BS: The Perils of Puffery

Subject: The Perils of Puffery
From: paddymac
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 02:31 AM

I had a bit of a surprise today when I sent out notices about an upcoming gig for our group and referred to us as the community's "favorite folk band in the Irish tradition". I viewed the phrase as harmless puffery, and deliberately narrow in its applicability, but a couple of folks I respect had a differnet view. In one case, the band plays Irish trad, as opposed to folk, and in the other case, there is some overlap in material, but they haven't been as active as our group of late. I certainly didn't intend to offend anybody, but I evidently did bother some folks. I count both "commenters" as friends and am, admittedly, a bit surprised by their responses. I'll chew on it a bit and try to find something else to say as promotional puffery, but I am curious as to whether anyone else has had any similar experiences, and what thoughts 'catters generally might have on such things.

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 02:56 AM

Isn't Irish trad a form of folk? Sounds like splitting hairs to me. Maybe they were jealous of the "favourite" part?

Sorry not much help, I'm afraid.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: Naemanson
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 06:26 AM

I am a bit reticent myself and do not go in for making a big deal of myself. We bill our chantey group as Maine's primier chantey group but then we are te only one on the coast. And I don't write the copy.

I say write whatever you want about yourself but be ready for comments like that. And keep in mind that what you write will generate certain expectations in your audiences. Because of the expectations you need to craft your "puffery" very carefully. It would be a shame to somehow write something that had audience members expecting a U2 type of Irish band. They could be disappointed in finding it was "only" traditional music.

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 06:55 AM

I can make maybe a distinction between "Irish trad" and "Irish folk" (though strictly it's a distinction that doesn't really make linguistic sense, since the tradition consists of folk music, whereas the "Irish folk" is largely stuff which arguably isn't ).

But "folk band in the Irish tradition" straddles the distinction. It could mean what yiou want it tomean, which I imagine is why you'd use the term. But one of the things it could mean would be "Irish trad".

Does puffery really get bookings or bring in more punterts? Over and above "this lot are worth hearing" from someone who knows that sort of thing, and is trusted.

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: radriano
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 12:19 PM

I played with a group that did traditional and some contemporary songs from Ireland, Scotland, and England. We were fairly well known in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 80's.

One of our vocalists was interviewed by one of the San Francisco newspapers and there was a good sized write-up of her involvement in traditional song. Unfortunately, the article made it sound like she was one of the last (or one of the only) proponents of Irish singing around. We got a lot of flack from the trad community about that.

In an effort to generate human interest stories, newpapers and magazines often present, sometimes unknowingly, a somewhat slanted view of what's going on.

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 01:50 PM

People always find something to snit about. I say let 'em get bent out of shape, if that's what they want. You have to blow your horn a bit to promote yourself to the "great unwashed" masses who don't understand the fine distinctions that the experts make. "Promotion" without "Puffery" will not get you very far. IMHO

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: radriano
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 02:37 PM

True, Bartholomew, but you can carry things too far sometimes. When I hear phrases like "best guitarist in the world" it makes me cringe. I think it's possible to promote yourself in a responsible fashion.

For example, I saw a television commerical recently that was advertising some website. The commercial claimed that word of mouth was spreading like wildfire about the merits and wonders of said website. It was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Well, if the site (the business) was so wonderful and word was spreading like wildfire why did they feel the need to be spending thousands upon thousands on TV commercials?

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: mousethief
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 02:40 PM

You just need to get a half-way reputable critic to say something nice about you.

"An evening well-spent, full of music I'm still humming, expertly performed" -- Joe Blow, Podunk News Tribune music critic.

No superlatives are really necessary.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: paddymac
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 06:49 PM

In our local music community, players and listeners generally draw a sharp distinction between "tunes" (instrumental only) and "songs" (vocal, accompanied or not). There is a parallel dichotomy between "Trad" (instrumental) and "folk" (vocal), but the edges are evidently not as clear and crisp as in the first case. Thus, a "trad" band is one which focuses on the instrumental music, while a "folk" band focuses on the vocal music.

Even the most die-hard instrumentalists have come to recognize that local audiences easily tire of strictly instrumental music, irrespective of virtuosity, mostly, I think, because audiences relate to the music differently than players. Listeners might know the name of a small number of tunes, and actually recognize them when played, but most are hard-pressed to distinguish between a jig, a reel, a hornpie, a waltz, etc, etc. Players, on the other hand, are more apt to become enthralled by the technicalities of a given piece, which is entirely appropriate.

With vocal music, the performers engage the audience in a different way, and perhaps at a different level(s). My guess is that whether your listener plays music or not, they can, and often do, relate to the language element of a song, which opens the door to an expanded appreciation for the non-musicians in an audience.

The local paper here commented about our group once by saying "there's none of that airy-fairy stuff here" (please, don't throw things; it was their expression, not ours). I viewed it as a recognition that strictly instrumental music in a seisiun begins to sound "all alike" after awhile to non-musicians, whereas, with vocal music, you don't have to be a musician to understand differences because you can follow the lyric, and indirectly, the music through the lyric's connectedness to the nuances of the melody.

Maybe Tommy Makem said it best. At the close of a show here a year or so ago, he commented that he was glad to see the revival of interest in Irish traditional music, "but we must preserve the song tradition as well."

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 21 Oct 00 - 01:49 PM

I agree that you have to be responsible in promoting yourself. In the end, the lies you tell come back to get you. But in your promotional efforts, you have to clearly show people who may have never heard of you or seen you before that you are worth the effort. Promo has to be quick and clear, even if you have to sacrifice strict accuracy.

I have used a snippet from a review in the Chicago Tribune in posters advertising coffeehouse dates that I play. The quote, in big letters, reads "Worth a Second Listen". Recently, I looked at it and realized what faint praise it actually was; like, two listens would be just about enough. I've got to find ome reviewers to say nicer things about me in print. . .

Subject: RE: BS: The Perils of Puffery
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Oct 00 - 02:53 PM

"Not at all bad!" can be pretty strong praise from the right person.

"This kind of stuff ought not to be allowed", if said by some people, could be a big draw as well.