Record Company C.E.O.'s and you have to do what?

[finedivasoc]

Hummingbird you said:"I'm not sure what you mean by this. This isn't a magazine, it's a public forum. Most of us here are songwriters, composers, artists, singers, musicans, producers, lyricists trying to land gigs with record companies, indie labels, music publishers, music libraries, etc.Just as an aside, I think it's a pity that music composition, orchestration, music theory, songwriting, etc isn't anywhere on the list of things you are studying. I don't mean that as any kind of judgement of you, it just speaks to the fact that most of these 'record' companies are about big business rather than the fostering of the talent that goes into creating the music." I'm a former recording artist, so it's not ALL about big business to me. My motivation is to be the "manager" to a newly discovered artist that I never had. I am also someone who's worked as a broker-dealer for a public corporation landing my first $1 million dollar contract for a public company in my first three months of employment, so I obviously have a knack for selling. The last thing I want to become is your traditional greedy record company type.Yikes!

[bwrenhewmach]

Hey A Very Groovy Chick! After going to your home site and listening to your music. I think it would be a crime for you not to keep keeping on doing what you are doing. Your music is very beautiful my dear 1st class. Mild BillPS A Very Groovy Chick almost anyone can be a CEO but not everyone can be a artistthat is a God giving gift.

[mojobone]

I'll make this short: The best way to get where you're going is to analyze the market, discover a band with great potential in that market, and talk them into letting you manage them. Given that you're a former artist, I suspect you know what an artist needs to have done for them that they can't do for themselves; find a great artist and do it.

[nknjmes]

Get a low paying job or internship with a label or publisher, keep them informed of your studies and make something happen for them while you're there by helping any way you can with screening, scouting, etc. If you do well, maybe someone will take you under their wing. It's a volatile business, and you have to make money for them otherwise you get replaced.

[milfus]

ah nk beat me to it, thats what I was gonna suggest, I wouldn't try to get a studio internship, thats mainly the production side of it all, but you can probably find (checked my area, and I am in a semi urban climate, and got 15 results) a "production company" like with the added managing and booking services, just get coffee, keep your head low, and act dumb. It sounds silly, but youd be amazed how openly people will give up how they do there job if they don't think you are smart enough to take it, not that you would, but its probably the easiest way to get first hand experience and watch all the moves it takes up front, that and you can make booking and library contacts in the mean time just by being likeable and doing the grunt work, i.e. setting up established booking dates and stuff, cause then you are on the phone all the time with club owners and agents, and you know, even though its not you representing yourself, you can still leave good impressions.

[arkjack]

Very Groovy Chck, I admire your ambition to jump into the record business as a career. There were some good resources mentioned such as Belmont and Curb. Another one overlooked that might give you some face to face contact and direction is the PROs - ASCAP and BMI offices in Nashville could probably get you some direction, help, and contacts. Maybe joining an organization or tow like NARAS or NSAI might help as well. With respect to your curriculum, it sounds like you have a well rounded background in the creative side, and working with people in business and marketing situations. The super-specialized knowledge is in the high level business courses, accounting and finance, and general business law, and concentration on entertainment law. The upper management does not want to hear about how great the art or the artist is, they need to know the basis of your business decisions, assessments of risks, and the ROI, Projected EBITDA, discounted values, and marketing analysis, sustainability analysis. Thats where all the MBA stuff comes in handy and the skillset is transferable to another industry in case you find you want to switch rails down the road. Again I envy you to have your youth ahead of you and the ambition to enter this journey in such a tumultuous and challenging time for the industry, because it will give you the opportunity to be a force in revolutionary changes to the business, and maybe the genius who comes up with the next model for a great era of music like we had in the 70's.ArkJack

[finedivasoc]

Arkjack,You have certainly given me a great post. Thanks for your input. It was well written and thorough--thanks!Soc