Louis Walsh and Ralph Heibutzki are an example of a great Band Manager focusing on cultural and musical articles, Heibutzki has written for seventeen years. He has appeared in the All Music Guide, Goldmine, Guitar Player, and Vintage Guitar. Also he is the writer of Half finished Business : The Life & Times Of Danny Gatton ( 2003 ), and holds a journalism degree from Michigan State Varsity . By Ralph Heibutzki, eHow Contributor due to a tiny promotional savvy and a fair bit of luck, your band is at a crossroads.
Gigs are stacking up, merchandising income is healthy, and your indie-level releases are getting attention. With this much on your plate, perhaps it is time to enroll somebody to help plot long term system, and run interference with the outside world–in short, an executive. Think hard about the choice, however–great executives are worth everything to an act, while a bad one can cripple a job.
Instructions for finding the best manager -
one – Be realistic–if you only play a few times a month, you can still handle your own bookings. Without a wild fanbase packing each club you play, getting an executive interested is a hard requirement. The same rule is still true for the supposed “reclusive genius” angle, unless those self-produced albums recorded in the bedroom are creating powerful reactions from the people you are looking to reach.
Two – Consider the people nearest to you first, if it’s the club booker who hires you each month, or the local writer with a serious contacts list. Relations are the glue of the music biz ; without them, your prospective chief is not very likely to take your band to a higher level. Nonetheless keep an open mind–many a great boss has overcome inexperience with an eagerness to learn, and benefit from any situation.
Three – Get references from your prospects, and speak to other musicians who’ve worked with them. Proof of dishonesty gets around fast, though that is not the sole issue to stress about. Watch for the hint of burning bridges, too–a person who’s seen as abrasive won’t evoke any confidence, and may hinder a vocation before it even starts.
four – Interview your prospects about how they see your band, and where they would like to take your career–if they have got anything on the ball, they may be able to explain without delay. This is the time to discover if both sides are really on the same wavelength. If your possible chief is eager on using your female lead singer’s attributes to sell your music, find somebody else who shares your vision.