It is odd how the memory can play tricks as I definitely remember plenty of people on this site and elsewhere bitching about Merck and the word "soon" being used to take the piss (or maybe that was only on Tuesdays). I also remember people griping about the Best Buy deal, the fucked up booklet, the lack of promotion when compared to Metalica or AC/DC's releases. Just who was the manager then?
As far as integrity goes, just why did Eddie Van Halen, Seal, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins and the four members of the band Journey write letters to Congress favoring the TicketMaster/Live Nation merger? Surely nothing to do with the fact that they are all either managed or co-managed by one Irving Azoff, you know, the C.E.O. of TicketMaster? Oddly enough none of them mentioned this fact in their letters.
Where's the integrity of practically having a monopoly on concert promotion within the US and then managing bands at the same time? If a manager's job is to get the most money for the band from a promoter how can Irving Azoff act in the best interests of the band when he is the promoter? That's a conflict of interests to say the least. Then again, I've heard plenty about bands that are still owed royalties etc but never heard of a destitute manager.
Dont bother, she will reply with something completely unrelated. Great points though. According to Madison, managers put together a band, set up tours, promote, sell, and all of the above, THEN.... The band begins to write music. Where would these bands be without paper pushers and middle men? I know, at the same place because everyone and their mother is capable of these duties, it depends on your field of interest.
