The Words and Wisdom of Big Joe Burrell

Our very own blues legend talks about the fine art of band management.

Let's talk about choosing a manager. Ultimately, you need someone who can take you, or you and your band, to the next level.

If you are going to have a manager, the first thing is to be able to trust him. I've seen too many managers collect the money and do nothing. Mostly because they don't know the business. They think to themselves, "I've got a good thing here. I'm going to make me some money." They don't care about you or your music.

Let me give you an example. Your band is playing in a club. Somebody hears you playing. They like the sound. So, they come up to you and say, "I'd like to use your band." You answer, "See our manager."

The manager has not done the work to get you hired, in this case. The band did it by doing a good job playing their instruments. But, still, you have an agreement to share the money with your manager. And you've put your manager in charge of bookings.

Now, if these people follow up by going over to the manager and he negotiates a good deal for the band - setting things up for the future and so forth, and getting a good price for the band - then he's doing his job and earning his commission.

But it doesn't stop there. He also needs to find good ways to promote the band and improve what you as a band have already organized. By taking care of the business details, it allows the band to focus on creating great music. Then it's cool.

On the other hand, if he is always saying, "I'm working on it." Or, "I haven't found anything yet." In other words, he always has excuses for nothing happening, then you know - he's not doing his job and he doesn't know the music business.

As time goes along, if this person's good, you'll know it. He or she will be enthusiastic, you know, working hard, thinking up clever promotional ideas; getting your name in the paper. Maybe you won't like some of the promotional ideas. But remember: if he's trying to do his job, and he cares what is happening to the band, eventually, gradually, things will improve. You'll begin to notice people talking about you, coming up to you, wanting to see you play, coming to your gigs; things should start coming together, all the way around. It may take some time, but steady progress is good. It should start feeling good. You'll know it, when it's right.

For example, details such as a mailing list can be useful. A good manager will collect names from people at the gigs and others he has talked to along the way. He'll insist on money to send out club date information; maybe even put a little newsletter together about the band. Things like that. He'll be busy because there's a lot he'll want to be doing. If this guy doesn't have a lot of money himself, the band will need to chip in to cover some of the costs because ultimately he is trying to help you get money coming in by building a following and finding people who can finance the band.

The idea is to have a good manager who goes out and gets business for the band, at a good price.

Something else. Your manager might have to do the booking, in the beginning, to get the band heard by the right booking agents. Professional booking agents will have lots of contacts to get the better bookings. Finding the best booking agent generally takes lots of calls and research.

Once your manager has rounded up some folks to listen to your band, it's his job to sell the band to the booking agent. This is an important step and where you really find out how good a manager you've got. If he is doing his job, he'll sell you and negotiate the best possible contracts.

I was fortunate to have a musician with a big name recommend me, and then the booking agent came to me. This is the ideal way for it to happen - to be recommended by someone who is already well respected in the business.

Once you are at this level, the manager doesn't really get into the actual booking anymore. But, he oversees the operation, working on behalf of the band, making sure the people at the agency are doing their job, and continuing to take care of the daily business of the band. You may begin to get so much work going, you'll need a sound-person or a road manager. The personal manager would be on the look out for someone who would be good at these jobs, too, working out a budget for the money you'll need to pay them, and negotiating the best working relationships.

The bottom line is a band should have a personal manager who cares about the band, like Phish does. They are very lucky to have a manager like John Paluska. It also becomes important, especially in this case, for the band to respect and support a good manager's efforts. He's out there getting airplay on the radio for their music, contacting the newspapers, arranging for articles to be written, paying the bills, and making financial arrangements. That's a great, hard working manager. You can tell he's good by the way Phish is operating.

Like I said, you and the band will be able to tell after a short while whether or not a manager is going to do it for you.

Like I said, trust is number one, and of course, this needs to go both ways. Does the manager trust the band and believe in their music? Is he also a good sales person? Does he care about the band, with enthusiasm? If so, he probably trusts that the band will make it.

Of course, even before you hire a manager you and your musicians need to be familiar with how the business works. It's a lot better than it used to be.

Young musicians do know more than we used to when we were young. We used to just want to play the music. Nothing else mattered. But eventually, when we started writing more music, we were taken advantage of and our songs were ripped off.

Just to survive in the business, and, also, get the respect you deserve, you need to learn the basics and what your rights are. Otherwise, people are going to take your songs and your money, and you won't be playing. Keep your eye on the money. Even when you have a personal manager, you want to be sure he isn't ripping you off. You have to stay on top of it. Keep at least two or three band members on the Board of Directors of your band.

Now a days, band members are business partners, so they'll run it as a corporation. That's okay, but often it can cause bands to break-up because their are too many leaders. People don't think they should get bossed around. Their egos get in the way.

In this case, a good band manager can become very important. Especially with the way bands are set up now a days - where everybody is a partner, instead of one leader calling the shots. A manager needs to also be a mediator when there's friction, to calm things down and remind everybody what they are working for; as well as, what the goals are and where the band is headed. If necessary, the band may have to take a vote to see if a certain person should stay in the band or if they should get somebody else. Hopefully, your manager is a good mediator, in this case.

Maybe, you decide you are going solo, and you hire musicians to come play for you for a fee, which you set. You call the shots. I did that in the 1940's. The band was my business. I owned it. I was the band leader, the boss. I owned everything, the suits, the music, and I set the salary.

However you decide to do it, a good manager will follow your lead, not writing the music, but: working for the music and the musicians; improving the professional situation; and taking you and the band to the next level. If you can trust each other, it'll all work out. You'll make music and people will come out to listen to it! Good Luck to you all! ~GC~

Big Joe Burrell is the king of Vermont blues and he has been a Good Citizen columnist since our first issue. Look for a new version of his Unknown Blues Band now featuring Sandra Wright at the finest clubs near you.