Manager Spotlight: Martin Tibbetts
The Manager Spotlight offers a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Martin Tibbetts!
Manager Spotlight: Martin Tibbetts
This month, we’re putting the spotlight on Martin Tibbetts, an experienced artist manager, MMF Certified Manager and course leader for our Essentials of Live & Touring training.
What’s your name?
Martin Tibbetts
Instagram username
@martintibbetts
Where are you based?
Crockenhill, Kent
How long have you worked in Management?
18 years
Who do you manage now?
I manage Pauline Murray / Penetration and Toseland myself. I also co-manage Ryan McMullan, The Guzzlers, Evie Cain and Ugly Baby with my partners at Three Piece Management.
Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?
After 22 years in the business, management came along almost by accident. My then business partner Mark Hobrough and I were employed to recruit and form the band The Stiff Dylans for the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Through a strange series of events, we found ourselves becoming their managers and signing them to Columbia Records. Since then I have managed a wide variety of artists.
What does a good/bad day at work look like for you?
Right now, I am close to sealing a strong services deal for one of my acts, and that is always a red letter day. Having a strong company share your enthusiasm, belief and vision for an act is a great thing. In general, a good day means I get things done, take some steps forward for my acts and can celebrate a win, however small. Bad days are where things just don’t go the way you need them to, calls and mails are not replied to and no progress is made. Accepting that everyone does not work to your timescale and agenda can be hard!
What has been the highlight of your management career to date?
There have been so many, from brilliant shows to chart positions and simply being told thank you. But in 2014, when I was running Strange World Management with the late great Steve Strange, we co-managed the Australian pop group Sheppard with Chugg Music. Their debut single outside Australia, Geronimo, had recently been released and I was walking into Universal Studios Florida with my family when it came on over the PA across the park. The following day the same happened at Disney World. That was the point I realised just what a monster that song was going to become. My part in Sheppard’s success over the three album campaigns I was involved in is a career high for me.
What do you think are the big challenges for a manager right now?
Making money. It’s that simple. It takes so long to develop an artist these days, and so much hard work on the part of manager and act, that it feels at times like the voluntary sector. I lecture at a variety of universities and colleges, which keeps me on my toes and is very rewarding. I often say that it’s essential to be active in the business in order to teach it, and that’s a fact, but the reality is that I teach in order to be able to continue to manage acts I love. So balancing time between the lecturing and the management is a constant challenge. So many managers have to find an alternative way to pay their bills as income streams for acts are narrowed.
What music are you currently listening to?
Always The Clash, it all started there for me in ’77! But right now I love Noah Kahan. I saw him live a couple of years ago in Belfast and he was wonderful, and his new album is exceptional. It’s a hot summer, so my love of reggae is shining through again. Right now John Holt and Max Romeo figure a lot on the CD player.
Why would you recommend the MMF?
The support and resources they provide are priceless. However, it’s the community that is key. I am honoured to deliver some of the training they provide for emerging managers, and through that I have met so many cool and informed people. It’s as educational for me as I hope it is for them. Meeting people who are experiencing the same challenges, and hearing their stories, is so valuable, and the events that the MMF regularly run provide great opportunities for this.
Martin is also part of the MMF Manager Certification Programme, which recognises managers who have demonstrated their professional knowledge and experience. He’ll also be sharing that experience as course leader for our upcoming Essentials of Live & Touring training.