Interviews category: Manager's Spotlight

Manager Spotlight offers a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Tony Garvey // Red Light Management

How long have you worked in Management? 

15 years.

Who do you manage now?

AC Slater, Shift K3Y, Chris Lorenzo, Joy Club, Nathan C, Aazar, Turno, Taiki Nulight, Anti Up, Jack Beats, Cause&Affect, Arctic Lake, Akiro, Cashio

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

At the time me and my business partner Marc Thomas were running a Music Promotion and Music Marketing company called Go Music Promo, most of our business was consultancy and Artist strategy for Major Labels. Part of this was commissioning remixers to break certain Artist in to new areas/scenes, we quickly noticed a lot of the DJ/Producer/Artists we were commissioning to do remixes were unmanaged and thus started working with them in that capacity. It was their ability to work very quickly on turning round a remix or production but also being able to exploit their work through their own touring – so promotion, production and touring were the things we specialised in very early on. One of our first clients for management was an Artist called Borgore, this was right at the start of the Dubstep scene, he was an Israeli Producer based in Tel Aviv. We took care of his bookings initially bringing him to Europe and the US and very quickly grew his Fanbase who became very fanatical, from there we started a label ‘Buygore’ together which in turn brought in new talent which we were able to develop through the label and in turn under management. Shift K3Y was one of those artist back in 2012 and he remains our longest Managed client.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A good day at work is concluding a project, deal or release that we’ve been working on for some time, everything is a team effort and when it all finally falls in to place it’s very rewarding for everyone involved for their creativity and vision and reminds us how lucky we are to work in this business, to actually make a difference.

A bad day is dealing with unnecessarily difficult business, usually with unreasonable or inexperienced managers, thankfully this happens rarely, we thrive on challenges and have built up a very good relationship and reciprocated respect amongst many areas of the industry from Mangers, Labels, Radio, Media etc so a bad day doesn’t happen too often.

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

That’s tough because we work with quite a few clients and each give us their own moments that we are proud to play a key part in and that ranges from a chart success, an award or a tour. To be honest the highlight in all this is still being able to contribute so much to brand new fledgling careers alongside remaining conceptual and forward thinking with long standing clients.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

With so much music in the market place and so much hitting streaming services every week, the challenge is to get noticed both internally by music teams and by listeners at the front end, particularly with brand new artists that don’t necessarily have an existing fanbase to draw on instant engagement – and quite often no significant budgets to build a team to create the right story. In amongst all the useful insights, data and tools it still remains a challenge. The sheer volume and choice and the window to get those viewed all takes a number of factors to fall in place.

What music are you currently listening to?

Everything from Drama to Karsten Pflum to Billy Lockett to TSHA to Roy Wood to Tokimonsta. From our own camp there is some pretty immense new music coming this which Im already hooked on whilst working on the projects.

Manager Spotlight offers a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Ellie Giles.

How long have you worked in Management? 

Around 8-9 years now (I can’t remember), feel confident in the role now, took me a good 2-3 years to mountain climb, so much to learn, in fact I would say I’m still learning on a daily basis, any manager who says otherwise is arrogant.

Who do you manage now?

Adam Noble (Producer/Mixer), Bill Ryder-Jones (Artist/Producer), Charlie Russell (Producer/Mixer), Erland Cooper (Artist/Composer/Producer) and Warmduscher (Band)

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

My first client was a producer, I realised after A&R that it wasn’t for me, just felt like I wasn’t moving or learning anymore and it felt the right step for me. He had done some great records and was hugely motivated and talented.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

Good day is when you have an idea or a plan that executes well and that the whole team are motivated and working well together. Bad day was yesterday when we had to postpone a whole tour for Warmduscher, that just sucks, especially as they needed the cash but equally health is more important right now.

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

I don’t have a highlight but think it’s the little wins on a weekly level that I love. One of my producers making an outstanding record or one of my artists getting an insane review. The little wins keep me driving forward.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

Coronavirus. A lot of artists didn’t have the insurance that made a claim possible. It’s hugely impacting both the finances of the artist and the management community. Plus even if you had insurance the lack of strong words from this country’s leader has meant we are in stasis, we need him to make a call in stopping all shows, this would help the community a great deal as we could then look at getting some monies back. Plus at the moment there is no help for the self employed right now which is just so sad. I know so many artists who are really in a pickle with all this.

On top of this, I would say the digital landscape, the amount of things to consider on a daily basis and how you manage that with a work/life balance. Making sure you look after you as well as looking after your clients and team.

What music are you currently listening to?

A lot of soul and funk to keep the positivity flowing.

We are excited to introduce our new series: Manager Spotlight. This is a way to get a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Amanda Maxwell, Manager of Ellie Prohan. 

How long have you worked in Management? 
For a year and a half.

Who do you manage now? 
Ellie Prohan a DJ, Radio and TV host.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

We met at an international womens day event with She Said So and Flexx at Shoreditch House. Ellie was one of the DJs playing and I thought she was sick!Eventually we got talking at the event and we explained what each other did and wanted to do with our careers. We went for a cuppa and had a conversation around management and how we could work together.

Ellie inspired me with her passion and hard working ethic which I felt mirrored mine and her enthusiasm for life all of which have not depleted since then! It’s the way we discussed defining our working relationship and the changes we wanted to make in life and our industry that I knew this was going to be the start of something special.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A bad day is one full of learnings on varying scales. I try not to look at things so black and white it would be too much of a seesaw effect. That’s one that’s  not good for anybody’s mental health as there are always going to be challenges in life just how we chose to accept them. A good day is much the same mentality but when everything runs on time, a meeting is with the right people who understand the journey you are on and want to support it or you get that offer from a festival or global brand that approach and want to work with you then that’s a great day. I generally try to remain positive across all that we work on and trust the process every win we get is huge to us!

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

There has been many with Ellie from playing at all major UK festivals last year such as Glastonbury, Reading, Lovebox and Wireless. To being the headline DJ for Spotify Who We Be Manchester to joining the Apple Music family as a Beats 1 presenter.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

I think the big challenges are people underestimating the hard work and dedication that goes into being an independent team 24/7 as opposed to a team with all the mechanics nuts and bolts. We’ve worked exceptionally hard to reach this point and excited to keep building from here.

The industry would benefit from following a more of a similar mind set to the American friends we have made – always willing to help and introduce which speaks volumes there is enough room for everybody to succeed and the more we remind ourselves of this and to be more human the easier the industry could be.

What music are you currently listening to?

I’m listening to Ellie on The Beats 1 List show on Apple Music. The show brings Apple Music’s The Beats 1 List playlist to life and showcases the world’s best new music. As well as her every day Foundation FM Happy Hour show https://foundation.fm 5-7pm the first female lead radio station.

We are excited to introduce our new series: Manager Spotlight. This is a way to get a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Sumit Bothra, Director at ATC Management. 

How long have you worked in Management? 

I have been a professional artist manager for two magical decades!

Who do you manage now?

I (along with my esteemed colleagues) manage the careers and well-being of PJ Harvey, Katie Melua, Fink, The Boxer Rebellion, and Nathan Nicholson.

What inspired you to become an Artist Manager?

Prior to becoming an artist manager I worked at Sony Music from the age of 20, where my role there gave me access to all of the front-line weekly label planning meetings – Columbia, Epic, S2, etc.  I learned so much from an incredibly talented array of people, across multiple genres, and too many campaigns to mention.  This was also my first exposure to artist managers – a very special breed of human. I only ever tended to meet them twice though: once when they’d come in with passion and enthusiasm to present a new artist project, and then – usually about 6 months later – to bang their fists on the table in fits of rage.  I was always taken aback by how polarised this relationship could quickly become despite the fact both parties were aiming for collective success. This “us vs them” mentality between managers and labels seemed, back then at least, to be industry-standard.  I left the label system as the introduction of à la carte digital music consumption started yanking the rug three years after I had arrived.

I was inspired to become an artist manager because I felt I could take my experiences from the major label system and use them to promote a healthier understanding between ‘the artists’ and ‘the machine’.  At Sony I had worked side-by-side with pluggers, publicists, sales executives, production teams, and product managers.  I knew first-hand how hard these people worked under immense internal pressures and insanely tight deadlines, and all whilst enduring a daily internalised battle between passion for music and professional obligation. I saw many men and women break under these conditions, and witnessed artists lose complete faith in their abilities as their ambitions failed to materialise.  So, I thought perhaps I could help right the balance. As an artist manager I work hard to promote a stronger understanding between the creators and those in the wider eco-system so we can all retain our passion for great art, while rejoicing together in our delivery of meaningful results.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A bad day at work is one where I have to let someone go – whether that be a team member or an artist.  Regardless of what might have prompted the decision, I’m very mindful to not crush anyone’s spirit even if I know that the parting of ways is ultimately the right move for all. Soon enough, however, that person finds the right type of soil under the right weather conditions….and flourishes.

A good day at work is when an idea I might have been working on quietly for months or years comes good.  The truly great managers I know work with their left and right brains equally. They are passionately creative and commercially astute in equal measure, so when these two worlds collide perfectly it becomes a thing of true, world-changing beauty!  Any manager you speak to will know this feeling – it is ELECTRIC!

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

Honestly – way too many to mention – as every success on any level is a career highlight. But the one that always stays with me has to be when I received a request for The Boxer Rebellion to create an end-credits song for a Drew Barrymore film called Going the Distance (New Line Cinema). This was about one year into me managing the guys, who were completely unsigned and independent at the time. I got so deep into discussions with the show’s music supervisor, studio, and director that I eventually convinced them to write the band into the script; have the band perform twice in the movie; hold up the band’s latest album on screen; and feature a close-up of the band’s website.  Not to mention the boys got to star alongside Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, and Christina Applegate.  Almost every band you’ll ever meet will be able to recount their own off-the-wall utterly bonkers moment in the time – a memory they will forever cherish – and this was certainly one of ours. Those were literally some of the most insane days of our collective lives, which are forever recorded in Hollywood history.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

Handling the psychological well-being of our artists, our team members, ourselves, and our families.  At no other point in human history have we been as globally connected and hyper-exposed to each other as we are now. The measurement of this connectivity through data and algorithms puts us all on one type of scoreboard or another, whether that be based on wealth, power, influence, impact, success, or popularity to name but a few.  No one is immune to this sphere of influence and measure. We exist under a new type of pressure and a new set of expectations, and this makes ‘being comfortable in one’s own skin’ a difficult thing to accept, let alone achieve. I really don’t need to give you a list of those who have faltered under these overwhelming pressures, particularly in the entertainment industry. As managers we are expected to take our duty of care to others extremely seriously and this means being attentive to how these factors influence the self-worth of those in our care.  Are we properly equipped to help others as well as ourselves?  Do we lean on each other when the going gets tough?  Do we learn from tragedy?  These are the tough questions we need to ask ourselves and address.

What music are you currently listening to? 

As Nathan Nicholson (of The Boxer Rebellion) is doing so much great writing in the dance space I’m listening to tons of killer dance records these days!  Fink continues to introduce me to new trendy-as-b*lls bands via his KCRW Berlin show. PJ Harvey shares with me the works of supremely talented modern film/TV composers, and Katie Melua continues to educate me on stone-cold classic records that somehow passed me by as I travelled from pillar to post as a child. I’m also loving NZ’s Benee who I just can’t get enough of – her music is awesome – and, closer to home, Liverpool’s Red Rum Club and their latest track Kid’s Addicted.

Read more about ATC Management here. 

We are excited to introduce our new series: Manager Spotlight. This is a way to get a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Craig Jennings, CEO of Raw Power Management. 

How long have you worked in Management? 

I started in management in 1984. So 36 years.

Who do you manage now?

Raw Power manages several artists including Bring me the Horizon, Bullet for My Valentine, Don Broco, At the Drive in, Refused, Scarlxrd, While She Sleeps.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

A band called Balaam and The Angel, three brothers from Cannock, Staffs.  Great songs, exciting live show, great ambition and creative vision. All good things to have.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

Most days are a mix of good and bad but hearing inspiring new music from my artists is always a massive plus. In management its very rarely a good or bad day I find, more a mix of the two!  A good day is when it’s more than 80% positive, I reckon.

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

Many highlights including Horizons first UK number 1 in 2019.  Taking Horizon and Bullet into arenas over the years has also been exciting. The various international succeses of the artists have also been very satisfying including gold albums in the US for Bullet and Horizon.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

I think the business is in great shape going into the 2020’s. Building relationships across all the DSPs is continuing to be important, streaming is a great thing for the industry. Getting artists properly paid for it will be a continuing ambition of all managers. I would really like to see that move along in the years to come.

What music are you currently listening to?

I love a lot of the new punk like Viagra Boys, Amyl and The Sniffers, Sleaford Mods and, of course, Idles… always QOSTA, The Stranglers and 70s disco… I enjoy listening to a wide range of music. I’m also listening to a lot of old Public Enemy and Roxy Music right now… two bands that couldn’t be further apart really!!

Read more about Raw Power Management here. 

We are excited to introduce our new series: Manager Spotlight. This is a way to get a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Sophie Bloggs, winner of Breakthrough Manager of the Year at the Artist & Manager Awards 2019. 

How long have you worked in Management? 

10 years, I previously worked at an independent dance label called Cr2 Records. Then set up on my own and eventually joined a bigger company called Machine Management which is now part of YMU.

Who do you manage now?

Kurupt FM, Danny Howard (Radio 1), Hannah Wants, Krystal Klear and a new duo called Pvblic Xcess signed to Because Music.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

I came through the electronic scene so when I was working at the record label I was putting on events and travelling internationally. We met in Miami at the conference there, I loved his music and the parties he was playing and just wanted to be involved.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A good day is getting through my to do list, creatively brainstorming strategies and putting them into action, and enjoying all the different aspects that the job involves. A bad day is usually arguments, fighting for your acts is big part of what we do and no one likes negative vibes 😉

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

Feel lucky to say I’ve had a few, headlining the electronic stage with Duke Dumont’s first live show at Coachella, getting my first Radio 1 playlist with one of my previous acts Oliver Dollar. Ibiza residencies, Danny Howard moving to Fridays on Radio 1. I can’t pick one !!

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

Fully delivering a 360 job for your clients. The landscape of the industry is changing on a daily basis whether that’s how people consume music, buy merch/ tickets or engage with their fans. You have to be innovative always and combined with putting out fires constantly; it can be a lot.

What music are you currently listening to?

J Hus’ new album- I’m obsessed. And all my acts new music obviously 😉
Read more about YMU Group here.

Manager Spotlight gives us a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. First out is Hannah Partington of Young Turks.

How long have you worked in Management? 

About 4 years.

Who do you manage now?

Sampha and The Haxan Cloak/Bobby Krlic.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

I remember first hearing Sampha years ago, first on a SBTRKT record and then live at a Benji B Deviation night and his voice cut me to the core. I’d not been moved like that for a long time; I met him briefly afterwards and was struck by his gentle, humble way. Fastforward a few years and I heard Young Turks were looking for a new manager to work with him and I just had to go for it!

I’d first heard about The Haxan Cloak through other artists and engineers who had worked with him as a producer, and had sung his praises. And then when talking to Young Turks I found out that Mattis With there had signed him for management. I’d come from working in music and film, and was incredibly excited that Bobby was moving his phenomenal production skills into film scoring, and it was a journey I really wanted to be part of.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A good day is seeing a creative collaboration you’ve been orchestrating for weeks come to fruition and feeling the chemistry you’d hoped for. A bad day is, obviously, the opposite or projects being cancelled after weeks of prep!

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

There have been lots. I just get so much pleasure from seeing the artists I work with actualize their vision.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

How to do things sustainably – the music industry broadly needs to take this seriously and we as managers have a responsibility to make choices about our artists’ supply chains that are as environmentally friendly as possible.

What music are you currently listening to?

Complete mix as always as I’m researching various things across classical, jazz, jungle, soul, gospel, hip hop and Wassoulou music.

Read more about Young Turks here.