Managers

In the last few months, we have been getting our feet wet. We have been breaking down the professional Jambands, seeing how they tick. How does this stuff work? We have examined the roles of the publicist and the booking agent, and have seen their contributions to the music that we love.

This month, we are going to examine the role of the band manager. This person is the conductor of this speeding train, and their quick thinking, experience, and connections will help to drive.

The band manager is the person who is coordinating the efforts of all of the people on the band’s business team. This is their chief responsibility. They must formulate the goals of the band’s business, and implement a plan that is sculpted to realize those goals. The manager then directs the various people within the team to execute the plan.

The manager directs the booking agent as to where the band needs to be performing live. The manager negotiates contracts with record companies and oversees the usage of a band’s music by moviemakers, advertisers, and Internet agents. The manager supervises the publicist’s work for the band, suggesting media outlets and pulling in connections within the media world. The manager seeks out endorsements and advertising deals that both raise money for the band, and help to position the public’s perception of the band and their goals.

The manager directs the road manager as to what needs to be done to keep the band happy and working well on the road. The manager must facilitate the flow of information between the team members, so that everyone is informed and understands their assignment.

A good manager must be able to connect with the musicians who make up the band. It is difficult to turn the vision within someone’s head into a stage production, or a migration of peoples. Oftentimes managers have to take up the fantasies of the artist, and turn them into reality within changing conditions, while risking dollars and the careers of their clients on daily decisions.

Compared to the sports world, a band manager is a combination of the General Manager and the Coach. They are completely responsible for all of the actions of the organization, so that the music can flow freely and smoothly, and fans have access to the work of the artist.

Many bands in our community have a business leader who is a combination booking agent/band manager. This is common as bands develop, for devoted workers are hard to find on limited budgets. Al Hinton is the band manager and booking agent for the bluegrass band Acoustic Syndicate ( http://www.acousticsyndicate.com) It should be noted, however, that these are difficult jobs, and a band will almost always benefit from specialized workers.

It is not unusual for people to have to take multiple responsibilities in this field, though. Sometimes you have to be a jack of all trades. Darren Cohen supplies a mixture of booking and management to his clients, who include InaSense, the Slip, and the Miracle Orchestra.

To help me to illustrate this, I talked to Paul Wolstencroft, keyboards for Jiggle the Handle ( http://www.jigglethehandle.com.) That band has been under the management of Gamelan Interactive and Andrew Stahl for several years.

Paul says that he looks to management to, "make the big connections with other national acts, seek and negotiate record contracts, and to direct the whole flow of the band's activities. When we first started out, Andrew did everything- publicity, booking, management, everything. But as we have progressed as a band and a business, we have been able to delegate responsibilities to role players that are specialized in those areas. This leaves Andrew free to actually manage the band.”

All of these tasks are the practical side of management. There is another side of management that needs to be discussed, and it is vital to the success of a band’s management. A manager must be connected. They must be a keen networker with a social flare and an ability to convince others to contribute to the team’s goals.

A manager must be able to attract high rollers in the form of band investors, record producers, and other high profile artists ready to help out the new band on the circuit. With a well-placed phone call and a developed relationship, the band manager can change the course of a band’s career.

For instance, being added to a tour of a national headliner is the goal of every developing band, and a manager must call on their connections and relationships to make this happen. A well known guest musician on an album or live in concert can help to shape the public’s awareness of the artistic goals of the band, while gaining notoriety for developing acts. A manager must be able to deliver.

For instance, Chris Zahn had been the talent buyer at the Wetlands before he began his management of the Disco Biscuits. The connections that he made within that club will power his ability to manage his clients. Having had working relationships with many bands, media, clubs, and people providing the services of this industry will enable him to assist his client in a fashion that is far superior to someone’s friend or a relative who is well meaning but not connected. His presence in that organization signals to outsiders (booking agents, music supervisors, advertisers, etc) that there is talent and experience on the management team of the band as well as on stage.

More so than other task driven roles that we have examined so far, the manager’s job has a sprinkle of magic to it. The job description calls for the organization of an accountant and the vision of a mystic. Such a person is a rare find, and these skills are developed and refined over many years.