Foot In The Door: A&R/Artist Management

07 June 2011

In part one of our education special, we ask two experts in the fields of A&R and artist management the best way to get a start in the industry, as well as what pitfalls to avoid.

John Watson
President, Eleven: a music company and John Watson Management

In this day and age, is there a specific pathway to take in order to get involved in artist management or A&R?

There are lots of different pathways to management and A&R careers. Some people do formal study. Some take junior positions and serve an informal apprenticeship. Other people just start off managing their friend’s band and grow up with them; they basically just bite off more than they can chew and then chew like hell. There’s really no right or wrong way to do it.

Regardless of the path you choose your success will end up being determined by the same things ... namely, your ability to learn quickly, your ability to persuade, your ability to grow a strong network of genuine relationships, and the intensity of your drive to do a great job and a healthy dollop of good luck in finding the right artist/s at the right time.

You took quite an interesting path, from working as a journalism, then at a label, to managing acts, back to starting Eleven. Did you ever undertake formal education relating to your career? Do you recommend it?

I actually started out working in a record store and playing in an indie band. I then spent a few years as a freelance music journalist and did a bit of PR work before getting a job in A&R at Sony. All of that different experience has come in very handy as a manager. Firstly, because walking in someone else’s shoes allows you to see things from the other person’s point of view. Secondly, because you end up meeting a lot more people in different areas of the business so you end up with a much broader set of relationships which can come in handy in all sorts of ways over the years.

That’s exactly why my usual advice to people who are looking to get started in then music business is to get experience whereever and however you can. The things that you learn and the people you meet will all come in handy in ways you can’t begin to imagine at the time. So volunteer for public radio, review bands for a website or streetpress, work the door at the local club, manage your friend’s little band ... all those smaller, local experiences are invaluable, particularly in your late teens or early 20’s.

As for formal training, I’ve got an honours degree in politics so perhaps that’s come in handy from time to time! I also studied a bit of law, which came in handy. A few years back I did some MBA study which was interesting although mainly just served to show how unusual the music business really is! I’m a huge believer in education so I wouldn’t be negative about formal training but I think practical experience is particularly important in the music business. So if you’re doing a course then I’d advise people to still be doing all the other grassroots/hands on stuff at the same time.

What is your advice for those wishing to manage an artist or work at a label, but aren’t sure how to go about it?

Start small and local and work your way up from there. Many people set their sights straight on the Big Job and won’t settle for anything less but generally you’re better off building a reputation and a skill set through less high profile activities. If you’re good at what you do and you’re willing to work harder than everyone around you you’ll be amazed how many opportunities will come your way. Just always remember that your reputation is either your greatest asset or your greatest liability so always try to deliver more than you promised.

What’s the biggest rookie error you have seen regarding artist management?

There’s no rulebook out there of rights and wrongs. I’ve seen hundreds of things that looked like rookie errors which actually lead on to huge success so I’m not stupid or arrogant enough to think that I’ve got it all sussed. As a general rule though, people at the start of their careers often place too much importance on their perceptions of personality rather than really doing their homework about reputations and the business details. Someone might seem like a really cool person but if they don’t actually deliver for you or if the deal they’re offering is poor then you probably need to look past the charm.

The other common mistake is to grab every opportunity that comes along once the band gets their first taste of success. The artist ends up overexposed or distracted as a result. Once the phone really starts ringing managers have to start saying “no” a lot more and that’s a big adjustment if you’ve spent the previous few years getting doors slammed in your face.

Last one? Always listen to your lawyer and pay attention to the boring stuff.

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Christine Diefenbach
A&R, Mercury Records Australia

In this day and age, is there a specific pathway to take in order to get involved in artist management or A&R?

There’s no single, specific pathway and different people get their starts in different ways. The best advice I can give is to start by getting yourself involved in the live music scene as much as possible, going to gigs as often as you can and networking in order to get yourself acquainted with what’s going on at that level of the industry. The best way to get a foot in the door is usually via work experience or interning with artist management or a record label and finding a mentor in the industry that you respect. If you’re passionate about what you do and work hard people will notice and you’ll eventually work your way up.

How did you get your start in A&R? Did you do any formal education or training that was related?

My first brush with the industry was doing work experience with Shock Records when I was 15 which then led to casual work in their warehouse during school holidays. I actually ended up studying film at uni and briefly worked in the film industry before realising music was where I really wanted to be. I eventually stepped back into the industry as an entertainment co- ordinator booking everything from bands and DJs to Elvis impersonators for Crown Casino’s venues and events which helped build up my resume and experience. When an ad for an entry level position in A&R at Mercury/ Universal came up (in Music Network coincidentally) a year later, I jumped at the opportunity and was lucky enough to score the role.

Do you value formal education for working in the industry?

A formal education is definitely not mandatory for working in the music industry, as no text book can teach you what practical experience can. With that said, I think that the lessons taught in attending any tertiary program, in applying yourself and completing a formal education are always beneficial. Many of the leading tertiary courses in music business are run by industry professionals these days which can be invaluable as far as pointing you in the right direction and putting you in contact with the right people in the industry. Finally, there’s always a chance that having a formal education on your resume could be the deciding factor between yourself and another applicant applying for a job.

What are the biggest mistakes or pitfalls to avoid when trying to get into the industry?

Don’t waste yours or other people’s time in the industry unless you’re genuinely passionate about music and willing to work hard. It’s a lot of hard work and long hours and usually for less money and glamour than some people envisage. You’ll find the biggest rewards will more often than not end up being in the successful development of your artists.