Ah, but remember you're coming at this from a totally different angle to the reader. For you, this is something to splurge and get out of the way as soon as possible so you can talk about the stuff that's actually important. For them, it's an interesting thing, and it's a perspective that the next guy they read about probably won't have, so they'll remember it. Tucking it in a sentence or so along seems to read way more casual here. It could be mind over matter, but to exaggerate the point, consider the difference in emphasis on blindness between "a blind 30 year old chap called Scott", "a 30 year old chap called Scott who is blind", and "Scott, a blind chap who's 30 years old". To me, the latter option sounds better, with it tucked neatly in between other facts. First feels like it's somehow more important than my name, last feels like it's being avoided. See what I'm getting at?
Don't avoid it man. You can write, so maybe come back to it in a few days with a bit of distance between the initial draft. On 10/11/14, Brian Casey <[email protected]> wrote: > I wish my hearing was extra good! > > Thanks for the thoughts, I'm basically back to wanting to leave it out > altogether again. > > My ideal hope if I was to include it is to get it in the first sentence in a > > way that makes it clear that it shouldn't define everything else that comes > > after it, which may be impossible. > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Scott Chesworth" <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 1:33 PM > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Off topic question with regard to addressing the topic of my > blindness in an artist bio/press release > >> This is all subjective obviously, but for me the sweet spot for the >> bombshell is usually 2nd or 3rd sentence in. I always feel like the >> first sentence drop means blindness defining everything that follows, >> whereas a couple of sentences in should be early enough to catch the >> attention of anyone who's reading without overly heaping importance on >> it. For what it's worth though, I'd say you're doing the right thing >> mentioning it yourself. If nothing else, there are still people out >> there who subscribe to the theory that we've got magic ears instead of >> working eyes by default... suckers :P >> >> On 10/11/14, Brian Casey <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hi all, >>> >>> Sorry for the very off topic nature of this post, but I feel there might >>> >>> be >>> some very helpful opinions on this list. >>> >>> If you have thoughts on this, you might e-mail me directly rather than >>> me >>> clogging the list with off topic traffic. >>> >>> My e-ail is: >>> >>> [email protected] >>> >>> So, generally, I have never made a reference to being blind in any press >>> releases or musician bio's on websites etc as I strive to be noticed for >>> >>> my >>> music alone. Similarly I chose not to make any reference tto being blind >>> >>> on >>> official documentation or websites to do with my studio. >>> >>> However, I've recently changed my opinion a bit on mentioning it in my >>> musician bio/press release as I plan to release my next EP. >>> >>> There are two reasons for this. >>> >>> 1. Recently I played an international guitar festival, and in the >>> programme, >>> they wrote a description for each artist, and after a cool description >>> of >>> me, right at the end was a real awkward looking sentence. Brian is also >>> the >>> first blind musician to play the festival. >>> >>> Like it matters! Anyway, that was a bit cringe, so I've been thinking >>> sense >>> by mentioning my blindness in my own releases, I take control of the >>> situation and set the agenda on how it is mentioned, or at least to an >>> extent. So if I mention it fast, and get it out of the way I might be >>> better >>> off. Obviously if I got more and more well known then people are going >>> to >>> learn about me anyway. >>> >>> 2. >>> >>> The second reason is obviously it's a some what unique selling point, so >>> >>> if >>> I am going to mention it, again I m ay as well mention it early in a >>> bio/press release, catch the attention and move on to talking about what >>> >>> I >>> want to talk about. >>> >>> So that is my reasoning. >>> >>> I'm struggling to find a great way of putting it that I like though! >>> >>> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. >>> >>> Below is a draft I've tried to come up with that addresses it in the >>> very >>> first sentence, aiming to get it done and dusted before the first >>> sentence >>> is even finished. >>> >>> Thanks all, >>> Brian. >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> At the age of 4, Brian Casey permanently lost his sight after a short >>> but >>> life threatening illness, yet memories of his early life are dominated >>> by >>> his desire to try and explore every musical instrument that crossed his >>> path, because it is music that defines this 25 year old far and above any >>> >>> of >>> lifes other influences. >>> >>> >>> >>> His second EP Rain Songs, due for release this November is a 5 track >>> alternative folk journey through stories of hope and despair, thriving on >>> >>> an >>> eclectic pallet of influences ranging from the intensity and aggression >>> of >>> rock/blues heroes of old to the nuance and openness of his favourite >>> modern >>> day singer-songwriters. Moving from simple acoustic arrangements to >>> larger >>> than life soundscapes with ease, the EP is a self-recorded exhibition of >>> Casey's songwriting, multi-instrumentalism and production skills in >>> equal >>> measure,. >>> >>> >>> >>> Raised on the south-west coast of Ireland, on the edge of Europe, a mish >>> mash of influences pulled Casey's attention from classical piano to >>> traditional Irish music, from his parents collection of classic records >>> to >>> the alternative sounds of the 1990's, drip fed through the static of >>> long >>> wave radio and his brothers cassette-tapes. With very few musicians of a >>> similar age around, makeshift attempts to record and overdub with home >>> stereos and Dictaphones came as a natural solution, setting him on a >>> course >>> of parallel paths that continues today, juggling engineering, >>> musicianship >>> and songwriting in his Wavefield recording studio. >>> >>> >>> >>> Never staying still, 2015 will see the completion of a debut album >>> between >>> touring and other production projects, expanding on the sounds and >>> themes >>> of Rain Songs and Casey's 2014 debut EP, Plain Sailing. >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups >>> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> >> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Pro Tools Accessibility" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pro Tools Accessibility" group. 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