Scott Piering
Encyclopedia
Scott Piering was a successful and influential American-born music publicist
for many British
music acts, including Pulp
, The KLF
, The Smiths
, Stereophonics
, The Orb
, Placebo
, Underworld
and The Prodigy
. He ran the publicity consultancy, Appearing Promotions.
s. Many bands with whom Piering closely worked attribute much of their early success in the UK Singles Chart
to his efforts.
In the book The Manual (How To Have a Number One The Easy Way)
, written by The KLF's
creators Bill Drummond
and Jimmy Cauty
in the wake of their chart-topping success as alter ego
s, The Timelords, the authors state that "without [Piering] this book would have to be retitled How To Get To Number 47 — With A Certain Amount of Difficulty.
Piering's work with The KLF also involved contributing a number of narrations and spoken lines to their commercial single releases, including "Justified and Ancient
", "Last Train to Trancentral
" ("Okay, everybody lie down on the floor and keep calm"), "3 a.m. Eternal
" ("Ladies and gentlemen, The KLF have now left the building"), a long opening narration to "America: What Time Is Love?", and narration of the KLF movie, The Rites of Mu.
Piering's was furthermore the voice that announced the band's departure from the music industry following their subversive appearance at the 1992 BRIT Awards
ceremony: "Ladies and gentlemen, The KLF have now left the music industry". Piering's voice work for The KLF
led to his being referred to as "The Voice of Mu".
founded "The Scott Piering Award" as one of their annual awards, in memory of "...this great man who single-handedly did so much to improve understanding between the music and radio industries.
To keep that memory alive, The Radio Academy presents this award each year to others who have made significant contributions in the promotion of product and understanding of the music industry to their colleagues in radio".
On 18 April 2002, a gig
in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care
was held in Piering's memory at the Scala (club)
in London
.
The gig featured performances from many bands indebted to Piering for his promotional work, and a tribute album
of the performance, augmented by additional studio recordings, was released under the title 4Scott in August 2002.
The Stereophonics album, Just Enough Education to Perform
, was dedicated to his memory, as was the Placebo album, Black Market Music
.
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
for many British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music acts, including Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
, The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
, The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, Stereophonics
Stereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
, The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
, Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, Underworld
Underworld (band)
Underworld are a British electronic group, and principal name under which duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded together since 1980.- Early years: 1979–1986 :...
and The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
. He ran the publicity consultancy, Appearing Promotions.
Career
During his career Piering was responsible for the promotion of many hit singleHit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s. Many bands with whom Piering closely worked attribute much of their early success in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
to his efforts.
In the book The Manual (How To Have a Number One The Easy Way)
The Manual
The Manual is a 1988 book by The Timelords , better known as The KLF. It is a tongue-in-cheek step by step guide to achieving a No.1 single with no money or musical skills, and a case study of the duo's UK novelty pop No...
, written by The KLF's
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
creators Bill Drummond
Bill Drummond
William Ernest Drummond is a Scottish artist, musician, writer and record producer. He was the co-founder of late 1980s avant-garde pop group The KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with which he burned a million pounds in 1994...
and Jimmy Cauty
Jimmy Cauty
James Francis Cauty is a British artist and musician born in Liverpool, England, in 1956...
in the wake of their chart-topping success as alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
s, The Timelords, the authors state that "without [Piering] this book would have to be retitled How To Get To Number 47 — With A Certain Amount of Difficulty.
Piering's work with The KLF also involved contributing a number of narrations and spoken lines to their commercial single releases, including "Justified and Ancient
Justified and Ancient
"Justified & Ancient" is a song by British band The KLF which featured on their 1991 album The White Room but with origins dating back to the duo's debut album, 1987 ....
", "Last Train to Trancentral
Last Train to Trancentral
"Last Train to Trancentral" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by The KLF, including "Last Train to Trancentral ", a commercially successful single of April 1991 that reached # 2 in the UK Singles Chart and achieved international top ten placings...
" ("Okay, everybody lie down on the floor and keep calm"), "3 a.m. Eternal
3 a.m. Eternal
"3 a.m. Eternal" is a song by The KLF, numerous versions of which were released as singles between 1989 and 1992. In January 1991, an acid house pop version of the song became an international top ten hit single, hitting #1 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and leading to...
" ("Ladies and gentlemen, The KLF have now left the building"), a long opening narration to "America: What Time Is Love?", and narration of the KLF movie, The Rites of Mu.
Piering's was furthermore the voice that announced the band's departure from the music industry following their subversive appearance at the 1992 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
ceremony: "Ladies and gentlemen, The KLF have now left the music industry". Piering's voice work for The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
led to his being referred to as "The Voice of Mu".
Legacy
Piering died from cancer on 24 January 2000, aged 53. In 2001, the British Radio AcademyRadio Academy
The Radio Academy is a registered charity that is dedicated to 'the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production'....
founded "The Scott Piering Award" as one of their annual awards, in memory of "...this great man who single-handedly did so much to improve understanding between the music and radio industries.
To keep that memory alive, The Radio Academy presents this award each year to others who have made significant contributions in the promotion of product and understanding of the music industry to their colleagues in radio".
The Scott Piering Award Winners
- Tony WadsworthTony WadsworthTony Wadsworth is a British radio presenter who can currently be heard on BBC Radio Leicester, where he presents the mid-morning show on Saturdays and Sundays....
2009 - Martin Nelson 2008
- Colin Martin 2007
- Gary Farrow 2006
- Geoff TravisGeoff TravisGeoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...
2005 - Feargal SharkeyFeargal SharkeyFeargal Sharkey is a singer from Northern Ireland who first found fame as the lead vocalist of pop punk band The Undertones...
2004 - The Bee Gees 2003
- Muff WinwoodMuff WinwoodMervyn "Muff" Winwood is an English songwriter and record producer, and the older brother of Steve Winwood. Both were formerly members of the Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s, in which Muff Winwood played bass guitar...
2002 - Martin MillsMartin MillsMartin Mills, born May 12, 1949, is both the founder and chairman of the Beggars Group .His company is one of the world's most successful independent group of record labels....
2001
On 18 April 2002, a gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides nursing care, free of charge, to terminally ill people, giving them the chance to choose to be cared for at home...
was held in Piering's memory at the Scala (club)
Scala (club)
Scala is a nightclub in London, England, near King's Cross railway station.-History:The Scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of H Courtney Constantine, but construction was interrupted by the First World War and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The gig featured performances from many bands indebted to Piering for his promotional work, and a tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
of the performance, augmented by additional studio recordings, was released under the title 4Scott in August 2002.
The Stereophonics album, Just Enough Education to Perform
Just Enough Education to Perform
Just Enough Education to Perform, also known by its acronym J.E.E.P., is the third studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Released on 17 April 2001, the album topped the UK Albums Chart with 140,000 copies sold. and spawned three top-ten singles in the form of "Mr. Writer", "Have a Nice...
, was dedicated to his memory, as was the Placebo album, Black Market Music
Black Market Music
Black Market Music is the third studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo, released in 2000 by Hut Records.- Background :Black Market Music took nine months to record, the longest that the band have ever spent recording an album to date, and is dedicated to the memory of Scott...
.