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Elizabeth Elkins
for Alastor
by Brenda Kahn
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WOMANROCK:
Is "Nothing for Anyone" your first record?
ELIZABETH:
"Nothing for Anyone" is our second record. We released
our first CD, "Javelin Catcher" in January of 1997.
WOMANROCK:
Do you have your own label or did you release this record through
an indie?
ELIZABETH:
I have my own informal label, Gate-Crasher Records. I started it
with this latest album simply to create a more polished and professional
vibe for the band. Basically, it's a name rather than a business.
WOMANROCK:
But you did all the promotion for this new record yourself. Can
you tell me what went into the stages of promotion for your independent
release?
ELIZABETH:
INITIAL PROMOTION
I did as much promotion as I could for "Nothing for Anyone."
The official release date was July 13, 1999. We had the CDs in hand
about a month before that and approximately 350 copies were sent
out to Atlanta and regional press and all Southeastern CMJ reporting
radio stations. We did a series of color posters for retail (we're
distributed through Red Eye in Chapel Hill, NC) and street promotion.
I did two to three follow-up calls with both press and radio; plus
follow-up postcards to radio. We ended up with good local press
for our CD release show, including a review/preview in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. RADIO Radio was a bit more scattered and tough
to nail down since we just didn't have the funds to hire a promotion
firm. Alastor's music is also in a weird zone somewhere between
AAA and college rock, so I'm not sure some music directors knew
what to do with it. We had 15 or 20 adds in the Southeast and a
few renegade Northeast and West adds through personal web
contacts and/or friends.
RETAIL
We also got the CD placed for one month on listening posts in record
stores in Alabama, Georgia, N.C. and S.C. and did an in-store at
HMV Records in Atlanta to promote the CD release. We used the web
and e-mail to promote the CD. And, of course, sent out postcards
announcing the CD to the people on our mailing list.
INTERNET
We have five or six songs available on MP3.com, Rollingstone.com,
IUMA, Riffage and the like. I'm torn on the worth of giving all
this music away for free but we're not at the point in the game
where that would hurt us. The point is for people to hear Alastor
and hopefully like what we're doing. We've had good luck with MP3.com
and regularly get e-mails from people who like our songs. I've been
working to get us on a lot of the MP3 "stations" (we're
on about 70) which has really upped our downloads and we get a lot
of great feedback and critiques that way. Best place to get 'em
(MP3 files) is at http://www.mp3.com/Alastor
WOMANROCK:
Is there a supportive music scene in Atlanta right now?
ELIZABETH:
I think we're outsiders and I don't mind. My theory is it's best
to help everyone out that you can and I think I have been run over
for doing that. Booking is (like anywhere, I guess) quite a game
and most bars want you to bring 200 people on a Tuesday night and,
frankly, for us that's not going to happen yet. There is a handful
of very exceptional people we've become friends with and that play
with us often. Otherwise, I think the Atlanta music scene is so
varied and so big, you don't really get a sense of "community"
except with your friends. But, wait, isn't that how it's supposed
to be?
WOMANROCK:
Has anyone been especially helpful in helping you out so far?
ELIZABETH:
My drummer Scott Roberts gets top prize on this one. We met when
I worked at a guitar store and he bought a guitar I was about to
buy after work that same day. We realized we both adored The Smiths
and were instantly in love with each other
(in that band kind of way). He's really a guitarist but had played
drums in a punk band years ago, so I made him play drums with me.
He has such ability as a musician, I can trust his opinion on everything.
And when I get pissed off or discouraged, he reminds me how completely
against my personality it would be to give up.
WOMANROCK:
Have you done much touring? Any good road stories?
ELIZABETH:
We did blow the entire PA system at Brother's Bar in Alabama (while
I was using an acoustic guitar of all things!) -- I also managed
to randomly just fall on my face on stage from jumping around too
much and we got stiffed on the promised money that same night. We've
played in Alabama, Tennessee and Florida as well as around Georgia.
We did a lot of traveling around early on then made an informal
decision to focus on Atlanta as much as possible. Right now we are
very intent on working on arrangements and song writing for an EP
we're recording this fall.
WOMANROCK:
Any upcoming gigs?
ELIZABETH:
Saturday, April 29th Rockfest, Rome, GA 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, June 1st Eddie's Attic (acoustic show with Cooper Seay
and Dave Dault), Decatur, GA 8:00 p.m.
WOMANROCK:
Any girl stuff you'd like to share? On stage aesthetic, etc.?
ELIZABETH:
I definitely have a silver fetish. It's such a classy color. My
two main guitars are silver: a Fender Telecaster and a Gretsch Silver
Jet. I've also got another tobacco sunburst Telecaster and a black
Takamine acoustic. Since right now I'm the only guitarist, I A/B
my guitar through an old Fender Twin and a very cool Sovtek Mig
with a Fender Tonemaster cabinet. I definitely get way too excited
in vintage guitar shops. I also have a British obsession: British
music, British cars, British flags, British amps (they're on the
wish list), British accents, British poets, British history, Anglophiles
... you get the point!
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_________________________________
For
updated tour dates and more information, check out the official
Alastor site:
http://members.aol.com/Alastorweb/ |
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_________________________________
Brenda Kahn is a New
York recording artist and the editor of WOMANROCK.com. Past notes
from the Editor. |
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