In the music industry, the days of deals in smoke-filled back rooms are all but over. Artist development happens on the streets, not at major labels. And the old-school "professional" managers are stepping down, one by one, to cozy retirements funded by decades of commissions from successful clients. With fewer and fewer "lifers" available to take on new clients, what's an emerging artist to do? Likewise, how does an aspiring artist manager get a start without the connections and influence required of their predecessors?
Music business manager and consultant Joe Taylor Jr. set out to answer these questions for a member of his staff. The result? Over 160 pages of nuts-and-bolts advice for the novice music manager, or for any musician looking to boost their success team by adding homegrown management to the mix.