If you band poor and aint got no money...Or hardly no money.

Best coverage? Best rates?

Thanks for any info,

Jay

I usually put one in Punk Planet. Good coverage and damn cheap too.

Although there might not be anything inherently wrong with any magazine that might get mentioned here, your best bet is to save what little cash you have and work to get your band noticed in ways that don't cost you a thing.

If you want to sell records, the only way to do it is to tour as much as humanly possible. If you absolutely must have a ad out for whatever reason, try putting up a cheap banner ad on a high hitting indie web site, then go back to touring... Good luck to you.
dB-

dbychowski wrote:Although there might not be anything inherently wrong with any magazine that might get mentioned here, your best bet is to save what little cash you have and work to get your band noticed in ways that don't cost you a thing.

If you want to sell records, the only way to do it is to tour as much as humanly possible. If you absolutely must have a ad out for whatever reason, try putting up a cheap banner ad on a high hitting indie web site, then go back to touring... Good luck to you.
dB-

OH, so well put db. Yes, the best 'advertising' is a great show or a great record. I have watched that sort of word spread much faster than putting another ad in another zine. People want to turn other people on to good things so if you are really good, people will pass it on.

And for me, a good review in a magazine I read is better to me than an ad. Anyone with a checkbook can get an ad. A good review (again, in a magazine I like by a writer I respect) is much more powerful to me and makes me seek out your band or record.

I don't think a 'good show with good songs and a good band' can be argued all that much as far as advertising goes. If you're "real", people will know. People can smell fake a mile away!

BUT, from my perspective, advertising can help. I lived in North Dakota for a long while, and we had a record we were pretty proud of. We felt very comfortable taking an ad out in Punk Planet--good rates, good people, a great publication. This may literally be the only way to get one's 'name out there', if that's your purpose.

That ain't my purpose anymore. My purpose is now to quit smoking!

Ike in Kazoo

Can anyone say whether or not the advertising has helped? I know it's tough to quantify, but anything concrete might help the discussion...

I just put an add in "Wire" for my label in the back of their new issue with cLOUDEAD on the cover. It cost me $225. Its only been out a week and thats a pretty high profile mag. In the same issue they reviewed 4 of my new releases. The one review that was the most positive has led to some sales of that title - "Yun". I would agree that a good review is worth more than an add.
Last year or so, Signal To Noise did a nice article on the Milwaukee experimental music scene which featured me and some other folks here. I put an add in there and in the add I offered free samplers of my label for $1 to cover s/h. In the same issue they gave some of my releases some great reviews. Only one person sent their $1.

You have to ask yourself if you have ever seen an add in a music mag and bought something you did not know? It is more likely you will read a review of something and then buy it.