Band Scenario 1 - You have a covers band, you have the equipment, and you have gigs, but you want more. You all have "day jobs," because the money coming in isn't going to pay all of the bills, and it probably never will, but you do this for fun (and money) and want to keep it up.
Band Scenario 2 - You have original songs - great songs that you want to get out there and showcase. You want to be a professional performer, but you don't want to know how to do all of the business stuff that it takes to get from here to there....
The answer may be that you are ready to hire a band manager. Booking agents either call you or you pursue them. Band managers do things for you on your behalf. They assist you in achieving your goals. You are the customer. You tell them what you want to achieve and then together you divvy up the responsibilities to get to your goals. You'll still have responsibilities, but so will they.
The Metro Gnome asked Rhonda Lewis, from Uptone Entertainment to tell us from a band manager's perspective what it takes to manage a band. We're not going to tell you that you have to engage a manager, in fact, we're going to develop a library of how to do a lot of things yourself - but here's one band manager's perspective on The Basics of Managing a Band....
The Basics of Managing a Band
By Rhonda Lewis, Uptone Entertainment
The following is of my opinion, lessons learnt, mistakes made and what I believe a manager should be.
Some Fundamentals
Firstly, I believe that a manager should be part of the team, whether it is a band, group, duo or solo act. There must be trust, good communication and understanding between all parties to enable the team to function well on all levels. I am a firm believer in contracts that are fair to both parties. Not so long ago there was a time when verbal contracts were the done thing, some of these are still in place now (decades later) and are still as strong as when first taken up. Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with verbal contracts if that is what you prefer but with the system as it is today you must have a solid back up. Draft your contacts with honesty and care, do not sell yourself short and do not take advantage of your band. Some new bands do not know the ins and outs of contracts and it should be stated in such contract that they have it looked at by a solicitor or at least somebody in the know. There are several basic contracts on the web that can be downloaded, all you have to do then is change what you feel is appropriate to you and your band.
Another belief I have is that your band members should feel comfortable with you and that they can come to you with any questions, ideas, grievances, even personal problems. The more the manager knows about their band members the better the communication. Remember that you are not only their manager but also their shoulder to cry on and sometimes an imaginary punching bag (not literally). At times you will feel like a babysitter at other times a mum or dad, this is all part of management. I personally would never turn away somebody with a problem; even if I can't fix it I can listen and maybe sometimes advise. It's all part of the job, just don't let them become too dependant on you.
You must remember that you are their Band Manager not their Bank Manager, the band must self fund, I personally cannot have hand in pocket all the time and refuse to do so. If the band needs something, the band pays/works for it. Sounds harsh but it is fact. (Guess that comes from years of saying "NO" to my kids, just hope the band members don't ask my kids how they got me to say "YES").
Never stop working, always be on the look out for places for your band to play, ideas pop up in the strangest places sometimes. You are always learning in this business and always ask questions about anything you are not sure of, even those who have been around for ages are still learning something new all the time, and I don't just mean technology either. I have only recently retuned to the industry after a 27 year break and the quickest way that I thought I could catch up on the industry was to attend TAFE. It's working well and I can't believe how much the industry has changed. So if you are in doubt, do yourself and your band a favour and enrol into Music Industry (Business) Cert 111. It will open your eyes to a whole new world. (Especially Copyright & Royalties....wow!!!).
Presentation Pack
Remember to get the presentation pack right. There is nothing worse than underdoing or overdoing it. It should contain a tape or CD (sometimes best to have both), a cover letter and a bio. Hopefully the cover letter has been read first by whomever you have sent it to. Then they listen to your tape or CD. Don't forget that yours isn’t the only one they have received, they may receive hundreds every week. They must be interested in what they are listening to within the first 30 seconds or forget it; the rest won't be heard at all. Always use top quality tapes and CDs, then make sure the mix is perfect and the have somebody neutral listen to it for their opinion before sending it off. Always put your best track first, and then they are more inclined to listen to the others. Only have three maybe four tracks, they don't have time to listen to any more.
What a Manager Does
It can be difficult to put into words what a manager does, exactly. Firstly the act/band does the gigs and the manager does mostly everything else, i.e. dealing with agents, record companies, the press, radio and television stations, administration etc, etc, etc and so on. Learn how to delegate certain tasks. If you cannot afford to hire staff, there would be a lot of friends and family members willing to give you a hand, especially with office work and bookkeeping. Personally, I hate handling the money side of things and would prefer to have an accountant do it, but that comes at a cost, so I will delegate.
The band should also be involved in what the manager does so therefore I suggest that regular meetings are held, at least once a month with the whole band present and weekly with the band leader. This way, you execute the business plan and everyone knows what is happening. Because we all see things differently, it is a good idea to discuss everything and get it right the first time. Even the putting together of a band bio and demo for a promotional kit should be done with all involved so there is no arguments later about what should have been said and wasn't. Everything from where the photo shoot is to take place and who the photographer will be should be discussed and decided upon jointly. Nothing worse than organising a photographer to only find out that he's your drummers ex brother in-law that hates him. Just little things like that can be a big waste of time and energy.
In the end....
What you have just read is of my own opinion and what I have learnt over the years (plus at TAFE recently). It's not easy being a manager but don't let that deter you, if you love what you are doing and can be confident that there is trust and good communication between you and your band then all will be fine. There are so many sites on the web to assist you (and me) that you really can't go wrong. There are also many professional music industry personnel out there that are only too willing to answer any of your questions, just pick up the phone or send an email.
About Uptone
I have just recently started to manage a great bunch of guys who go by the name of Sculptors Mode. They are a rock band from the Hills district in Sydney and will be embarking on the gig scene sometime in July. They are fabulous and are an all original band.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions (if I don't know the answer, I will find it for you). Or if you have any suggestions for me, give me a call or send me an email.
Rhonda Lewis
uptone@gmail.com
Uptone Entertainment
Phone /Fax: 02 9670 1375
Mobile: 0402 459 316
No comments:
Post a Comment