I’ve sworn off posting on a certain unnamed blogger forum (cough…elbo.ws/vanilla…cough). Frankly for me it was a colossal waste of time. However I still have mp3 blogger pet peeves that I need to share with someone. Some of these may have come up before but they still need to be heard, repeated and followed down to the letter.
1. Don’t tell me you’ve had the song you’re going to write about on repeat all day and that you love it. I’ve read that particular line dozens of times and it wasn’t that great the first time!
A. You have it on repeat so you can get a grasp of it and then write about it
B. Everybody knows if you play a song enough it starts to sound pretty great so it’s probably the repetition and not the quality of the song that’s “knocking your socks off”.
2. I know that it helps to insert a little personality in your blog but please don’t apologize for lack of posts because you were moving/sick/going out too late/hungover/mentally deranged etc etc etc. That’s just too much information.
A. I hate to say it but unless you’re one of the bloggers with real talent (and there are only a handful of those) or you have access to truly new and interesting music (and there are even less of those) no one really cares if you’re away for a couple of days, a few weeks or 6 months.
B. Plus it’s just plain boring.
3. This may seem obvious but don’t cut and paste press releases directly into your blog. Whatever rationale or excuse you may have it’s not good enough. We all know how to hit ctrl-c/ctrl-v and we all get the same email press releases so if you get the urge realize that you’re being watched and refrain.
4. Don’t write that you discovered some amazingly-great, unknown band when a quick search of Hype Machine lists over thirty blog entries devoted to that same band.
5. Don’t (and this one’s important) threaten to quit your blog, that means don’t even hint at it. This is related to #6 below as all mentions of quitting a blog are also subconscious pleas for more comments.
6. And finally the cardinal sin – don’t beg for comments. In fact just to be safe never use the word comments in an mp3 post (even if it’s part of a quote like “Ted Leo comments on the Yankees chances at a World Series…”).
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There now that’s out of my system here’s a song that Steve Poltz (ex-Rugburns) made up about Pluto being relegated from a planet to a humble icy dwarf. I Heart The 80′s (pt. 2) will be up tomorrow AM.
Craig, interesting rant, but not sure why you felt the need to? Somebody hit a wrong nerve lately? You have a great blog, concentrate on your work, which I value greatly, especially you knack for finding and introducing us to undiscovered talents. Who gives a fiddler’s feck about other blogs that don’t inspire, nurture and move you? Another thing I enjoy is how you refuse to bandwagon and promote the next big thing being shoved down our throats by the major, minor and indie labels and press. So this rant only reminds me of elitism, snobbery and impatience for the uncreative, not very constructive. Remember The crème will always rise to the top and the sentiments to the bottom. Chin up and let go!
I couldn’t agree more with every single one of these– particularly #2. That’s all I’ll say, I won’t name names. And I’m not saying this just because you’re one of the few bloggers in my blogroll good enough to include me in their own.
Don’t be a dick. It’s not fair to those of us dying of SARS over here.