Band Managers

[john]

Hey

What is your experience with band managers? Any scarey stories? Funny stories? Any advice for what to look for in a good manager? What should the artist look for from the relationship?

Cheers

John

[ATom2]

Hey

What is your experience with band managers? Any scarey stories? Funny stories? Any advice for what to look for in a good manager? What should the artist look for from the relationship?

Cheers

John

26+yrs of playing, never had one. Never saww the need for one. Couldn't rationalize playing someone to do what we could do ourselves.

Unless you are playing 4-5 time per week on at least regional scale, I don't see the need.

JMO

[john]

When I was younger, less experienced and more naive I was in a band that had a couple of managers. They weren't much good, although one certainly knew the business (and ex member of a folk band called Pendragon) he wasn't a great manager.

You bring up a good point about what a manager brings you. Sure, the common or garden inexperienced or "friend" manager doesn't know much that can help with career progression, but an experienced manager can bring a whole new dimension. The trouble is finding a good, experienced manager!

I guess it also depends on how you want to spend your time.

Certainly with the experience I have now I wouldn't have a manager. To be honest, i think it does bands good to manage themselves in the eraly days because it helps them learn about the business, but at the same time they need to learn from someone, and possibly get their material before the best managers in their area.

[Malcious123]

When I was younger, less experienced and more naive I was in a band that had a couple of managers. They weren't much good, although one certainly knew the business (and ex member of a folk band called Pendragon) he wasn't a great manager.

You bring up a good point about what a manager brings you. Sure, the common or garden inexperienced or "friend" manager doesn't know much that can help with career progression, but an experienced manager can bring a whole new dimension. The trouble is finding a good, experienced manager!

I guess it also depends on how you want to spend your time.

Certainly with the experience I have now I wouldn't have a manager. To be honest, i think it does bands good to manage themselves in the eraly days because it helps them learn about the business, but at the same time they need to learn from someone, and possibly get their material before the best managers in their area.

I agree, we manage ourselves..and everything is okay.

[Bitstream]

If a manager is doing his job properly, he will enhance every aspect of a band. This includes image, quality, integrity, persona, relationships, and wages

He should also be out there promoting the band and communicating all of the above to the customer; for the cash.

All too often, managers take great pride in running an establishment their own way for their own personal gratification; this could be to feed their ego, line their own pockets with cash, exploit their position for social activities, ... and so on and so on... so if anyone signs up a manager, make sure you interview him and that he signs a contract. The contract should include a clause that specifies expected targets over a period of time.

[writeandwrong]

Hi...I'm glad I found this part of the board...I was just asked to be the band's manager, promotions, accounting, etc. I have worked with record companies years ago in a different aspect (for a music tv show), majored in business management in college and have managed a business, been self-employed, and and also was a finance specialist at a large company...so I guess I qualify...but I don't want to be one of those "worthless" managers some talk about...or one that isn't needed...I want to be good. I want to be help get them places...so, with that being said...got any tips? What have some of you done that was beneficial to the band? Also, music has changed a lot since I was last in it...I'd love to take a class on simply just these sorts of things as so much has changed. Any suggestions? I am familiar with the Songwriter's Market...maybe I could just get a current one and get myself caught up to date that way?

Thanks.

Jena

[john]

I have some experience in band management from a few years ago but still get a perspective on current approaches from seeing friends working in the industry. To be honest many of the processes are the same, just that there is a shift in emphasis and a few technologies and income streams to get used to. These days, outside of the biz side of songwriting, I have far more experience in music marketing, online and offline.

I say that all to suggest that I would be more than happy to help where I can. Hopefully we could have some useful and interesting discussions.

[writeandwrong]

Thanks, John. During Christmas break we hope to get settled in with copyright registrations, submissions to ASCAP and signing up with HFA (or SGA if self-publishing...a conversation we haven't had a chance to discuss yet). Marketing assistance would be a sure help, mostly online to start. We're okay locally, but would like to have an online presence before taking it further.

[DonnaMarilyn]

Jena, here's a link that might be of interest, at least for an overview.

http://musicians.about.com/od/beingamusician/a/band101.htm

Donna

[writeandwrong]

Hi, Donna. Thanks! I will check it out. I appreciate it :-)

[TapperMike]

It takes a lot of moxey to be a band manager. You have to knock down doors hard. I've always hated trying to get gigs I just can't cold call. Fortunately for me there were always a few buddies I could rely on to go out and make things happen for me.

[writeandwrong]

Thanks, TapperMike. Fortunately (since I don't like being a salesman haha), they won't be gigging too much...most of it would be the online gigging, social local stuff, and summer fairs, clubs, etc. The biggest goal is doing the demos and marketing them to other artists. The members of the band have all done the club gigging, getting old and tired of that. Most of the management area will be financials and online marketing, kinda stuff. I'm contacting a producer within the next couple of weeks who I dealt with several years ago who has worked with Perry, Delp, etc. so hoping he can help direct us in the right direction...or maybe take us on himself (my hope)! Trying to cram in a bunch of last minute stuff right now to get all our ducks in a row. A few songs will be radio ready by then we hope with several following soon thereafter.