Agency/Management stuff

[dj seizure]

I didn't really know which place to put this thread but I thought I'd put it here as this is the more helpful part of the forum.

What is the procedure about getting in contact with an Agency? Some sort of representation?

Do I just submit my stuff/ Dj CV/ production/mixes/references to the company and hope they represent me? Or is it one of those things that I need to carry on hopelessly making tracks and waiting for them to contact me?

I'm doing okay with getting sets myself, but it's all very local with the odd residency here and there with my only real break being a resident at Fabric, but I just want to take it to the next level and try and get some help.

What is the advice of DSF?

[Sharmaji]

no agent or manager cares how bangin' your tracks are just by themselves; while very few of the relevant agencies (and probably none of the relevant managers) would represent an artist who's music they don't like, your music is just part of the package.

what they want to see is your hustle: are you playing out? where? what do promoters have to say about working with you? what strategy do you have for growing your career? how are you developing fans, interacting with them, etc?

Agents & managers exist to assist you help you develop your career, open doors that you can't open just by your lonesome, and help create or develop opportunities that, again, you might find far more challenging by yourself.

Of all the US & Canada-based artists that I can think of that are doing well, each of them took it on themselves to make things happen: writing great tunes, yes, but building relationships with good folks at good labels (and weeding out the crummy ones), playing lots and lots of gigs, running their own nights, financing their own tours and building relationships with promoters, etc.

Do that-- essentially prove that you can get by without them-- and people will want to work with you. It's all about advancing someone who's already moving forward, helping them spin into higher gear-- not barely get off the ground. That, you've gotta do yourself.

w/ that said, if you think you've got good stuff going, by all means you should be getting in touch with folks. In general, signings happen the other way around, when representatives come to you--the time will be right--but you should definitely start building relationships when you know that you have something to offer. Do your research and find out who's representing who, etc.

[FSTZ]

^^bingo

[dj seizure]

no agent or manager cares how bangin' your tracks are just by themselves; while very few of the relevant agencies (and probably none of the relevant managers) would represent an artist who's music they don't like, your music is just part of the package.

what they want to see is your hustle: are you playing out? where? what do promoters have to say about working with you? what strategy do you have for growing your career? how are you developing fans, interacting with them, etc?

Agents & managers exist to assist you help you develop your career, open doors that you can't open just by your lonesome, and help create or develop opportunities that, again, you might find far more challenging by yourself.

Of all the US & Canada-based artists that I can think of that are doing well, each of them took it on themselves to make things happen: writing great tunes, yes, but building relationships with good folks at good labels (and weeding out the crummy ones), playing lots and lots of gigs, running their own nights, financing their own tours and building relationships with promoters, etc.

Do that-- essentially prove that you can get by without them-- and people will want to work with you. It's all about advancing someone who's already moving forward, helping them spin into higher gear-- not barely get off the ground. That, you've gotta do yourself.

w/ that said, if you think you've got good stuff going, by all means you should be getting in touch with folks. In general, signings happen the other way around, when representatives come to you--the time will be right--but you should definitely start building relationships when you know that you have something to offer. Do your research and find out who's representing who, etc.

Thank you so much.

You have cleared my head! I should get on my hustle and continue to grow at my snails pace. I'm at the moment djing around once a week which isn't just the same place.

I've always viewed it as the way an artist gets big is through their production and in turn Djing falls in place. If you are just a DJ it would be pretty tough to establish yourself. I'm finding it hard to expand, to get sets in areas I don't know as I have no connections. I'm limited to the small clubs in Buckinghamshire and just the Fabric residency I hold but I see small agencies representing artists like myself, and giving them a couple of sets a month in places all over the country and I suppose I want to find a way to get that stage.

Thank you again!

[Sharmaji]

I've always viewed it as the way an artist gets big is through their production and in turn Djing falls in place. If you are just a DJ it would be pretty tough to establish yourself. I'm finding it hard to expand, to get sets in areas I don't know as I have no connections. I'm limited to the small clubs in Buckinghamshire and just the Fabric residency I hold but I see small agencies representing artists like myself, and giving them a couple of sets a month in places all over the country and I suppose I want to find a way to get that stage.

Thank you again!

well yeah-- expansion isn't easy, this is the 'hard work' part of it. You just gotta meet people, be friendly, ideally work with them, network, etc. Set goals.

FWIW one of the best ways to make connections is to start a night of your own. Yes, you will lose money (at times, you'll lose it hand-over-fist) but your network of people you know, who you've done business with, and who know you will grow exponentially. It's an investment in your future; have a handful of good experiences on that end, and when you get to a place where you're looking for management or booking representation, you'll already have folks to either reach out to, or ask advice from.

You're only limited by what you percieve. Benga & Skream could have easily only been limited by the small clubs in South London & FWD.

[narcissus]

no agent or manager cares how bangin' your tracks are just by themselves; while very few of the relevant agencies (and probably none of the relevant managers) would represent an artist who's music they don't like, your music is just part of the package.

what they want to see is your hustle: are you playing out? where? what do promoters have to say about working with you? what strategy do you have for growing your career? how are you developing fans, interacting with them, etc?

Agents & managers exist to assist you help you develop your career, open doors that you can't open just by your lonesome, and help create or develop opportunities that, again, you might find far more challenging by yourself.

Of all the US & Canada-based artists that I can think of that are doing well, each of them took it on themselves to make things happen: writing great tunes, yes, but building relationships with good folks at good labels (and weeding out the crummy ones), playing lots and lots of gigs, running their own nights, financing their own tours and building relationships with promoters, etc.

Do that-- essentially prove that you can get by without them-- and people will want to work with you. It's all about advancing someone who's already moving forward, helping them spin into higher gear-- not barely get off the ground. That, you've gotta do yourself.

w/ that said, if you think you've got good stuff going, by all means you should be getting in touch with folks. In general, signings happen the other way around, when representatives come to you--the time will be right--but you should definitely start building relationships when you know that you have something to offer. Do your research and find out who's representing who, etc.

good post --- thanks!
looks like i'm on the right track as well.. like everything it takes time