Commission?!

The ongoing question..."why do manager get such a high commission"? A manager's role is all-inclusive. Once the gig is booked, its the manager who negotiates the contract under the advisement of the artist, books travel logistics, handles back stage riders, pushes the merchandise to be sold, handles  all greivances from the artist and a million other tasks. A manager role never ends, unless the relationship is terminated.

Agents generally get 10% for booking the gig and then they are on to trying to book the next gig. One of the manager's responsibilities is to also work in tandem with agents as necessary. A manager's role is constant; its a 24 hour, 7 days per week responsibility; its almost similar to working for one of armed services. The seasoned artists understand the need for a manager. Its like the circle of life that if a manager gets paid then he is more likely to continue to find jobs for an artist. Its a win/win situation!

A manager should ensure that the artist life's hierachy is as follows: God first, family second and the manager third. There has to be a close relationship between the artist and his manager - the artist and manager should be totally comfortable with one another so that they trust one another and can speak candidly. The artist's life in essence becomes your life...so 20% commission to a manager is not very big at all. At the end of the day, we work diligently together. Its very similar to this most recent NBA lockout. Its because everyone wants to be valued for the work that they do. Artist management is no exception.

In essence, managers are constantly working to keep the artist working. The job is for the faint of heart so if anyone gropes about the commission, you tell them to give me a call!