organ

http://www.myspace.com/rocknrosepromotions

Received a myspace friend request from these and perused their pages (they don't appear to have a website)

Elsewhere on the forum I included a link to their (previous?) pay-to-play gigs blog - which is no longer there.

They claim to offer everything "We are a music PR (public relations)company specialising in working with up and coming bands getting them the press,radio,TV & media cover they need to take it to the next level.Also organising promotional events,instore apperances etc. We pride ourselves on our honesty,integrity & proffesionalism and comitment to the bands/artists we work with. We work incredibly hard for our clients and have a huge range of contacts from press through to record companies.If you are intrested in use working with your band,we will come along and see your band live to confirm you have a marketable sound,presence & professionalism.We always give honest feedback and advice on the next step for you.Your band needs to be hard working,realsitic & have a budget and strong fanbase so we a solid basis to work with.To give our bands total comitment we limit the roster each year.Please be aware we are NOT a free service. For exceptional bands we also offer a full management service,from gig bookings,tours,PR,label signings,media work and international recognition. Contact us if you feel your band is ready for the next step."

But, also, "Please be aware we a running a business and management is NOT A FREE service,therefore we only take on bands we feel are ready for the next step and have adaquate revenue streams including a strong fan base who attend your gigs and promotional events,as if we put on a gig for you to play and great expense to ourselves please ensure your fans turn up.If you feel you need management help and guidance and do not have a strong revenue stream and fanbase we can offer a package option with a budget freindly price structure."

Now (in a Stewart Lee voice), call me cynical but my bullshit alarm is screaming so loudly that its scared itself and gone and hid under the sofa. Does it not just sound like a really long-winded way of describing pay-to-play and pay-for-other worthless shit?

I sent them a myspace message with some queries

"Thanks for the request. Before deciding whether or not to accept, I do have one or two queries about your company.

1) Could you name at least two bands who have benefitted from working with you? I don't necessarily mean that they have made a lot of money, but that they have become significantly more publicly known due to working with you.

2) You say you "have a huge range of contacts from press through to record companies". Obviously, I wouldn't expect you to reveal the contacts' respective names, but could you name six record companies and/or media outlets where you have such a contact?

3) You mention commission; as far as I am aware, managers, agents, publicist, etc. take a commission from a band based on a portion (usually a percentage) of the band's income that is generated partly by the said manager, agent, publicist, etc. Could you confirm that this is how bands will normally pay you commission?

4) Please explain what the "package option with a budget friendly price structure" is. Is this a method of paying the aforesaid commission?

5) Previously, you had a pay-to-play policy for gigs that you promoted in Lichfield. Can you confirm that you no longer operate such a policy?

Thank you

John Traynor"

Oh yes, they once explained to me how they knew the headhoncho at Organ and could get me some radio play and coverage...

Goes without saying they've never once sent anything here to said head honcho here at Organ and they don't know any of us...

I'm sure you bands can smell this kind of crap a mile off...


It's simple - if your band is any good then get the music out in the post to the alternative media, the zines, the radio DJs and such yourselves... if it is good we'll all start shouting about it, playing it, covering it, spreading the word, spreading the buzz... you don't need to pay anyone to get a grass roots buzz going, just put a bit of effort in yourselves, get communicating, get networking properly (and that doesn't mean spaming on My Space...),

DO IT YOURSLEVES...

I got a reply

"Sorry if it caused a problem me adding you as a friend,its just that you popped up in my people you may know box.if you prefer not to thats not a problem.

I do not currently put on gigs and only had to get the bands to pre order their tickets in the past after recomendations to do so from other promoters as I got fed up with bands not showing up without any reason or contact but when they have freinds and family with tickets they do show up,but in the end i got fed up with all the problems with bands messing around and not taking it seriously.

You are correct with our comission structure,and the flexible payment terms is that we pay upfront for demo recordings,mercandise,advertising etc which means we are working very hsrd for our bands and trusting them by investing our time and money in them,which is why we have to be selective.

As for the other info I am not able to disclose this without a confidentially document from yourself,its just we have to very protective as we got ripped of last year for a list of our contacts which caused many problems and loss of income,and this was by someone possing as a friend and band member.

If you could be so kind as to let me have some info on how you can be of help to my business that would be great,"

The interesting paragraph is the one I've bolded. As can be seen earlier, I specifically didn't ask for contacts' names, I just asked for the names of media outlets and/or record companies where they have a contact. I also asked for the names of bands who had been helped by Rose PR. None of that information is confidential; indeed, it is information that one would think that Rose PR would want to broadcast publicly. But, they prefer not to.

They have a website now

http://www.rosemusicpr.co.uk/default.html

They charge £50 a month for radio plugging to twenty radio stations, "With many contacts with DJ's,producers and stations across the UK from national, local, universitys [sic] and internet stations and specialist stations we will work our hardest to get you the maximum airplay possible."

"There is no guarantees but we do try our very best at all times."

"Rose PR does charge a monthly package fee but compared to most PR companies our prices are very reasonable." Hmm, I thought agents worked on percentages of actual earnings?

"Our packages include radio plugging, new media coverage and exposure, newspaper and magazine coverage, online promo, gig bookings, album launches etc."

Clearly, they must work with bands who do not know how to use the internet or a telephone, and who never ever meet any other bands or promoters.

no one's going to fall for that are they? Any bands who want 20 radio DJ contacts just e.mail us, save yourselves 50 quid. DO IT YOURSELVES PEOPLE...

Right, off to get tonight's radio show together (goes without saying none of their radio, magazine, on-line promotions or anthing else come our way)