A shot of Jack Grace Band member Bruce Martin ironically on a computer, he is a practicing luddite sans cellphone and can be tough to find at times and he likes it that way.
OK, the time has come for all of this over information to back off for us all. It really is an epidemic.
For example: Let's say a friend has their first show, they post it on their website, myspace, facebook, twitter. Then, some folks like to send as many as 3 reminders about this event to your email, maybe they have more than one email for you so to be safe they send it to all three emails they have for you. So you hear about this 15 times!
I'm 41 and have been playing live shows for twenty years. In those early days you sent out a mailer. The mailer was sent after someone signed your mailing list or you knew them well enough so that you knew their address and each person you sent this mailer to required another stamp and another postcard mailer. So, you would NOT just send these folks 15 different notices about your quaint little show if you planned to make a profit. They would get the mailer and if they cared, they would put it on the fridge to remember, if they didn't they would glance at it and toss it in the trash. My old band Steak also had a hotline (voicemail) so if YOU wanted to know when we were playing you could call and find out.
My point is, it used to take time and even money to notify folks. I sure don't miss making those handbills and putting stamps on all of them (or paying for it!), but we all get over informed about events- even ones we have no intention of attending.
Maybe you never want to see my band, I don't want you there if you don't want to be. It is important to me as a human that you then don't get tons of web nagging by me.
I used to send an email to my list at least once a week (a list that folks signed to be on). Back in a time when I was less busy, I used to spend A LOT of time making those emails creative and fun to read so that folks would open them even if they couldn't make my show. I decided this was my chance to communicate with my entire fanbase at once so I might as well make it count.
After a while, there were some people who signed my mailing list who had never seen my band or heard my music, rather been forwarded my emails and just liked getting them.
In the past ten years after that initial email strategy, we have all been basically become subject to too many goddamn notices about anything and everything- web nagging!
So I hope to start this blog as a way to continue without pestering.
I still have to promote my shows, releases etc. But I have backed off on the frequency of notices. I figure if you want to come see me or know what is going on, you can always check my websites, blog or hell just google me.
Perhaps our backlash can come in the form of sending emails to everyone about things we don't care about or want to see over and over, oh wait that already kinda happens anyway... hmmm.
Dogs find blogs odorless and unappealing.
Jack Grace
You mean now I have to go LOOKING for you if I want to be spammed? When the no-talent trust fund bunnies down the street have shown me how much they care by crashing my computer with unsolicited notices? How '90s of you!
ReplyDeleteKnow what, though? A mailed handbill is hella more effective, to this day. It's just all this nelly behavior of terror and identity theft that makes it difficult. Hell, I'll give you MY address. You have to trust decent people who are just getting the word out on a show. Emails are generally annoying. It's like work.
ReplyDelete-- Donnie Diamonds
I like the idea that you're still playing full time. That's the hard work -- getting people to show up can't happen unless you do the first.
ReplyDeleteKeep plugging away, my friend. You are an inspiration.