Should you wish to send me a love note, or wish to approach me about a story idea, please send an email to: clippernolan at Gmail dot com.

Follow me on Twitter @Clippernolan.

Guidelines for PR companies for bands/record labels.

If you’d like me to play a role in promoting your clients, I’d love to help out.  Here are some great ways to get my attention:

  • Read my blog before you contact me, and tell me how it relates to your client musically, or any other way.
  • Call me by name when you write to me.  That’s an easy warm-fuzzy that makes me more willing to work with you.
  • Don’t send word of every single band you’ve got on your roster, please.
  • Provide links to SONGS you’d like featured here.  This is a SONGS blog.
  • Don’t email press releases, please. I generally don’t read press releases. Seriously.
  • I do read well put together one-sheets, though. Tell me who the act is (personnel, brief back story), where they’re from, what the lead single is (with links), and include release dates.
  • I’d really appreciate links back to my site after I’ve helped out.  These can appear on your company site or on band web pages. I’m in this for the eyeballs.
  • Free stuff is always nice.  What can I say?

Also, even if you do all of the above, I may not get to you. I have a day job, I’m a parent, and I have relationships and stuff.  But, I do have a habit of reviewing pitches and then creating digest posts featuring links to sites, to  song pages, etc. Sometimes, this happens months after the original pitch is sent. Your pitch may not end up being a feature. But, if the song you send me is good, it may well make one of these digest posts.

Free advice for acts/bands from the guy who wants to write about you

  • Have a website/domain of your own. This means going beyond existing social platforms, including FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Your own website with a relevant domain name adds credibility to your work and effort and is proof of your own investment in what you’re doing.
  • Know your story. What is your band/act about? What is your mission beyond “I wanna rock”?
  • Manage your story. Have a concise one-sheet, and get proper pictures for me to use. Tell me what it’s like to be in your band and what it is that keeps you going
  • Scour the Internet for mentions of your band. If I write about you and publish my piece, you should know about it before it occurs to me to tell you. Use Google alerts and other custom search tools on social platforms. Share what you find on your social networks and send readers to my piece. And always say “thank you”.
  • Be social. Create community around your work everyday. Every. Day. Use social platforms. Form alliances with other bands/acts on your scene. Create reciprocity; champion their work, and get them to champion yours. Nurture core fans who are talking about you. Be proactive. Appoint someone in your band to be in charge of this area. Maybe choose the guy who doesn’t write songs, or your cowbell guy. Whatever works best for you. It is important.

What to definitely include in your pitch

The best times to pitch me for inclusion in these posts are: November-December, February-March, May, August-September. Here’s what to include:

  • Name of the act
  • The act’s website/social profile
  • Pictures and short bio including a list of official members and their roles, and where the act is based – city and country
  • The single or song you wish to be featured (again – this is a songs blog) with release dates
  • Links to that song that are not private – YouTube, bandcamp, etc
  • The record that song is featured on, if it’s not a standalone single. If it is a stand alone, tell me.
  • Any hooks or story points about the band, or the making of the song or album, that would be interesting to readers and music fans

My approach and conditions to accepting pitches

  • I will give my honest opinion, although if I agree to write about your act or related product, it’s probably because I like their work
  • I will tell my readers if  I’ve got any free stuff out of it
  • I will not give out information about my readers (i.e. email addresses) for future marketing purposes, or for any other reason

To content producers

If I’ve used an image of yours, or have quoted your written content, and you wish the content to be removed from my site, please contact me directly at the above email address.