Lesson 16 of 46Music BusinessIntermediate

How to find a manager

1:27

Judge Jules on how artists and managers really find each other, and why chasing a manager out of desperation tends to backfire.

Part of the courseLegals & Deals: The Basics of The Music Industry46 lessons (1h 6m)

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Judge JulesYour guruJudge Jules

What's in the course

46 lessons (1h 6m) · 1 free
    • 01. How a manager makes their money

      0:45

    • 02. How to find a manager

      You are here

      1:27

    • 03. Should the artist take legal advice?

      1:05

    • 04. The purpose of a management contract

      1:10

    • 05. What makes a good manager

      1:23

    • 06. When a management contract should be issued

      1:07

    • 07. When does an artist need a manager?

      1:05

Lesson transcript

Finding the Right Manager as an Artist

I don't think there's one story that applies to every artist who's ultimately got into bed, metaphorically, with a manager.

The Role of Good Managers

  • Good managers will find an artist as opposed to vice versa.
  • If you, as an artist, feel that you're at a point in your career where you need to find a manager, sometimes you might be too desperate and end up with the wrong person.

The Manager's Dilemma

  • Good managers face a challenge:
    • Not every manager can take on every great artist, as they may already have too many artists on their roster.
    • They might also have too many artists in a similar genre, creating uneasy bedfellows among their respective roster.

The Artist's Responsibility

  • As an artist, you've got to get out there.
  • You can't just sit in the metaphorical confines of your studio; you've got to:
    • Make connections
    • Be genuine in your approach

Networking from the Heart

  • Networking is not just about artificial connections; it comes from the heart as much as from the diary.
  • You need to be someone who is:
    • Good at talking the talk and living it.
    • Out there, engaging with the community.

Conclusion

If you live it and you talk the talk, then the right manager will eventually find your door, perhaps not beating a path to it, but definitely discovering it.

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Meet your guru

Judge Jules

Judge Jules

Jules O'Riordan has over 30 years of experience across the entire spectrum of the music industry. This includes nearly a decade as an A&R for the Universal umbrella of labels, 15 years as a presenter on BBC Radio 1, over 150 record releases and remixes in his own capacity as a recording artist, plus a 30-year career as one of Britain's best-known, globally-travelled DJs (Judge Jules), with over 5000 gigs under his belt, plus extensive experience as an event promoter and artist manager at the highest level.

Suffice to say, Jules knows the music industry inside-out, and his clients regard him as a trusted advisor for whom no legal or business affairs challenge or problem is too large or small.

Jules has been a lawyer for 10 years. His practice takes in the entire breadth of the music-focused entertainment industry. His legal and deal expertise includes management, recording, publishing, distribution and label services, music-based apps, games and tech projects, production deals, producers, featured artists, endorsements, merchandising, neighbouring rights, TV/film scores, live performance, events and venue agreements, plus copyright and rights infringement and many other disputes.

Jules's clients include artists, management companies, record labels, songwriters, event promoters, producers, music tech businesses, production companies, live agents, music publishers and DJs. He has spoken on many panels and seminars including ADE, Brighton Music Conference and AIM events, and has been a guest speaker on legal issues across a number of on and off-line media outlets, including BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Introducing, Financial Times, The Sun, The Times and Mixmag.

Jules speaks fluent Spanish.

Who better to demystify the contracts and deals every musician eventually faces? In his course, Jules turns three decades of hard-won industry knowledge into plain-English guidance, so you can understand the business side of music and protect your work long before you sign on the dotted line.

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