I cannot let the comments on my reply to Brunno’s response 76 go by without comment.
Firstly, I note that Brunno himself hasn’t commented on what I said even though I was DIRECTLY answering the points he raised in 76 ie about David K’s role on live appearances.
What I said is entirely correct, not exaggerated and was not intended to be a comment on DK’s abilities as a guitarist which is subjective anyway.
Hello Brunno..are you there? Ok I hope.
Replies 79, 80, 81, thank you, appreciated.
Now, reply 82 from James Floyd.
I’m going to assume you are serious. If it’s a joke accept my apology in advance because I'm going to be blunt , the most direct I’ve been on this site to date.
You really have no idea what a manager does do you?
The reason I took them on was because I passionately loved the music and liked and BELIEVED in the original band from the start. Well 3 of them anyway, at the very first meeting I knew D was going to be a pain and that the brothers thing was likely to become an issue. IT WAS OBVIOUS within 15 minutes.
Anyway they must have recognised that because in turn they signed up with me from choice.
None of us forced ourselves on each other and although I didn't learn until much later only one person, D, was not in favour, apparently I was bonkers and didn't know what I was doing ..pot calling kettle black perhaps?
Of course he wasn’t in favour, why?, because MK WAS (and John and Pick).
That's made abundantly clear in John’s book ( that bit is correct ) and David has criticised me on YT implying the way I managed them was to make money for myself.
OF COURSE IT FUCKING WAS! I was getting a % of what they were ALL getting including him and he did very well as a consequence of my efforts even though he was virtually inaudible on the live shows and via his then wife made entirely untrue and incorrect comments on a public website about me and Mark which I've dealt with elsewhere ( and you only have half that story…..it got way worse ).
But because he couldn’t handle the success (not everyone can) I got BLAMED for getting it right.
Actually I don’t care what he thinks, he’s entitled to his opinions however perverse.
Management in a sound bite is about turning the “art” into commerce.
But uniquely in the creative arts the product is not a pen or a brick or a chair, it is directly produced and communicated to the customer…...in this case the audience…..by human beings.
And every human being/artist brings many things to the table, talent, drive, personality, ego, baggage, suitcases full of fetid underwear.
DS were no exception.
In my comments on AMIT ( and Chris’, and Joop's, and Jack’s) all of us have been trying to give you a picture of HOW IT WAS at various stages, in my case the entire DS career. .
Not the idealised ...through rose coloured glasses view many ( not all ) of you seem to have that the participants are somehow excused from being assholes, difficult, arrogant, narcissistic, selfish, jealous, mean, miserable, grumpy, self -centred twats, qualities ALL of us possess to a greater or lesser degree, including me.
So…I chose a career in music which followed from Elvis and drumming ( actually it chose me).
I was a pretty successful agent when I met them and took them on for the reasons given.
I didn’t need them, they needed me or somebody like me.
Being a manager is HIGH RISK.
They could have failed, broken up, been hit by a bus.
But we all persevered and together we succeeded especially after D left.
Sometimes it got very bumpy but you don’t just give up and throw in the towel which you seem to be surprised by, almost why did I bother?.
It wasn’t a job, IT WAS MY LIFE.
For 24 years near enough. Every day 7 days a week pretty much and almost every day there would be some issue/problem to solve and 90% of the time that would be brought about by the dynamic between them, or the crew, or by the record company, or promoter or whoever.
And it’s relentless.
As Chris’ comment alludes to, and yes, it's tedious, boring, a slog most of the time and the by product is money but way more it’s living the dream and I got to live mine and I assume they got to live theirs at least up to OES and then M thereafter.
But glamorous..YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME!
If you asked ANY other manager…any in the entire history of pop music …you would hear similar tales about people who in public seem positively pleasant , angelic almost.
But let me assure you, artists are bonkers , they almost HAVE to be .
As Bill Curbishley says , “when God gives out talent, he takes something away, and it’s my job to replace whatever that is.”
That's what we do.
Got it?
And in response to your latest comment, of course much…most was fun, positive, funny , productive, lucrative, sexy even but I’m answering the questions you lot ask as honestly as I can, do you want me to produce happy go luck responses to fit in with your perceptions?
As I said, you really have no idea what a manager does and there's no reason why you should, but when I and others tell you the facts ACCEPT THEM.
Nothing personal but you need to wake up and smell the shit.
