have the oppotunity of a liftime and not sure what to do

J

jerseyboy

New member
o.k. first things first yes i am a newbie here but i have a serious question for those here who have the experience.

my brothers girlfriend is being offered a deal with a major recording labelshe has no representation. i was asked to co-manager her alongside my brother. now i have plenty experience managing but i never had any schooling in the music management field.

i know that i need to get a lawyer asap, and i know that i need to become familiar with the way business is conducted in the arena.
so my question to you guys is what should be my first step to doing this and being successful at it?

thanks in advance for all the help!

and please if you dont have something constructive to add please pretend that you didnt read this(i really don't have time for that) i have a week to get my stuff presentable :D
 
The lawyer thing is a must. Make sure he/she is an "Entertainment Attorney" and ask for current references. If they won't give current references then walk, no make that run, away.

If she's really going pro then she needs Professional management. Again, current references are a must. If you want a crash course in the business get the book "All You Need to Know About the Music Business" fifth edition by Donald S. Passman. Books A Million normally stocks it. If not then Amazon.com. The Library of Congress number is ISBN 0-7432-4637-3. It goes into detail about all the slimy stuff that goes on. What I like is it describes in detail what to expect (and what to watch out for) in a contract in layman terms. It won't make you an expert but it'll help you to understand what the lawyer is trying to explain.

DD
 
Thanks

thanks for the info

i was thinking of telling her to get a pro but i think this could be an opportunity to get my foot in the door in this business.

again thanks for the info :D
 
jerseyboy said:
i was thinking of telling her to get a pro but i think this could be an opportunity to get my foot in the door in this business.
Click to expand...

My perspective is that you really need to be most interested in her success to be a successful manager. Not so much on getting your foot in. You have to keep in mind that she's worked hard to get this deal opportunity. Inexperienced management can squander all of that effort, and that'd be a shame. A good book will tell you the same. You also have to ask yourself if you are prepared to stick around if the deal falls through. If not, stop now. If you don't truly enjoy her style of music, stop now. You'll never be able to promote it effectively.

If you're set on doing this on your own and learning as you go then you really need to understand her goals and see how a contract fits in within the context of those goals. Work with her to expand those goals beyond the signing of the contract and focus all of your effort on acheiving them. If you can't tell her what your ideas are for the future you won't have the vision necessary to make her successful. Really spec this out and get consensus with the team. Be honest with yourself about where your experience, your brother's, etc. can reasonably help and you'll be more aware of where the team needs outside assistance to meet the goals. If you can help the team set good goals and everyone can pull together to reach those goals you'll do fine. If you can't, you won't. Better to know ahead of time, I say.

My 2 cents,
Shaun
 
I would guide her into finding a professional. If you take the same interest in her career that you do, you may be able to pick up some knowledge here and there to further your own benefit.

Keep in mind that sometimes it's not what you know, it's who you know. If your brother's girlfriend's deal goes through good, just be supportive. Se may be able to help you get your foot in the door later (if her and your brother don't break up and she takes it out on you).
 
How did this pan out? You are going to need a pro if she is actually getting signed to a major.

I have managed a few artists on major labels if you want to drop me an email:
scott@itsagas.net . I can probably point you in the right direction for managers and attorneys.
 
Agree that an attorney is a must.

It's not a big deal that you don't know much, but you'll need to be sure to hang around with people who do because you'll want to go to them if there are any problems/questions that come up.
 
thanks everyone

i 1st want to thank everyone for there info and opinions.

just to update everyone we deciced that it would be best if she went with someone else as her manager. but there will always be a open door once she gets everything moving. the deal should be going through really soon. shes trying to iron out the $$$ right now. so i will keep you guys posted. ;)
 
Probably a good idea. Plus, maybe you can use this situation as a learning tool to get a firsthand education on the business, without risking her success or your reputation. That would be optimal.
 
yes sir!!1

Monsoon said:
Probably a good idea. Plus, maybe you can use this situation as a learning tool to get a firsthand education on the business, without risking her success or your reputation. That would be optimal.
Click to expand...




that was my thoughts also. cuz i know there is so much more that i need to know before stepping into that arena.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top