8: ARTISTE MANAGEMENT

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Management in General

The term 'management' when applied to artistes and bands can conceal a bewildering range of activities, personal skills and ambitions. It can be much more than it sounds at first; involving business dealings, legal stuff, bargaining with studios, record companies, newspapers, radio stations - as well as being involved with the creative process both in the rehearsal stage and as production in the studio. Not all of these are done by all managers of course, but the reason I mentioned them all is to illustrate how hard the job can be and how much expertise may be needed. That's why I refer to artiste management in general - it may be accomplished by several people, not just one. You will see a clearer picture of the role of the manager on the manager page.

What does a manager do anyway? At the very least, an artiste's manager does everything the artiste cannot or will not do in terms of planning, organisation and negotiation. And if the person in question is an effective, creative manager, he or she will do alot more besides.

Would you manage a band?

Warning!

Before answering the questions below, a word of warning: if everyone who’d been asked to manage a singer, songwriter or band had taken up the challenge, there would be an awful lot of discarded, dejected and even bankrupt ex-managers wandering the streets looking for work. It is a trap so many artistes and their friends fall into. Many artistes reach the stage where they think they need a manager, either through ego tripping or through the level of activity they are involved in, and usually the first person they ask is a brother or sister or friend. If you are ever tempted by such an offer you should ask yourself;

• Why did they ask you?

• Do you sincerely believe this band has a future?

• Do you like and believe in what they do?

• Do you have the time to dedicate to the task?

• Does the band make any money? If so, are they likely to pay you a percentage on a regular basis? And if not, who’s going to pay for your time, your phone bills, and your petrol until the money starts coming in?

• Are these people good friends? If so, is it worth risking that friendship, bearing in mind that artiste/manager relationships can go seriously wrong? Offending someone by saying no will cause fewer problems than taking on the task and suffering a bad fallout later on.

• Do you have any experience - either in showbusiness, a record company or in general management? If not, it is advisable to go away and get some and hope the offer is still on when you get back.

• Do you really want to be the group’s manager? It is a full-time job. Other interests will suffer if you take it on.

All these points reinforce the fact that effective management needs more than just respect or affection for the artiste concerned. To manage a successful band is a tough task, and requires skills which are best learned through either experience or training, or both. Should you ever find yourself in the position where someone is asking you to be their manager, make sure you can supply good answers to all the above questions.

When and why a manager is required.

From the artiste's perspective:

The band has been together for a few months, perhaps even a year or two, and has reached a stage where a recording is required to further its fortunes. This demo could be home-produced or, if the money is there, put together in a professional studio. The band’s next step is to tout the recording around - to venues in order to get more and better live work, and record companies, presuming that the band is after a record deal. Does this band have the time, the ambition and, most important, the talent and right business approach to use that demo in the most effective way possible? They may be great writers and performers, but are they salespeople too? If the answer to both questions is ‘no’, and the band members are totally dedicated to the project and the music, then this is one stage in a band’s career where a manager could mean the difference between success and failure.

3 Types of Management

1. Self-Management

Self-management requires artistes to look at their business affairs separately from the creative and performance side of their work, in other words to see the artistic side as purely a revenue-earning activity - many will find this hard to do. However, an artiste with a clear business head plus the assistance of lawyers and accountants when required can do well in the manager’s role.

2. The Management Company

There are lone managers, those who perhaps accepted an offer from a friend or friends as they were struggling towards success, or those who were wooed by artistes from their safe job within a record company; and there are those who work within the more secure confines of a management company.

A job with a reputable management company could well serve as a good start for a number of different careers in the music business, you must still choose carefully. It is always worth sounding out any music business contacts you may have before considering either working for them or choosing to manage your band.

Where a management company can prove more effective than the lone manager is in economies of scale. An established company will have premises, secretarial and admin staff, possibly legal and financial staff, most importantly, a number of managers whose combined experience will serve all clients, whichever individual manager within the company may deal with them personally.

Taking a junior position in a management company, as an office assistant or messenger, would allow you to watch the business at work with the purpose of acquiring expertise and deciding whether or not management is really for you. The qualifications required to join such a company can vary. You always stand more chance, however, if you already know someone in the company.

A keenness to learn must be demonstrated. If you have already acquired some management training and can prove to a management company that you have a love of, and an active interest in, music and the music business, and you’re bright and personable, then you may have a chance of being employed by them.

Artiste management companies are often partnerships, formed to combine the management experiences of two or more people and at the same time to cut costs by sharing overheads. To get into such a company at anything other than admin level would be difficult, but things move fast in the music business, and a good admin assistant with a management company would be well palced to move into artiste management if they so wished.

Another route is via a record company. Many managers come across clients while working for a record company - as an A&R person or press officer for example. In such cases, close relationships can build up between artistes and record company staff, sometimes to the point where artistes formally request for the staff member to be their manager. This can often be ideal, because a working relationship has already been established.

3. The Lone Manager

A large proportion of artiste managers work alone, often looking after just one act which they’ve known for some time. Such a set up can work, but not without much trust and mutual respect between the artiste and manager. The industry is full of famous examples of these relationships - some good some bad - some without a formal contract!!!

What does a manager do?