Question To All The Music Journalists Up In This Bitch.

It's not the most popular music site in the world 'round the ILM 'hood, but Neumu's always looking for enthusiastic writers - no pay, but lots of encouragement!

I guess part of the question is, what do you usually write about musically? Anything and everything or do you have specific areas you concentrate on?

The last thing the world needs right now is another music journalist - have you considered plumbing?

There can't be too many GOOD music journalists! Have you thought of trying Freaky Trigger, Jared?

There is excellent money to be made in plumbing. I here tell of 70k-90k a year.

But erm Martin, I think Jared's goals are a bit more careerist than Freakytrigger -- i.e., where can I grab hold of the ladder and start climbing. I get the feeling writing for Freakytrigger would lend one immense credibility in the eyes of certain individuals, but as far as "prospective employers" go I don't know if that's what he means.

(I'd really like to write something for Freakytrigger again myself, actually, but I've been terrible at coming up with article ideas lately, leave alone good ones about pop music.)

(I don't know why I'm even looking at this thread, as I'm having trouble lately thinking of myself as even a potential "music journalist.")

Gah, despite all of my diplomacy it still looks like I'm saying Freaky Trigger is crap, or something! I don't mean that at all, I love Freakytrigger. And it's charming and wonderful as it is, but I was getting the sense from Jared that he was looking for "bigger," like with frames and advertising and such. "Bigger" as opposed to "better!"

That said, Freakytrigger is ace, all hail Freakytrigger, they ran this terrific 37-page article about how the Strokes sounded poppy.

I think that's part and parcel nabisco, especially round these parts with so many genii whose work makes other stuff pale into insignificance. I've been feeling quite productive lately, but I really REALLY can't wait to get my claws into that pirate radio slot, it's been delayed a bit but I feel in some ways radio could become my real passion. (along with the writing)

I can't remember, Ronan, did you say the shows were web-streamed, as well? If not, you'll need to make tapes for us. Honestly, I'd happily pay import prices for Ronan and Tim F mixes if such things existed.

The weird thing about web writing, Ronan, is I think it separates into two camps, who aren't immediately distinguishable -- there are people like you who have a foothold in the more career-oriented print world (you've even got the work experience), and there are people like me who, umm, don't, not quite yet.

Pah my foothold was brief. To be honest I'm kind of happy to watch and learn and do my own thing after it aswell. I want to do more experience somewhere else next summer, and so I'm hoping to patch together a portfolio and do it. The show is webstreamed yeah, they're moving offices at the moment and the guy is a bit hassled but I'm sure I'll get my shot eventually. I won't actually be mixing the records but you'll get me going nutso in between them and babbling about them.

Sweet.

can you put Freakytrigger on yr CV? (Do I get immense credibility? In whose eyes?)

nabisco don't knock the freaky trigger hustle for future paying jobs, 4real

"immense credibility" !!!!!

[This is where someone crasser than me makes an erection joke.]

haha when i first emailed the voice about the dj sammy piece tom was the only thing i put down as a "credit" other than my old day job at AOL!

Jess, obviously in that first post "certain individuals" includes Chuck Eddy!

if yer really brilliant and write a crazy lester bangs email to the papers - then yes, that's the easier way. or you can do it like me - know someone really famous in the music industry and he gives you your start and then connects you up with a magazine and then another, and then you start to connect the dots yerself!

but sometimes yer going to get this: i've got reviewers coming out of my ears (as I did with the mojo editor).... but then later on in conversation when i said - oh that's alright, i never have read an issue of mojo and never well 'sides flipping through it at the newsagent in which she goes - yer not selling yerself very well to me! basically it is this - you never known when you are being scanned - everything is an opportunity and everyone is a prostitute. yes, me so trashy.

and yer doing a regular freelance thing with some papers be prepared to bleed sweat as the best editors are the toughest ones who will "break the balls of new music journos".

Also, crass point: Ronan has youth on his side! Music and lifestyle mags cream themselves for contributors his age, but those are usually girls. Get hold of an advance copy of something you'll like, review it distinctively, and send it as a spec to an editor whose career you like . If you didn't spend your work experience taking down every email address and phone number for PRs and playas to fall under your eyes, well, that's what you have to do (being in the same knowledge loop as the people you are working for helps your case loads). You also have the advantage of being in Dublin to sell to clubbers' mags. Find a talented non-mate there with a product/tune and a good story and pitch it to the editors of 'short' upfront sections in magazines

Doomie, leaving aside biology, never had balls broken by any editors!

i was not a natural when i came to start doing journo stuff - i was am exciting writer but fiting it into the prescribed space - balls were broken and necessarily so - i mean, i couldnt say - oh look, here is my 5000 word essay on the new enon album?

one last word of advice - know yer music game and feed them the new blood the game requires......

Yeah Suzy I think I do have alot of the numbers necessary, I mean I'm making nothing off my website but getting lots of promos and a few interviews. That was always the point, even when I decided to come back to Dublin in the first place, to get that website up and running. It's not as good as I'd like but that's because I can't find anyone I'm willing to trust to write for it.

Re:the talented non mate, I'm doing that as we speak with two guys who are already signed to a really big dance label and are going to be big as far as I can tell from their first live show last week.

(but the anonymous post at the top wasn't me, so I don't want to hijack too much, thanks for the advice Suzy)

It's hard to advise anonymous posters about this, due to not knowing where they are or what they're into, which matters LOADS.

suzy you are like yoda!

rowr!!

Do magazines take people on work experience? How d'you get into that? Have to move to London for the Summer? Compile a portfolio? What of, just everything that I have written that is cogent and relevant to that magazine (ie coverage or style ie would uncut, eg, be bovad abt 5000 word FT pieces or would they want just small capsules, or best to show them both?) Then, when yr in, do you get to throw bombs?

for 'bombs' see 'arguments'

No, Uncut do not want 5000-word dissertations; you would have to adapt your style to doing 80-100 word "does what it says on the tin"-type reviews - usually on the turn of a dime - though of course if you're a good enough writer you can still be creative even within these limits.

Of course Church of Me was my passport to getting into Uncut, but it helps that the reviews editor is roughly my age and has roughly the same (pop) tastes as me. We both concur about the pitiful state of Uncut in general, and I'm sure Paul L is more than glad to have someone else "on his side" join up. I'm throwing some "bombs" in my own small way. Had Nigel W or whoever been in charge I doubt they would have given me the time of day.

I know Uncut don't want the 5000-word threshers but would they want to see/read them in a CV type ie Of course Church of Me was my passport to getting into Uncut.

usually on the turn of a dime - though of course if you're a good enough writer you can still be creative even within these limits.

yes.

haha, who wants to be a referee?

The new TV quiz show hosted by David Elleray

is this david h? if so, send paul lester a link to shazam! and see what he thinks. but it's always worth sending some 80-100 word review specimens rather than lengthy thinkpieces, because he will need to see how capable you are at doing the everyday meat and potatoes stuff. bear in mind that he receives an awful lot of requests from would-be writers, so you are really going to have to make yrself stand out. you will have to prove to him how passionate you are abt wanting to write for the mag.

Ryan Adams' "Demolition" by Paul Dirkin

It starts with a pun that is offside. Then the through ball into Nuclear, a powerful surge through Neil Young guitar-defence, and the ball is slotted into the stanchion: "I'm holdin' you close, baby..." Yellow card for forced strings on the fifth track and by the time that the Smiths are shoehorned into the Ranch's backyard I feel like talking him off the pitch. A handball and knee to the groin comes at the very last when Ryan sings: "I'm not like anyone you've heard before" - and I reach into my pocket, to show him the shower. Match cancelled due to tear-floods in the 69 min, Adams sent off, 68 min.

(Yes marcello.)

(Marcello - can y'send me his e-mail address then, please?)

I've just sent it to you (at your "student" email).

hmm... it's not accepting any e-mails. i've sent myself two today (not received). hmm. try again, please, or at howied41NONOTTODAYTHANKSIVETOOMUCHSPAMALREADY@hotmail.com

I get the feeling that perhaps it would have been more polite to respond to this thread earlier, but I have not had time over the past few days. I also hate writing in this stitled style so it does not give away who I actually am.

I think my original point may have been slightly misconstrued. I would try Freaky Trigger, but, to a certain extent, it does scare me, mainly because there is only a few pieces submitted every month, so badness sticks out a lot more than it would on a normal music webpage. Also, many of the FTers are too damn good for me to compete with.

I tend to write one of two things: pithy short album reviews (for "pithy" read "bitter") and long rambling articles on musicians I become obsessed with (usually referencing at least two of my ex-girlfriends).

It is not really "careerism", as I'd take anything that would get me read on a wider basis, to be honest. I do want to make a career out of journalism, but if this entails writing about village fairs, then so be it. Beats proper work.

I guess the answer is that I have to pimp myself, hmmm? I may try this neumu.net thing, any other ideas for webpages that take pity on fools?