Behind The Music: Ayron Jones and the Way’s manager Mackenzie McAninch

In my words…

For every successful Artist, there’s someone working tirelessly behind the scenes contributing to their success.

For too long now, the Artist Manager (who I call “the glue” holding it all together and the Artist’s biggest fan, confidant, and cheerleader) toils away for the most part in anonymity as the praise and glory shine down upon their Artist.

A Manager never rests. They wake up each morning thinking about ways to make their Artist more successful and while the rest of the world sleeps, the Manager is still up working on their plans for World Domination.

A Manager’s DNA is not like most mortals; that’s probably why there are so few. The passion, dedication, selflessness of putting oneself second, loss of sleep, money, and sometimes relationships in the pursuit of achieving your Artist’s dream and vision in an Industry where the odds are stacked against you may make some question your sanity and, at times, so do you until you watch your Artist “kill” a room and then you remember why you’re there.

The Manager, in my eyes, is the unsung hero. It can sometimes be a thankless job and nothing raises my Irish more than an Artist who doesn’t publicly thank their Manager, especially at The Grammys. It’s the Manager who will remain with you through thick and thin, because you’re building something together right? It’s a partnership I liken to marriage; it’s not always going to be a honeymoon.

Artists, treasure your Manager if you’re lucky enough to have one. If you haven’t thanked them lately, I suggest you call them after reading this and say, “Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?”

They may ask if you’ve been drinking but I guarantee you’ll make their day. A thank you goes a long way in a Manager’s memory bank.

Managers, hats off and my deepest personal respect for all you do! – Robin

 

This week’s guest Manager is Ayron Jones and The Way‘s Manager, Mackenzie McAninch.

Mackenzie McAninch has been working with Seattle band Ayron Jones and the Way since January of 2012.  He started off as their booking agent and became their manager in the Spring of 2013.  In May of 2013, McAninch also became the booking agent for Funky 2 Death.

GC: First of all Mackenzie, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your story with our readers.

GC: How did you get into the Music Industry?
MM: Slowly and through several avenues.  I started off as a bartender in a music venue in Cincinnati, OH in 2001.  This was my first real exposure to live music that wasn’t a big touring act and I quickly became interested and started making friends with the bands.  I later became a talent booker at a bar in Oxford, OH and I started booking bands I had known and liked in Cincinnati, and quickly started landing bands both nationally and internationally.  From there, I managed a couple of small bands around the area and got my feet wet.  In 2004, I began writing about music at Randomville.com and I became the editor and owner of it in 2007.  After moving to Seattle in 2006, I started covering festivals like Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot and Sasquatch as a reporter, learning that side of the industry.  I’ve always loved hosting charity events in my spare time and Ayron Jones and the Way played one of them for me in 2010.  I kept my eye on them for a while and eventually we decided to do business together, and I sold Randomville in 2012 to jump into the booking side of music full throttle.

GC: Do you think Managers find bands or bands find Managers? (chicken or the egg theory)
MM: Both, based on what I’ve seen, although I think there a lot of artists looking for managers out there.  Maybe we need some kind of online service to connect them together?  They can both have their pros and cons too.  Regardless, it’s really important for the artist to truly feel a connection and trust with that manager.

GC: What does a day in the life of Ayron Jones and the Way’s Manager look like?
MM: 100% non-routine, in my experience anyway.  Every day I get random messages from strangers, people I talked to the day before, and some I haven’t talked to in months.  A manager’s job is to put out fires and an issue of some sort presents itself almost daily.  And while I don’t have a time clock to punch in and out of, I’m basically always on the clock.  I get phone calls, text messages and emails at all hours of the day, including the middle of the night.  Even when I’m at the gym, I might not respond instantly to every email, but I’m reading them while I’m working out.

 

GC: In your opinion, what should an Artist look for in a Manager and when does one need to seek Management?
MM: They need to choose someone who is well-organized, and can handle sometimes ridiculous amounts of stress and pressure, yet keep cool during it.  I always say that if I freak out, then everyone else will too.  A good manager has to be extremely hard working too.  Like any profession, if your manager is lazy, you’ll get lazy results.  Of course if they have a ton of connections, that’s a plus.  But a strong work ethic and a good attitude are just as important, if not more important.

When to get a manager varies for each band, but simply put, when you and your band mates don’t have enough time to handle all of the duties (performing, bookings, social media and the strategy behind it, promotion, licensing, song placement, handling merchandise, contracts, etc) that need to be done on a nearly daily basis, then it’s time to reach out for help.  Some bands can self-manage and for a long time.  But ask for help if you need it, otherwise you’re only hurting your own career.

GC: OK flip that: what does a Manager look for when considering representing an Artist and is it mandatory (if a band), that they have a band agreement in place prior to signing on with you?
MM: Is the talent there?  Is everyone in agreement on the general vision of the project?  What makes the band marketable and unique?  These are all questions the Manager should be asking themselves and the band members too.  And yes, a band agreement makes things a lot easier, especially when it comes to recorded music and royalties.

GC: Some publications on the industry report that it can take up to 3 years to break an Artist and 3-5 years (if you can keep a band together long enough), before you might start reaping the rewards of your efforts.  What’s your take on that?
MM: I guess it depends on what each individual considers “reaping rewards” and what they’re in it for.  If it takes 12 years to “break” and you enjoyed it the entire way and have few regrets, then that 3-5 year window shouldn’t mean much.  I think if people are screaming for an encore after your band’s performance, then you’ve done something right.  If the show ends and three people clap, then quietly walk away, then there might be an issue and that 3-5 year window might be harder to reach.  But if that audience keeps growing with each show and the applause keeps getting louder, then that seems like reaping rewards to me.

If your goal is to be rich within 3-5 years, it is possible for that to happen, but the odds aren’t good so you had better be ready for a letdown if it doesn’t happen that fast.  With all that said, I do think that 3-5 year window is important though, because it’s a good time to do a self-inventory on the goals of the project.

 

GC: What would you say to someone who would like to become an Artist Manager?  What qualities do you think they need most to be successful?
MM: Learn to function without sleep!  I’m kidding, but not really.  Really ask yourself if you’re willing to sacrifice a huge part of your life for this.  You might have to live below your level of comfort financially for a while.  You might have to skip vacations for several years and get jealous when your friends post their vacation pictures on Facebook.  You might have to miss birthdays, anniversaries, and functions with friends.  You might have to go without health insurance at times.  You might have relationship issues at times over the time commitment to your music career.  You might get yelled at from another person in the industry and you have to take it, even if you don’t deserve it.  You have to be able to accept rejection and not take it personally.  You have to have patience.  You have to be able to handle stress and be a good decision maker.  You also have to be able to admit your mistakes and learn from them, yet not dwell on them.  If any of the above are major deal breakers for you, then this industry might not be for you.

GC: It’s also been said that a Personal Manager is part: Friend, Confidant, Advisor, Protector, Cheerleader, Psychiatrist, Educator, Supporter, Wrangler, and wears many different hats on any given day. Is this an accurate description?
MM: Absolutely.  You’re kind of like a parent, in a way.  However I don’t usually dive too deep into the personal lives of my artists, unless they really ask for it.  I try to keep it a business relationship.  That’s not to say we don’t talk about philosophies of life and relationships on long car rides, but they know that if they see my number pop up on their phone, I’m calling for a business reason and not to ask what they had for lunch.

GC: Describe your “worst” days as a Manager.
MM: When a show goes bad and is poorly attended to my expectations.  I’ll admit I have a hard time not taking that personal, but I’m getting better at it.  Sometimes not landing that certain gig you had been trying for can sting too.

GC: Describe your “best” days as a Manager.
MM: When people come up to the merch booth and compliment the band on being amazing or incredible.  Getting standing, roaring ovations from thousands of fans simultaneously.  Even though I didn’t perform the music, I was a part of the performance.  Our job is to entertain, and if we get that response, then we’ve done our jobs.  It gives me chills every time and is the #1 reason why I do this.  You don’t get that same feeling from turning in a good report at a desk job with good benefits.

GC: When all is said and done, how would you like to be remembered in Rock History?
MM: I really had to think about this for a while. In the industry, I’d like to be known as the hardest working, most successful manager since Bill Graham (he did more than run venues), yet I was easier to work with than Graham was.  I see a lot of people treat each other poorly in this industry and I vow to not act that way because I don’t enjoy being on that receiving end.  I’ve been told I’m easy to work with, which is a huge compliment to me.

To my artists, I want to be remembered as the man who helped get them famous and gave everything he had to help make that happen.

 

Next Monday’s Mystery Manager said this: “I’ll never forget the Spinal Tap moment when I came up with the band name _______.”  Who is it?  Check back next Monday!