I love The Features. I desperately want them to become hugely famous, rightly lauded and showered with money and nice things. I'm not someone who pines for the day his favourite band was unheard of and making no money. I want The Features to break.

But will they?

One thing that bugs me is the exposure and promotion they're getting... in that nobody I know has ever heard of them, unless it was because of me.

I've seen a video on MTV2 once, for Blow It Out, and while it was very well composed, it didn't stand out in the way that other bands who have broken do.

So, today, the big release of the single (Blow It Out). I check two record stores in Central London for it, and none of them are stocking it. They're the only ones I can recall being within walking distance, and I didn't feel like asking at the counter. I would have bought it had I seen it on the shelf... hell, I would have bought two copies or more, but how are they ever going to sell anything if they're not even getting on to the shelves of the music shops? People are lazy, and if they saw the CD there, they might buy it, remember it from MTV2, or from XFM, which has also been playing it. Unless there were super-mega-uber blown away then they won't ask for it, presuming it's out some other time.

So, instead I bought "Somewhere Else" by Razorlight, as it had a memorable video and was there in the shops.

It's just been annoying me that I'm a huge fan of a band, and yet even I'm having trouble finding their stuff. Surely the lesser fans will be put off by this?

I shrug this off, and go and pick up the NME (biggest UK music mag). I flick through and, HURRAH, they advertise the upcoming Features shows! Nice work! I check the writing next to it... and no mention of the single. I was shocked, but there was an advert for Exhibit A instead. I felt pleased, until it said "OUT NOW!" when it isn't. It was scheduled for February, got put back and it out in a week. Why advertise an album that isn't out when saying it is, and ignoring the damn single? It's just ludicrously incompetent and pisses me off that a band that should have broken by now are seeming to be intentionally failing to break bigger than a few small venues.

But it isn't just the management, record label or whoever.

Last-but-one time they were in the UK, there was a gig timed to coincide with the release of the single (I think it was "Million Ways...") and so on came The Features, to an audience that I would imagine had a minimum of 50% people who didn't know them. They played a good set (not the best, but still extremely enjoyable) and then left. Even when they played the single, they didn't mention it was on sale... they didn't mention they were there promoting the damn single! That's just madness. It annoyed me then and still annoys me. How can they not mention to people there that they have a CD to buy? If they did that at every venue that is probably 100+ sales of the single and potential album sales down the tube. People were coming out of the gig and I heard one guy wonder if they had any stuff out. He might check them out, but with no attempt at selling the record, he might look on the wrong day, or if, again, the CD wasn't there, then he wouldn't know to ask.

People are lazy. They won't 'come to you'. To break, The Features have got to start selling themselves.

If they don't start soon, I swear I'll go freaking mad.

the features love needs to be spread properly... i agree

I saw them for my first time last year supporting Kings of Leon in Brixton. They mentioned singles being released that night and also mentioned their forthcoming album. I couldn't wait so I got an import. My point to you is they did promote their music.

Jolly good. Maybe they're learning.

I don't mean any of this in a nasty way. As I said, I love the band to death, but the litany of failure to promote themselves I just listed is a tragedy and a travesty.

Here's hoping they do better in the coming days. I can't wait for the 20th, seeing them at the Garage.

On the other hand...

In Blackpool @ the KOL gig when The Features supported, they helped to sell their albums after the show behind this stall thing. That way they got to meet their fans (or potential/ new fans) and promote stuff at the same time. They signed stuff too - i got 'the beginning' signed :-)

If thats not promoting their stuff i dunno what is!

I HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR YOU!!

JOIN THE STREET TEAM!

you are the kind of people who NEED to be on the street team. YOU provide the promotion that this great band can thrive from.

go here: http://www.featuresfist.com

My name is Morgan. Let me know if you have any questions!

Good post, Andy. I've been feeling variations of the way you feel for several years. I guess I always thought that when they finally signed with a major label, things would get taken care of (by, if nothing else, all the MONEY that major labels have). Honestly, I have not followed very closely the whirlwind of activity that has surrounded the Features in the last year. I assumed that the same old promotional blunders & SNAFUs were not happening anymore now that large sums of money are at stake, but apparently, they are (at least to some degree).

Hopefully, this "street team" is a step in the right direction. Although...I have to ask: you guys aren't going to go on other bands' message boards and do the same thing that we bash people here for doing - signing up/posting only once for the sole purpose of promoting a band on another band's MB?

(Edited by jamiecarroll at 11:34 pm on Apr. 11, 2005)

I part of Traffic's The Features street team....at every gig we promote them in the UK. Im sure you must have seen many stuff about at the KOL gigs in december and you should see stuff promoting them on this tour.
At KOL support gigs we had a massive The Features promotion campaign - i was in charge of the promotion at Poole and we had 1000 leaflets, 250 balloons, 50 poster and 5 massive banners promoting the features and saying when their album was out etc...
i think that is good promotion....however on this tour there is a small promotion at the venues + main concern is the lack of promotion before the tour - the 2 gigs ive been to on this current tour have been half full which suggests that the tour has not been promoted in the musical world enough....maybe that needs to be considered more!
Ollie (gmollie@hotmail.com)

FeaturesFIST is on the same page with you, man. We're strong believers in the idea that good music is spread through good relationships...so SPAM on messageboards and the "ding-dong-ditch" approach to viral marketing doesn't really suit the best interests of the band as well as sincere word of mouth goes.
I'd personally encourage Street Teamers to take on this attitude:
If you're on a message board for a band you like and want to talk about The Features' music because you feel that the people may enjoy it, that's real.
If you're standing in line at Kroger and see a kid with a Self button and think to yourself, "Hey, this kid probably likes The Features...and if she hasn't heard of 'em, she should," then talk to her about common interests like any other person would...that's real.
However, if the kid is wearing a button for a band you've never heard of, or a band you don't really care for...then it's up to you to talk to 'em if you want...but it's not the focus of the FIST.

Basically, the more a fan loves a band, the more he/she wants to talk about 'em and share the love... that qualifies as marketing - heartfelt and honorable marketing - real stuff. We want these people as street teamers, people who honestly believe in their cause enough to cultivate more believers out of the people around 'em.

Unlike many street teams, we're genuinely support The Features... heck, we're from Nashville. We've been to shows at The 'Boro and 328...we just happen to do this street teaming stuff like pros and can't wait to do it for the Features ~ and to get more hardcore fans involved!

My problem with the banners made on FeaturesFist is that they all say Features Internet Strike Team and have the FeaturesFist.com website listed. Posting that on another message board, even one you've been on a while, automatically puts more of the cheesy industrial label on you. I think it would better promote the band if it only listed www.thefeatures.com, because if someone is going to follow the web address they're not going to want to know immediately how to promote the band. They are going to want to hear some of the music, watch videos, or look at tour dates. I think its better if you have been on whatever board for a while. The Giant Features FIST thing gives off more of a SPAM vibe than I would like.

I think seeing a video, even once, can do the trick. It only took one time for me to see the Secret Machines video for Nowhere Again before I went to Waterloo Records and asked if they had a copy of the album.

And I know for a fact the KoL tour has done an awesome job of promoting. And Midtown has huge crowds, so a good set there can do a lot too.

I agree 100%. It seems odd to promote a band promotion organization rather than the band itself. The only place it would make sense to have a FIST banner would be on this messageboard, on the official website, and on the myspace page.

have no fear!

a plethora of banners, wallpapers, buddy icons, and various different options will be available for promotional materials...and yes, some without the FIST logo on it and some with various design elements will be available.

I completely agree and am seated in a position to push for that change!

These suggestions are fantastic. Please, keep 'em coming.
The more you suggest and comment, the more bargaining power i have with the powers that be to make these kinds of steps happen. *wink wink*

-Morgan

I was reading the single review for Blow It Out on the Xfm website, and the reviewer said he thought 2005 would be the year The Features break the UK.

Ive seen adverts for both the single and album in three UK music magazines over the past few weeks, so here's hoping for good sales.

They really need a positive review from NME, as this seems to be almost the sole influence for most indie record-buyers in the UK these days.

alright! i've got new banners up on the FIST site... check 'em out.

i've also made a post on the board featuring some of 'em.

hope this helps some!

Ask (nicely), and ye shall receive

Things seemed a lot different at the Glasgow Barfly. There were promotions everywhere (even in the toilets). There were little tags and posters all mentioning their singles and the Album being released on April 18th. Funnily enough Matt even mentioned the single "Blow it Out" before he played it and also mentioned the Album before playing "Exhibit A" as it is the ritle of the Album.

I got my copy of Blow It Out from my local Virgin Megastore, and it was the only copy there. Id like to think there had been a manic rush of features record-buyers, but get the impression they only ever ordered one copy. How can a band have a chance of breaking if their records arent distributed to stores in reasonable numbers?

I first heard the Features on our college radio station driving home. "Blow It Out" was playing, and I was drawn in by their charm. I've never heard anyone like them. I immediately went shopping to try and find their cd, and I ended up having to order it.
I heard the entire album and was blown away, and immediately asked EVERYONE I MET if they'd heard of them. No one had. I lent my cd out to a boyfriend to share their magnificence, and when we stopped seeing eachother, I NEVER GOT IT BACK . And I've yet to have an extra 9.98 plus shipping and handling to afford a new one.
I MISS MY FEATURES! :-(
sorry, I thought I'd share my affections and sob story.

i began the registration process just so i could read the rules and regulations.

but fuck fist, i say the features do a collaboration with my boy Luda and leave it at that.

Not all of us are that loose, Sina.

Apparently the Features are in the Metro, which I think is a free paper which is mass produced on buses and trains...anyone seen a copy?

I guess it is a London edition..

(Edited by doctor sanchez at 5:55 am on Apr. 20, 2005)

And here it is! Thanks to my scouts in the big smoke...

'Surely they've made it up. The myth surrounding the features goes like this: smalltown Sparta, Tennessee (popn 5000), is a place where the only music shop is wal-mart, the only radio stations play 'classic rock' and MTV arrived late in 1989. Rather than hang around 7-elevens (chewing tabacco and shooting cans off fences, presumably), Matt Pelham Roger Dabbs, Rollum Haas and-wait for it-Parrish Yaw formed a band.
Not since the Kings of Leoon has a group arrived with such yokel names and a hick background. and while theyve frequently been compared to their deep south musical neighbours, with whom they toured last year, theyre not imitators. For a start, you can understand what Matt Palham is singing about, even if his stangled yelp does sound close to popping with glee. and musically theyre a less self conscious bunch, content simply to rock outwith a clutch of tunes that rarely trouble the three minute barrier.
all this is on evidence on their debut album, exhibit a (out this week on island records) where those hours spent unconscioulsy ingesting led zep meet the exuberance of youth in singles Blow it Out and Leave It All Behind- songs with choruses so good they dont even need middle-eights. Catch them at this small venue now before they head back home to the swamp.'

Discuss.....

(Edited by doctor sanchez at 6:46 am on Apr. 20, 2005)

wow.... laying on the "hick" aspect pretty hard, aren't they?

I like it.

For the record, Rollum was not from Sparta and joined the band later, but that might be complicating things too much.

yokel names???? they sound pretty English to me...(well, 3/4 of them do)

and the swamp??? they accuse us of not knowing anything about european geography!?

this review sounds exactly like those papers you write in high school where you take a paragraph and rephrase it just enough that it won't get you in trouble, but it still sounds pretty familiar. it sounded like they just paraphrased the interview with matt found in fly magazine (that morag was so kind to put on here for us). was it the same author by chance?
cool it was in the metro, though!

(Edited by mindylieu at 12:06 pm on Apr. 20, 2005)

whatever dude, didn't you call me from tha candy shop the other day?

I'm a little offended by the hick vibe of that review.



But F.I.S.T has some new banners up. These actually promote the BAND and the album and not just that site.

totally.
kinda offensive.

NME (with Bloc Party on the cover) listed Exhibit A in some count down of new albums. It talked about how cool Parrish's name is.

And, hard to ignore, promotion is largely the labels responsibility. And ours too, I suppose.

(Edited by lalalayousangtome at 12:06 am on Apr. 21, 2005)

But he does have the most 'yokel' sounding name of the bunch.

thanks for noticing and mentioning!

i made those myself