Your Bands Manager

A band manager is the person in charge of a musical group’s business activities. They may be involved in all aspects of their music industry affairs or handle only a few specified areas. Depending on the success of the band, the manager may be required to travel or they may perform their job in only one location.



If a band is effectively unknown, their job generally entails more responsibilities than if the group is popular. To promote a new band and ensure maximum exposure, the manager is commonly in charge of everything from marketing and public relations to keeping the accounting records in order and arranging transportation to different venues. If the band has already made a name for itself, the manager’s job typically focuses more on booking them and negotiating profitable contracts.


A good band manager is often credited with a band’s success. They are frequently required to be overzealous in their presentation of the bands talent to prospective employers in order to generate interest and excitement. Her press package normally includes demo recordings, photographs of the band in concert, performance reviews and promotional materials such as posters, tee shirts or caps. To get a signed contract for the band generally requires repeated pitches to clubs and tour promoters.


Contract negotiations are customarily the job of a band manager. The first contract they settle is normally between the band members and themselves. Before the band is signed to perform, the manager and band typically find it prudent to establish their mutual goals. The interests covered in the agreement generally detail monetary distribution terms for the band members and the manager as well as traveling limitations, appearance guarantees and the moral and legal responsibilities of all signers of the contract.


When the band is contracted to publicly perform, the band manager is generally expected to negotiate the terms of the pact in the best interests of the band. Knowledge of contract terminology is customarily required of the band manager to ensure complications or misunderstandings are avoided. If the manager and the band members are in the early stages of their careers, the first few contracts may be discussed and negotiated by all of them. 


Once the band is established and the manager has gained their trust, they are often expected to independently negotiate terms and conditions for the band
.


This position normally requires no formal education. Since a band manager deals with finances and contracts, education in business administration or finance may be desirable. Communications or public relations experience can also be a plus for an aspiring band manager. 


Tenacity and likability often significantly contribute to a band manager’s success.

Manage Your Music

Once your band has gone past the "we'll play anywhere just for the sake of it" phase, it's time for a band meeting.....or more appropriately,
meetings. 


At this point, the buzz of performing is still very strong. To continue down this road without any guidance, direction an organisation will see things disintegrate into double-bookings, financial disagreements, repertoire and your once staunch rehearsal timetable.


Like it or not you are going to need a manager. I can hear many independent musicians shaking at this prospect. The vast majority of those who may be somewhat reluctant in this area are reluctant because they're never worked with a manager and only have stories of scams and scandals to go by. Whilst such tales do occur, they occur no more or less than any other business.


When the decision has been made to employ a manager your band must have an initial meeting to do a 'stock-take.' This entails an inventory of all of your recorded music, any video footage that you may have of live performances, press articles, radio interviews, photographs, 'major' appearances, regular venues, type and size of crowds that you attract. Your promotional resources personal/family commitments. With regard to all of these factors, do not lie! It will bite you on the backside further on down the road harder than you can ever imagine.

By this time, your band has been in the game long enough to be able to contact prospective managers. Give yourselves options. You are about to become employers and you want the best candidate to take your career to the next level.


Once you have decided on possibilities, contact them. Contacting them in person is ideal but not always possible. Prospective managers will appreciate your goodwill.


The next step in the process is to organise meetings with each of them. It may be necessary to schedule the meetings over something of a protracted period. This is not a bad thing. There are a few rules that are imperative when each meeting occurs.


Ensure that each band member is not under the influence of alcohol or any other mind-altering substance. Nominate one member to be spokesman. That spokesman should express the bands wishes as far as what they desire from a manager. Only selective material should be presented. Managers are not fond of bands who reel off only their major achievements. Emphasise commitment. Combined with your track record this indicates that the manager can, as previously mentioned, take you to the next level and earn money himself whilst at it. 


When the prospective manager has his say, be on the lookout for 'big-noters' and a blaze' attitude. For the astute musician, these traits will be detected during the initial stage of the meeting.


As your band progress through meetings you will begin to get the knack of what a managers role is and the variety of tactics employed in order to achieve the same desired result. More of that in a future entry.


In the meantime, get yourself some "Redemption." Discount code: lusty

Stay True To Yourself

Ever since The Beatles were launched onto the world stage, the music industry has been obsessed with overnight success. The reality is, you have to work on building careers long-term. It's a lifelong process to become an artist with the stature and longevity. Eric Clapton is a classic example. Overnight success is a great way of destroying a band.


Instill a sense of pride in your band. Build some character within the band. Make them believe they are a great band and fans love their shows.  You have to instil the belief that if nobody comes to see you play, it's because they are not performing to their fullest potential. It's not the fault of the promoter, manager, record label and so forth.


Don't live the rock'n'roll lifestyle. It's a surefire way to end up on the scrapheap (or in rehab). It is, however, an easy 'trap' to fall into. There you are on stage waving your hands in one direction or screaming out one line from a chorus and instantly 20,000 people are mimicking you. From personal experience, this sort of reaction is a rush. Fortunately I didn't take the 'power' side of it at all seriously after the show was over.

If you have a manager and he tells you that a show was rubbish, take it on-board. It's his job to make these comments. He's not doing it to irritate you. He's doing it  because he knows how good you are. 


Receiving a professional and objective critique is all to often misinterpreted by some musicians/bands as a 'criticism.' To the musician who really cares about their career, these critiques give them a sense of value. If they're great, you tell them. If they suck, you tell them. Most bands will take it to heart. If it does't, then it's time for them to quit.


As a musician, conduct yourself in 'real-life' as you wish to be portrayed because you never know who that guy in the suit drinking coffee across from you may be.


Take responsibility for your actions, on-stage and off.

May You Have A Strong Foundation

The reasons for a bands' formation are many and varied. The adrenaline of that initial enthusiasm of the prospect of actually performing live is literally blinding. I cannot emphasise enough that it is during this embryonic phase where every aspect of your band should be considered, discussed and carried out both precisely and in slow-motion.


Despite your eagerness to 'get out there' many factors must be addressed.

The first factor is the bands' line-up. If a full and competent line-up hasn't been formed, then auditioning musicians must be attended. Don't hastily take on the first bass player because he's a nice guy or vocalist because she's attractive.


A band is a business. Despite how they may present on stage, professional independent musicians treat their work as a business. They rarely make it as far as the so-called 'glitz' and if they do, it'll only last one or two gigs.


The auditioning process for a band entails more than most people realise. Are prospective new members willing to perform your style of music and are they able to? Are they willing to rehearse at the times (which should already be set) the band rehearses? Are they willing to travel rather long distances for gigs?


It is also very important to find out the aspirations of prospective members, their track record musically and their personality. Obviously at auditions a musicians competence can be gauged pretty quickly, as can their ability to adapt to your style of music if this is required.

During auditions prospective candidates are going to be (ideally) on their best behaviour. When the band gets on a roll this can quickly change. It is a wise move to have someone outside the band observe auditions. Subtle things like body language, eye movements that people think go unnoticed, the way that the musician being auditioned carry themselves in general should all be taken into account.


A few musicians may disagree with what I'm about to say but I'm speaking form well over 20 years experience. It pays to ask around about the persons general character, circle of friends and so forth. Be upfront with them and tell them that this is part of your protocol. When it comes to individual band members, any secrets that may jeopardise the bands' progress further on down the track should be willingly and openly brought to the surface immediately.


Every band member is the business of the band. This can be subtly reinforce with involving every member as much as is possible with all facets of matters pertaining to the band. No matter how trivial a matter may seem, the more in-touch with the 'big picture' of the band that all members are privy to, as a professionally courtesy and a business tactic.


These initial moves really do ensure that your band is a cohesive unit before you hit your first note at rehearsal.

"Fire All Amps."

I have commenced this new blog as the result of requests from independent musicians to (hopefully) explain what being an independent musician entails. The amount of time and effort that goes into what is finally heard/seen by music enthusiasts can't possibly be captured in listening to a few tracks or attending concerts.


From music enthusiasts I have been asked just what does go into 'the finished product.' I must confess, I'm extremely heartened by these requests on behalf of myself and fellow independent musicians.

I shall be keeping this entry brief, basically as an entre' for what shall ensue in future entries.


I shall be drawing not only from my own experiences but am officially inviting music enthusiasts and independent musicians to submit question, relay experiences and so forth. I feel that this will give me as balanced an overview as possible.

Please submit questions and experiences by email to my Facebook profile page. All relevant information will be given due credit in the form of a link to your site of preference. It may take a wee while to sift through things but I will get to them.


Watch this space....