| You can't throw a rock in any metropolis
| |
| | not reasons to make someone your manager.
|
| on Earth without hitting someone claiming
| |
| | A band's manager knows every secret of
|
| to be a manager. Where musicians go,
| |
| | each musician, every person in each
|
| managers follow. It's as accepted and
| |
| | member's personal life, where you keep
|
| expected in the entertainment industry as
| |
| | your money, where you live, and who's in
|
| an out-of-control cocaine habit or a
| |
| | your fan/contact database. This is not
|
| failure to pay taxes. When you tell
| |
| | information that you want someone who has
|
| people you're a musician, one of the
| |
| | 450 cut-out pictures of you on their
|
| first things they're going to ask you is:
| |
| | bedroom ceiling having at his/her
|
| Do you have a manager? However, those in
| |
| | disposal. Enough said?
|
| the throws of the music business know to
| |
| | 3.) Don't Sign A Contract Unless It's
|
| ask an even more accurate question: Do
| |
| | Worth It---Manager's like control. That
|
| you have a good manager?
| |
| | why they choose to be managers and not
|
| "What's the difference?" you may ask.
| |
| | people who macramé wall hangings with
|
| Isn't any manager better than no manager
| |
| | the mane hair of ponies. Thus, most
|
| at all? While it would seem that the
| |
| | managers will try and evoke you into
|
| answer to that question is unequivocally,
| |
| | signing a contract. In the entertainment
|
| "Yes", in reality it's a bit like asking,
| |
| | industry, contracts are like marriage
|
| "Isn't having a herpes-ridden prostitute
| |
| | certificates…before you sign one be
|
| for a girlfriend better than being
| |
| | sure your band wants to be tied to the
|
| single?" In truth, bad representation is
| |
| | same person for long time (a year, two
|
| far worse than a lack of representation.
| |
| | years, five years, etc.) because they're
|
| While, it's a fact, that there are things
| |
| | much easier to get into than to get out
|
| your band will probably never achieve
| |
| | of. For example, if you sign a contract
|
| without the aid of a manager, agent,
| |
| | with an efficient, but somewhat green
|
| entertainment attorney, etc., bad
| |
| | manager, who is helping all he/she can to
|
| representation can stagnate a
| |
| | get you everything possible from what
|
| career…stop it dead in its hurling
| |
| | little resources he/she has and then Gwen
|
| climb to the ranks of superstardom or
| |
| | Stefani's management team approaches you
|
| even worse…undo some of the hard work
| |
| | after a big gig and wants to put you on
|
| the band has already done.
| |
| | tour with John Mayer. Do you think if
|
| Sad but true, a bad manager can take a
| |
| | you tell them, "We love to take your tour
|
| perfectly good band and turn them into a
| |
| | but we're under contract with someone
|
| thing so foul that old gypsy women
| |
| | else for the next five years, can you hit
|
| covering their faces with rags will spit
| |
| | us up then?" the offer will still stand?
|
| and give your band the evil eye as you
| |
| | Not so much. So, if you must sign
|
| pass. Ok, that may be a bit dramatic,
| |
| | contracts, keep them short and make sure
|
| but seriously…all your band really has
| |
| | they give you room to act, think, play
|
| is its name and its reputation, so why
| |
| | and communicate with others without
|
| would take a chance on either of those by
| |
| | getting clearance from your band warden
|
| putting the whole of your band into the
| |
| | (manager). And make it includes an exit
|
| hands of someone that you're not 100%
| |
| | clause. Read up on it.
|
| sure has your best interests at stake?
| |
| | 4.) Sometimes Bigger Is Not
|
| The following are a few tips that will
| |
| | Better---Although it's a huge ego stroke
|
| help you to decipher whether or not your
| |
| | to brag to all of the other musicians
|
| manager can take you to the top or turn
| |
| | backstage at the Whiskey A Go-Go that
|
| your band into a flop:
| |
| | your manager works with Grammy
|
| 1.) The Drummer's Girlfriend Is Not A
| |
| | award-winners and stadium sell-outs,
|
| Manager---Sure, she may get names for
| |
| | sometimes an unsigned band can get lost
|
| your mailing list, invite her girl's
| |
| | in a huge management firm. While Mr. Big
|
| beach volleyball team to all of your gigs
| |
| | Stud Manager is busy picking out
|
| and post your latest pictures on your
| |
| | Madonna's dress for the American Music
|
| website photo gallery, but she's not
| |
| | Awards, he may forget to ask Quincy Jones
|
| really your manager. She's a helper, she
| |
| | to attend your bass player's birthday gig
|
| can be the president of your fan club,
| |
| | at Billy-Bob Wang's Tofu BBQ Shack. The
|
| the head of your street team and the
| |
| | problem with huge managers is that their
|
| world's sexiest roadie but she probably
| |
| | focus often goes the acts that are making
|
| doesn't know how to put together a press
| |
| | them 15% of 100 million dollars a year.
|
| package and make the calls that will get
| |
| | Your 15% of $45.75 a year after expenses
|
| you into an A&R rep's office for a
| |
| | is probably not his highest priority now
|
| meeting. This also applies to:
| |
| | or ever, and what good are his super
|
| boyfriends, wives, husbands, booty calls,
| |
| | amazing industry contacts if he never
|
| one night stands, moms, dads, cousins,
| |
| | remembers to invite them to your gigs?
|
| aunts, uncles, neighbors, nieces,
| |
| | Having a manager is great but only if
|
| nephews, grandparents, grandchildren,
| |
| | they provide more benefit to the band
|
| pets and the homeless guy who roots
| |
| | than the sum total of your band members
|
| through your trash at midnight. These
| |
| | and band helpers can do for yourselves.
|
| people may all be well-meaning and you
| |
| | If you find someone who can open doors,
|
| can accept their aid in dozens of ways
| |
| | take your music places it cannot go on
|
| (it takes a village to build a popular
| |
| | its on and has your best intentions at
|
| unsigned band) but don't give them the
| |
| | heart, then grab that contract, sign it
|
| label or the powers of a manager.
| |
| | and enjoy the benefits. If not, you may
|
| 2.) Treasure Your Fans But Don't Let Them
| |
| | find yourself: conned, stalked, ignored
|
| Manage You---This should be a given but
| |
| | and/or legally bound to someone that puts
|
| you'd be surprised how many over-eager,
| |
| | their own agenda (well-meaning or
|
| slightly-obsessed fans move from
| |
| | otherwise) and their own ego above what's
|
| semi-stalker to mega-manager in a few
| |
| | right for you band. And whatever you do,
|
| simple weeks. I cannot stress how simply
| |
| | don't sit around waiting for Mr./Ms.
|
| wrong this entire concept is for two
| |
| | Right to wisk your band off its feet and
|
| dozen major reasons the most important of
| |
| | carry it off on his/her white horse to
|
| which is: fans need to be kept at a
| |
| | the Fairyland where everyone gets a
|
| distance. There is a reason why that
| |
| | record deal. You, as its members, know
|
| same person comes to all of your shows no
| |
| | more than anyone, how to do what's right
|
| matter how many you play, gets there
| |
| | for your band and nothing will attract
|
| early, sits up front seemingly paralyzed
| |
| | the perfect manager faster than seeing
|
| starring at you enraptured. Either
| |
| | musicians who are out there, doing their
|
| they're in love with someone in the band
| |
| | thing, and making headway in a very
|
| or they're insane. These may be reasons
| |
| | difficult business with a great attitude
|
| to get a restraining order but certainly
| |
| | and terrific music.
|
