Tough Love: Adventures In Artist Management

For today’s episode, we chat with Keith Hagan, a longtime manager who had worn many different hats within his career in music, including stints at record labels, as a publicist, and ultimately, coming together in artist management. Keith currently is VP Management at MNRK Music Group based in New York.

Keith takes a very strategic approach with his artists, which allows for a lot of creativity and intent within their careers.

We cover all of that, and a lot more, in our conversation.

Dick Huey - Toolshed

For today’s episode, we continue to veer off script and join my friend Dick Huey for a chat.  While Dick started out as a musician, then an artist manager, before wisely pivoting over into digital marketing, at the dawn of digital media in music, his fierce advocacy of artists and their rights, mirrored with supporting independent labels as they entered the digital landscape provides for many illuminating stories and perspectives, having worked on initial digital campaigns for Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire, to name a few.  Dick’s company Toolshed has evolved into business development work, supporting many new and emerging companies, touching on AI and music analytics.  We cover all of that, and a lot more, in our conversation.

Ken Weinstein - Big Hassle Media

For today’s episode, we’re once again going off script and chatting with someone who, while not a manager, is someone who is an ally to artists and their quest to find an audience and make meaningful connections.  

I was lucky enough to be connected with today’s guest, Ken Weinstein, right as he was starting Big Hassle Media with fellow publicist Jim Merlis.  I’ve always admired Ken’s ability to advocate for artists from an authentic and natural place.  His passion for the artists he works with shows through, and it’s an impressive list that includes many long-standing relationships, such as with Jack White and Third Man Records, as well as My Morning Jacket, and so many more.  We get into a variety of topics, circling back around to the need for storytelling for artists, and how a publicist can support that narrative. 

For today’s episode, I’m thrilled to get a chance to chat with Piers Henwood of Amelia Artists. Piers started out as a musician, playing in the band Jets Overhead before, as so many artist managers eventually end up doing, crossing over to the dark side of artist management. All kidding aside, Piers’s vantage point on management is uniquely rooted in his time as a musician; informing his business endeavors in Amelia Artists and Recordings. He also had the good fortune of working with Tegan & Sara for the first 20 years or so of their career, gaining valuable insight from mentors such as Elliot Roberts. Those experiences are some of the many stories and perspectives he regularly shares through his writing and on his blog. We’re fortunate to have him for a sliver of time to discuss all this together today.

Paul Crockford - MMF UK 30th Anniversary Edition

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of collaborating with the Music Managers Forum - UK, in celebration of their 30th anniversary as an organization, creating community and acting as advocates for managers on a large number of important policies.  One of their early champions was Paul Crockford, who we speak with today.Paul has had a rather illustrious career, first as a promoter, then begrudgingly, at first, as a manager.   One of his first clients was Tears For Fears.  He now looks after Mark Knopfler, of Dire Straits fame.  He was also a key player in organizing the series of benefit concerts for The Prince’s Trust, including many of Britain's legendary artists, such as Paul McCartney, Phi Collins, David Bowie, and countless others.

Josh Sundquist - Middle West Management

For today’s episode, I get the chance to chat with a friend of mine, Josh Sundquist at Middle West Management, who just so happens to manage one of the biggest indie artists of the last several years, Justin Vernon, and his project Bon Iver.  

We chat about his origins at the start of Middle West Management, and how his critical role in developing Bon Iver into an area/amphitheater act.  Everything Josh and his team do with Bon Iver has so much thoughtfulness and intention behind it.  They’ve carved out their own path together, and one that is to be admired and from which we all can learn as well. 

Josh Sundquist - Middle West Management

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For today’s episode, I get the chance to chat with a friend of mine, Josh Sundquist at Middle West Management, who just so happens to manage one of the biggest indie artists of the last several years, Justin Vernon, and his project Bon Iver.  

We chat about his origins at the start of Middle West Management, and how his critical role in developing Bon Iver into an area/amphitheater act.  Everything Josh and his team do with Bon Iver has so much thoughtfulness and intention behind it.  They’ve carved out their own path together, and one that is to be admired and from which we all can learn as well. 

Ali Hedrick and Erik Selz - Arrival Artists

For today’s episode, we have a first in Tough Love history:  Not just one, but two distinguished guests:  Ail Hedrick and Erik Selz, from Arrival Artists. 

Co-founded with a coalition of booking agents in the wake of the pandemic, Arrival Artists heralds the return of the boutique booking agency, after years of consolidation within that area of the industry.  With a rich and diverse musical roster, ranging from Andrew Bird to Sufjan Stevens, we chat about Arrival’s beginnings,  Ali and Erik’s approach to working with artists, and the challenges and opportunities born out of the pandemic.  

I hope you enjoy and get as much out of this conversation as I did. 

Hannah Boren -

Red Light Management

As we enter a new year, I thought we’d refine some aspects and the overall approach to what we’re doing here with this podcast.

When I first envisioned this, I thought taking a seasonal approach to it would work best, coming up with topics such as “Origin Stories” and “Pivots”, but as it began to unfold, I’ve come to realize that each artist manager’s store is so unique and inspiring in its own right, that it’s best to let the discussion dictate the overarching theme.

So, moving forward, we’ll forgo the seasonal approach and do just that, let the stories take us where they may.

To kick us off, I’ve invited a friend and former colleague of mine to join us today:  Hannah Boren.  As I mentioned at the top of our chat, I first encountered Hannah when she was a student at Belmont University in Nashville, and she became our first intern at NoiseTrade, a music discovery platform I used to run.  Her talents and intuition were evident even at this early stage, so I’m beyond thrilled that she’s excelled in becoming an artist manager, working with another dear friend of ours, Aaron Sawyer, at Red Light Management.  I’ll let Hannah share the rest of her journey, as we dig in.

Tom Osborn

As in life, seasons change, and life gets the best of us at times, so my apologies for the unscheduled break in new episodes these past few months, but as we revamp and begin to record new, future episodes, I thought it would be nice to revisit a few of our favs as we approach the end of the year.  One of the joys of doing this podcast is the excuse it often provides for me to catch up with old friends, and getting to learn more about their own history and start in the industry.  Tom fits this bill to a tee.  I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do as well.We'll be calling this series "Encore" and I'll be posting a few more in the weeks to come, followed but new episodes in Jan. 2022.  I appreciate you listening and I hope you get as much out of these revisited conversations as I do.