03.09.2006: IrishUnsigned to go on a diet:Ron, IU

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There are almost 500 Artists (and over 800 songs) listed on IrishUnsigned.com

IrishUnsigned, as a website, has pretty much reached it's numerical limits. While we can list thousands of Artists if we so wish, it would soon become too large a group for what we want to do. IrishUnsigned is not just a links-directory, or reference site. It's supposed to be a co-operative community of like-minded Artists and individuals, who want to help develop the music community as much as themselves. Joint development, and joint co-operation have always been our aim. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" has always been our modus operandi.

We are now starting to look into criteria to allow us to 'prune' our efforts in view of the fact that the number of Artists registered, who do nothing whatsoever, or are simply defunct, is getting to be too cumbersome.

Some of the criteria we will be using to remove Artists from the site, and from potential upcoming promotional opportunities will be:

* How much does the Artist promote IrishUnsigned in return?

- if an Artist cannot be bothered to even link to IrishUnsigned, what more need we say?

- Does the Artist use IrishUnsigned to list gigs they have listed elsewhere?

- Does the Artist use IrishUnsigned to arrange co-operative projects/gigs?

- Does the Artist use IrishUnsigned for *anything* other than another micro-webpage?

- Does the Artist mention IrishUnsigned in any groupmails, forums etc?

* How much does the Artist conrtibute to the 'music scene'?

- Typically, Artists who are looking to promote more than just their own career will stand out.

- Artists who are self-serving will soon be dropped from being invited to do projects, gigs, etc

- Artists who do not 'return the favour' will no longer be recommended to other Artists looking for supports or whatever


* Is the Artists still active?

- If an Artist has not listed a gig on IrishUnsigned in a long time, are they still active?

- If an Artist has not editted their IrishUnsigned entry since the May redesign/mailout, are they extinct?

- If an Artist has not used IrishUnsigned for any purpose in more than a year, are they extinct?

* The MySpace generation:

- While we do not insist on IU Artists having us as their 'friends' on MySpace, it is an indicator of intent

- If our MySpace 'friends' want our help/advice, they must be listed on the main site

- IrishUnsigned is a hobby, not a job. Our time is limited, so it will be used for those who deserve it.

* IrishUnsigned partners:

- While we would never insist on Artists doing business with IU's 'partners', we would encourage it as these people are vetted.

- www.Outersounds.ie - an accessible download site that counts towards the oficial IRMA Irish Charts

- www.easyduplication.com - lowest price CD duplication, with low minimum-run possible.

- www.TheMusicMall.net - rehearsal space in Dublin, music PC's,

- Religion Music. Foxrock Studio now available to IrishUnsigned artists at 450/day incl Engineer

- Use these organisations where appropriate. We recommend them - and others - because they're not cowboys.

- We dont make any commission from any partnerships with any organisation.

* Your CDs / Music / Videos:

- It's amazing how many of the Artiasts on IrishUnsigned never sent us a review CD (PO Box 8169, Dublin 6W, Ireland)

- Artists should also send demos/CDs to Edel Dooley, (Beat 102-103FM) who is part of IrishUnsigned for her radio show

- Artists should also requset their music be included in the IrishUnsigned radio stream, and get instructions for it.

In the end, if you, as an Artist, cannot be bothered to do everything within your power to promote your own career, why should anyone else? Of course, you can add your Act to our site, and your songs to Outersounds for sale, but if nobody knows about it, why bother? You can be 'part' of IrishUnsigned, with no commitment on your part, but if you dont commit to co-promoting the site, and other Artists, and other events, then how can you expect other Artists to co-promote you and your events? How can you ask IrishUnsigned to give up our limited time and resources to help promote your career, and expect to do nothing in return? There are, as mentioned, almost 500 Acts on IrishUnsigned.com and while you might think that we - and the rest of the music scene - should be benindg over backawrds to promote your Act, so do all the others. In fact, most of you seem to expect it :-)

IrishUnsigned has lots of plans for the coming year. We expect it to mean a huge increase in visitors (more than 700ncrease on last year already) and we expect it to mean that we are ni a better position to help Artists who (a)need and (b)deserve our assistance. Srtategic arrangements with all sorts of industry bodies and organisations could see IrishUnsigned involved in the biggest shake-up, of grass roots and developing Irish music in more than a decade. We dont have time to be messing around with time-wasters. Over the coming weeks we will be removing Artists fom the site by the bucketload. Already, we have identified more than 70 Acts on the site who we think are inactive, and another 50 or so who we think are just timewasters. They will soon be removed unless they prove us wrong. On an ongoing basis, we will be identifying more. In the end, we hope to have a couple of hundred Artists who we feel are active in promioting both their own careers and those of other IrishUnsigned artists (if only by offering support-swaps, or doing local swap-PR for visiting bands).

If you want to be able to approach IrishUnsigned for assistance in any project or for your involvement in any of our projects, you will have to be seen to be active and deserving. We simply do not have the time for crap attitudes.

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