By Sharlene Valencia, Researcher

Behind every successful man there is a woman; behind every successful band there is a manager.

They are the “captain of the band” that are unacknowledged by most fans and viewers. They don’t have fans. They don’t get awards. They are not rock stars. Musician artists managers are responsible for “getting the band jobs,” shared Fran Ribaño, managing The Dawn, Kjuan, Pin-up Girls, DRT and Cheeba, among others. They book them gigs, look for endorsements, and look after everything with the musicians’ career.

Beyond the limelight

To be a good manager, it takes more than knowing the music. “There is a lot of common sense, accounting and imaging involved [in the music industry],” Karin Araneta told The Manila Times.

There are scenarios unknown to the public eye—the relationship between clients and managers, managers and their bands, and also clashes among band members—that do not necessarily involve artistry.

There are times that an argument will ensue between promoters and managers. “If there is tension, the bands should not know it. Even if it is not your fault, you will shoulder it,” says Alvin Rodriguez, who co-manages The Dawn, Pin-up Girls, DRT and Cheeba with Ribaño. He added, “A manager should be a quick thinker, deal with the promoters in a way that they won’t be offended. You don’t want to give them the notion that it’s hard working with us.”

“That is why a good relationship with the band is very important, you have to know their attitude so that you can adjust if the promoter wants something that you know the band/band member will disagree to,” says Rodriguez. To avoid arguments, transparency and communication are key.

Stiff competition

With so many bands in the Philippines, it is a challenge to keep a band in the limelight. Managers need to know what the trends are on the scene and know what people are listening to.

“It is difficult to make an artist popular, but it is also hard to keep them that way,” says Araneta, who has been a manager for 14 years.

“There is a demand to give the public something new,” shares Rodriguez. Reinvention is important for bands to stay in the realm of music. But it is not an easy task for managers. “If the band is there for quite some time now, it will take them a while to get into a system that they have not tried,” Ribaño says.

“New artists are more open-minded,” shares Araneta. But, even if up-coming bands are more open to new things, it will not be that easy for them to penetrate the industry. “Good music is not enough, now good-looks also plays a role,” says Rodriguez. “Launching artist is no small task. It just looks easy,” shares Ribaño.

Business vs. art

As much as there must be a separation between the business side and the creative side. The overlapping between the two is inevitable. “On managers side, as much as possible we are not part of the creative side,” shares Alvin Rodriguez, co-manager of Fran Ribaño.

“If they [bands] are just starting up, you [managers] are part of the consultancy stage when they choose their repertoire.

“We try to separate it but I have to deal with both of it, even with the established bands,” said Ribaño.
“We have to consult with record labels and radio jocks, they know what would sell,” she added.

“Realistically, you can’t be just be an art for art’s sake, you have to make your music sell.” Ribaño told The Times.

“You have to explain to them that now a days you have to dress up. The grunge era is over,” said Rodriguez.

Managers can only give suggestions. At the end of the day, it is still the band’s call who they will be.

Being a manager is not for the faint-hearted. Patience and people skills are paramount. Connections, gained through experience, are also vital. Managers also cannot be greedy. “It’s not that lucrative,” cautions Ribaño.