For the second instalment of Everyone But The Band, we visited the offices of Lindsey Holmes Publicity for an insight into the world of public relations. With over twenty years’, experience running campaigns as diverse as Electric Picnic & presidential elections Lindsey Holmes Publicity is a stalwart in the Irish public relations industry. We chatted with Lindsey, Deirdre, Mary & Alison over a cup of their infamous brewed coffee.
How did Lindsey Holmes Publicity get started?
L: Having worked my way through the many different areas in the music industry including Marketing, PR, Distribution and Promotion; the day came to use my experience to set up an independent music company. At the time, very few companies specialised specifically in the entertainment area so I started what became known as LHP with roughly five clients and grew from there.
How has the industry changed since LHP was formed?
L: The Digital era has been responsible for turning the industry on its head. Beginning with photography, it sounds so archaic but 20 years ago when sending out a release you had to include a photo to every single review for reproduction which either had to be posted or couriered right away.
If a newspaper was interested in covering a gig they would send a photographer who shot on film, he/she then had to dispatch their film by courier.
At big gigs like Slane Castle, you would see a load of bikes outside that were there ready and waiting to get the film back to base in time for the copy deadline that night for the next day’s publication. It’s hard for anyone under 30 to imagine life without email.
The biggest change however is of course the internet as a whole, and how easy it is for people to get their hands on music either legally or illegally (unfortunately) through Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, iTunes etc. People forget they are depriving musicians of a livelihood and the smaller the musician the greater they are deprived of a living.
What advice would you give to others who would like to be involved in the industry?
M: I studied music & media in college and from there I started an internship with Drury Porter Novelli. Being an intern can be disheartening at times but I’m super thankful to all the very kind people in Drury for teaching me, almost everything I know. After six months there, I was lucky enough to get offered a job with Slattery Communications (now the notorious PSG) working on numerous big consumer brands before the lovely ladies of LHP took me on to work on music and entertainment clients!
D: If there’s a company you really want to work with, send them your CV and check in with them every few months to make sure yours is on top of the pile should there be an opening. Offer to work on big events you know the company has coming up etc.
A: I studied media in Tallaght before doing a PR course in the Fitzwilliam Institute. I’m fresh to PR so I’m excited to learn about all the pros & cons of the industry.
The general impression can be that Public Relations in the music industry is a glamorous environment to work in. What’s the reality from your perspective?
M: It’s funny, everyone thinks PR is all about glitz and glamour and yes of course, there is a bit of that side of things to it, but we do technically have regular office jobs albeit with added benefits of course. I love that it is always different, no two days are ever same and literally, anything could be thrown at you over the course of the day
D: It can sometimes be really annoying that you’re always ‘on’ there is no switching off as people can call/email you at any time of the evening/morning or weekend and need a fast response.
What projects are you working on now?
L: We are working on U2’s latest album, Electric Picnic, The Voice of Ireland,
Michael Flatley, Dangerous Games, The Waterboys, Junk Kouture, Declan O’Rourke, James Vincent McMorrow, Kormac, Fade St. Social, Oliver Sears Gallery, Paul Brady, the list goes on.
What Irish music are you enjoying at the moment in the office?
L: In the office, our music tastes differ slightly. In terms of Irish music at the moment, a few of acts we’re enjoying include Kormac, Le Galaxie, I Have A Tribe, James Vincent McMorrow, Mano Le Tough, Jape, Damien Rice, Carriages, Gavin James, Wallis Bird & Lisa Hannigan.
D: Mary is our resident ‘gig-goer’ who is already counting down the days until festival season kicks off but until then there’s plenty going on around Dublin from what the guys behind Hidden Agenda have going on every week to some of the smaller gig organisers like Homebeats/Happenings so there’s plenty to look forward to!
M: Gigs that myself and Alison are going to in the next while are 2many dj’s, T.E.E.D., Julio Bashmore, all a “dancey". Oh and Little Hours in the Pepper Canister Church, excited for that too.
A: I’m heading to the Jape gig in the Academy on the 19th of February.
Collectively you’ve attended a serious amount of festivals, what have been you best and worst experiences?
D: As a collective, it has to be dancing on the main stage of Electric Picnic 2014 with Chic. Looking out at that crowd was something insane we’ll never forget it.
L: In my working capacity Grace Jones was a bit of a diva - she wanted oysters down from Dublin and refused to use a portaloo. She had to be driven to a real bathroom!
M: Taking a lift home on the Sunday night of Body & Soul this year has to rate up there as a bad experience. After Caribou had finished, I asked where the car was, "just over by the ditch" she responded. Five huge fields and what felt like hours later we found the car. We hopped in only to hear a ‘beep’… the red petrol light came on. We eventually made it home in one piece and just in time for work on Monday morning. Needless to say – always note where you park the car.
Grace Jones was a bit of a diva - she wanted oysters down from Dublin and refused to use a portaloo. She had to be driven to a real bathroom!