March BEAT

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY REPORT

by Reggi Hopkins

Defenders Of The Local Scene : Part Three

    We all know them best as champions in the fight to maintain a local force
in the music and entertainment industry. They hail from both coasts and
everywhere in between, choosing the character building weather and
blue-collar industries of the third coast over the hazy exhaust soaked land
of the angels or the infested concrete Mecca of the big apple. They are
Defenders of the local scene. This marks the last in our three part series…

    Our final journey onto the local battlefield takes us into the camp where
the pen (or laptop) is mightier than the sword. These editors, columnists,
feature writers, and other journalists represent a wide cross section of
enterprises from multi-billion dollar conglomerates such as Tribune, Inc. to
the local entertainment monthlies and alternative weeklies. Each position
provides a critical link in the chain. Each one of these publications is
important to the musicians within these communities.

   Most of us who live (and die) in the local scene find confidence in the
more localized publications (such as the one you are reading right now), but
there is value in the Sun-Times and Tribune.

   Jim DeRogatis is among the more active local critics. You will likely
find him at every major local music showcase as well as some less eventful
performances. A true defender, DeRogatis has been the music critic for the
Sun-Times for many moons. He is very approachable and certainly wields a
mighty force in the local scene.

   Greg Kot who heads up the Tribune side of things is equally active and
also quite accepting of local offerings. Consider these two the ambassadors
of the local music scene to corporate America. DeRogatis and Kot are also
considered two of the most influential music critics in the country. They
have teamed up for what is called the world’s only rock ‘n’ roll talk show.
WXRT hosts “Sound Opinions” every Tuesday from 10 pm to midnight on the
frequency of 93.1 FM. This show encourages listeners to call in and join the
conversation. I recommend this program to everyone.

    I’m sure you all realize that a brief mention in the Sun-Times or the
Tribune will reach tens of thousands of eyes. This article isn’t meant to be
a PR lesson, but for those of you who would benefit from some added exposure
for your band or musical project, I would consider spending some time getting
a quality press kit together and getting it in the hands of both DeRogatis
and Kot. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

   The local publications revolve more around the product than the people.
Many of the journalists come and go, but the issues are still pressing on.
For this reason, I have chosen not to focus on the journalists themselves but
rather, provide some insight into the value of each local offering.

   The Illinois Entertainer has been a staple in the local music scene for 25
years. They provide news, reviews, and plenty of advertising opportunities
for local bands, businesses, and industry related events. Their classified
section is also worthy of some attention. They also publish several valuable
annual directories including a Studio Guide, Indie Label Guide, and Local
Band Directory. These special inserts are included in regular issues.

    The Chicago Reader is an alternative weekly, which provides more news
than reviews. Though many advertisers participate in this weekly paper, they
are not so much a force in promoting local music as they are a force in
promoting local culture. The journalism tends to be more complex and the
subject matter hits a wide range, but overall this is a valuable component of
the overall local music scene.

    Illinois Entertainer and Chicago Reader are both free to the public and
both have wonderfully informative web sites.

     The same holds true for our next “defender.” The Midwest Beat, to
which I am obviously biased, provides the only true representation of the
Illiana area’s music scene. Publisher Tom Lounges has labored for 21 years
making sure that his neck of the woods has always been represented well in
the overall regional music scene.

   Aside from his national freelance writing, Lounges is also a music
columnist and a features writer for one of N.W. Indiana’s major newspapers,
The Times, so be sure you include him when you send out those press kits.

   The Times in general, has really taken a strong initiative to giving ink
to local music in the last few years with impressive developments in its
weekend features sections.

   Perhaps the most interesting difference between Midwest Beat and the
others lies in Tom’s decision to be a true “local” magazine. You will
notice that 90% of the coverage is of local interest. I think it goes
without saying that unless we continue to support this vehicle, a major part
of the defender’s artillery will be lost. Just remember that when your
trying to figure out how to promote your next album.

    Since we mentioned The Times, it’s only right to include their regional
rivals, The Gary Post-Tribune. While they do not seem as rich in local music
coverage as The Times, the P.T’s resident music columnist, Bob Kostanczak,
deserves kudos on a personal level for his admirable job of covering N.W.
Indiana talent and events.

   Last (but not least) on the print list is a group, I affectionately call
“local rags.”
   These locally distributed labors of love are typically the brainchild of a
young defender who is trying to make their mark and provide a positive
influence to the local scene. Many of these publications are black and
white, made at Kinko’s, and might be a little on the soft side as far as
content and GQ splash. But they provide an important instrument in the
collective defense of the local music scene.

   Common target markets for these rags include metal (and all its
variations), hip hop/rap, techno/house, punk/ska, and overall urban culture.
You may not get a good classified listing or advertisement section out of
these (some don’t even allow advertisements!), but you will find them to be a
kernel of truth in an otherwise commercially saturated print media market.
These rags are generally found only at the hippest music stores.

    Most of these rags have also been translated into a pretty interesting
web site. If you see one that you like, grab it. These rags don’t stay in
print for very long. Some issues may only print a few times before the
one-man-show that was writing, editing, and publishing decides to do
something else.

   If you missed the first two parts – “TV/Internet Defenders” and “Radio
Defenders” – of this series, go our web site (www.midwestbeat.com) or call
and we’ll get them to you.

    Until next time...support local music!