jre_productions Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 How or where do I find a manager to represent me and my songs? By the way I just stumbled on to this forum and am excited to be here! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barandine Vondenger Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Originally posted by jre_productions: How or where do I find a manager to represent me and my songs? By the way I just stumbled on to this forum and am excited to be here! Joeahahahaa!LOL. oh this is just really funny to me for some reason. ahahaha! Frank Ranklin and the Ranktones WARP SPEED ONLY STREAM FRANKIE RANKLIN (Stanky Franks) <<< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jre_productions Posted December 5, 2003 Author Share Posted December 5, 2003 arellspencer, Ok maybe the joke is on me! But I don't understand the Joke. I would think there is managers looking to represent songwriters out there. Its not like I was looking for a 5 album record deal as an artist. Nor did I ask how to get a publishing deal. Just a manager who has contacts and wants to make some money on my work! Please edjucate me! A few years ago when I was doing this full time, a guy would meet a few managers, find one that is compatible with his personallity and goals. Start sending him/her songs. The songs the manager believed in would get shopped, the ones he/she didn't wouldn't. I'm no longer located in a major city and am seeking some direction. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryrobinett Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Well it's not like it was a "few years ago". Now I'm not here to dash your dreams. Most good things happen to those people who don't know that it's "impossible" or not done "that way" anymore. I'm not certain what gets Arell going and hits his funny bone. I'm not sure anybody does, but just treat him as a refreshing breath of air and let it subside. Publishing houses used to be bigger in the sense (and I might be wrong here) of finding songwriters and fronting them capital to write. Those were/are "publishing deals". Most songwriters are the artists themselves these days. And the precious few genres, country is an example, that still rely on songwriters -- well the few great songwriters who still do it as a profession are well honed and ensconced in the virtual "Brill Building". And there are millions of us trying desperately to break in to this Brill Building. It's simply not opened to the public, or appears to not be. There's no room left for the few jobs that exist. Plus songwriting is such a hit or miss gamble; playing the lottery is more profitable. Finding a manager for an unknown songwriter is a stretch, perhaps. It's not the quality of the songs. I've heard truly PHENOMENAL songs written by unknowns I would swear were be the next "smash". Never saw the light of day. People write their own songs, for better or for worse. What you seek is not impossible. But how to do it is another matter. I don't know if anyone can tell you that. All the best, Henry Robinett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jre_productions Posted December 5, 2003 Author Share Posted December 5, 2003 Henry, Thanks so much. It is definetly a different day. What I'm finding these days is, companies like parmamount who state they have the contacts needed, and to send your songs to them. But it appears, where they make their money is they charge you to record the demo. Before you make a dime they have made 700 bucks. Still no guarentee that it will be shopped. I own and run a project studio in the suburbs of chicago and so the recording is not an issue. For the most part my recording sound equal if not better than what they sell. Problem is do they ever shop your song? Or once recorded is it filed away? I have sent an email asking them to provide a number for the amount of songs signed or a percent of songs recieved that they get signed. Still waiting a reply. Joe Still happy to be here despite the recent "jokes on me" post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hound Dog Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 jre: Welcome to the forum. It is easy to get discouraged. My advice is easy...keep at it. What else would you do, give up? I am an amateur musician that makes his living in the hotel business. I am very skeptical of the music business. Here is how I will relate my perception of your position to the hotel industry: You want to open a new hotel in a market already flooded with great products. You feel you have something special to offer that, given the chance, people will love and appreciate. You however have little experience in the ways of big business. Location is important, and real estate costs are out of site. No one will loan you the money to build. Should you find the money, you will compete against companies that have practically invented the modern practices of the business, have national advertising campaigns and very deep pockets. These companies have more agreements with suppliers and contracted business in advance that you could ever dream. Why would you even try? Because you believe you have something special to offer. But to go head to head with the keepers of the gate, you have to be damn good. Here are some suggestions: Take any opportunity to do anything in the business and learn from it, even if it is being a roadie for no money. Collaborate - find a partner / mentor Do anything you can to get your name into a credit for a recording, production, or any kind of project. Maintain a current resume Go play your songs on a street corner - anything to get them heard. Don't give up. You probably will not find the right manager to handle you until you really NEED a manager to handle you. Then, you and he/she will know. Yum, Yum! Eat em up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jre_productions Posted December 15, 2003 Author Share Posted December 15, 2003 Hound Dog, Thanks for the reply. I am definetely not discouraged by the above posts. I was a full time musician for 20 years and have played on many albums as well as backed many great artist. My own recordings of others have done regionaly well and I have some credits on those besides engineer and producer. Unfortunatly it appears that my contacts of the past no longer have any influences in the current market. As well as the most recent material I have recorded or produced for others has little to do with the type of music I enjoy writing. So while I understand the times have changed, by how much is what I'm trying to figure out. Just telling a prospective publisher I played in Branson with Roy, Mickey, Mel or Jim won't open up doors for me. Nor will telling them I toured with Chicago blues artists in the past, or have shared a stage with other greats. (I suppose it wouldn't hurt, but probably won't help) I will continue to research the new times and find a way to be heard. Thanks for taking the time to post a reply. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryrobinett Posted December 15, 2003 Share Posted December 15, 2003 Well Joe, FWIW I want to do the same thing. So as pessimistic as my post was, I'm still hopeful to find that "Brill Building" opening. I've never been particularly good at, nor interested, in following the crests of the current waves and trends in music. This is, of course, what it takes. Get Billboard, R&R and Gavin trades. See what's selling and what's hitting the radio waves. Listen and copy. Produce and keep putting it out there. Demos and more demos as close to finished products as possible. Hawk, hawk, hawk. Probably the best thing to do is to BE the artist (or find some singers you can produce) until you can get interests from another artist or his/her management and/or A&R team. Continue putting it out there as a constant flow. Like physics -- what goes out comes back in one form or another. It's NOT impossible, but the amount and estimation of effort involved might not be accurate. It might be A LOT MORE than you suspect. Or not. Good luck. All the best, Henry Robinett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freelance Posted December 15, 2003 Share Posted December 15, 2003 Things are so much different from "the old days". There are very few quality managers anymore and the ones that are around are trying to add established acts to thier roster - vs. takming a chance on someone new. Most managers, manage artists pr soinger/songwriters vs. a "naked writer" THe opportunitis for a songwriter are greatly reduced from the 60's and 70's - it was getting hard to get placed even in the 80's but now - it is very hard. You may be better off trying to track down an established entertainment attorney and if you have the goods, they can possibly refer you to some managment companies they work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorNo Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Although it sounds like you dont need this peice of advice I will send it out just in case anyone else has the same problem. Be wary of anyone who touts themselfs as a "manager" the business is teaming with these con artists and they will bleed you dry. I am speaking from expirence on this and would hate to find anyone else that has been suckered by these people. Finding a manager or an agent in the music business as it is in all of the arts, writing, film, ect. There are a whole lot of them crawling around and not many of them are effective in the least. My best peice of advice is to find someone who has a manager and find out how successful he or she is. This is a situation where pulling a name out of a phone book is likely to cost you a mint. Doc During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. -George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.