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GETTING
A MANAGER
Getting
a manager can be a tricky business. Many successful artists will
tell you to manage yourself and get a good lawyer. But for the developing
artist without any industry contacts, that's not much help, so you
need to make an informed decision about who is best to represent
you.
1.
Who Should Represent Me?
Your
manager should be someone you like & trust. If you're going
to let this person guide your career and give them 20% of your earnings,
then they have to be like a father or mother to you. It should be
someone with experience, who has industry contacts and can make
things happen for you in real terms. There are plenty of people
around who will promise you the moon, but you need to see actual
results. Your manager should talk in real terms about money. He
should NOT also be your accountant. Record contracts and advances
sound glamorous but often times once costs are deducted, they simply
amount to nothing more than a loan of a working class annual wage
(as you will have to recoup the advance before you start earning).
So your manager should have budgets and a clear idea of goals, salaries
and percentages.
As
always, it's a careful balancing act, and there are always exceptions.
Don't be too brutal with a loyal manager if things aren't happening
right away, and equally, don't go for some fat cat who cares very
little about you simply because he has the contacts - especially
if you have some hungry, fast-talking kid who loves your music,
biting at your heels to work for you.
Most
importantly, your manager should not be connected with your record
label. He is your champion. The label won't talk to you, you are
the creative. Your manager must be independent (or biased towards
you!) if he is to fight your corner. If the label recommends a manager
for you, then he's likely to be in their pocket, and hardly likely
to hunt out dodgy clauses and battle to keep you from being shelved
if you only sell 500 copies of your first single.
2.
How Do I Get This Manager?
Now
that's a tough one. There are no hard and fast rules. Bear in mind
that this is an industry where you have to submit material to lawyers
before it can be solicited to someone who might benefit from managing
you! So if you can get five minutes with a manager, or get a CD
on someone's desk, then go for it! But ACTUALLY DO IT. Don't just
talk about it like everyone else. Inaction will reap zero results.
If you have a lawyer who can shop materials to labels and managers
for you, then great. If not, then look through your CD collection.
Find out who manages the bands you like, or bands that have followed
a path of success you admire. Get the contact information on the
internet or from an Unsigned Guide (see the link on the left of
this page) and ask if it's ok for you to send your fantastic press
pack.
If
the whole package is good enough, then who knows? If they're not
interested, keep following up and try to get advice from them on
what they're looking for and why you're not suitable. Don't change
your art to meet their guidelines. As soon as you do that, the goalposts
will change and you'll be out in the cold. Be true to yourself,
but glean any useful advice you can.
3.
Other People?
You'll
need an accountant (again, someone you trust 100%), and a lawyer
(preferably a music business lawyer who is familiar with the music
biz terminology and the usual rip off clauses). Try to build up
a network of good people around you. You'll need their support during
the hard times.
4.
Conclusion
The
true key to success in the Music Industry is perserverance. Building
a reputation and achieving respect in the music industry is like
losing weight: there are no shortcuts. It's a hard-won art, born
of hard work. You have to take countless rejections. You have to
be able to take and use criticism, and also rise above a sea of
bitter, axe-grinders who will try to bring you down at every opportunity.
Think of it this way, the only people who never make it, are the
ones who give up.
So
don't give up.
SEE
MORE TIPS >>
MAKING
A GOOD DEMO
CREATING A PRESS PACK
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