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I represent some amazing artists, hands down, amazing. They are the rock and they forever hit the hard place because of the nature of this industry…not so much on the international level but in my territory of North America. Trust me, I didn’t rule out that I am the problem, but there are more signs pointing to the former.

I represent some amazing artists, hands down, amazing. They are the rock and they forever hit the hard place because of the nature of this industry…not so much on the international level but in my territory of North America. Trust me, I didn’t rule out that I am the problem, but there are more signs pointing to the former.

This industry today, especially in Electronic Music is a very, “Me, Me” industry. There are tons of remixes out there, collaborations, packaged tours. It doesn’t seem like it right? The current mind set is very, “What have you done for me lately?” or “What have you done to deserve this position?”.

While listening to Smokey Robinson on the Howard Stern Show this past Thursday morning he said something that stood out to me. Howard was pointing out the fact how he must of been floored when Stevie Wonder hit him up to write a tune for him and Smokey responded with, “No, No, No, that’s how we all did it back then and how we did it at MoTown”.

They all helped each other out. Completely different mind set, yea? Back then was a different time, understood, however, why does this mind set have to change.

In the early 2000s I noticed this mind set in action within UK and European drum and bass agencies…group photos with matching label gear, or a set of dog tags given by the agency, or a track jacket and they stood as a family. I now see less of that.

This type of cohesiveness is something I work on time to time within my own agency. It is a goal of mine to bring all of my artists together to work together and have this type of family feel. How this industry is now and just how business is now of days this is very difficult. People are busy and this is something that can not be forced.

The idea of truly helping all parts of an industry to come together to do something great for the craft is not untouchable and should be flirted with in my opinion.

There is enough money for everyone, and egos feel better when shared because communities are formed.

This should also be done on the business side as well. Where management and agency companies would come together and align what would be best for the music fan and not what can be formed from one artist roster. This idea is limiting. This is why in the US or Canada you will never see the line ups like you see in the UK or Europe because of politics and ego. I voiced this to a promoter buddy of mine and he said “Great idea Scott but those line ups are like 4 headliners deep, that’s expensive”. Totally get that and there will always be the money factor, but if more promoters worked together this would be fixed as well. I have had promoters tell me they wouldn’t work with me because I’m not Agency A or Agency B, but how they enjoy the music from our artists. Welcome to America.

So adapt a new mind set. I’ve had people call me a dreamer. When you put your mind into the thought process that you are living your dream anything is possible. All this takes a proper movement in the right direction to make it all happen.

However it is going to take a major change in attitude or shall I say mind set to make this all happen.

On the artist side I know there is a competitive nature and then on the business side it is cut throat. It doesn’t need to be, but the struggle is most people on the business side have been living in that mind set for so long which makes their attitude practically irreversible.

I guess it is up to the artists, yet again. This can be done by artist to artist tour collaborations from two different agency companies which would force agencies to speak with each other and collaborate. This would then spread to promoters speaking and working with that other agency as well that evens out the playing field. I have had this in my mind for a while but work happens…I was recently reminded of this since it works amazingly for one of my acts over in Europe. Since he has been doing this he is able to spread himself over a wide area because of this type of collaboration. We are working together now to try to duplicate this and we will see how much resistance comes of it but I remain optimistic.

So get your mind right…
Things need to change, because everything is not ok, it should be for the greater good and not for the selected few.