On Press Kits

Classy guys need no introduction!

A dude from a local band recently asked me what should go into a press kit. I spent a bit of time answering, so I thought I’d share. If you’re not a musician, you’ll probably find this boring.

I like press kits that consist of nothing more than a finished CD and a one-sheet folded around it, stuffed into a small, padded envelope. I’ve just found that the best stuff comes that way. Don’t use a folder — only crappy losers trying to look professional (and a few major-label releases) use folders. Trying to look “fancy” or “professional” when you don’t have the means is a sign of amateurism. I’m talking handmade CD case art: decals stuck onto plastic instead of a real case with real inserts, that kind of thing. I’m not hating on the notion of the DIY band; it’s just that most DIY-level bands, statistically speaking, are forced to be that way because they aren’t good, or so the media think.