Deathproof PR launches pop culture website, Blerg

The Melbourne-based music publicistswho own Deathproof PR have launched a new website,Blerg.com.au.

Rebecca Reato and Emily Kelly, who left their posts at Shock Records to start Deathproof in 2011, count Frontier Touring, Universal Music, Live Nation and Epitaph among their clients, but with Blerg, are dipping their toes in the TV and film sectors.

While Reato told TMN Blerg is a 'guide to the good stuff', with new and retro content covering comedy, gaming, film, TV and podcasts, it will act as a new platform for Deathproof PR’s artist clients.

“It's a place for us to share our passion for both our artists and writing,” Reato said. “It gives us a platform to write about why our artists are so good and at the same time give them an immediately accessible media outlet to share interesting content if they want.

“We spend a lot of time working on interesting editorial angles, points of interest etc. for our artists (who we are genuinely fans of) and then sharing those opportunities with Australia's music media,” Reato continued. “Once Blerg has an even remotely comparable audience and reputation to some of those major outlets, the benefits become pretty clear.”

Reato said Blerg was launched in response to the dwindling media opportunities made available to independent and alternative artists.

“Media outlets are dropping like flies across the board unfortunately. The opportunities available to our artists are shrinking and it's often very disheartening to us when we know we have great music we want to share with the world and we're limited in our capabilities of delivering it.

“We want to make sure the good stuff – Deathproof-affiliated or otherwise – always has a home, even if we have to build it, furnish it and decorate it ourselves.

“Admittedly a lot of media is disappearing because writing about just music is no longer a sustainable business pursuit,” Reato added. “[…]We think we're in a unique position in the world where we can curate that content because our relationship to the media means we devour a hell of a lot of it and we know the stuff we love and want to share.”

One of the website’s recent posts clocked up over 2,500 views in 24 hours and its Facebook followers include CMC Program Director Tim Daley, Cooking Vinyl Australia co-head Stu Harvey and Head of Digital at Warner Music Australia Simon Cahill.

Joining Reato and Kelly to helm Blerg are Deathproof PR assistant Anastasia Casagrande and former Foxtel content producerNathan Wood. Wood recently relocated from Sydney to Melbourne and isoverseeingBlerg and Deathproof PR’s digital projects.