From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1963
The Bill Gavin Newsletter October 12, 1963
From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor
Record promoters are the personal points of contact between broadcasting and the record business. As is well known, the relationship between the two is not the smoothest. Some of the rough spots are created by inept promotion people.
In daily contacts with radio people throughout the country, I hear a large number of complaints about members of the promotion fraternity. Some of the annoyances arc petty, some are serious. I have tried to sum up DJ views on promotional irritants in the form of the various types below, following where possible verbatim quotes from my friends in radio.
The liar: Examples: “I brought you that record last week.” “I don’t know how the other station got that exclusive. The publisher must have sent it to ’em.” “It’s already sold 20,000 in Chicago, and we’re back- ordered up here.” “Their manager and I are just like that. Make it a pick and I’ll get ’em for your hop.” This man will say almost anything to get his record played.
The big shot: He thinks he’s doing somebody a favor by dropping in. He calls the record librarian and asks her to arrange lunch or dinner dates with the DJ’s. He’s from the big town – works for the big company. He talks about how important he is in the organization – how the a.&r. men ask his advice – how chummy he is with the big name artists. He’s doing you a favor to let you play his records.
The griper: Business is terrible, he says. Nothing is selling. Those short play lists are crazy. It’s a conspiracy by the radio stations to kill the record business. How can a manager be so stupid? Retailers won’t order new records – just the top 40. The other promoters are all liars. The boss expects him to get all his records played, but how can he do that on such a miserably small expense account. He got up at 5 a.m. to take that visiting artist for a TV appearance, but the guy slept in. You can’t win.
The know-it-all: He’s the one who tells you that all the other stations are playing the record. It jumps 30 places in the Billboard chart this week. This is the side we’re working on, he says. If you like the flip, well lots of luck. His idea of promotion is to tell you which side he likes. All the top DJ’s in the country are his personal friends and they’re all wailing on his records.
The Gossip: He knows all the dirt about everybody. He spreads enough rumors to fill a newspaper. So-and-so is breaking up with his wife. So-and-so is getting fired. And so on. You’d never guess that he is being paid for promoting records. His chief delight is in promoting suspicion.
The snoop: He tries to read all the letters and memos on every desk in every office he enters. He’s a master at reading upside down printing. He picks up odds and ends of papers on the desk. It’s hard to tell what he’s looking for or what he finds out, but whenever he comes in the door, any confidential papers on the desk had better be put out of sight.
The loud mouth: He tries to dominate every conversation with his voice. He talks too much – he interrupts -he shouts. He many not have anything important to say, hut he makes sure that nobody else gets a chance. He can’t even keep still while his record is being auditioned – snaps his fingers, jumps around, and keeps talking about it. He barges in on other people’s conversation. He pushes in anywhere. It’s practically impossible to insult hint.
The jelly fish: This man is running over with flattering remarks. The person he is talking to is always the greatest in the business – the greatest ear. the finest voice, the best ad libber. Name it and you can have it. He laughs at your unfunniest jokes. This kind of promoter is often very successful at his job. A surprisingly large number of DJ’s are only too ready to believe every flattering word he says.
And so it goes. The cast of characters outlined above represents some of the more irritating personality traits encountered by radio people in their dealings with record promoters. Fortunately, these objectionable attributes are comparatively rare in their pure form. The majority of promotion people are pleasant companions and a credit to the record business. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; October 12, 1963)
