PROMOS are taking away all the fun!

Johan Sagnert (iep95jsa@lustudat.student.lu.se)
Thu, 10 Apr 97 14:50:05 +0200


The reason for me writing this is that I'm a bit upset with the way record=
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companies are handling their marketing. They throw out promo copies to DJs=
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months in advance to create a buzz for their releases.=20

I have no problem with labels trying to hype their artist, but what I do=20
dislike (to use a mild expression) is that they very often wait too long to=
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release the records. This means that when it's finally released it has often=
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got a blas=E9 feeling to it (because you've already heard it a million times=
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on the radio or at your local club) and there's probably a new promo out=20
that throws the "old" tune of your shopping list.
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Recent examples to prove my point:

The latest MEKON release "School's out" on Wall of Sound. I heard it first=
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almost two months ago and I was really excited. But... it's very frustrating=
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when I, every week since then, ask for it at my local record store(who=20
usally get most releases pretty fast) and they say it's hasn't been released=
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yet.=20

Another example is the CHEMICAL BROTHERS' album which is ironically enough=
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called "Dig you own hole" which I believe is just what the record companies=
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are doing with this kind of behaviour.

As far as I'm concerned (underground)dance music should be fast moving and=
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experimental, which it was before the majors started "buying out" artists=20
like GOLDIE, DAFT PUNK and PHOTEK. Some might say that this is exposing the=
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music to a much bigger audience who couldn't get it before, but as I said=20
before, it takes the fun out for the rest of us.

So my message to all the major labels is -=20

GIVE US OUR MUSIC BACK!! (Please...)

Johan Sagnert (iep95jsa@lustudat.student.lu.se)