wash-hand basin from the wall in the ladies’ loo in his brand new office and he obviously thought, ‘Who is this dork that they’ve sent to be the junior?’ But we got over that! “He was a real innovator – forward-thinking but very traditional – and took no hostages. You had to be on your toes with him, I used to always get a morning call at about 8.30am and you’d have to be ready for some esoteric subject that he’d suddenly throw at you, but it was a great way to learn because it was almost a case of, if you survive that, you’re going to be able to survive quite a lot.” Smyth describes the Stones as “four brilliant gents, true gentlemen: intelligent, focused, very hardworking and able to take advice too”. “I’m not saying they always take your advice,” she grins, “but they would be receptive to it which, particularly as a young lawyer, is remarkable really. “You can go in slightly awestruck thinking, ‘Crikey, these people are obviously very well known.’ But you just have to put that to one side and think, ‘I’m here to do a job, to give dispassionate, objective advice, the best advice you can give,’ and if that works you’re away – no matter who the client, but particularly with them.”
The Stones and Universal Music Group, their label since 2008, announced a new worldwide agreement earlier this year covering the band’s recorded music and audio-visual catalogues, archival support, global merchandising and brand management.
That deal, together with a Grammy Award and the success of the Stones’ No Filter 2017/18 stadium tour, makes Smyth an obvious choice for Music Week Women In Music Businesswoman Of The Year award. “I’ve only ever won the school Latin prize, so this is a true honour and a privilege,” she says. “I know people can say that very tritely, but it’s hugely thrilling to be recognised at whatever stage in life. But how terrific is it to be getting it at my advanced age!”
After studying law at Cambridge, where she met her future husband, Smyth went on to join legacy firm Theodore Goddard (now called Addleshaw Goddard). “In the ’80s it had a remarkable number of senior women for its time,” remarks Smyth. “Those were the days when city law firms had probably zero female partners and in a law firm of, say, 20 partners there were three or four really fantastic role model women and I think that I was incredibly lucky with that. “I ended up working for a particularly amazing person who was dealing with entertainment-based people, but from a private client angle, so she dealt with their personal affairs, with their tax planning, and I somehow found myself, more by luck than by design, working with her and that’s what opened the door really. Her name was Mare Stacey. She’s sadly no longer with us, but I shall be raising a toast to her on the day of the awards, definitely.” Smyth rose through the ranks at Theodore Goddard, eventually going solo to set up law firm Smyth Barkham. “I came at [music management] perhaps from quite a different route,” she reflects. “Coming from a legal background and being a lawyer for so many years, you see it from the outside rather than the inside. I’d also been a bit of a frustrated performer in my youth, so I always had this weird thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to somehow combine the frustrated performer bit with the legal bit?’ So it’s been such a slow burner.”
Despite her positive personal experiences, Smyth hopes things are changing for the better for women in the music business. “There has been a dearth of women,” she notes. “But you’ve now got very, very good women at the top of the tree – in record companies and publishing companies – who are getting promoted and one would just hope that that can continue.
“I’ve never felt a gender issue, but I may be very lucky in that regard by being in a law firm that had women when
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Paint it black: Smyth in Nashville with Rolling Stones Exhibitionism curator Ileen Gallagher
other firms didn’t at senior level; by being allowed by The Rolling Stones to do the job I do; and I hope women are being given that opportunity, because it is hard. On the whole, if they have a family, there is a lot more to juggle sometimes. But it’s incumbent on those of my generation that, if we can do anything to help mentor, we should, so that they realise you’ve had the same issues along the way. I think we should all try and do our bit, frankly. It’s the investment now for the decade down the road.”
“You’ve now got very good women at the top of the tree and one would just hope that can continue”
JOYCE SMYTH GLASTRY
T
he Stones have kept busy during Smyth’s tenure, with new music, multiple tours, a landmark gig in Cuba, a Glastonbury headline slot and the acclaimed Exhibitionism exhibition in the books in the 2010s.
There was also their participation in Goldenvoice’s 2016 festival, Desert Trip, in California, which also starred Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roger Waters and The Who. “The organisers were really keen to have the Stones – well, why wouldn’t you?” laughs Smyth. “They were keen to have that whole tier of people and I thought it was an interesting concept.
“But I was slightly worried that it could look a little bit like nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, so [the organisers] had about a minute to make a presentation backstage to the guys. I just said, ‘You’ve got to get across that this is not some sort of nostalgic dream of yours, you want these greats to be there because they are still at the top of the game.’ He fulfilled the timeslot and brought with him, very cleverly, the stage design. It looked fantastic and they could see it wasn’t just going to be a load of swaying people on their crutches, but a mixture of ages with a hugely young demographic and, again, in great company. Look at the other acts that there were, fabulous! It was really special.” Remarkably for a band in their sixth decade, the Stones continue to have hit albums. Blue & Lonesome, their 2016 covers LP, went platinum in the UK and won a Grammy in the US. Smyth believes retaining a forward-thinking outlook has been central to their longevity.
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