Members bassknave Posted April 3, 2004 Members Share Posted April 3, 2004 In my four years on this forum, I don't think I've ever seen agents, managers, or other lice of that ilk mentioned here. The topic might be worth discussion, if only for comic relief. In nearly 40 years as musician, comedian, actor, voiceover and sometime talent booker, I've dealt with literally dozens of agents and managers. Most were, to put it kindly, mediocre; a couple (or three) were excellent; a substantial minority were absolutely abysmal. Far too many are reminiscent of old-time wrestling promoters--they have their little circuits of rooms, subcontract talent to each other, and at all costs, avoid competing with each other. Technically, we retain (employ) them, yet they treat us as serfs. Most are as lazy as pet 'possums, and look only at their bottom line. Years ago, an agent with whom we were exclusive actually booked us on two days' notice to open in Detroit the night after we closed in Denver--it would have been a fifteen hundred mile drive in about twelve hours. He had the gall to get upset when we declined the gig. In the past twelve years with Stormfront, a classic rock cover act (that actually plays a few current chick songs), idiot agents have booked us into: --and that just scratches the surface. Anybody ever had a decent rep? Know how to find one? Do you agent/manager horror stories (like the agent in 1971 who wanted me to sing R & B in blackface) to share? Put 'em here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted April 3, 2004 Members Share Posted April 3, 2004 My one band fizzled before we got on board, but our booking agent was a old hand bass player with a good reputation. He booked for some friends' band, and they had nothing but good things to say about him. I think it's just like finding a job. Networking and word-of-mouth are the best 'metal detectors' for good people. If you're a youngin' like me, ask some of the guys who have been around awhile and who've had experience. I got to know this person through a business owned by my old guitar instructor. In the pseudo-band I'm in now, we book for ourselves. Booking your own low-class band into trashy bars is a suck job, especially if you play all originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted April 3, 2004 Members Share Posted April 3, 2004 Hey Bassknave, I hate to drag you out of lurk mode, but I have a question: what's the band situation like in Eau Claire? I'm 90% sure I'll be moving there come fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassknave Posted April 3, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2004 Lotta good players here (the local U has an excellent music program--especially for jazzers--Pat Metheny's KB {Lyle Mays}came from here, as did Jeff Keezer), though, since it's a small town, the real talent pool is quite small (one of my GTRs commutes from Shorewood (St Paul)--hired him when his wife was teaching locally, and our vocalist lives in Bloomer--30 miles away. There's no money in local venues--only one or two hire road bands; the rest depend on locals. A few local original acts are making a buck playing the Twin Cities. If you want to know more, PM me--maybe I can hook you up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members madjack Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 Hey bassknave; Sounds like you used to book with GMA (affectionaly known as the Good Milage Agency). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Tune Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 We have been through a few different agents. I've brought up the topic a few times in this forum. I think that they all suck. The bottom line is that they make the market what they want it to be. This is my whole take on music. Even if the music totally sucks, a record company's PR guy can have it make some money. It's a matter of forcing it down everyone's throat. If it get's enough airplay, it'll sell. It's the same way with agents and bands. I'm going to make a statement here and it may sound a little egotistical. I'm not trying to be that way, I'm just trying to be honest. My band is better that 60 to 70% of the bands out there that are on a bigger circuit. There are a few things that have held us back. 1) Our age is a factor. We're not 21 anymore. Two of us are in our 30's and 3 are in their 40's. 2) There are bigger bands already established. They've been doing the circuit for 10 or 15 years and they command a high paycheck. They switch members with diffeent bands but essentially, it's mostly the same guys playing music in the higher circuit. Because they are commanding a higher paycheck, that makes more loot for the agent. So, the bloodsucking agents pay much more attention to them and are not so interested in booking smaller fish. In turn, you'll play less until they find the desire to push you. 3) They could care less about you. You are a whore. They are the pimp. After a while, we decided to trade in our stilletto heels for a brain. We were getting booked once a month in God forsaken holes in the wall. We decided to try booking ourselves and it was like magic. We obtained 50 gigs in no time, we are booked in some clubs until the end of the year (and have been since January), and we don't listen to anyone but ourselves. We make less money but in the end it's worth it. Now we don't hear stupid excuses like......."They wouldn't book you because of your name" That's Bull Puckey. How come we are just establishing relationships with the club owners and when we book, our name is not a problem. When they try to book, there's problems. Aren't they supposed to have a good relationship with the clubs that they are booking for? I know that we do. Hummmmmmmmmmm. Something don't add up. The bottom line is that all agents suck. They lie, cheat and steal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by Tommy Tune 3) They could care less about you. You are a whore. They are the pimp. That's pretty much the way the world is... once you accept the fact that you have to be a whore to survive and prosper, the rest is easy. Then, all you have to negotiate is the price for the deed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scodiddly Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 I don't think I'd ever hire a manager, unless I really got big. Ever wonder if the clubs hate the managers as much as the musicians? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 Sometimes the agent/manager's job is to do the dirty work for you. How about getting paid by a sleezy club booker? Ideally, the agent structures the booking paperwork so you have a deposit, ther terms of the booking are in writing and you will have advance notice if there are problems with the booker... for example he stiffed the last band through the place so you then will not play until you get your money up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Tune Posted April 4, 2004 Members Share Posted April 4, 2004 That's pretty much the way the world is... once you accept the fact that you have to be a whore to survive and prosper, the rest is easy. Then, all you have to negotiate is the price for the deed. True. I agree 100% but I guess it's a matter of how much integrity you'd like to keep. The question is do you want to do it on their terms or yours? Sometimes they compromise your position. Prime example the agent that feeds a modern rock band to a country club. Or a clasic rock band to a hip-hop bar because he's strapped and all of his bands are already booked. They'll throw you in the snake pit just to get the buck. Especially if you are their least favorite band or if they have nothing to lose by doing so. Trust me, the dirty work has little to do with you getting paid and probably has more to do with them getting their cut. I know a few club owners that hate them too. They just don't feel like dealing with all the scheduling hassles and cancellations. So, they use an agent. It's easier for them and takes alot away from all the other problems that come with running a club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted April 5, 2004 Members Share Posted April 5, 2004 A good agent will try not to book you in an inappropriate venue. Their reputation of providing appropriate acts is important to their business too. It depends on how you define "good" or "professional". Since I deal with mostly national touring acts, the agent negotiates in the band's best interest since they take a percentage of what the band makes. They want to maximize the $$$. I have seen good agents get bands thousands more than they could make on their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Tune Posted April 5, 2004 Members Share Posted April 5, 2004 I'm sure that there are a few good ones out there but my experience has not been all that pleasant. Can you tell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JMS 2 Posted April 6, 2004 Members Share Posted April 6, 2004 We've had the father of the guitarist/band founder "playing" agent in my previous band.A disaster as you might imagine ... In my current band we book ourselves in local venues.Agents we contacted are not interested in our small money ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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