[mplpost] Bad Publicity is Alive And Well

[Scott Cameron Smith]

Dear Brian;
You can't let others define who you are. Define yourself and move ahead.

My last agent responded to my question "What should I do?" He said "Do what
you do best and don't look back".

Cheers,
Scott Cameron Smith
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Gladstone" <brian@backtothedirt.com>
To: <maplepost@icomm.ca>
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 5:25 PM
Subject: [mplpost] Bad Publicity is Alive And Well


> Dear Folkies -
>
> I have read the emails regarding reviews in the last few days, and can
state
> I agree with most of what is being reported.
>
> Until recently I agreed with the statement 'There is no bad publicity' --
> but now I have changed my mind, due to a review which is inaccurate.  Im
not
> quite sure how to react, and would appreciate any comments
>
> Typically my reviews are good, a few bad ones to be expected - which is
all
> part of the game. We are judged on a massive world stage; we are compared
> against our idols and the giants of the business; reviewers are human,
> idealistic, opinionated, and many lack peripheral vision and depth.  But
we
> need them, and they need us.
>
> That being said - in the last two months I have received about ten
reviews,
> everyting from . 'so bad it reduces one to hysterics' from Ian Anderson at
> Folk Roots Magazine, to .. Five Stars and 'so hot you need gloves to hold
> it' from- International Country Music Association. (ICMA in Europe) ..  to
> 'one of the best folk albums anywhere' at canehdian.com - so they are
mixed
> I accept and acknowledge them all. Opinions are reactions are mixed - I
> accept that and it only helps spread my name around.
>
> Until This .
>
> Country Home Magazine in Germany recently printed a review of my new CD
> 'Psychedelic Pholk Psongs' - which is intended as a satire look on the 60s
> generation and hippy culture where I grew up.  After getting the review
> translated in English, I learned it stated 'Brian Gladstone is a junkie,
and
> uses music to finance his drug habit.' Although they liked the picking and
> the music and called it 'The New Country (whatever?)', they 'could not
> recommend the album for obvious reasons'.
>
> Apparently there is no literal interpretation of the 60s scene in North
> America into German - and the reviewer just doesn't understand where its
> coming from - and translated liner notes literally and seriously. The
review
> is now  in print, and as well listed on at least six high profile
Websites.
> In addition, my name is popping up all over Europe in languages I don't
> understand! This is a bad review. It hurts, and is damaging!
>
> I laughed the Nancy White's reply and she noted that money is tight - in
> that context,  how does this reviewer think a folk singer from Canada can
> afford drugs?
>
> Question:
>
> Any opinions or suggestions as to how I should respond, or not respond -
> would be very appreciated? Any one had a similar experience?
>
> All comments are welcomed. Thanks for reading so far in this lengthy
email.
> German text Below.
>
> Peace and Sunshine
> Brian Gladstone
> If ever the world needed Folk Music, the time is Now.
> www.backtothedirt.com
> brian@backtothedirt.com
>
> ------------------------
>
>
> If anyone speaks German, this is the text: von: Country1 , 01.11.2001
Brian
> Gladstone
> Psychedelic Pholk Psongs
> Eigenvertrieb? 2001
> ASIN: BTTD002
>
> Titel: 01. Asphalt Cowboy, 02. Finger Licking Picking, 03. Flashing Before
> My Eyes, 05. Orange Juice Song, 06. Save The Wolverine, 07. A Father's
> Lullaby, 08. Windy And Warm, 09. Mega City Mel, 10. Do You Think That
You're
> Dorothy?, 11. The Highway Man, 12. I Still Think About You Babe, 13. Uncle
> John, 14. Black Mountain Rag, 15. Jamie Lynn, 16. Queen Oof The West, 17.
> San Francisco Bay Blues, 18. Somebody Stole My Gal, 19. Norm's Living Room
>
> Über Brian Gladstone ist mir selber nicht viel bekannt. Seine
mitgeschickte
> Bio ist so verwirrend geschrieben, daß nur eins herauszufinden war. Der
Mann
> ist ein Ex-Junkie und möchte mit seiner Art von Country-Music den Menschen
> den Rausch vermitteln, die Drogen verursachen können. Meiner Meinung nach
> eher eine sehr zweifelhafte Angelegenheit.
> Die insgesamt 19 Songs auf der im September 2001 erschienenen CD sind
> textlich gesehen ein kleiner Offenbarungseid des Künstlers. Die Stimme von
> ihm dazu die reinste Ekstase (er klingt, als würde er nur durch die Nase
> singen). Die musikalische Unterlegung der Texte ist dagegen wirklich gut.
> Der Mann beherrscht sein Instrument. Die Stilrichtung der CD ist unter
"New
> Acoustic Country Music" lt. Brian Gladstone zu sehen. Selber würde ich
> sagen: Es ist eine Art Mix aus traditioneller und New Country Music. Ein
> Empfehlung für die CD möchte ich hier nicht aussprechen. Die Gründe
hierfür
> kann sich jeder, der zwischen den Zeilen liest, selber denken.
> Diese CD suchen bei
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nancy White" <nancyw@sympatico.ca>
> To: <maplepost@icomm.ca>
> Sent: January 18, 2002 2:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [mplpost] Reviews Blues
>
>
> > Oh, Ms.O'Leum, you've opened up a bag of snakes here.
> > I think for even deeper interest we could move it over to the sensation
> you
> > feel when you get slagged in the middle of someone else's review. I
think
> > that's the meanest thing of all.
> >
> > There's probably not a good way to cope with a bad review, although you
> can
> > look on it as a memory exercise. You know that when you're strapped into
a
> > chair in The Home you'll still remember every word of the bad ones.
> >
> > Sometimes we actually learn something useful from a review, believe it
or
> > not.
> >
> > Have you noticed that when people get to a certain level of success they
> say
> > "oh,I never read reviews". Do you think they're lying?  I think they
must
> be
> > lying.
> >
> > What I do is put the good ones in the press kit and offer to send them
the
> > bad ones for a small fee. Although I once got one from a student out
west
> > that was so bad  ("this cd sucks," was one of the more gentle remarks)
> that
> > when I showed it to Rick Whitelaw he begged to have it to share with his
> > fellow players in the pit of "The Lion King", where, I believe, it was
> > immensely enjoyed.
> >
> > Do bad reviews make a difference? Sure they do. They affect sales. They
> can
> > close a show. On the other hand, the good ones help. What can you do?
> There
> > are so many performers and so many shows out there, and for most of us,
> > money is tight. We don't want to get ripped off for either our cash or
our
> > time, so  we kind of need our critics.
> >
> > well that's enough from me. Luckily, I live in Toronto where the problem
> is
> > NOT getting reviewed!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> -
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