The Music Blog: February 2005

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Rant

What is so friggin' hard about writing a 50-word biography about a band and putting it in a database? I mean, sheesh, we're not building rockets here.

Now that I've requested bios from about 100 SXSW bands/artists (via PR people), the e-mails are rolling in. I don't mind that they're not submitting their bios in the Artist Information Editor like they should. Shit happens. Passwords get lost. I do mind that more than half of the respondents have sent me three-page press sheets describing everything about their clients down to their cereal preference. They can't honestly think that we're going to publish all that just because they sent it.

This really isn't a big deal. Just stupid music people.

posted by platkat @ 9:31 AM 0 million people love The Kat

Wranglin'

Last night, I went to my first official meeting as a SXSW volunteer. Susan, our loyal "blurb wrangler manager", got us together to reiterate our task of querying artists and bands to send their 50-word blurb to be entered into the SXSW program book. The meeting was held at the SXSW offices, which reminded me why I didn't pursue music journalism as my primary career in the first place.

Although it was a cool place to hang out, the SXSW headquarters was like a combination of KVRX and the Feedback offices. There's stuff everywhere, on the walls, scattered all over desks... posters, cds, pictures, toys, clothes, car parts, whatever. It's all cool stuff, but usually not germane to whatever people are working on, yet no one dares throw any of it away. Loud, "up-and-coming" music bounces off the walls while tatooed, alterna-dressed 20-somethings shuffle to and fro, their actual purpose for being there undetermined. Amidst the commotion, a few people sit at computers (probably Macs, but I didn't get a good luck) and seem to be working. How anyone gets anything done, I will never understand.

I work in a cube farm all day, which provides enough distractions with my all my friends working nearby or just a few floors away. I think I would enjoy working in a sensory-overloaded place like SXSW, but I wouldn't accomplish a thing. Simply telling someone I like their shoes can erupt into a hour-long conversation about Factory People and the fashion victims that shop there.

Less innocuous would be the debates about writing and process fundamentals that could span weeks if the opponents on either side are inexperienced enough. I know I sound like quite a pessimist here, but people usually work for such rag-tag outfits because they can't find work elsewhere. But for those of us volunteering, this is going to be a fun way to earn a badge in our spare time and contribute to the festival. I hope that amidst the poker bowl and half-marathon, I'll have some time this weekend to bother artists and bands that begin with the letters D through G.

posted by platkat @ 3:37 PM 0 million people love The Kat

Monday, February 07, 2005

While checking in on Soulseek, I noticed someone downloading music from me at a pretty high speed, so I thought I'd take a gander at what I could grab from him. I opened a folder called "Music" and there was my entire list of stuff (over 1,000 files). It made me feel strange, like I had some kind of music stalker.

posted by platkat @ 9:25 PM 0 million people love The Kat