Last year saw the introduction of Bacardi Plugged. The competition had for years been hugely successful in its unplugged format, but opened its doors for the first time to bands recording and performing with their full electric armoury. It was such an overwhelming success that we’d be daft not to do it all over again.

This year the prize fund is as

impressive as ever, with a total prize package estimated at a generous £17,000 in value. So our panel of judges, all volunteers from various points in the music industry and the music media, are reportedly undergoing intensive high-altitude training in preparation for the avalanche of

tapes from bands with their minds fixed firmly on walking away with that mouth-watering package of prizes that includes the following for the winning band:

• a generous £2,000 cheque from Bacardi

• three days recording time in the acclaimed Cauldron Studios

• 500 CDs manufactured by Trend Studios

• a promo video produced by Galway Film Centre,

• a single distribution deal from Record Services

• a Roland VS840 hard-disk home recording unit supplied by Music Maker

• a PR campaign in support of their single release

• the printing and design of a quantity of band posters

• a photo session, including a supply of prints

• a full-page interview with the

fabulous new format hotpress

• advisory sessions with leading music industry experts and a

professionally designed web-site from Global Music Distribution.

Got all that?

Equally remarkable for a national competition of this size and prestige offering such an array of prizes, there’s no entry fee, just the following simple, easy-to-comply with requirements.

All entrants must abide by these requirements:

a) be over eighteen years of age as of December 31st 2001.

b) reside in Ireland or be Irish

nationals resident overseas.

c) send us a cassette or CD demo with no more than 3 songs (if you send a tape or CD with more than 3 songs, only the first three songs will be listened to).

d) send the entry form elsewhere in this issue to us before 23rd November.

e) ensure that your entry has a

contact name and phone number on it.

Yes, entering Bacardi Plugged is easy-peasy. Unfortunately, winning may be a mite tougher and we have received the usual array of requests for advice which might assist a band towards a better chance of winning, so what follows are a few simple suggestions that should help:

• Ensure that your entry meets with all the rules and that details on it, especially band name, contact details etc., are clearly legible.

• Avoid cover versions, unless you’re doing something inventive with them.

• When playing live, avoid any direct contact with the judges other than to give them a set list before the gig.

• Feel free to send a photo with your entry but it’s not essential.

• There’s no need for an elaborate design for the cover of your demo, but something simple and effective might create a positive impression.

• Keep a master copy of your entry as we won’t be returning entries.

• Don’t enter at all if you’re a bad loser.

Other than that, all you have to do is come up with some stupendous songs, make a shagtastic recording of them and play some exhilarating live shows!

But in case you’re one of those bands for whom life isn’t difficult enough, here is some very really bad advice especially for you:

• Ensure that your entry form as

illegible as you can make it.

• Put your longest, most incoherent and most chorus-free song first on the tape.

• Put the judges in a foul mood instantly by not rewinding your tape entry.

• Enclose the longest and most hilarious (allegedly) press release you can come up with.

Meanwhile, there’s one element of all this that often gets overlooked. Because of the prestige of Bacardi Plugged, its impressive track record in the unplugged format and the bumper prize package, it’s often forgotten that this competition is also about playing music and having fun.

In that sense it offers many other benefits as well as the prizes. Those voted onto the first short-list can

generate some publicity for themselves while receiving a sharp boost to their confidence. Those chosen to play in one of the live heats will attract even more publicity, meet other bands, perform with a top-quality sound system in front of an enthusiastic audience and meet revered members of the music industry. They will have many

opportunities to make fresh contacts and to add to their store of practical advice, experience and knowledge.

So is the tape rollin’, Bob?