1.0 Finding a Manager

1.1 Why?

For a new artist, the manager’s primary task will be to help secure recognition for that artist. An initial goal is likely still to be the securing of a record deal. The manager’s role in relation to a recognised artist is likely to be multi-faceted. Hence, for most artists, the involvement of a manager is crucial whatever stage the artist has reached. Indeed, in the light of recent industry changes, the manager’s role, generally, is more crucial than before. The traditional “route to market” of securing a contract with a major record label is still a valid one but major record companies no longer dominate as before. They do not sign as many new artists and they do not invest so heavily in them. Increasingly, therefore, artists have to be innovative about how they market themselves and their music. If there is a record deal with a major record company the manager now often has a more important role than used to be the case. The major record companies between them now employ a fraction of the number of personnel employed before the industry was beset with its current problems. There is no longer the same level of A&R support or anything like the same level of marketing and promotion support. Previously, the record company may have sought to marginalise the manager; now the record company is more likely to rely upon the manager to help formulate and implement the marketing plan for the artist in question. Perhaps never before has the manager been more highly valued.

1.2 When?

Generally, the sooner the appointment is made the better. The manager prefers to have a clean slate to work from. It would not usually be a good idea for an artist to negotiate a record deal, for example, and then ask a manager to take matters over. The artist would typically look for a manager as the first stage towards securing a record deal. Most labels prefer to deal with managers rather than artists (at least when it comes to negotiating deals) and often the artist will benefit from the additional validity brought to his or her project by the involvement of a respected manager. Nevertheless, artists should not rush into management arrangements. It is better for the artist to wait until the right manager is found rather than engage the wrong one. The artist/manager relationship is a personal one so that as with all personal relationships the parties involved should proceed initially with some caution.

1.3 How?

Sometimes the manager will find the artist. This is likely to be the result of a tip-off although the manager may have happened upon the artist at a gig or by finding his or her way to the artist’s MySpace page or website. Generally, however, the artist will need to adopt a proactive approach. He or she should first set about compiling a short list of potential candidates. The artist should talk to all of his or her contacts in the industry. One approach is to identify other admired artists and find out about their management arrangements (although it is not necessarily sensible for an artist to be with a manager who already looks after a similar and therefore competing artist).

1.4 Presentations

It is rarely worth “cold calling” by sending out circulars and the like. The artist will need to make a personal approach to the targeted manager or find somebody who is prepared to do this on his or her behalf. The artist should put together a presentation package of some kind, i.e. a CD of a few of the artist’s best songs (even if they are in rudimentary demo form). One or two photographs and a short biography together with any press cuttings would be useful. Successful managers are busy people so that it may be counter-productive for an artist to be too pushy. Most managers will have the courtesy to respond to approaches but they need to be given some time.

1.5 What to Look for in a Manager

When there is a shortlist of managers showing positive interest the artist should consider the following points:-

1.5.1 how experienced is the manager?

1.5.2 how successful has the manager been (and has that success been in a comparable field)?

1.5.3 how long has he or she worked in the music industry and in what different capacities?

1.5.4 does he or she have a good reputation and/or what are his or her reputed strengths?

1.5.5 is he or she primarily a business manager or a creative manager?

1.5.6 how long has he or she managed any other artists with whom he or she is involved (the artist should try and talk to those other artists)?

1.5.7 does the manager have the type of personality the artist is looking for (is he or she the aggressive type or perhaps a more diplomatic type of manager)?

1.5.8 where is the manager based and what back up is available and what kind of office facilities does he or she have?

1.5.9 how much time will the manager be able to spend on the artist’s affairs?

1.5.10 how convinced does the manager seem of the artist’s talent?

1.5.11 at what level are his or her contacts in the industry?

1.5.12 does the manager have experience of the industry outside the UK (does he or she for example have contacts in America)?

1.5.13 does he or she have good negotiating skills?

1.5.14 will the manager (or his or her staff) be able to deal efficiently with the details (i.e. returning phone calls, dealing with correspondence, maintaining proper financial records etc)?

1.5.15 if the artist already has a recording or publishing deal does the manager have any history of dealings with the companies concerned and if so what do the key personnel at those companies think of him or her?

1.6 The Decision

An artist should try to adopt a professional approach to the selection process but, ultimately, the artist should rely upon his or her instincts in determining whether or not the management relationship is likely to be an effective and successful one.

1.7 Business Managers

In the USA there is a fairly common practice of dividing responsibility between a general manager and a business manager. This is only rarely seen in the UK. The general manager will have responsibility for determining the overall strategy for the artist’s career and for the day to day implementation of that strategy and will have some input in relation to creative and artistic matters whilst the business manager will have responsibility for financial matters. For this reason, business managers tend often to be accountants. They will often work closely with the artist’s lawyer. If there is to be a division of responsibilities in this way then it is crucial for the artist that there is good communication between all three parties and that there is a good working relationship between the general manager and the business manager since otherwise there is an obvious danger that mistakes will occur and that bickering will ensue.

1.8 Home Grown Managers

The manager is often found close to home. The manager may be a close relative or, perhaps, a school friend. In such cases, the manager is unlikely to have much experience but there may be compensating benefits. If the parties are happy to work together, there is little reason why the customary industry terms should not apply (and there is just as much reason to formalise the arrangements). The position is more complicated in the case of a group of artists who decide that one member of the group should double as the manager. This often leads to arguments either over money or as a result of the imbalance of power between the manager member or members and the non-manager members. Logically, if one band member assumes all of the usual management functions, there is no reason why he or she should not be paid management commission at the same rate and in the same manner as any other manager but this inevitably leads to a significant economic imbalance between the parties and this sometimes gives rise to resentments. Of course, in the case of a successful band, there is unlikely to be time for any one person to be both artist and manager. In other cases, where the management role is perhaps limited to basic correspondence and bookkeeping and one band member is better equipped to deal with this than the others then the group may agree to pay a modest fee. Many groups below a certain level of activity/success divide up management responsibilities between themselves. Usually, there is no payment for their services even though inevitably the contributions will be unequal.