A brief rant to get something off of my chest

[J. Golden]

I am sure this will be another one of those things that either just I encounter or both other bands and labels will not speak up, no matter I’ll just vent for a moment. Of course there is nothing we can do about it anyway….
There are a lot of people in this “biz” that are so in line to waste our time, energy, and money but hey we take our chances then move on right. Still one can’t help to get feed up at times. For instance a local guy wanted to review some albums for an online ‘zine so I sent him the EPKs, but he specifically wanted one of the titles so I went the next step and sent him some CDs. The guy later emailed me bitching about the UPC cut out of the traycard (I could not find my holepunch) and yes he bitched about free CDs. Well months go by and no reviews and when I follow up I am told one sucks and one is just ok. Well buddy you can have said that before I sent out the CDs when you had the EPKs. But no it can’t be that easy.
Well more time goes by and I stumble into a used CD shop in that city and sure enough I find one of those promos the actual specific title he asked for; the way I knew it was the promo he receive because of how it was cut.
Now I’m not naïve enough to think the promos are not sold and traded off but this was stuff this guy asked for at first telling me he liked it actually, he never reviewed it, and could have made his decision off of the EPKs allowing me to save the cost. I know I have mentioned this situation in an earlier thread but it goes into this other situation just give illustrate these people.
Actually recently, well it is not really has drug out since last November. Late last year I started talking to what appeared to be a fledging online ‘zine out west. He supported “underground” metal, I just love how loosely that term is tossed around. All started out well with banner exchanges, a couple of reviews that were actually poorly researched but done nonetheless. Even an interview was done, actually two but only one was used. For months I was told this interviews would be going live week after week and of course no reviews but I was not sweating that so much knowing reviewers get backed up. Well I did not get annoyed until the idea of doing a swag giveaway came about. Back in November when the giveaway was planned I sent a lot of merch to this guy, a few hundred dollars worth at least. The package arrived and weeks went by and the giveaway. It keeps getting delayed and eventually I am told he cannot send out the winning for some reason and he suggested that he should have just ran the giveaway and I could have sent out the swag. Well now this jackass says he will return the package and we can proceed. Naturally the package was supposedly sent weeks ago and is still not hear and of course this guy got not confirmation on it. But he was kind enough to invite me to his house to see that the package is no longer there and that will prove that it was shipped back to me.
Now through all of this I get to watch all of this asshole’s Facebook posts about what L.A. diner he is eating in or how he is hanging out with Death Angel and that is fine if you are the fanboy but fuckin honor what you say you are going to do. Seriously over all these months and he could not come through and all I can do is let it go until I’m reminded by seeing him on That Metal Show reruns then I’m pissed all over again..
Ok point to the rant is this; there are so many fuckin douches out there that make this stuff we do so damn difficult and take advantage of everything they can. Sure speaking up will do nothing about it, it just makes me feel better in some small way.

 

[johan68]

I thought you said brief rant....

The dude does indeed sound like a tiresome douche though...

 

[J. Golden]

I thought you said brief rant....

The dude does indeed sound like a tiresome douche though...

It could have been longer.
Yes both of them proven themselves to be douches, the second guy I gave up on.
Sad thing is people like this are far to many and I encounter them almost on a daily bases. Meanwhile reviewers wonder why I'm hesitant about sending out promos, people wonder why I'm bitter, the list is long. HAHA

 

[1000 Faces]

It's sad. I know that when I was running a site, I reviewed every CD that was sent to me, no matter how little I was feeling it. Of course, nobody sent me stuff until after I'd established the site as somewhere worth visiting. Nowadays, it seems like a game to these "writers"; it's more about the "getting free shit" and less about the work.

Maybe someday the standard of online journalism will cease to be as nebulous as it is now. Unfortunately, it's still the Wild West out there, and more often than not, small businesses like yours are left holding the bag. It's a shame.

 

[Metaldrumz]

I hear ya man! The same goes for many of these online radio stations/shows as well. Many (not all) of these internet radio stations have no listeners and dead chat rooms but claim they are the biggest thing going. They get listeners that are fellow DJ's so basically the DJ is playing to an audience of other DJ's on the same station haha, and the chatrooms are filled with the same DJ's and are boring and inactive! The shows/stations pan handle for promos saying they get 10,000 + listeners which is a load of crap! I can't even tell you how many DJ's and radio stations I have seen come and go in just the 6 years I have been doing this. So many do it for the FREE shit and not for the passion of the music and bands. Pisses me off to no end because it makes guys like me look bad.

Case in point....even though I showcased the BLACKSMITH albums for you I wanted to BUY both editions and support the label and band and not use my radio show as an excuse to try and get free merch.

Speaking of... my CD's arrive tomorrow! Can't wait to watch the DVD!

 

[J. Golden]

I hear ya man! The same goes for many of these online radio stations/shows as well. Many (not all) of these internet radio stations have no listeners and dead chat rooms but claim they are the biggest thing going. They get listeners that are fellow DJ's so basically the DJ is playing to an audience of other DJ's on the same station haha, and the chatrooms are filled with the same DJ's and are boring and inactive! The shows/stations pan handle for promos saying they get 10,000 + listeners which is a load of crap! I can't even tell you how many DJ's and radio stations I have seen come and go in just the 6 years I have been doing this. So many do it for the FREE shit and not for the passion of the music and bands. Pisses me off to no end because it makes guys like me look bad.

Case in point....even though I showcased the BLACKSMITH albums for you I wanted to BUY both editions and support the label and band and not use my radio show as an excuse to try and get free merch.

Speaking of... my CD's arrive tomorrow! Can't wait to watch the DVD!

Agreed.
Thanks for your orders. You actually had placed the orders before we started talking about the show I do believe.
The guy out in Cali is getting more profile and it is just pretty fucked up knowing how he obviously treats somethings and people. Seems this label was big enough for him until he started getting onto the CM and other guest lists and so on. No biggie just I hate thinking of what I have lost dealing with this douchebag. And there are just to many of these people.

 

[Metaldrumz]

Agreed! Many times bands will ask me (usually ones not on the known labels) if I need a physical CD or if a digital promo is ok, and I always say digital good quality is ok. As much as I would like the actual product I know its a cost factor, and if I can help the band with the cheap route I am all for it. If I want an actual CD I can buy it.

 

[J. Golden]

Agreed! Many times bands will ask me (usually ones not on the known labels) if I need a physical CD or if a digital promo is ok, and I always say digital good quality is ok. As much as I would like the actual product I know its a cost factor, and if I can help the band with the cheap route I am all for it. If I want an actual CD I can buy it.

I really don't minded hook them up but basically being played is entirely different. But my point was not so much digital or hardcopy promos as much as pointing the douchebaggery of these people.

 

[TychoCelchu]

Yeah, there is a real problem with some people who get away with flaking out when they say they'll do something, and they never do it. I've met a few of these people too and I don't know what to do but catch on as early as possible and never trust them with anything important. They're everywhere - in your school, at your workplace, etc. People just don't think a commitment is worth honoring - or they will if they think you're "cool" or otherwise they forget about their promise minutes later.