Manager Spotlight :: Scottie Diablo
Last week we ran our first installment of ‘Manager Spotlight’, where we speak with rising stars in the music management business. This week we caught up with Scottie Diablo of Acid Bird Management in Los Angeles. Scottie currently manages Austin-based rockers White Denim.
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R&G: How did you get your start in the music business?
Scottie: My obsession for music almost got me kicked out of school at a young age. My path to the guiding light of Rock ‘n’ Roll was born in the early 80’s. I learned about the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll by reading lots of fanzines, magazines, attending live shows, studying liner notes, studying album cover art and absorbing anything music related. I never played an instrument, so starting a band was out of the question. The only way I could contribute to the “art” was becoming a manager. I had enough street smarts and knowledge of music that assisted me in managing my first band around 1995. Initially it was bullshitting club bookers on how many people the band drew, collecting money, and meeting people within the L.A. music club scene. Nowadays a band can book a tour with a few bulletins on their Myspace account. Back then, it was phone calls and driving to clubs to drop off music. My favorite clubs back then were AL’s Bar (Downtown L.A.), Bar Deluxe, The Garage, and Moguls in Hollywood. The first band I managed dissolved in the late 90’s and I didn’t manage another band until the mid-2000’s. I worked with a band that got signed to Secretly Canadian/Dead Oceans, a post-punk band from New Zealand, and a rapper from the Midwest. Those three artists independently found greener pastures. The stars aligned in 2007 when I met with White Denim. In my mind – the most important band in Rock ‘n’ Roll today.
R&G: What advice would you give to aspiring managers?
Scottie: Never be an asshole to anyone. That’ll get you nowhere fast. I never understood these young manager types that were complete dicks. People assume that just because you’re a “manager” you’re entitled to be an asshole. I’ve never bought into that bullshit. If you’re a manager of Starbucks, would you treat your customers like assholes? (#2) It’s all about your “ear” and the excitement you feel for the artist(s) you’re working with. If you’re in this for the big bucks, then it’s time to move onto a career in plastic surgery or owning a “trendy” mobile taco truck. I get hit up all the time by loads of bands asking me to be their manager. I feel really uncomfortable getting solicited by a band that I’ve never heard of. I’ve managed bands because I have a personal connection with their music. I’m not a “band collector”. Some managers or gigantic management companies take on artists because they see the flavor of the month cash cow. I actually overheard a guy at The Echo a few years back yell, “Dude, check out my artist roster on the website, it’s growing like crazy dude”. He was drenched head to toe in Ed Hardy clothing. Fuck Rosters. Fuck expense accounts. Fuck tax write-offs at the bar. I don’t buy into that. Never have – never will. I do this for the sheer pleasure of watching passionate people write/record incredible songs and blowing minds with their live show. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to an album, the band rolls through L.A., I go to see them play and they think they’re the second coming of The Who at Leeds. You have to earn that shit. Period. The “All Look, No Hook” doesn’t fly in my book. My point after all this rambling is simple: Discover and uncover bands that YOU like. Don’t work with bands that are the flavor of the month. Music flavors change as quickly as a click of a mouse. In my opinion, that’s a waste of time. Screw trends. Trends are for fashion. Also, never dwell on “potential” failure. We all fail. Managing is tough. That’s a fact. Big Daddy Kane declared “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy”, so I’ll apply that same logic to band management.
R&G: If I had known then, what I know now – I would….
Scottie: Have learned an instrument. Seeing White Denim up on stage giving their blood, sweat, and tears is appealing to me.
R&G: How important are social media sites like Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and music blogs in promoting White Denim?
Scottie: The Internet has simultaneously helped and killed Rock ‘n’ Roll at the same time. The mystery has been completely stripped away. In my opinion, Rock ‘n’ Roll should be mysterious and dangerous. When The Stooges or MC5 came out in the late 60’s/early 70’s, you had to buy a concert ticket to witness the fury and onslaught with your own eyes. These days, you can sit in an airport with Wi-Fi and stream videos from pretty much any artist on the planet. The mystery is gone. I do like a few music blogs. I read my select few on a daily basis. Though, I’ve been noticing a trend in the past year or so. Some of these music bloggers are slowly leaning towards the gossip world. They tend to build up an artist one week, and then tear them down the next. There’s zero consistency and loyalty. I do respect a small number of bloggers that actually take time in writing out some insightful pieces. Where’s this generations Lester Bangs?
I will say though that White Denim had a recent album review where the writer called them a “product of the Internet”. That’s funny, because that so-called writer writes for an Internet based music blog. I mean come on. That’s lazy journalism 101. The online music pool that actually writes interesting music reviews are those from the UK and Europe. Those writers actually sit and listen to albums; it’s evident in their writing. They get it. I mean, I’d rather read an honest review from some kids tiny little blog in Texarkana, than from a paid staff writer who wears cardigans and rides a fixie to work. You know who you are.
But to answer your question, I think the Internet has done a decent job with promoting the band. I’ll leave it at that.
R&G: Most interesting or humorous situation you’ve dealt with as a manager?
Scottie: Dancing drunk in Sheffield, England with James [Petralli] from White Denim, intoxicated on Kopparberg Pear Cider. That stuff is the nectar of the Gods.
R&G: Blackberry or iPhone?
Scottie: Skypager
White Denim – River to Consider
White Denim’s new album Fits is available only in the UK from Full Time Hobby (Download)
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