The American Music Manager’s Blog

At some point in a bands career the question “Do we need a manager?” is bound to arise.  I’m going to take you through a couple of other questions that you should ask yourself that will hopefully help you to answer the bigger question of “Do we need a manager?”

First let’s take a look at what a Manager does and does not do when it comes to managing an artist’s career.  Wikipedia defines a Talent/Artist manager as “an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry. The responsibility of the talent manager is to oversee the day-to-day business affairs of an artist; advise and counsel talent concerning professional matters, long-term plans and personal decisions which may affect their career.”  This is obviously a very broad and vague definition, but the role of a manager is very broad and vague and can take on many different rolls which depend on the manager, the artist, and where they both are in their career.

 When looking for a manager, you will find they generally fall into three different tiers of experience.  The first tier is the “Friends or Family Manager.”  This person although more then likely very passionate about your band, more then likely doesn’t have a lot of managing experience and few if any contacts in the music industry.  The second tier is the “Up and Coming Manager.”  This person has possibly worked in the industry for a brief time, possibly as a tour manager or at a record label and wants to cut their teeth as a band manager.  They will have some connections to the industry and will have a working knowledge of what it takes to be a manager.  They usually take on younger bands or bands that have a small to medium size following. You could be their first band or may have a small client list.  The third and final tier is the “Established Manager.”  This person will have an industry rolodex the size of a dictionary and has been working in the industry for some time.  They will usually only take on established bands, but may at times sign a young band that has a lot of buzz or someone they have a feeling about that has the potential to make it to the big time.

 For new artists, you will more then likely work with a first or second tier manager that is very passionate about your music and has a lot of time and energy to put into your career.  This is a good thing because they should be very active in promoting your band and creating an identity and image that future fans can relate to.  This can include setting up web sites, press packets, submitting music to record labels, radio, publishing companies, and possibly booking too.  But how do you know if you’re ready to go out and find a manager?  Here are some questions to ask yourself:

 1. Are we at a point where we have done all we can do by ourselves when it comes to promoting our band?

2. Do we need someone to handle the business aspects of our band, i.e. finances, inventory, submitting music?

3. Are we at a point in our career where a manager would be interested in us?

4. Are we prepared to give up 10-15% of our income?

 After asking yourselves these questions, and answering them honestly, you have decided that finding a manager is a step your band wants to take; here are a few tips on what managers look for in a band.

 1. Music – Music is by far the most important thing that potential managers are looking for when checking out new bands.  There is musical style for all types, but do you fit any of the types for which the manager is looking?  Like I said earlier, when it comes to the 1^st and 2^nd tier managers they are looking for projects they are passionate about, since more then likely at first they won’t be getting paid much (15% of 0 still equals 0) so they better love your music.

 2. Image – Like it or not, image is part of the music industry.  Does your image fit your musical style?  Image means more then just the clothes you wear and the way you style your hair, it is the image you portray during your live shows, how you interact with your fans and the way you present yourself overall.  This is something that can be crafted over time, but it helps in the beginning if you already have an image that goes with the sound.

 3. Professionalism – Didn’t we join a band so we didn’t have to worry about being professional?  True, but a little bit of professionalism will help when meeting with managers and discussing your career. 

 4. Potential – As I mentioned above, music and image are both very important, but if they’re not there yet, there’s still hope.  If a manager sees potential in you as a band and that you can grow into something amazing, they still make take a chance on you.

 So you are now ready for finding a manager, but that’s only half of the equation.  Just because a manager is interested in you, doesn’t really mean they are right for your band.  Here a couple of things that you should be looking at when deciding on a manager.

 1. Tier – What tier manager are they, and is it the right fit for your band?  Obviously a 3^rd tier manager would be great to have for an up and coming band, but that more then likely isn’t going to happen.  So you have to decide if the manager is at the right level for you.  Do you already have a growing fan base and have and are already playing shows regularly?  Then a 1^st tier manager probably isn’t the right choice for you.

 2. Personality – Do you get along with the manger?  I’m not saying you have to be their best friend, but you are entering a pretty serious relationship with someone that you are paying good money to make you a success.  If you can’t stand the person, it will make the relationship that much more difficult to handle.  On the other hand, just because you like someone doesn’t mean they will be a good manager either. 

 3. Commitment – Find out how many other bands the manager is working with.  Are you their only band or do they have a full client list?  Is the manager going to be your main contact, or do they have a staff of underlings that work for them?  You need to feel out where you are going to be on their priority list and that you get your fair share of attention. 

 4. Use Your Gut – There’s a lot of scammers in the music business, is this guy in it for the right reasons?  If it smells like a rat, and looks like a rat, chances are that it is, if you are getting bad vibes, walk away and move on to the next guy.  Another thing to be very careful of is managers that promise the world.  Anybody that guarantees success in the music business is either named Clive Davis, or is selling you a bill of goods, so be cautious of the big talkers.  

 Once you have found your manager, or they have found you, make sure you get a contract.  I can’t stress enough how important this is.  Whether it’s a tier 1, 2, or three you always want to have a document that lays out each party’s obligations to each other.  A good contract should contain at least the following points.

 1. Term – the length of the contract.  Standard length of a first contract is 1-2 years.

2. Obligations – What is the manager going to do to better your career? And what are your obligations to hold up your end of the bargain?

3. Pay – Of course there’s going to be money changing hands at some point.  It’s better to get these details out of the way as soon as possible so both parties are on board and ready to get down to business.

 Of course there will be many more fine point details within the contract, but these are the big three when it comes to negotiations.  And don’t be afraid of lawyers.  Don’t sign anything you don’t understand, it could come back to bite you in the end.  There are far to many stories of bands getting the raw end of a deal and those stories never end well.

I hope this helps you in your decision making on whether or not your band needs a manager or not.  If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me at apelisproductions@hotmail.com

 A.P.