absolutely none of the work and hope that their ” rock and roll dreams come true” on the backs of other people’s talent, skill and hard work ……(you know who you are scum bags !!) , for merely entering a name in a diary and contributing ZERO !!!
Also bar owners who believe it’s the musicians responsibility to build their business for them while they do none of the work promoting the shows or providing any help in the form of a house PA, lights, sound men or anything else….not even a decent space on which to perform on….point being a lack of ethics is far more wide spread than just the musicians.
I even had one RI club owner who had the balls of a dinosaur, try and censor my set list one time, talk about rude….
My hope is that you will find more people than not who will treat you with cI haven’t read every single comment posted here but I did read your article Bill. I think the bottom line, least for me is that here are assholes everywhere.
Good manners and common sense are not always at the top of everyone’s agenda, for anyone to request a review by you and then not give you the time of day is just plain rude no matter which way you look at it. I would hope that most bands/musicians would be happy for any kind of publicity provided by your and anyone else in your field.
Musicians with a lack of ethical standards ?, yes there are some out there just as there are booking agents who want a slice of the pie for doing absolutely none of the work and hope that their ” rock and roll dreams come true” on the backs of other people’s talent, skill and hard work ……(you know who you are scum bags !!) , for merely entering a name in a diary and contributing ZERO !!!
Also bar owners who believe it’s the musicians responsibility to build their business for them while they do none of the work promoting the shows or providing any help in the form of a house PA, lights, sound men or anything else….not even a decent space on which to perform on….point being a lack of ethics is far more wide spread than just the musicians.
I even had one RI club owner who had the balls of a dinosaur, try and censor my set list one time, talk about rude….
My hope is that you will find more people than not who will treat you with courteousy and good manners than not…what you do is valued by more of us than not I’d say. and good manners than not…what you do is valued by more of us than not I’d say.
Friendly advice, your whole readership is local Boston area musicians. There’s no need to alienate your primary audience. If you don’t want to interview people with egos, write a blog about accountants. The grammar/typo points are moot, this is a blog, and it’s informal. The point is that this article should be about the bands. You do a good job Bill, i’ve learned about some bands I wouldn’t have if not for this site, and i’m happy to see some new people to get recognition. No one really cares about the behind the scenes issues. This is m-e-d-i-a. Is there an article in the Boston Globe about typesetting and the difficulty of setting an attractive font? Would NBC news run a segment about teleprompters going down?
Nick,
You must be very young. A lot of people care about the behind the scenes issues. Behind the scenes is where everything goes on that matters. If these musicians don’t know how to work with music industry colleagues professionally, then they won’t get very far in the business and they’ll be difficult for everyone else to work with. More professionalism would bring about more artists onto the scene. The blues singer who would not give me more information only hurt herself by not convincing me to come review her show. The venue and her band mates could have benefitted from more coverage.
Nick, you’re also insulting and unfair to the Boston music scene. Most of the musicians I deal with are pros. The musicians who don’t get it make up less than half that I deal with.
Finally, your commens about typos is way off. I’m not just a blogger. I’m a journalist using a blog format. I call BillCopelandMusicNews.com an online music magazine. All journalists, in print, online, and on air make errors. It has to do with the amount of articles and stories we have to work on at a time. Broadcast journalists often have to correct themselves on air and print and on line media have mistakes too. You can see erros in CNN.com articles when they’re initially posted. Unlike print, web articles can be corrected, so you might not notice them as much as the print articles.
As for the people who keep harping on about typos, all I can say is they’re clearly showing the level that they think on and that they obviously dislike me for other reasons and the typos are the only straws they can grasp at. Go read what “Nancy Drew” wrote about my article on Chris Stovall Brown. You can see right through her and get the immediate sense she is after me for something far more important to her than typos.
I’m actually in my mid-twenties Bill. This whole article is about the problems you have with musicians, I don’t think you’ve shown how a code of conduct is hurting the music scene. I don’t know how i’ve been unfair, when you who wrote a diatribe about the professional shortcomings of a scene. Keep saying this isn’t a blog; maybe it’ll come true! Good luck.
Wow! Mid-20s! That old! Go back and read the names of the professional musicians who support what I wrote, the ones who signed their names. They seem to be in agreement with me. I didn’t write about the professional shortcomings of a scene. I wrote about the shortcomings of those who are not professional. As for your snarky comment about the blog, I can only thank you for proving my point about musicians who are not pros.
I’m semi-pro. I probably make a little more than you playing 25-40 gigs a year, and teaching four community ed programs than you do arguing with the commentariat while you’re in pajamas. Some of us have to work day jobs, not everyone can afford sit at home arguing with people that used to support them online.(Read my above comments) As for the day gig, my company is moving out to West Palm Beach in the fall, i’ll send you a post card.
Thanks for playing.
Nick,
I met you briefly at a Sunday night blues jam at Johnny Bad’s a couple winters ago. We spoke maybe half a minute. Since then, you’ve been coming after me on the internet with personal attacks, snippy, snarky comments. Consider I don’t even know you and that I don’t even care about you one way or the other, I would have to say you are the one with a problem, a serious one at that. Perhaps you’re upset I didn’t write about you. Perhaps you are connected with some other person who dislikes me. But, it is clear you have some kind of mission here. It is also obvious you are immature, disrespectful, and have too much time on your hands. I heard you play and I think you’re only mediocre. So I find it hard to believe you make much money at it. It is also clear that you would have a hard time finding work with your kind of attitude. Nobody wants to work with a juvenile. I can only imagine what kinds of problems you have that make you do these things. By the way, I have a 44 hour/week job on top of writing, selling ads, traveling to gigs. I doubt you could even keep up with my schedule, son.
You do a good job Bill, i’ve learned about some bands I wouldn’t have if not for this site, and i’m happy to see some new people to get recognition.
Bill-that was my first post on this site, or part of it. How we got to this point I don’t know.
I think you’re a bully, and that you don’t like Blues music.
Nick,
I got to this point because you came on strong and obnoxious with your snippy comment that the people I write about…the Boston music scene….are a bunch of egos. That is not true. Most of the people I deal with are pros. However, there are still quite a few that don’t conduct themselves professionally because, as the headline indicates, there is no consensus over what is professional. Many people were shocked by the singer who wanted me to change a Live Review headlines to something she liked better. Yes, that singer is oblivious to the reality that she was way out of line and that it wasn’t her place to make such a request.
Yet, that singer is a minority. Most people I deal with wouldn’t do that. For you, Nick, to lump everyone together, is just your way of being arrogant and snippy.
You also went on to make further snippy comments about me and my blog. THAt is how it got to this point, Nick.
As for your comment that I’m a bully, if someone comments to me like you did, I’m going to respond to it firmly. As for your comment that I don’t like blues, all I can say is you’re not reading my stuff. I have more blues on here than any other genre.
One of the biggest displays I have seen of “lack of professionalism” was very recently at a RI club whom I won’t name, not by any of the bands but by the management.
This particular venue does several bands in one night and has different rooms in the club that offers different types of entertainment.
The example I speak of is being asked to rotate sets between different bands, in other words set up, strip down and re-set back up.
The logic behind this I am told is so that of there are say two bands on then fans from both bands will have to stay around to listen to both sets.
The reason this is unprofessional in my opinion is that there is no regard to the logistics behind this, making bands do double the work by effectively setting up twice and also there’s ZERO regard for the people paying money to get into the club. Would be a different thing if there were two stages but there is not.
Punters are paying to see what ever band they’re there for and then being messed around by having to wait around which they may or may not want to do.
Performance wise for the bands concerned this makes it very difficult to cultivate any kind of atmosphere or continuity in their performance.
This particular club only care about one thing….MONEY which is understandable to a point but there is absolutely zero consideration for the musicians or the show they want to present to the people coming to see them.
Having to stand your ground and argue the point before a show is not a good way to start a night and certainly not something I got any pleasure from but I refuse to be manupulated by some money grabbing leach who is not the one up there provoding the talent or being asked to move their equipment in and out of a club twice in one night,
Bar and club owners need to work with the musicians performing there instead of against them.
In 30 years plus of playing I have never in my life been asked to do something so utterly impractical or stupid by anyone…
It’s utterly shameful.