Responsibilities breed commitment and enthusiasm

Often it is the case that the creative songwriting team dominates affairs and the other players are left out in the cold. This is not a great strategy for ensuring the longevity of a musical project and it is important to make sure that everyone has a role to play in the musical unit and is committed to the success of that role.

 

Everyone’s primary job in a group is his instrument. It must be agreed that everyone is committed to rehearsing his parts and being as tight as possible as his very first commitment to the band and the other members. But over and above that, it is important for each member to be involved and invested in the business of the band. There are plenty of matters that need to be looked after and you will be surprised at how much else there is for band members to do that can contribute towards the progress and success of your musical endeavour.

 

Technical manager

 

It is always a good idea to have one person in the band whose job it is to keep an eye on the equipment and peripherals, to assess when new kit is needed, and to keep inventory to make sure that nothing goes missing. This is the person who will count and check cables, check styluses and guitar strings, and keep a record of the state of amps, the PA and any other gear the band owns. Basically it is the job of this person to ensure that there is never an onstage breakdown or shortage, by taking preventative measures when they are necessary.

 

Money manager

 

No matter what your intra-band and/ or management agreements are, it is a good idea to have one person whose job it is to handle money matters on behalf of the band. It is this person’s job to chase up money matters with your agency or manager. On the night it is this person who makes sure you get your money from the door, from the merchandise people or your management. They also make sure that outgoing payments are kept track of, like money for strings and skins and so on.

 

Information manager

 

This person is in control of the information collection and distribution that the band needs to do. S/he will make sure your lists are placed at the door and merchandise table at every gig to collect names, email addresses and telephone numbers for your database, and will capture this information for your systems. This person also makes sure your website/Facebook page is up to date.

 

 

Marketing manager

 

This individual makes sure that emails/ SMSes are sent to your databases, that flyers and posters are designed and distributed for gigs, that news about any activity the band undertakes is written and sent through the right channels (like your publicist, your record company, your database lists etc.). Basically, this is the person who oversees the process of making sure that any activity the band undertakes is disseminated to the big wide world.

 

Logistics manager

 

This band member’s job is to make sure that he knows and understands all commitments that involve the band being anywhere. For example, he must always know all the details about where and when a gig is, or an interview, or an appearance. He must know the report time, soundcheck time, stage time and set length. He must know how the band is going to get anywhere, what time they are travelling, where they are staying and if there is a free meal or not. And it is his job to manage the process of making sure that these obligations are met.

 

Once again, the extent to which members can and should undertake these obligations depends on how you have set up your band agreements. However, if members are more invested in the total process of the success of the band, their levels of commitment and enthusiasm are far greater than if they just pitch up and are told what to do by one person.

 

Next week: Image

 

Originally published in David Chislett's One, Two, One, Two: A Step By Step Guide To The South African Music Industry. Download a free copy of the book at www.davidchislett.co.za.