Introduction
The new section of LNCU is to provide you with draft letters to send to concert venues, TV and Radio stations, and old tape traders.
Old fashioned snail mail is probably the most effective (and slowest) way to get in touch with people who may have unsurfaced material or know some interesting things about NIRVANA, but are probably completely unaware of the internet community. Let's face it, if they were internet buffs, they might well have posted here already.
You will discover that the tone of the letters is skewed more towards asking for information than demanding recordings straight off, for it is unlikely that such a blazen approach would work. The subtext, however, should be adequately clear.
These drafts need to be edited in a word-processing program: you must write in certain details in the square brackets [like this]. Other times square brackets indicate optional statements. Feel free to change any wording anywhere you like, these are only rough outlines.
We hope these letters will be of use to those of you for whom English is not your first language, or for those who have not written this sort of letter before.
We do urge you to start by writing to venues etc. close to your address and in your country; the local touch always seems to help. Please do try to coordinate your letters so we don't all write to the same people!
There are various methods you could consider employing to maximise the chances of a reply: giving your email address helps those who have belatedly joined the on-line revolution, and a self-addressed envelope (so they can reply without needing a stamp) cuts down the hassle for the recipient: make life as easy (and cheap) as possible for them.
It would be fascinating to hear feedback from people who try out these letters; please do let us know how many letters you sent, and how many replies you got (even if the replies were negative.)
Remember: be polite and good luck!
The Letters