BMA launches a music directory

Get involved. Jim, get involved. Like it says in the OP – a rudimentary pic and contact is free!

Nambucca, I agree with you about all the good that BMA has done (and continues to do) for the local scene/s.

That said, I think their pitch for additions to the music directory might have been (unintentionally) misleading and/or an attempt to drum up some cash to support their operations.

I’m in a number of bands who used to be listed in the old band contact section of the BMA. So when the new directory was established, I received communications via email and phone from BMA reps about being included. At all times, my understanding was that I’d be included in the directory only if I paid money for the privilege.

As much as I dig the BMA, I thought it was a bit silly – anyone who wants to contact a band can do so via MySpace, Facebook, venue owners, etc. (lets face it, Canberra is really small and it’s not hard to track people down). It’s not that I’m unwilling to support the BMA – I’ve paid buckets of cash for ads on numerous occasions, and will continue to do so. But this struck me as a fairly poor way of representing musos (most of whom are completely useless with cash: What’s the difference between a musician and a large pizza? A large pizza can feed a family.)

If I’m wrong, and inclusion is free, then I’ll certainly get involved. But I’m wondering why this wasn’t made clear from the start, or whether it’s changed because of the startling lack of people joining the pay registry.

First of all a disclaimer – I am an extremely irregulat contributor to BMA Magazine.

BMA has been reporting on local culture for fifteen years or so – you may see ‘global artists’ on the cover, but inside, every issue, are local event listings, a ‘locality’ column where ANYONE can spruik their happenings, and an all ages column which also tends to cover local events.

Even in the post you admit that you don’t have to pay to be in the directory (but why should the ads be free anyway?), and again, in every issue of the magazine there’s a comprehensive list of contact numbers so that any fool with a phone and access to the interweb can get in touch with purveyors of ‘local culture’ for free.

BMA puts on shows two or three times a year – they try and bring in international or interstate acts to headline – but always with two or three local acts as support.

If this isn’t enough then what more should they be doing, bearing in mind they are a free sheet and, however much you’d like to think to the contrary, members of the Canberra Musicians Club on the cover isn’t going to result in the generation of much advertising revenue?