When it comes to music journalism and music media in general, the Australian landscape has always been an interesting one.
The field is tight knit and more often than not, the amount of independent blogs and publications largely outweigh the outlets who operate with corporate backing behind them.
As music publicists, we nurture the relationship we have with the media. Yes, we want to make sure our clients can get the best possible coverage but for the journalists too, we want to accommodate and facilitate the goods for them as best we can too!
The music publicist – music journalist connection is integral to any successful music publicity campaign, and one that possibly gets underrated.
It’s important to support those outlets who support the music and the clients, and also be across just how different publications have been able to make it through the last 12 months.
It’s been hard for everyone but for music publications in particular, the pandemic has meant a loss of work, plus a lack of resources in an already skint sector.
Still, there are journalists out there who have remained passionate about their work and the way new Australian music can still be championed – one of them being Tyler Jenke.
As Editor of Rolling Stone Australia and The Brag, he’s got one of the busiest workloads on his shoulders. Below, he tells us about his experiences working in the industry and gives some advice to artists looking to get put on.
Tips From the Writers’ Desk
You’ve been working in music media for many years now. What first got you interested in working with musicians in this way?
Like most people, I grew up listening to music to the point where it effectively became my life. I couldn’t do anything without relating it to music (much to the annoyance of basically everyone in my life), and from a young age, I knew that it was my goal in life.
While my plans of being a musician myself never came to fruition (anyone looking for a guitarist, hit me up!), I knew that I couldn’t let my life be without music and the ability to tell the stories of those whose work has impacted me in such a deep way.
This, paired with my constant desire to be around music in a live setting, told me that working with musicians was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a calling in life.
If I’m being honest, I still pinch myself on a daily basis that I get the chance to interact with artists and music on a day-to-day basis. Heck, if I’d told my 16-year-old self that this was my future, I’d likely have never believed him (and I would have found my claims that there was a life outside of the Woolworths checkout department to be highly dubious).
How have you noticed the Australian music scene has changed in the face of COVID – what is exciting you about how things are going now?
If you were to compare 2019 to 2020, it would look like the world’s easiest spot-the-difference puzzle. Truly, they were completely different environments that bore no resemblance to the other.
My heart broke on a daily basis for the artists, managers, crew, venue staff, and countless others that I’m missing whose lives were impacted by the presence of COVID-19.
The industry felt like a ghost town as we desperately tried to pick up the pieces and move on, only to be knocked down at every turn. Hell, even this year saw the Facebook news ban (leading to us leaning on our Brag Observer newsletter network), which felt like the adding of insult to injury for the Australian media.
Of course, the resilience of those in the industry has prevailed, and the future is looking bright as ever. The mere fact we could have sweaty mosh pits at the end of 2020 indicated that we were doing things right, and as the industry continues to heal, I can’t contain my excitement.
Think of all the amazing artists who used this time to focus on music, or pick up an instrument for the first time. Think of all the stunning ideas that have formed while in lockdown. And think of how this is all going to manifest in the public consciousness over the coming days, months, years, and decades.
We’re on the cusp of a new golden age of music, and I honestly can’t wait to see what comes next.
You must receive pitches from artists and music publicists all the time; is there anything specifically that will catch your attention in a pitch that will make you more likely to listen to new music?
From a personal point of view, I need a hook to truly draw me in. I get roughly 100 emails every hour, and it is absolutely impossible to look at all of them (despite my constant goal to please everyone and read them all), so I need to see something that stands out from the crowd.
At the end of the day, I have a finite amount of time at my disposal, and there needs to be a point of difference that makes the pitch stand out from the crowd.
Too often so many amazing pitches have fallen by the wayside because of a subject line that might promote a “new Australian rock band”.
That band might be amazing, groundbreaking, and truly the future of local music, but how do I know they’re different from the other five pitches that proclaim the same?
It’s obviously difficult to pitch new artists when they’re starting out and they haven’t had a long enough career behind them to truly stand out from the crowd with a long list of stunning achievements, but it’s always smart to focus on their unique points to help them stand out rather than blend in.
Has there been any one artist or style of music that has surprised you, caught your attention in the last year?
There have been so many artists that have done some groundbreaking things over the last year (don’t even get me started on my love of unique vinyl pressings and packaging), but if there’s one band that has kept me turning my head it’s Adelaide’s Teenage Joans.
I might be biased due to my own South Australian upbringing, but having watched the duo rise over the last couple of years and then explode into the public’s consciousness across the last 12 months, well, it’s nothing short of inspiring.
Not only are they pioneers of their self-described “juice box punk-pop” sound, but they’ve managed to blur the line that separates artist and the fan, too.
They’re arguably one of the most genuine groups out there, and while I absolutely cannot wait to see the release of their new EP and what the future holds, I also reckon it’s high time I finally saw them live – I can’t keep living vicariously through Instagram videos!
What advice would you give to artists and/or music publicists who might feel disillusioned with maybe not getting coverage straight away?
Ultimately, keep on trying. While there’s a fine line to be drawn between persistence and constantly pressuring someone, never feel disheartened or disillusioned that you don’t strike gold right away when it comes to pitches.
After all, your pitch might go out on the same day that the likes of Taylor Swift and Tame Impala team up for a surprise song – the pitch might get overlooked, but through no fault of your own it’s not what everyone’s looking for on that day.
Your first pitch might not catch fire, and neither may your tenth, but never be discouraged when you’re fighting against countless other artists for a finite amount of space and coverage.
What can new artists do to make sure they’re putting their best foot forward when it comes to working with journalists?
Be personable, genuine, show a willingness to learn, and a desire to make friends. It’s always important to remember that your first interaction with a journalist might be the first of many interactions to come with them, so if you start off on the right foot, it bodes well for the future.
Just be yourself, be straightforward, and be clear about what you’re coming to the journalist for.
The best press releases and pitches I’ve seen lay it all out in simple terms: This is the artist, this is their elevator pitch, this is what they’re here for, and here are all the assets to learn more about them.
Not only does it lay everything out for the journalist, but it leaves them with no grey areas about what you might be after.
When it comes to interviews; what are some do’s and don’ts you’ve learned about working with musicians (rocking up on time, research etc)?
The most important thing to remember about interviewing artists is that at the end of the day, they are just like you – people with a job to do. They’re there to tell the story of their work in exactly the same way that the journalist is there to report on the story of their work.
As you’d expect, it serves the journalist well to turn up on time, be well-researched, and prepared.
I always advise people that it’s fine to try and be friendly – often the experience will be much more positive if you do so – but don’t use the interview as an opportunity to make friends.
Ultimately, it’s important to rid yourself of any feeling of being starstruck – the artist is a regular person on either side of the interview, so why should the time during the chat be any different?
The best interviews I’ve ever done are when a rapport can be found and the exchange of information flows much more freely. The worst I’ve done are when there’s no fluidity, one side is unwilling to cooperate, and there is no spark conducive to a positive environment.
The Australian music media landscape has changed heaps recently; resources have become tight, and the parameters for coverage have narrowed. What keeps you going?
Ultimately, my goal is to do everything in my power to give as many artists and events the coverage they not only need, but deserve. Of course, with the media landscape the way it is right now, my abilities to do so as much as I would like are lessened, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make an impact still.
There’s no reasons why my efforts should be any less, because there are still so many things that need coverage, and who’s to say that the next bit of coverage I provide won’t be the piece that turns a band into a household name?
It’s this striving to be the best for these artists already showcasing their best that keeps me going.