It's a little difficult to see, but this was my seat for the SXSW (South by Southwest) presentation earlier this week. They discussed the internship and volunteer programs, as well as some basic information about what the festival entails. Go here to find more information.
The music industry has grown tremendously with the continual expansion of the Internet and technology in general. There are way more budding artists putting material out than
ever before, and the development of social media sites like YouTube and
Facebook will just continue to push the growth. With many more artists attempting to make it in the
industry, more artist managers are needed to help develop those talents. I mean, sure, an artist can take care
of many management duties on his own when he or she is first starting out. Eventually, however, they will need
help. The same goes for managers
themselves. It is easier to
communicate with people today than it ever has been, and many resources are
more easily accessible now due to technology than they have been in the
past. On the other hand, nothing
beats networking and experience, and those things you can’t go buy at a store
or look up on the Internet. So,
just like the artists, eventually managers need help. That being said, where can artists and managers alike find
help? Steve Rennie, manager of the
very successful rock band Incubus, has come up with his own solution.
Rennie has created a website called Renman Music & Business. This website can be used
“to collaborate, get insider access, and mentoring from the music industry
veteran.” Rennie, like most
seasoned managers, often gets contacted for networking opportunities and advice
from various up and coming musicians and budding talent managers. After awhile, Rennie decided that he
wanted to create a forum in which he could share exclusive content and insider
tips and tricks that was low maintenance and could reach a broad audience. He found what he was looking for with
his website. RM&B allows
Rennie to communicate with his peers through online chats, community forums,
and video blogs to share his advice.
With Rennie’s 30 years of experience within the industry, it’s quite
silly to not use his website as a major development tool if you are trying to
make it as either an artist or an artist manager. That’s not all, though. What’s the best part about the deal? It doesn’t cost you a dime.
Here's an interview done with Steve Rennie, where he discusses his new venture among other things:
