ERIC SLATER
ericslatermusic@gmail.com
http://ericslater.com
Eric Slater has been managing himself for the past two years. He’s had a successful career as a recording artist for two labels and has toured on more than one continent. This artist has also had several managers, but decided to manage himself in order to have control over his music and career. Slater found that, sometimes, managers had a different vision than his own and, ultimately, he was not comfortable following their approach.
WHY DO YOU MANAGE YOURSELF
I’ve had managers from my teens through my twenties, and it was sort of like having an enabling parent. They did everything and I gave them the power to do so. Eventually, I realized I wanted to do things my way and, even more importantly, I wanted to take the power back.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM WITH MANAGERS
I wouldn’t call it a problem; it was just a different approach. Most managers want to shoot for the top because that’s where the money is. They want to hit a home run by making you a mainstream commercial success. And I bought into that for quite a while. But, I discovered that having a manager did not make people care about me or my music. In fact, sometimes a manager would strike such a hard deal that it would kill an opportunity and reflect poorly on me. And, you know, opportunities are hard to come by today.
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU NEED TO MANAGE YOURSELF
You need to believe in yourself and have an understanding of the business. I watched my managers and saw what worked and what didn’t. I became aware of how the business operates and who the players are. That sort of experience is invaluable. But, managing yourself is not easy. You need a sense of direction and a clear vision of what you want and how you’re going to get it.
THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF SELF-MANAGEMENT
It can be frustrating because of the time it requires. You can spend so much time with marketing, promotions, PR and everything else that you have very little time left for your art. In fact, if you did everything conventional wisdom tells you to do, you’d never have time to write a song or play a show. Because of that, you have to prioritize and focus on specific goals and timelines. You need to decide what’s really important. I found that you can’t do everything you want to do, but you can do things that get results.
THE KEY TO DIY MANAGEMENT
For me it’s networking and absorbing knowledge and experience along the way. I like to keep aware of what’s happening in the business. I’ll ask questions of every industry pro I meet. I want to know how they think and what projects they’re working on. I try to figure out a way I can help them. If you’re managing yourself, you’re always on the move and always on the hustle.
WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER WORKING WITH A MANAGER
I might consider co-management if it’s the right person. Recently, several potential managers have courted me. But I require a lot more from them than I used to. I want a manager who values my artistic integrity and has the right vision for my career. I want someone who understands me, my music and my influences. I don’t want someone who just wants to exploit me. I’d rather work with someone who respects what I do and how I do it.
