Page 66 - The Westerner Magazine Halloween 2018
P. 66
do it. “I have a new version,” he said. was no getting around. There were legit
“Wonderful!” I said. We were on the papers. A tracking sheet of new music
field and Jose performed the National called “The Gavin Report.” Nobody
Anthem—the soul version of the messed with him—Bill Gavin. No
National Anthem. We were in Detroit advertising in his magazine and people
and the audience were throwing shit believed in him.
into the field. “How did I do?” Jose
Billboards?
asked. “Keep walking,” I said. We
almost got fired. It was videoed, and Yes. I think they’re effective. Too
you’d say it was very mild now but at expensive now but very effective.
the time the people were so upset you Millions of people driving to a certain
have no idea. Forty years later they’re place. If it’s placed in the right place it
honored by the whole thing. There’s a could be very, very effective.
monument at the stadium honoring it. It
And radio was very important—
wouldn’t even strike you as being this
crazy, radical thing now. Well. Like I say, you can create your
own exposure. In the first phase of any
What do you think were the
marketing campaign is to find out if it’s
effectiveness of print ads—did they
legit or not. You have to get enough
have any impact?
exposure to find out of the product can
Yes. I think in serious publications like sell—if it can’t, then you’re wasting
Rolling Stone it was very effective. your money. Is this a viable piece? Let’s
People saw Rolling Stone as a serious view the results. It depends on how
magazine and responded accordingly. deep you go and how much resource
you have. If you don’t have a lot but
How about publications like Billboard
you know the norm, anything over the
magazine?
norm tells you something. But you have
Billboard was the bible if you wanted to to know how to read it.
find out if something was really a hit.
Did every album released by RCA get
You had to go to the top ten. Everything
promoted? Or did you allow some to
else was bullshit. A lot of companies put
just do what they were going to do?
pressure on them. A lot of stuff I don’t
Did you spend money on everything?
want to get into that I’m trying to forget.
The top ten was the top ten, and there
