Just a few comments to make... Our forum is down due to hackers. A wildcard entry is basically a band that the 'Judges' think were really good but due to strong competition didn't make it through their heats. When we have shows that we want to bulk up to give a better crowd (which is good for the bands and the bars) we use wildcard entries. Wildcard entries are not new to the competition. We have used it in past years in towns with large number of heats and the top two scoring bands who don't make it through get Wildcarded. As for commercailism - that is not what the judging criteria is based around. These are the criteria - PROFESSIONALISM, SONGWRITING, BAND TIGHTNESS / TEAM INTERACTION, MUSICIANSHIP, VOCAL ABILITY, ORIGINALITY, ENTERTAINMENT FACTOR, CROWD RESPONSE,IMAGE, POTENTIAL. If we wanted a commercial product we would be involved in NZ Idol. We are looking for the best bands. The best bands on the night (in the eye of the judges) win. If you want to be a judge and see how it works and have your say, then give me a call. If you have any questions please call me. If you understood the logistics involved in a competition this size and how many staff members we have (only three of us - we don't have as many employees as Coke), you would realise that it would be pretty hard to rig the competition and we don't have the time or inclination to rig it. If we find a band that we think should win and don't win wouldn't it would be easier to sign them to our label than try and pursuade the huge amounts of judges to choose them as the winners? By the way, I only just started working here at Intergalactic Records - long after Stardrunk won and after Angelsound and Slipping Tongue entered the competition. I am not entering. The bands I manage are. The competition is fair. I am not judging their heats or placing bands. Hope that clears things up a bit. If not, ring me and I can explain. (09) 827 4500 or (09) 827 4544
Drummer needed for established rock group. Must be willing to travel. Hard hitters need only apply.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW PROJECT?
SICK OF PLAYING COVERS?
ARE YOU GOOD AT WRITING RIFFS AND SOLOS?
LOOKING FOR SOME ORIGINAL MATERIAL TO WORK ON?
I am a singer-songwriter looking to start a band. I have heaps of songs with no-one to jam with. I eventually want to play gigs (or rather give NZ music an experience it will never forget). I’m looking for people to give creative input into finishing my songs and preparing for performances.
I NEED: Bass player
Lead guitarist
Percussionist
Keyboardist
Female vocalist
If you think you could get into the zone to write music inspired by the Doors, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan but all painted black then I need to hear from you.
My name is Aaron
E-mail me at aarontoolman@yahoo.com
I thought i would take a minute to respond to some of the comments.
Let's do some more maths if you want to go there.
How many gigs can a band put on for $50? Four? Three? Two? One?
$50 buys a door person for the night maybe. What about flyers? Soundman? Support bands? Tv Ads? Radio Ads? How about flights to Hong Kong?
Do bands with no profile get their gig mentioned on air on radio? In local papers? On multiple websites?
Let's look at some of the benfits and then think "Is this worth $50?"
A band plays one gig - maye the heat they play has only a few punters watching (most of who are probably band members from other bands competing - who if they like your band and your style will probably end up hooking up gigs with you in the future) and they don't make it through tothe semis. There may have been someone from the local radio or paper who wouldn't have seen your band if you weren't in the competition. The venue might even let you back if they like you. And you have reached a wider audience. The charter of the competition is 'To provide a platform for bands to reach a wider audience.' It is also a business so needs to generate money which is invested back into expanding the event to help bands reach an even wider audience.
If a band makes it through to the national final they would have played to people at their heat, semi final and regional final to up to about 400 people or more. The probably another 400 at the national final and if they win the national final they will play to about 600 in Hong Kong. Plus the countless industry professionals at the gigs. Plus all the PR that comes attached with making it through to the next levels of competition. All this for $50. Worth it now??
And do you think Andrew goes to all the gigs and tells all the judges to fill out judging sheets which will be ignored and a pre determined band is announced as a winner? Most of the judges are there as a favour and would not ever be told who should win. And if they were they would probably refuse to judge.
The point of the competition is to find bands to work with. The best band on the night makes it through as acoording to the judges scores. If the label already had a band in mind that they wanted to work with wouldn't they just sign them and not make them enter the competition?
The comments about the bands who were connected to the staff at Intergalactic - these comments are only half truths and things are a little more complicated than what has been put across.
Have a look at what the label is doing at the moment. Bone Thugs n Harmony, Jaggedy Ann and 8 Foot Satuva are the main acts being focused on at the moment. Only one of these is metal. And do you think that The Twitch is metal? They aren't. And they won last year.
And I am sorry to tell you that Miss Conduct really were terrible in comparison to the other bands on the night. I don't know how they made it through to the regional final. They got the crowd going but they were full of cliches and cheese. They were also very loose and their music wasn't very original. The singer wasn't very good either.