When Alternative Press asked me to write a little something about "how to manage your own band" I had to ask myself, "What makes me qualified to talk on this subject?" I mean just because I manage my own band doesn't necessarily mean I'm good at it. The Dillinger Escape Plan certainly isn't the most successful band in the world by most people's standards and the type of music we play has even been considered the antithesis of what is marketable. Yet the guys at Alternative Press aren't the first people to ask me to write about my experiences as a manager. In fact, countless numbers of bands and even band managers have asked my advice on subjects pertaining to band management. Anything from where to find a deal on a bus or van, to what label do I think they should sign with, and even do I think they need a manager at all. At the end of the day I guess maybe what impresses these people about my involvement with Dillinger is the fact that after 10 years of trucking along, in often very unfavorable circumstances, we are still a band at all. I consider the guys in the band my brothers, and as far as family businesses go, we are doing pretty well. We may not be a major corporation making millions of dollars a year but we do this for a living and continue to maintain some degree of relevance and growth both artistically and as a business.
- What is a manager and do I need one?
Not many people can effectively define what a manager is. I don't even know what a manager is exactly. I do know, however, what a manager is not. A typical manager is not a lawyer, an accountant, a producer, a graphic artist, a record label, a booking agent, or a publicist. At the same time, having worked in one of these fields often provides a new manager with the experience and personal connections to make him or her feel qualified for the position. A manager is essentially someone who facilitates relationships with all these people and advocates on behalf of the band once all these services are in place.
My band has already employed most of these services, or we just do it ourselves. The one thing I always tell people who approach me about managing my band is, "Managing is not a noun it is a verb." Managing is not a title but an action. If you want to do something for my band that we are not already doing, then do it and I'll give you a percentage of the money you've generated. Most of them say, "absolutely"--and I never hear from them again. Action speaks louder than words. Whether having a manager is useful depends on a number of factors. You just need to ask yourself a few questions.
Does the manager actually want to work with my band? If so, can this person do anything I can't do for myself?
In my experience most mangers suffer from something I like to call the "Credit Card" syndrome (no this doesn't mean they let you use their credit card to buy whores and drugs). The "Credit Card" syndrome occurs when a manager waits until a band has self promoted themselves to a point where they are just about to make it big and then snags them up so he can take credit for everything that follows. I got news for you buddy; it's not hard to set up a couple meetings with a few majors after a band has already sold 200k records on an indie. I know for a fact that no one can sell my band better than I can and most likely the same goes for you and your band. The problem is that most new bands without a lot of recognition have not had much business experience and haven't had the opportunity to make many important connections in the business. A good manager with industry ties can bring amazing opportunities to the table for a young band.
Unfortunately, one of the problems with this is that it is nearly impossible for someone who has other interests in the business to completely look out for your best interest. It is almost certain that sooner or later a major conflict of interest will arise which may tarnish your ability to optimize your band's career. Often these conflicts are due to the fact that a manager's ultimate objective is different then a individual bands considering a manager most likely works with multiple acts and has to maintain relationships with many different people.
Does what a manager brings to the table justify the percentage they are taking?
A valid question I would say. Assuming you care about paying your bills. The likelihood of ever selling millions of records and becoming so wealthy you can buy your own man servant, even with the best manager in the world, is probably about as great as your boning Lindsey Lohan. There are millions of bands out there and only about 100 of them may have that opportunity. However, making a living off your band if you are talented and smart about how you conduct your business is very possible.
Most management contracts consist of the manager taking 15% to 20% of your gross income. That is off of everything from the money you get from your recording advance, to a shirt you sell at a show, to tour support money borrowed from your record label (often not even needed if a tour is planned properly). While in most cases the term "gross income" means income earned before any expenses have been deducted, in management contracts this term is sometimes used even though the deal actually refers to income after most deductions have been made. In other words, you should make sure that is clear before you even start calculating what a manager's services may cost you. For example:
Scenario 1: Manager takes 20% commission off of the actual gross (before deductions):
Say you are getting a $100,000 advance for your record and you are going to spend half of that on expenses related to actually making your record ($50,000). The manager's commission would be $20,000 and if you have 5 members in your band and you all split the money equally, each of you makes $6,000.
Scenario 2: Manager takes 20% commission after deduction and expenses:
If you are still getting a $100,000 advance and you are still spending $50,000 on the record itself, then the manager's commission would now be $10,000 and the 5 band members would each make $8,000.
I don't know about you, but my cheap ass could live 6 months off an extra 2k.
Regardless of whether or not you think your manager did something to earn that ten to twenty thousand big ones, you have to look at the big picture. Your manager isn't going to only commission money that he negotiated for you directly but also income that he really had not much to do with at all. If you sell a shirt and your manager takes a percentage of that money, did they earn it? If you play a show and your manager takes a chunk of your guarantee, did they earn that? Sometimes absolutely, but sometimes these percentages mean the difference between you making a living or not.
- If I do in fact decide to manage my own band, how?
The first step in effectively managing your own band is to have a band worth managing at all. If you suck you will need a really great manager to convince people you are good. Chances are you're not a good enough manager to do that. If there is just absolutely no way for you and your band to make music that is contributing any thing new and exciting, then I would suggest putting on some makeup, getting awesome hair, and getting a manager immediately. Chances are you will be on Warped Tour within a year, really big, have a million myspace friends, but be poor as dirt.
For those of you who have managed to create something worthwhile, and have taken the time to develop a product that people are generally interested in, most likely people in the industry will be happy to discuss your situation with you. Meet as many people as possible and ask as many questions as you can. You will be surprised where a simple conversation with a band slightly bigger than yours will lead. People like talking about themselves and their experience so let them. Absorb everything you can while making important connections. Most people will be so happy you are asking for their professional advice as opposed to just begging for a favor that they often help you out anyway. It won't be long before you begin to figure out what direction works for you.
As things begin to happen for your band, it is very important that you know the reality of what your band is worth. You may think you are the best band in the world but you have to be realistic about what pull you have on paper. Perception is a big part of the promotion and marketing of a band and their music. But while a good amount of industry people have no idea what good music is, they are not stupid. If you are not aware of how many records you are selling and how many heads you are putting in clubs, you will never be able to effectively determine what you realistically should be fighting for when it comes to the business of your band.
Another important aspect of successfully managing your band is having the ability to know when you should hire a professional to take on certain tasks. That is what managers do when you hire them, so you should not be afraid to delegate responsibility to professionals. Hire an accountant to help you set up a corporation so you are not individually liable for the band and you can get benefits such as a business credit card and insurance. Hire a lawyer to make sure you negotiate contracts favorably. When the time comes that you have offers to play a lot of shows, acquire a booking agent to issue your contracts and get you as much money as possible for appearances. Just because you choose not to pay a manager a percentage of all your income, doesn't mean it's a good idea to be a jack of all trades. The mistakes you make could cost you more than the money you would save doing it yourself.
Whether you decide to hire a manager, manage your own band, or any combination of the two, there has never been a better time for a band to become proactive in the development and success of their career. New technologies such as the internet have revolutionized the way in which bands are able to market and distribute their music effectively and affordably. There are no right answers when it comes to this type of thing because every band is different. I would just suggest that if you are looking to make a long lasting career out of your music, educate yourself on as many aspects of the business as possible in order to have a successful and fulfilling experience in a very difficult yet rewarding business.