ANCHOR MEDIA INTERVIEW SERIES: Kevin Grace of Grace Artist Management
I have had the privilege of working with many amazing clients, but Kevin is not only one of my absolute favorite people to work with, but our working relationship has developed into a great friendship as well. It’s not often that such a talented, knowledgeable, and dedicated person comes to you with the need to create new and innovative ways of marketing bands. Kevin has developed his own artist management company and has ushered his first band, Red Sun Rising, to being one of the top DIY and unsigned talents in the country. His dedication to music business and artist management is unsurpassed and only continues to grow.
I had the opportunity to pick his brain a little bit and figure out a little bit more about him, his artists, and his outlook on both the industry and the importance of graphic design in his industry. Check it out…
AM: Let’s start out by finding out a little more about yourself. How did you decide you wanted to be in the music industry, and how did you start Grace Artist Management?
KG: Well Ive always had a great passion for music since I was young; growing up listening to Michael Jackson was one of my favorite things to do. That eventually blossomed into listening to anything and everything I could get my hands on. In high school I started to really take notice into how bands marketed themselves, I can’t really explain why I was so interested in the marketing of an artist but I was. Since then I have really studied in depth how to market and band and how to have a direct connection with your fans. Grace Artist Management kinda followed after I met Justin Nozuka (Glassnote Records) and his band and sat down with them and had a real long conversation about my dreams of doing something in the Industry. That conversation and the help of Gene Shelton (Motown) who was my professor and Michael Jackson’s former PR rep really guided me in the right direction to start the company.
AM: How did the relationship with Red Sun Rising come along?
KG: My relationship with Red Sun Rising started when I was attending Kent State University about 2 years ago. I was already interning at a local label called FTF records. I met and became friends with Mike Protich (lead singer) who I knew had a band but I never checked it out. Mike asked me to work with them as a manager, I really wasn’t into management at the time because I wanted to try and work for a label, but once I did listen to them live I knew right away the band had the talent and the potential to really do some big things. My mind started to really create a vision and a marketing scheme that I could work around the music; I was hooked and dived into the management world.
AM: With the music market so saturated with the same carbon copy bands, how have you set your artists apart from everyone else?
KG: Well Jaye I call that The Clutter. In today’s world a fan may be listening to 1,000 different artists, how do you break through that clutter? You need a direct connection with the fan, give them something to more then just music. Creating relationships with your fans is key; it breaks you through the clutter and keeps your fan attentive to what you delivering. Red Sun Rising really tries to keep a relationship with everyone of their fans via Twitter, Facebook, Mailing List, Music, Videos, and Contests etc. Bands should never stop producing content for fans, artists no longer have the luxury to sit and milk a record. Keep your fans engaged and give them more content. Stay relevant.
AM: How important is the Internet and Internet marketing for both bands just starting out, and bands who have already established a name for themselves?
KG: The Internet is the most valuable asset an artist has right now. When have you ever been able to be on a mass media before? Tv and Radio has always been closed off to the independent artist, but now artists can take advantage of the Internet and grow their fan base organically. Marketing is easy if you know your fans. My advice would be to market to your fans and not a label.
AM: How about you give some advice to various artists in different situations. First, a new band just starting out.
KG: The first thing I would say to a band starting out is work on your music. You won’t get anywhere in this business if your songs suck. Work on your music because good songs will help you break thru the clutter. I truly believe a good product a good song will always make an artist and the rest comes along.
AM: How about bands that want to take their careers to the next level?
KG: For bands that want to “take it to the next level” the tools are there for you to excel. Topspin is a wonderful tool that will guide the new music industry to be more artists driven. Its not will someone come help me anymore, its I have the tools so lets build this house together. It’s DIY now and its beautiful, work on a connection with your fans and work on your music and you will reach that next level.
AM: And what about bands who are signed? What do they need to do to accommodate for new marketing technologies?
KG: If a band is signed and not utilizing Topspin for analytics/emails/connecting with fans they are incredibly foolish. You can’t rely on a label to gather all of that for you. What if you’re dropped? You will have nothing to use to keep your career going. Not connecting with your fans leaves you vulnerable and with a label using there value and you not taking advantage of it can only end up badly. Follow Amanda Palmer she left Road Runner Records and she took advantage of the value Road Runner gave her. She now can sustain a profitable career on her own. Get Connected.
AM: How important is graphic design, both for you and your bands, and the music industry in general.
KG: Graphic design is very important. A bands image says a lot and there is a difference in a good designer and a great designer. With design work it’s go big or go home. Spend the money because if it looks half ass your band will be taken that way. You want to look like you’re on a major.
AM: What are some important and key design services you think a band should invest in?
KG: Well of course Anchor Media for sure. To be honest you’re our only guy who has done any type of graphic design. With designer work I would tell artists to keep it simple and stay away from the clutter on the page. Let your fans know where they want to go to find Music/Videos/Photos etc.. A great idea is to actually invest in the Topspin Berklee Course Online. The course really shows you how a website should be put together and what you actually need for design work.
AM: What predictions do you have for the music industry in the future?
KG: My thoughts on the future of the industry are pretty clear. I think its will be more profitable for artists with more revenue streams to tap into. The power will shift from labels to artsts and managers. Also Spotify and Topspin really explode.
AM: Finally, any plugs, things we should know about, or final comments?
KG: Working with this new kid Christopher Wild. He is a mix of The Black Keys and Wolfmother so be ready to see some of that soon. Also RSR is working on some new stuff with some really intesting and head turning concepts/videos. Also my site and blog will be up soon as well. To end I would like to say that artists have the means of production the means of distrubtion now its up to them to take advantage.
NEMO - “MEMORIES” SINGLE
One of my all time favorite clients and Lexington KY hip-hop mastermind, NEMO and I have collaborated once again.
If you recall, I did some work for him in th epast on his first mixtape “Elevator Music” as well as some initial work on his “Vibrations” EP that never got released.
Nonetheless, NEMO came back to me with an amazing idea for his first single off his “Lies. Rants. & Confessions.” record that will drop later.
This “Memories” track is on another level, plain and simple. He came to me with the concept and I did my thing, and as you can by some of the most influential people, not only in black history, but history in general, the cover turned out amazing.
Not only are we going to give you the track FOR FREE…
But also some exclusive downloadable content.
The full size record cover.
An iPhone background of the cover.
And a desktop background.
Enjoy!
