New Filker.

GWC Community GWC Hive Mind
#1

Hello all, and thank you for checking this thread out.

My fiance is a starting filk artist, and we are trying to up her exposure. However…as I just graduated college (with a degree in Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management), and she had been working contract work (which ended recently), MOST of our time lately has been spent scrabbling to try to get funds so that we can continue living in our Apartment. Whee, life is fun and amazing at times.

She has started a side career as a musician…doing Filk. For those who don’t know, filk is generally songs in fandom (Songs about BSG, LOTR, Doctor Who, and many others). Samples of her work can be found here at http://crystalwolf.bandcamp.com/ if anyone is interested in taking a listen.

She has funded her first album via a Kickstarter campaign, and we are both trying to get her more exposure. However…we’ve come to a bit of a roadblock. Google is not that good at telling us how to get her on podcast shows, or what exactly we should do to get more and better exposure.

Thus, I turn to one of the friendliest groups I know…and one of the most varied. Does anyone here at GWC have suggestions on what we can do, or who we can ask to try to get her interviewed (or played) on any podcasts? Or what other avenues we should be attempting/looking at in order to boost exposure?

Thank you, all of you, for any advice you can give. It is mighty frightening in our world right now, and as much as I try to help others, it’s nice to know there are places where I can go to ask for help, advice or guidance, when I haven’t a clue how to do something. :slight_smile:
Chris

#2

Hrm. Well, the first thing is to get her work out there. Bandcamp is OK, but you might want to look at other sites. Offering some free downloads helps, and Bandcamp is flaky about those.

SF conventions are an obvious place for exposure, particularly if you stay for the afterparties. I expect you know that. You might try other venues, too. Wizard Rockers turned libraries into an alternative touring venue. Comic book stores are often happy to host unusual events. And, of course, coffee shops and other traditional venues remain an option.

Podcasts are tricky, since it depends upon the people who run them. Make note of the ones that feature or rotate through a variety of songs, and offer them free music.

Speaking of podcasts, you may want to check out The Functional Nerds podcast. One of the hosts, John Anealio, does literate filk and often talks about it. In fact, you might want to drop him a line directly.

Marian Call is another filk-esque artist who bears watching. She’s constantly coming up with interesting ways to engage fans.

Techdirt is another site to keep an eye on. It’s more a tech/economics/law blog, but frequently highlights things artists are doing right (and labels are doing wrong) in navigating the digital age. That might help you avoid some pitfalls. (ETA: this post is an example of the kind I’m talking about.)

Good luck!

#3

Thanks Pike! :slight_smile: