HOW TO GET INTO THE MUSIC BUSINESS

Traditionally, weaseling your way into the music biz was reserved for wheeler-dealers with a nose for timing and cocaine. These days there are a wealth of courses available for those anxious to succeed… but are academic qualifications necessary? Jenny Valentish, editor of triple j’s magazine, jmag, asks industry insiders for their advice.

A&R
If your ultimate aim is to hang out with bands and actually earn a decent wage, this might be the career for you — so it’s also the most competitive. Working at a record company, you’ll spot new talent before it’s snapped up by anyone else, and nurture the act until they start seeing you as an evil puppet master.
A day’s work might include: Listening to demos, hiring stylists, checking out new bands live (‘scouting’), negotiating deals, liaising with the marketing dept to develop a band’s profile.
Academic route: Business or marketing courses are useful.
Back door: Street-teaming, writing a blog on new acts people are yet to go wild for, interning at a record company. Many A&R reps are musicians yourself — and if you’re gigging, you’re also networking.

Journalism
While bands will scoff that journalists are just failed musician, there’s something to be said for a ‘hopeless groupie’ tag as well. Writing about someone else’s talent all day can be demoralising, but the perks — gigs, CDs, beers — are mighty.
A day’s work might include: Interviewing bands, writing live or CD reviews, the dreaded transcribing of interviews.
Academic route: Journalism degree.
Back door: Getting your name out there by writing for blogs, or the street press — who’ll pay peanuts. When emailing editors, don’t expect them to just give you assignments.

Label management
The tag ‘label boss’ may make you sound like a mogul, but more than likely your label is a labour of love run out of your spare room, borne out of a fierce disregard for corporate record companies.
A day’s work might include: Getting songs on CD compilations, arranging competitions with magazines, liaising with publishers, overseeing marketing, publicity and A&R staff/work.
Academic route: A business course would help.
Back door: Register a name, get yourself an ABN, find a distributor and put out someone’s CD!

Management
You’ll have a closer bond to a band than anyone else; even their partners. You’ll be pepping them up during hard times, playing referee between them and fighting for their needs like a stage mother.
A day’s work might include: Screaming at record company people who don’t understand your band; booking festivals and tours; approving or vetoing decisions involving your band; polishing the platinum discs on your walls.
Academic route: A business or management course… and a good grasp of maths would be wise!
Back door: Start by managing your mate’s band or taking a band on the road.

Promoter/Venue booker
Venue bookers, as the title implies, bring touring bands to their venue or chain of venues.
A day’s work might include: Advertising the shows in street press and through poster campaigns, negotiating fees and backstage riders; finding suitable support acts.
Academic route: Victorians could volunteer at freezacentral.vic.gov.au, who put on alcohol-free events, while NSW has indent.net.au, and myspace.com/rammpaage represents WA and offers skills training opportunities.
Back door: Put on club nights at your local pub or venue, or book bands at your uni or school.

Publicity
Publicists can work in-house at record companies or strike out on their own. Thanks to their networking skills, the stereotype is of a bossy-boots with a strained relationship with journos - but in reality a good publicist is fearsomely organised and adept at problem solving.
A day’s work might include: Writing press releases; creating interview schedules; choosing press pics, sending out CDs and chasing reviews from journos, compiling guest lists; taking bands to radio stations.
Academic route: Degree in communication studies or public relations.
Back door: Start working with a small band you’re passionate about. Stacey’s advice is: “Micro-market directly into the towns a band is playing by searching online for the local papers. You can also call the local music shop, tourist information centre or high school and ask for contacts at the local papers and radio stations.”

Tour manager
You probably started life as a roadie or manager, but from now on you’ll be drill sergeant, mother, bank and babysitter to your wayward charges.
A day’s work might include: Waking the band up in the morning and getting them fed; driving from A to B; ordering kids out of the soundcheck; overseeing any interview; doling out backstage passes; getting the promoter to cough up; paying for damages at the hotel.
Academic route: A business or management course.
Back door: Sam’s memoir You Can’t Always Get What You Want might give you a few pointers!