Lessons in power

Had my nose rubbed in powerlessness again last week, must confess that I’m currently still more annoyed than amused by the episode which goes as follows: After 18 months of unanswered emails and phone calls being put through to answerphones and not being called back, The Wire’s new editor, probably on the lookout for fresh blood, gave me a tryout. I’m now writing two cd reviews a month for the magazine, deadlines are tight (last month I had less than two days to listen, assimilate and write the reviews), but I’m not complaining.

A month ago I heard from a member of the band that Burnt Sugar are returning to the UK and are playing Brighton in May. Being a fan and knowing they had already been covered by the magazine I wrote the reviews editor to ask whether he’d be interested in a review as I’d very much like to cover it. No reply. Made a second enquiry a week later and was told that I had to ask the live reviews editor, Anne Hilde Neset.

Fair enough, I fire off an email with relevant urls. No response. A week later I resend. No response. A week later I resend twice copying in the reviews editor using two different email addresses just in case I’m getting caught in a spam filter or similar. No reply from either of them. One more week, one more resend. Nada. At this point I’m feeling fairly pissed off – yes I know magazine schedules are hectic, but I thought as I was now writing regularly I’d at least get a response. So I call the office, I’m asked my name by the man who answers the phone and a woman picks up who’s surely the woman’s I’ve been attempting to get a response from – she asks me how I am in an effusively friendly tone. A little surprised, I say that I’m well. She then proceeds to remark on the amount of travelling I’ve done recently. Now I know she thinks I’m somebody else and I tell her so. She falters and asks whether or not I’m Colin Potter, no I say, I’m not, I’m … and I’m writing a couple of reviews a month for you and have sent you four emails to which I haven’t received any reply. I’d appreciate knowing whether you’re interested in a review of an upcoming Burnt Sugar concert in May. Oh, right, well I haven’t replied because it’s too far in the future, can’t tell you until at least April (the friendly tone’s turned to annoyance). Er I reply, but if I wait that long and you say you’re not interested it will be too late to ask any other magazines. Oh – who else do you write for? I list the various magazines and sites. She repeats that she can’t tell me until much nearer the time and that’s that. That’s the face of power, they don’t need me and don’t need to be bothered, but I need them – well, sort of. Gah.