Music PR and Marketing for rock and metal artists
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Stampede Press UK — See Red, be Heard
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Advice before assumption

Not sure what your band should do next?

Tell me what you’re working on. I’ll help you identify where I think you should start.

Tell me what you’re working on

No need to choose a service first. I’ll reply personally with a view on your clearest next move.

How I can help

PR
Marketing
Fan Growth
Email Setup & Automations
Meta Ad Campaigns
Management Consultation & Education
Rob Town, founder of Stampede Press
Rob Town MA — Founder
Artist experienceFormer Panic Cell
Teaching & mentoringWaterBear tutor & mentor
QualificationMA Music Industry Innovation & Enterprise
Context30+ years around bands and music

The questions behind the questions

Sound familiar?

Most musicians who contact me aren’t short of effort. They’re usually trying to work out what they should actually be doing next.

01

“We’ve got new music coming, but no real plan.”

A release date isn’t a strategy. What happens before and after release is often what determines whether anyone notices.

Rob’s verdict: Build the release plan first.

02

“We’re getting streams and followers, but not building real fans.”

You need a route from someone discovering your band to coming back, joining your world and eventually supporting what you do.

Rob’s verdict: Attention is only the first step.

03

“We think we need PR.”

PR can work extremely well when the music, timing and story are right. But if the bigger problem is that not enough people know your band exists yet, your budget may work harder somewhere else first.

Rob’s verdict: Maybe — but PR isn’t always the first move.

04

“We’ve got some budget, but don’t know where to spend it.”

PR, Meta ads, content, email and direct-to-fan activity can all have a job. They only make sense when they’re solving the right problem.

Rob’s verdict: Start with the bottleneck, not the tactic.

05

“Why aren’t magazines, venues or festivals paying attention?”

Audience evidence, your story, timing, relationships, professionalism and what you bring to the table can all influence whether somebody says yes.

Rob’s verdict: Sometimes it isn’t the music.

Recognise your situation?

Tell me what you’re working on

A better starting point

I start with the problem, not the service.

You don’t need to decide whether you need music PR, Meta advertising, audience growth, release strategy or something else before you contact me. Tell me what you’re trying to achieve and what’s getting in the way.

I’ll look at the situation first and tell you where I think your time and money are best spent.

That might mean recommending:

  • Music PR
  • Audience growth
  • Release strategy
  • Meta advertising
  • Direct-to-fan marketing
  • EPK or campaign development
  • A different priority before promotion

If I don’t think one of my services is the right next move, I’ll tell you that too.

Trusted industry perspective

What people in the music industry say

Experience should make the next decision clearer, not noisier.

I can’t think of anyone better to advise emerging rock acts on strategy, growing an audience and formulating realistic and obtainable goals with music business, PR and marketing.
WaterBear — The College of Music logo

Bruce Dickinson

WaterBear — The College of Music

I have had the pleasure of working alongside Rob for many years, he is one of the good guys and is constantly evolving through this ever changing industry, staying ahead of the game.
Rock People Management logo

Terri Chapman

Rock People Management / Massive Wagons

If you’re an aspiring musician and want a reality check that can seriously help you navigate the choppy music industry waters, look no further than this. Rob is one of the U.K’s most honest and genuine music business survivors.
Toby Jepson logo

Toby Jepson

Planet Rock / Little Angels / Wayward Sons

Testimonial wording and attributions are presented as supplied and approved for Stampede Press.

Tell me what you’re working on

No sales maze

What happens when you contact me?

01

Tell me what’s happening

Give me a few sentences about your band, your release or whatever you’re currently trying to figure out. You don’t need to write an essay.

02

I’ll reply personally

I’ll look at what you’re trying to achieve and where I think the main issue or opportunity sits.

03

I’ll suggest the next move

If one of my services makes sense, I’ll explain what I’d recommend and why. If it doesn’t, I’ll say so.

Tell me what you’re working on

Get a personal view of the clearest next move before you commit more time or budget.

Not sure what your band should do next?

Tell me what you’re working on and where you’re stuck. I’ll reply personally with what I think you should focus on next.

Album artwork for artists supported by Stampede Press, including South Of Salem, The Virginmarys, Haxan, King Kraken and Luna Marble

Campaign experience

Artists I’ve worked with.

A short selection of the rock and metal campaigns, launches and PR work that have informed how I assess the next move.

  • South Of Salem — managed the debut album PR campaign.
  • Haxan — managed the debut album PR campaign.
  • Luna Marble — managed the debut album PR campaign.
  • King Kraken — PR and industry consultation for their launch.
  • The Virginmarys — PR manager across multiple campaigns.
  • Toby Jepson — managed multiple direct-to-fan merch campaigns generating six-figure+ sales.
Rob Town holding a Music Week magazine
Panic Cell performing to a festival audience Panic Cell band photograph

About Rob Town

Who is Rob Town?

I’m the founder of Stampede Press, but I spent years doing this from the artist side first.

With my self-managed band Panic Cell, I released records, toured internationally, played Download Festival multiple times and shared stages with artists including Metallica, Alice In Chains, Slayer, Megadeth, Disturbed and Papa Roach.

  • Making and releasing the music.
  • Promoting shows and building an audience.
  • Approaching the music industry and building relationships.
  • Deciding where limited band money should go.

Today, I combine that practical experience with more than 30 years around bands and the music industry, an MA in Music Industry Innovation & Enterprise, and my work as a tutor and mentor at WaterBear — The College of Music.

Why does that matter?

I’ve spent the money as an artist too. That’s one reason I’m careful about recommending where other musicians spend theirs.

Plain answers first

Frequently asked questions about working with Stampede Press

Do I need to know which Stampede Press service I need?
No. Tell me what you’re trying to achieve and I’ll help identify where I think you should start.
Are you automatically going to recommend music PR?
No. PR can absolutely be the right move, but sometimes audience growth, release planning, direct-to-fan marketing, Meta advertising or something else should come first.
Do you mainly work with rock and metal bands?
Rock and metal are where much of my experience sits and where Stampede Press has particularly strong roots. I also work with artists outside those genres where there’s a good fit.
Can you guarantee press coverage, radio play, streams or fans?
No. I’d be cautious of anyone who does. What I can do is help you make better-informed decisions, identify opportunities and build a stronger strategy around what you’re already doing.
What happens after I send an enquiry?
I’ll reply personally by email. I’ll look at what you’re trying to achieve, ask for any additional information I need and we’ll take it from there.

Your next step

You don’t have to figure it all out first.

If you’re stuck on what your band should do next, that’s the reason to get in touch.

Tell me what you’re working on

Tell me what’s happening. I’ll reply personally.

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