A Public Service Announcement For Wannabe Rock Writers

[Gazoo]

The 33 1/3 series of books, in which an author spends an entire (brief) book discussing a single album, is accepting pitches.  Here's the horse's digital mouth:

http://33third.blogspot.com/2005/09/let-games-commence.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Let the Games Commence!

A few days early, but what the heck...If you're interested in writing a book for the series, for publication in Spring 07 or Autumn 07, you've got between now and October 31st to email me (david@continuum-books.com). No need to write up a proposal yet - just very briefly tell me who you are and what you might be interested in writing about, and I'll add you to the list. Everyone on that list will then receive an Invitation to Pitch (with guidelines on how to do so) in early November, and with any luck we'll be able to sign up 7 or 8 of the best proposals, for publication in 2007.

And not to come across all Cher or anything, but these may well end up being the very last books in the series, so let's hope they're good'uns.

posted by David @ 3:42 PM

[RGMike]

So Gaz ... which album have you picked to profile?

[Gazoo]

So Gaz ... which album have you picked to profile?

I'm probably going to pitch either the Monkees' Headquarters or the Jefferson Starship's Red Octopus.  I've more emotional investment in the latter, but the former has a better backstory.  And I highly doubt anyone else would think to pitch either of those, which either greatly helps or greatly hinders my chances.

[Gazoo]

So Gaz ... which album have you picked to profile?

I'm probably going to pitch either the Monkees' Headquarters or the Jefferson Starship's Red Octopus.  I've more emotional investment in the latter, but the former has a better backstory.  And I highly doubt anyone else would think to pitch either of those, which either greatly helps or greatly hinders my chances.

Here's what I just sent David Barker.  If he thinks I'm worth his time, he'll send me an Invitation to Pitch next month, at which time I would craft a more formal proposal.  I hope this is enough to establish my competency and the potential of the proposed topic matter:

Dear Mr. Barker,

My name is Joseph McCombs, and I am a freelance writer based in NYC.  I've been delighted by the success of the "33 1/3" series, and am writing to express my interest in proposing a book for the next (and hopefully not last) set of books in the series.

Since 2001 I have written somewhat extensively for the All Music Guide and artist-development website StarPolish.com; I am also a sometime contributor to the Village Voice, where I work as a copy editor.  This spring I presented a paper at the Experience Music Project's Pop Conference, "Whoops, I Mean Girl: Toying With Sexual Identity in Song."

My primary interests and knowledge base lie in the pop music of the '60s and '70s, and what I am interested in pitching comes from that era.  I would like to investigate one of two un-obvious picks: Headquarters, by the Monkees; or Red Octopus, by the Jefferson Starship.  The former has the backstory of the showdown: The Prefab Four risk their TV series and livelihood to assert an artistic control few felt they deserved, and wind up producing a catchy, occasionally innovative, and still-enjoyable garage-rock-flavored pop album.  The latter illustrates one of the most unexpected comebacks ever: After spiraling toward irrelevance and arguably diminishing songcraft, the dysfunctional family of SF psych-rock vets pull it back together and move in a glossier, poppier direction, producing a near-success (Dragon Fly) followed by an elegant collection of love songs, by turns lusty and lighthearted, resulting in their biggest hit ever (at least, until becoming the Starship).

I'd love to elaborate on these ideas if you'd be willing to add me to your invitation-to-pitch list.  If you'd like to see any of my work, links are available at http://www.choler.com/gazoo.  Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you next month with the invitation.  Congratulations on your and Continuum's success with the series!

Sincerely,
Joseph McCombs.

[Gazoo]

I just heard back with this encouraging reply:

Dear Joseph

Good to hear from you.

I've added you to the list of interested writers, so you'll be getting
another email from me in November. Either of the albums you mention would be
in with a shout.

Very best wishes,

David

So the *albums* are good enough for the series; the question now is whether the other folks at Continuum think *I'm* good enough for the series.  I'll let you all know what happens next month.  I'm not sure there could be a better definition of "labor of love" than my being contracted to write a book about either of those albums.

[RGMike]

I just heard back with this encouraging reply:

Dear Joseph

Good to hear from you.

I've added you to the list of interested writers, so you'll be getting
another email from me in November. Either of the albums you mention would be
in with a shout.

Very best wishes,

David

So the *albums* are good enough for the series; the question now is whether the other folks at Continuum think *I'm* good enough for the series.  I'll let you all know what happens next month.  I'm not sure there could be a better definition of "labor of love" than my being contracted to write a book about either of those albums.

Woo Hoo! Our collective fingers are crossed!