We talk shop with Vittek PR principal Josh Vittek
What's a misconception builders have about getting their products in the hands of artists?
One of the biggest challenges I face is when a company comes to me and says, “Hey, we need to grow our business. What do we do? Advertise? Can you start talking to rockstars about my product because if we can get them playing our product tomorrow, we’re gonna sell a ton of gear?”
And so the first obstacle is to bring new ideas to the table. Instead of disrupting the story, I want my clients to become the story. Artists and influencers still have weight, but it's not the way it used to be.
I can go back as far as the late 80’s and early 90’s when I was first in the industry and most often, you gave an artist a product in exchange for a photo. In some cases, the artist would then sell that product the very next day and you could use that photo for the next five years, aligning yourself with such artist without any further consideration for the artist or the consumer. But social media has changed that. Social media has made all of us more transparent. Plus, being a working musician is now a business. There must be a value for both the artist and the brand in a relationship.
A lot of people think that if they can just get that one big rock star to play their product, that product will fly off the shelves. But just like every other overnight success, those relationships take time to develop.
How can you develop a strong PR strategy for your brand?
I don't care what (a client’s) budget is. If they come to me and say, "Look, I got five hundred bucks. This is all I got," then I'll figure out what we can do for five hundred bucks to help them get the bang for their dollar.
The most important thing to spend your money on would be public relations: your press releases, product reviews, and social media campaigns. That's your best bang for your buck. Again, if someone comes to me with five hundred bucks, we're gonna be targeting those audiences first. That's what we're gonna grow.
If you are builder of guitars or amplifiers or cables, there's no better time than right now to be making your stuff and trying to sell it. I mean, you can reach those three hundred people in the world that will just love your product. You can reach them directly on social media wherever they are. I don't care if they're in Antarctica. I don't care if they're in Colombia. You can find those people who love your product and not only sell to them, but grow your business when they share it with their network as well.
At the end of the day, if I don't make my client happy, he or she's gonna tell other people. Everybody I work with has been referred by a previous client.
So especially in my game, it's the relationships. I mean, you gotta hustle out there. You can't miss any opportunity.
That’s why I chose to call myself a PR firm as opposed to an ad agency or marketing firm – at the end of the day, I realize that everything I've done is based on my relationships.
What's the key to keep moving forward in a changing industry?
Well let's first acknowledge that our industry can be very dated in a lot of things that we do, not only in advertising, but in marketing, in public relations, in manufacturing, to technology and anything and everything else... but it's also what makes this industry absolutely wonderful.
We are still by majority, a mom and pop kind of industry. Compared to the rest of the world, we are a cottage industry. We're still mom and pop shops and we're here because of a passion. For those who aspire to make a ton of money, this is not the place for you.
Just focus on your business and the people around you, that's how you're gonna move forward. Now we're all human, don't get me wrong, we're gonna worry about something. But you gotta figure out a way to derail that and just keep focusing on what you do. Odds are, if you think something is cool, there's a couple hundred people out there in the world who will think it's cool too.
Josh Vittek is the founder of Vittek PR, an independent firm providing companies with publicity, advertising, PR, marketing, sales, branding and celebrity relation services.
The limited-edition Joe Strummer Masterbuilt Telecaster by Fender Custom Shop offers a faithful recreation of the Clash guitarist's 1966 Telecaster.
The Limited Edition Master Built Joe Strummer Telecaster | Fender Custom Shop | Fender
Fender Senior Master Builder, Paul Waller, said: “For me growing up listening to all of this music and then working for a brand like Fender to have access to instruments like these is pretty powerful and a full circle moment.
Building a guitar like this is both rewarding and difficult. I’m trying to be accurate and create a product that means a lot to so many people, which is why we always try and pair the right builder with the right artist.”
Limited Edition Joe Strummer Masterbuilt Telecaster ($20,000 USD)
As celebrated front man of The Clash and The Mescaleros, Joe Strummer’s raw, passionate stage presence and socio-political songwriting defined the punk rock movement that kicked off in the late-1970’s - all with his now infamous 1966 Telecaster by his side. To honour his legacy, Fender Custom Shop Senior Masterbuilder Paul Waller meticulously recreated every aspect of Strummer’s cherished instrument for a limited edition run. The resonant two-piece select alder body, impeccably worn mid-‘60s “C” profile neck and round-laminated rosewood fingerboard, gives players the feeling of holding a road-tested piece of punk rock history, mirroring all the features found on highly sought after 1960s Fender guitars. Finished in Super Heavy Relic Aged Black over Three-Color Sunburst lacquer— including a matching painted pickguard—all the wear and tear from decades of touring is perfectly recreated on this incredible limited edition. Loaded with a pair of Josefina Campos hand-wound ’67 Telecaster pickups, this guitar exudes all the same raw, expressive tones found throughout both The Clash’s and The Mescaleros’ widely celebrated discographies. Other premium features include 7.25” (184.1 mm) radius, 21 Jescar Vintage (45085) frets, Modern Tele wiring, 3-way switch, 6-saddle string-through-body Tele bridge with steel barrel saddles, Schaller M6 Mini Tuners, brass nut, wing string tree with tall metal spacer, replica touring case, limited edition Joe Strummer Strap and certificate of authenticity.
Limited Edition Joe Strummer 13’ Instrument Cable ($34.99 USD)
Punk icon, musician and composer, Joe Strummer spent his life smashing musical and cultural boundaries both as the singer of The Clash and as a solo artist. Celebrate Joe Strummer’s unparalleled style and substance with his signature cable. This eclectic instrument cable is designed to be unique -- with a 13’ length, pink PVC jacket with leopard print housing, and Joe’s very own signature on the cable’s shrink wrap.
Limited Edition Joe Strummer Guitar Strap ($39.99 USD)
Celebrate Joe Strummer’s unparalleled style and substance with this leopard print strap. Designed to match his legendary Telecaster, this strap features faux leopard print animal fur with a Joe Strummer signature leather badge and is backed by tubular nylon for maximum comfort.
Features:
- 2-Piece Select Alder body with Offset Seam
- Plain-Grain Maple neck with a ‘60s Oval “C” Back-Shape and 7.25” (184.1 mm) Radius
- 3A Rosewood fretboard
- 21, Jescar Vintage frets
- 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Tele bridge with Steel Barrel Saddles
- Custom Shop Hand-Wound ‘67 Single-Coil Tele pickups (Bridge & Neck)
Alongside the Telecaster, there will be a range of Joe Strummer accessories available to purchase that include:
- 13’ Pink Instrument Cable with custom leopard print housing and signed cable wrap
- Faux leopard print animal fur guitar strap
- Pink vinyl wrapped 3-ply hardshell wood case, with soft crushed acrylic plush interior lining in leopard print
- Limited Edition Joe Strummer Signature Telecaster Pickup Set
For more information, please visit fender.com.
Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, the songwriters and musicians behind indie-folk favorites Milk Carton Kids, don’t cut corners when it comes to songwriting. Everything gets held under the microscope; everything is subject to change. There’s no ego in the room, just pure service of the song.
Ryan and Pattengale join hosts Sean Watkins and Peter Harper to talk influences—what gets through into your songwriting, and what do you block out?—before digging into a downtempo plucker built around a timeless, folk-country melodic convention. Once the basic pieces are in place, though, things get interesting. The gang calls this “Burt Bacharach-ing it up;” lashing the essential elements tightly to the deck. Word choices are analyzed and tweaked, melodies are shifted ever so slightly, and chord progressions are optimized, note by note.
The quartet settles on a simple, memorable lyrical composition (“An Orbison, one-nugget snapshot”), but that doesn’t mean there isn’t space for some Adam Sandler vocal influence to counterbalance the Nebraska-era Springsteen solemnity.
Visit BOL.education for a free sample lesson, or use code “Song” for a 10% discount on your first non-degree course.
Patoma Music's Original Diamond Grip Picks offer an extreme grip with a patented non-slip natural diamond grip. Handcrafted in the U.S.A. with Delrin® plastic for durability and consistent tone. Available in two lines, "The Original Line" and "The Sharp Line", with varying thicknesses.
Patoma Music is proud to announce the launch of their Original DiamondGrip Picks. They have two lines, “The Original Line” and “The Sharp Line”. The two lines of guitar picks consist of 13 Original Diamond Grip Picks in varying thicknesses. The Original Diamond Grip Pick gives the user peace of mind and confidence while playing, knowing that the pick will never slip from their hands.
The Original Diamond Grip Pick has a patented non-slip natural diamond grip that gives the user an extreme grip, unlike any pick currently on the market. The non-slip diamond grip has approximately one carat of natural diamond encrusted on it, allowing it to have a firm and secure grip like no other. The body of the picks are made of a strong Delrin® plastic that offers durability and a consistent tone. Each pick is handcrafted with the utmost precision and care and is proudly manufactured in the U.S.A.
The Original Line Thicknesses:
- Thin - .60mm Orange, .71mm Vintage White
- Medium - .88mm Green, 1.0mm Blue
- Heavy - 1.14mm Black, 1.5mm Black, 2.0mm White
The Sharp Line Thicknesses:
- Thin -.60mm Orange, .73mm Yellow
- Medium - .88mm Green, 1.0mm Blue
- Heavy - 1.14mm Purple, 1.5mm Black.
Patoma Music’s Original Diamond Grip line is available for $17.00 each on their website and at various retailers in Northern New Jersey.
For more information, please visit patomamusic.com.