Hawkwind Tour in Trouble

[Dave Berry]

> >> >The biggest question is of course - should they get rid of the
> >> >management?

The immediate question is what can be done to rescue the tour.

The promoter(s) have failed, so action from the top (and bottom) is
necessary, and as soon as possible.  Here's what I would do if I were
running things. (I don't have any experience of the music industry,
but I have advertised national events on the cheap before!)

First, buy an advert in this week's NME, listing all the gigs.
No doubt this is expensive, but it's the fastest and surest way
to get the info out.

Second, post the list of gigs to the music newsgroups (see below).
This is maybe something Star Rats could do.  Maybe people who wrote
reviews of Space Daze could post them to the music newsgroups too,
and add a line mentioning the tour?

Third, pull in any favours.  Maybe Steve Swindells could mention the
tour and the web site in his Time Out Column?  Maybe Mark Radcliffe
could mention it on his show?

Fourth, get a press release out to the music papers and listing magazines
around the country.  Maybe some of the national press too - e.g. the
Guardian.

The press release should list the tour dates, and mention recent
events:
        new, young, members.
        headlining Space Daze and DracFest.
        the new album.
        the european festivals.

OFFER INTERVIEWS.  Any of the above points offer hooks for a journalist
to write a story.  Get the band to have some anecdotes ready to tell.

I don't read many newsgroups these days, but I think the following
still exist and are relevant:  alt.music.uk, uk.music.misc, rec.music.misc,
rec.music.progressive,  and maybe rec.arts.sf.media.  Post the message
individually to each one, so that cross-posting filters don't hide it.
You'll get a little flak, but ignore it (or just apologise afterwards).

Apart from the NME advert, these are all free or cheap.  The press release
takes a little time, but someone with a DTP package can produce one
quickly.  Maybe list members could offer addresses of suitable listing
magazines.


(Hmm, maybe this management experience has its uses!)

Dave.
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