The last few weeks to a month or so have been a complete and utter rollercoaster. Nothing could have prepared me for what has happened. As coherently as I can retell, I have had great support and interest in my music due to my endeavours through Twitter. I did not consciously go out my way at first, but as things snowballed, I decided to keep pushing.
Around the week starting Monday the 17th of September 2012, I was using my Twitter account. I had barely anyone following - around 20-30 people. I, likewise, was not following many people. This did not bother me, but I was obviously not going to get much attention this way. The whole and sole purpose of my Twitter account was to promote my music through it. I one day began looking for radio stations and blogs that reviewed unsigned musicians. I thought I would maybe contact a few amateur bloggers and see if they would review my music. So I browsed through the numerous suggestions Twitter threw out at me. Many caught my attention, and I decided to follow them, and blatantly just ask if they would review my music.
To my surprise, I have had quite a few people reply and act on my requests, which has never happened to me via this social networking site. I have had an online magazine Niji take details from me, and say they would do a feature on me and my music which I am delighted about - as I requested an album review. I am still waiting to see what they put up. I also sent information requested by Music Review Unsigned Magazine, which I am also waiting to see what happens. I have had other bloggers, etc state that they would have a look. I was extremely surprised to find one day that Radio presenter, DJ and music columnist Jim Gellatly had liked my Facebook page. This sort of attention is exactly what I am interested in getting for my music.
The most exciting and supportive individuals however, have been Freak Pug PR/Label, who asked around for unsigned musicians to complete a Q&A interview form to be featured on their website. I completed the details and sent it back to the lovely people at Freaky Pug, who put my Q&A interview up on their site a week or so later. The review is absolutely fantastic and I am so grateful to them for supporting myself and unsigned musicians like me. Freaky Pug described me as:
"Wullaes musical diversity and experimentalism provides an outstanding mix of sounds, from the beautifully haunting Red Bridge to the fantastically progressive Juxtaposition. This blend of styles reaches to each end of the music spectrum and pulls them unmercifully into one awesome set that will keep any audience truly captivated. Wullae can currently be found in and around Edinburgh where he is in the middle of recording his new album ‘The Orange Line'. Definitely one to look out for." - Freaky Pug (http://www.freakypug.co.uk/unsigned-interview)
I have also enjoyed some online radio play which I was not expecting at all. I have contacted people about airplay before, but nothing came of it. This time, it did. This is the first time I have had my recordings played on the radio. I played on Sunny Govan Radio in Glasgow in 2007 live, performing my songs 'Jinx' and 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust'. I was so excited to be told that I would have my recordings played on air. What I found particularly interesting was the songs that the radio stations decided to choose. I was made aware by The Wall Rock Radio, that they had selected two of my songs to play on air. I was delighted and wanted to know which ones. They had selected 'Red Bridge' (AFTER. THE. RUSH. HOUR'S. GONE version), and 'Surveillance Society'. I was surprised with these song choices, but absolutely delighted they would play them, as I never regarded them as songs to be played on the radio. I later found that I had also been featured on the Unsigned Music Show's live online broadcast, playing my song 'Red Bridge' (AFTER. THE. RUSH. HOUR'S. GONE version). I had no idea they had selected it to be played, and only listened to it on their podcast - which is available here http://www.mixcloud.com/carlhutchinson/the-unsigned-music-show-with-greg-genre-19th-august/
I still await the Niji feature and to see what Music Review Unsigned has written. I am still currently going through Twitter and adding anyone relevant, and blatantly asking them for features etc. If you don't ask, you don't get. That's how I see it. Twitter has been an invaluable tool in networking with relevant people, and I will keep using it to my advantage.
Watch this space,
Wullae
http://wullaewright.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/wullaewright
http://www.freakpug.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment