Promotion or the lack thereof...

[jbt1976]

I'm being a little critical here, but is Linus doing anything to promote "Harmony"? There was press before the album was released and now there's not a word. Are they just waiting for Lightfoot to start performing again? The previous press and the new video were a great start, but I don't see any other efforts on their part. It seems there was a lot of momentum that could be capitalized on...

[Next Saturday]

I'm being a little critical here, but is Linus doing anything to promote "Harmony"? There was press before the album was released and now there's not a word. Are they just waiting for Lightfoot to start performing again? The previous press and the new video were a great start, but I don't see any other efforts on their part. It seems there was a lot of momentum that could be capitalized on...
________
herbal vaporizers

[charlene]

doesn't seem to be anything being done here in the Toronto area....

I know I've told dozens of people about the album myself to people who weren't aware that there was a new CD out...

[charlene]

doesn't seem to be anything being done here in the Toronto area....

I know I've told dozens of people about the album myself to people who weren't aware that there was a new CD out...

[Don Quixote]

We have been promoting him around the world, through several threads. Check them out, especially "Gord Push To The Top". We are trying.
Sean

[searam]

We have been promoting him around the world, through several threads. Check them out, especially "Gord Push To The Top". We are trying.
Sean

[joveski]

the cd isn't even listed in the "coming soon" sections on online catalogues for record shops in australia. not a single word has been said about it and if i didn't read this board, i wouldn't even know it came out!

[stationmaster]

I haven't heard one HARMONY tune on any radio stations in the GTA. I am rather disappointed that Toronto would not give their hero a warm welcome given the fact that this is a great album and that the man almost died trying to write it. There's no problem to hear this hip-hop and rap garbage though. SHAME ON US!

[Don Quixote]

You know, we tried our best to contact stations, both radio and TV, and I think we all did a fab job!!! There is nothing we have to be embarrassed about - NOTHING!!!
I will personally contact LINUS and get the message across. I know WE ALL want Gord to have another number "1"! Feel great about the work you did in this early promotion! Everyone did a truly great job!
Thank you all,
Sean

[searam]

You know, we tried our best to contact stations, both radio and TV, and I think we all did a fab job!!! There is nothing we have to be embarrassed about - NOTHING!!!
I will personally contact LINUS and get the message across. I know WE ALL want Gord to have another number "1"! Feel great about the work you did in this early promotion! Everyone did a truly great job!
Thank you all,
Sean

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by stationmaster:
[B]I... given the fact that this is a great album and that the man almost died trying to write it.... [B]

Well ... not quite. The songs were already written and demo tracks recorded BEFORE he almost died. But yes, he and Bob Doidge and the guys did a fabulous job from his sick bed to turn the demos into a class CD.
And I certainly agree it's surprising there isn't more airplay in his (adult) hometown of Toronto. No doubt if the grim reaper had won the wrestling match the airwaves would have been saturated for days with classic Lightfoot.

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by stationmaster:
[B]I... given the fact that this is a great album and that the man almost died trying to write it.... [B]

Well ... not quite. The songs were already written and demo tracks recorded BEFORE he almost died. But yes, he and Bob Doidge and the guys did a fabulous job from his sick bed to turn the demos into a class CD.
And I certainly agree it's surprising there isn't more airplay in his (adult) hometown of Toronto. No doubt if the grim reaper had won the wrestling match the airwaves would have been saturated for days with classic Lightfoot.

[Auburn Annie]

Talk about serendipity....

I was catching up on my reading at the local college library. While thumbing through the May/June 2004 issue of UTNE magazine, there on page 26 is a quarter-page ad for HARMONY featuring a photo of Gord (looks like it's from the "Inspiration Lady" video) with the stacked words: SINGER SONGWRITER LEGEND to the left of the photo and on the right the Bob Dylan quote: "Every time I hear a song of his I wish it would last forever." Below is the release date and the Linus logo.

I wonder what other print ads they've taken out. Anybody see another?

[Auburn Annie]

Talk about serendipity....

I was catching up on my reading at the local college library. While thumbing through the May/June 2004 issue of UTNE magazine, there on page 26 is a quarter-page ad for HARMONY featuring a photo of Gord (looks like it's from the "Inspiration Lady" video) with the stacked words: SINGER SONGWRITER LEGEND to the left of the photo and on the right the Bob Dylan quote: "Every time I hear a song of his I wish it would last forever." Below is the release date and the Linus logo.

I wonder what other print ads they've taken out. Anybody see another?

I haven't seen a trade magazine in awhile. Anyone get Billboard or R&R or any of the smaller publications?

It's also tough to promote when your promotee is unable to travel or do much in the way of appearances outside of Toronto.

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
I wonder what other print ads they've taken out. Anybody see another?

I haven't seen a trade magazine in awhile. Anyone get Billboard or R&R or any of the smaller publications?

It's also tough to promote when your promotee is unable to travel or do much in the way of appearances outside of Toronto.

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
I wonder what other print ads they've taken out. Anybody see another?

[Tyler]

As I said in another thread, Country Weekly had a little blurb in it about Gord, but not about Harmony.

[brink]

As I said in another thread, Country Weekly had a little blurb in it about Gord, but not about Harmony.

[talbot10]

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
Talk about serendipity....
I wonder what other print ads they've taken out. Anybody see another?


There is a beautiful advertisement in the latest issue of "HARP" magazine, which is a classy singer/songwriter magazine.

Bill Hall

[Station Master]

shame? I've actually never heard of such a large Lightfoot buzz in and around town this past year along with the hype and anticpation surrounding this latest release. I don't think things have been better in quite some time, Gord's health aside.

Better in so many ways. Wonderful compositions, arrangments and production like I haven't heard since Shadows. I'm biast I suppose, but hats off to keeping percussion and e-piano suppressed and to not reviving steel gtr I've finally just recovered from whoever was responsible for that Reno DTS mix. Please have Doidge, Rick, Gord in on everything from now on. 3 thumbs up.

And that feathered vignette Inspiration Lady video was so tastey and the first in so long (well, the first ever tastey one period, imo). That was good promotional stuff, no? Countless national newspaper articles over the past months/year probably far more outreaching than some large buried ad, just imo again. Most are feeling up, not bummed.

The word is still out, perhaps in large part via word of mouth which is quite contagious: throughout the industry, throughout 'we' the faithful and throughout many, many North American (and beyond) families. His old and new melodies, lyrics, LP's, CD's get passed down and around to new generations like treasured family stories. Looking for large$, untargeted, far-reaching promo campaign? A pack of teenage girls who spot a huge Harmony cover poster while walking into HMV aren't likely going to suddenly want to check out this new CD showing a very mature (but cool!) fellow sitting on the couch. And I don't think many of the urban teenage boys who walk into the CD stores with that bounce are quite ready for Gordon. I find the reserved visual promo appealing and it's an extension of Gordon's whole vibe, imo again.

Many local fans go to Sam's anyhow, not HMV. The 'Sam the Record Man' flagship store almost shut down a few years ago. But it's back in good shape and has the biggest and best selection of albums, imo, always had (kind alike gord, eh? ). The folks who work there seem are reserved, yet knowledgable and polite, a reflection of Sam. There's not even a .com but Sam's is still there and I believe always will be.
They just gave the store interior a bit of an overhaul too

Lastly, I listen to a little CBC FM now and then where you'll find Gord promo-ed (as well as other good stuff) but I'm pretty much off listening to FM DJ's since going rural. I find that old CJCL AM station, 740 also quite Gord friendly in promo and rotation, reminds me of CFRB in better days. Their jingle used to be 'the music of your life', that's why they play lots of Gord for us, eh

If you don't know Gordon's alive, then you probably don't care or have been living in a spiderhole.... it is ashame if it's hard to find or become even aware of his CD's internationally, but sure hope it makes them all the more treasured when you do... Lightfoot and his people bring only pleasure, I don't care to mix that with the his business... Go Go Gord & Co.

[jj]

shame? I've actually never heard of such a large Lightfoot buzz in and around town this past year along with the hype and anticpation surrounding this latest release. I don't think things have been better in quite some time, Gord's health aside.

Better in so many ways. Wonderful compositions, arrangments and production like I haven't heard since Shadows. I'm biast I suppose, but hats off to keeping percussion and e-piano suppressed and to not reviving steel gtr I've finally just recovered from whoever was responsible for that Reno DTS mix. Please have Doidge, Rick, Gord in on everything from now on. 3 thumbs up.

And that feathered vignette Inspiration Lady video was so tastey and the first in so long (well, the first ever tastey one period, imo). That was good promotional stuff, no? Countless national newspaper articles over the past months/year probably far more outreaching than some large buried ad, just imo again. Most are feeling up, not bummed.

The word is still out, perhaps in large part via word of mouth which is quite contagious: throughout the industry, throughout 'we' the faithful and throughout many, many North American (and beyond) families. His old and new melodies, lyrics, LP's, CD's get passed down and around to new generations like treasured family stories. Looking for large$, untargeted, far-reaching promo campaign? A pack of teenage girls who spot a huge Harmony cover poster while walking into HMV aren't likely going to suddenly want to check out this new CD showing a very mature (but cool!) fellow sitting on the couch. And I don't think many of the urban teenage boys who walk into the CD stores with that bounce are quite ready for Gordon. I find the reserved visual promo appealing and it's an extension of Gordon's whole vibe, imo again.

Many local fans go to Sam's anyhow, not HMV. The 'Sam the Record Man' flagship store almost shut down a few years ago. But it's back in good shape and has the biggest and best selection of albums, imo, always had (kind alike gord, eh? ). The folks who work there seem are reserved, yet knowledgable and polite, a reflection of Sam. There's not even a .com but Sam's is still there and I believe always will be.
They just gave the store interior a bit of an overhaul too

Lastly, I listen to a little CBC FM now and then where you'll find Gord promo-ed (as well as other good stuff) but I'm pretty much off listening to FM DJ's since going rural. I find that old CJCL AM station, 740 also quite Gord friendly in promo and rotation, reminds me of CFRB in better days. Their jingle used to be 'the music of your life', that's why they play lots of Gord for us, eh

If you don't know Gordon's alive, then you probably don't care or have been living in a spiderhole.... it is ashame if it's hard to find or become even aware of his CD's internationally, but sure hope it makes them all the more treasured when you do... Lightfoot and his people bring only pleasure, I don't care to mix that with the his business... Go Go Gord & Co.

[stationmaster]

How did you say all of that in one breath?

[BILLW]

Any record promoter will tell you that touring as a back up to an album release is very important. Since Gord is still sidelined, that will effect Harmony's sales.
I do wonder why Gord did not do a few non-performing interviews, tho. With 3 hours to fill, the morning shows on ABC,NBC,CBS could have done a few minutes sit down with him...they love grisly details so I can just imagine Matt Lauer asking Gord about his near death experience, and they could have mentioned the unusual way Harmony was put together. Also the new album along with Gord's health scare would have been perfect for a 4 minute segment on Entertainment Tonight. I suspect Gord didn't want to combine his health scare and the release of Harmony too much. Good taste won out over
slick ways to promote. The downside is that
an opportunity was missed to get even more people exposed to the fact that Gord is still out there creating great music.

[Rob1956]

Any record promoter will tell you that touring as a back up to an album release is very important. Since Gord is still sidelined, that will effect Harmony's sales.
I do wonder why Gord did not do a few non-performing interviews, tho. With 3 hours to fill, the morning shows on ABC,NBC,CBS could have done a few minutes sit down with him...they love grisly details so I can just imagine Matt Lauer asking Gord about his near death experience, and they could have mentioned the unusual way Harmony was put together. Also the new album along with Gord's health scare would have been perfect for a 4 minute segment on Entertainment Tonight. I suspect Gord didn't want to combine his health scare and the release of Harmony too much. Good taste won out over
slick ways to promote. The downside is that
an opportunity was missed to get even more people exposed to the fact that Gord is still out there creating great music.

[jj]

that's interesting, with ignorance I never even thought of Gordon cracking major networks in America, even in his heyday... saw him once on a local CA morning show tape and other than PBS, that's about it, just not a big controversial 'showman' that most would be interested in, aren't the Western masses into instant gratification and flashes in the pan more so than aquired tastes, such as Lightfoot? ... Fox would likely only give him some time if he agreed to a big makeover or celebrity match, say tag team with Kris, Willie and Bob? jk

i agree about the media eating up death or near death experiences... ever seen those profiles of Twain (her folks), Croce, the list goes on and on ...they never seem to talk about the artist's songwriting, just their traumas ...we just love CSI + L&O, eh

seriously, years ago i was disappointed that his tracks never made it on a major film... such a wonderful way to break in or re-establish yourself in the eye of the public, large masses at that.. i can't watch Cool Hand Luke now without humming Too Much To Loose and thinking what mighta been

would i ever love to see Clouds of Loneliness (imo, wonderful 'colour' backdrop to sombre film scene) or Sometimes I Wish (fitting for say, a travelling scene, could be revisted sveral times during a film) make their way onto an Academy Award nominated film, then the songs themselves might also be...then Barbara could interview Gordon right before the Ocsar telecast, and he could perform live also in front on millions watching on tv see, promo is a cinch, lol