For years the dream of every artist on the planet was to have a “heavy” manager pounding the label for more radio promotion,more tour support, more marketing, retail front space and so on. But today, is having someone like that in your early career stages really necessary?
If you are building your own base and considering your own Internet releases, why would you need one of the big management companies? They aren’t going to be interested in you anyway at this point in your career. They cannot afford to take the time and attention you would require as a “baby” act with nothing to commission for a few years into the future, and that’s if everything goes the best it can go. You may say “Well what about opening acts for headliners? They can swing that can’t they?” Many times yes but unless your daddy’s rich or your uncle left you a few hundred thousand dollars, who’s going to pay for your travel, accommodations, food,van and on and on. It’s expensive to play to a few hundred people before the headliner!
The other side of the coin is signing to early with a local friend, enthusiastic relative or regional operator. Again, what’s the purpose? If you do break you will only wind up hurting that person’s feelings who may have dedicated their life to your success as well as some cash as well. Those kinds of deals hardly ever last and can account for a lot of excess baggage should you require the big guns later down the road. You see, I think the whole landscape has changed and will continue to do so as we move from the old model to the new ones already developing. Now the game will shift to Internet PR, Marketing and Promotion, but like the financing of the making of records, the costs of doing this yourself are not out of reach. A few young guns in a garage armed with an airport connection can do a wicked job of stirring up the market for you.
You best bet is to stand on the sidelines, don’t sign anything to early,do as much as you can to develop yourselves and wait till there’s a story to tell.
Just my opinion…..more to follow
