Self Management Is Key

I've been in this industry a long time and I've seen a lot of things change. Well, let me say that I've seen everything change except the artists' point of view. Most artists/musicians still think that they need a manager, agent or promoter to be a success. That is no longer true and let me explain why. There was a time when managers, agents and promoters really believed and INVESTED in the talent they represented, but no more. As artists, we are looking for guidance and basically some financial help or investment in our careers. There is no need to waste our time any longer. The industry has changed so that managers and the like are only concerned with making themselves money. They are not interested in helping us build our career. They only want to benefit once we are already there. Self management is key because we have to shoulder the responsibility of building and guiding our own careers. I've worked for a lot of agents that have a roster full of artists but they only book each artist a few times a year. This doesn't really help the artist but the agent makes a commission on everyone so he is not really motivated to keep and one artist working too much because he is afraid of the artist becoming bigger than him. Yet the artists will sit by and complain but still hold their hands out waiting on this guy to give them something. Forget that! We have to be self promoting, self booking, self managing . . .etc . . . Build your career until it gets too big for you to handle and even then you can groom someone to handle the co-management duties. We don't have to play these games. The industry has become so reversed. I mean festivals, clubs, labels and the like all think they are more important than the artist and that the artist should bow down to them and for the most part we fall right in line and then complain about being disrespected and underpaid. Time out for that game. Let's ALL commit to stepping up to the plate to handle our own business and don't be afraid, if you don't know something, then just ask or do the research because it's free, it just takes a little time. NO MORE MUSIC INDUSTRY SLAVE MENTALITY. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

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