MyScene:
Artist Management
Think Big. Act Big.
A detour in college led artist manager Jimmy Cantillon away
from making films and into several successful music biz
careers. Here he shares the path he took and lessons learned:
I have been working in the music industry for 7 years now -
a detour from my original plan to be a film producer/editor. I
got my start while at college in San Francisco, shooting
music videos for local bay area bands. It was a nice way to
make money on the side, while always adding to our demo
reels.
The more involved I got with these bands, the more I
realized that most musicians (artists in general actually)
tend to be very creative, but lack the business savvy to sell
themselves and their work. They didn’t seem to know where
to start when it came to promoting and marketing their
work.
While I couldn’t compose or paint, I realized I had a talent
for promoting the bands I loved. I convinced several
San Francisco nightclubs to let me promote a weekly artist
showcase program – negotiating enough of a percentage to
pay the bands and myself.
Eventually, I got more serious about music and distanced
myself more from film. In late 2001 I picked up my first
band for full time management. They were a young and
eager pop/rock group from southern California named
Holden. After six months of managing them from my apt. in
San Francisco, I knew I had to get to LA if I was going to
have any chance of getting in to the right circles of ‘industry’
people.
Soon I was living in Santa Monica and booking studio time
so the band could complete an 8-song album. Next I turned
my attention to booking a series of shows for the group.
I knew that they needed to play in front of people and how
you got in front of them was irrelevant. Any gig, large or
small requires a lot of effort so why not focus on playing to
the largest audiences you can.
Going to Sunset Blvd. and selling 50 tickets for the chance
to play an 8pm gig on a Wednesday night was not my style.
Instead, I booked them on a full summer circuit of county
and state fairs. Best first instinct I ever had.
From the summer of 2002 until the end of 2004 I booked
this band at any fair, mall, high school, etc that I could. I
never worried about a single club. They sold over 15,000
albums independently in those 2 ½ years, as well as
countless t-shirts, posters, stickers, etc.
Due to my success with turning an unknown act into a
profitable, full time national touring act I was invited to
“take a meeting” with notable pop/rock indie label Drive-
Thru Records to discuss the band.
The label owners took a quick liking to me and asked
me to take over their marketing and in-house touring. I
jumped at the chance to sharpen my skills and make
invaluable contacts.
For the next year or so at Drive-Thru I helped secure tour
packages that were selling out full tours. And I was involved
with the building success and exposure of Hellogoodbye
who, shortly after my departure from the label, finally
released their debut full-length album which to date has sold
over 400,000 copies.
I also oversaw Hellogoodbye’s first appearance on MTV,
which was the result of winning a Mountain Dew sponsored
contest for unsigned artists in the U.S.
I know, you think programs like this are beneath you, but I
suggest you reconsider – it can be a great opportunity to
perform on MTV or get your music played on college radio
across the country and as in this case, even earn support
money from Mountain Dew for promoting your music and
their product. You should check out www.ampenergy.com for more information.
Living the maxim - success is what you know and who you
know - I was offered an A&R job with KG Music Publishing in
L.A. through a woman I had met at Geffen/Interscope.
Here I became the final decision maker for all artists and
individual songs signed on their roster.
My first few signings were receiving instant placements in
such shows as One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy,
as well as multiple Fox, Paramount, and Warner Brothers
feature films.
I expanded the company’s reach by incorporating a much
larger focus on commercial advertising placements as well.
The money involved in commercials would make you shed a
tear of joy if the residual checks are made out to you.
After less than a year I had made enough money on my
signing incentive percentages to leave my A&R job to start
my own company full time. I ‘ve been running JPC3
Management for almost a year and a half where I do things
on my own terms for a handful of great artists.
While I am thankful for the chances I was given, there is no
question in my mind that none of these companies truly
cared about the employees or the artists they signed. I
wanted to work with artists on a more personal level and
didn’t get into this business to make quick money on naïve
artists.
I believe that putting the right team together can make very
amazing things happen regardless of the ‘current state of
the industry’. People will always love music, and they will
always want more of it.
With my own artist management/consulting company, I’m
able to get my hand in many more areas of the industry.
Lately, I’ve been setting up great performer/songwriters
with producers that could be amazing co-writers for them.
I know first hand that most people with endless talent hit a
wall the second they’re asked to promote their product so
I’m also working on a DVD that will be a series of interviews,
case studies, and theories from me that I plan to release in
early ’08. This will first be released online. If there is
anything you’d like to make sure I cover in this DVD, please
write and let me know!
Check my website and MySpace page for updates on this
project! I would love to hear from you and get your input or
answer your questions.
Jimmy Cantillon
JPC3 Management
Email: Jimmy@JPC3Management.com
Phone: 310.734.6527
