IN THE POCKET MUSIC KEY
Concepts
the desire to get something for free overshadow your artistry. “I teach a class at Musicians Institute, Hollywood,” Terry says. “I have students ask me for deals all the time. They’re students! The industry has created the wrong perception of what an endorse- ment even means.” It’s important to know the various roles in an endorsement relationship. I wrote about them in last month’s article, but here’s a little more on the subject.
Qualifi cations for Endorsements We’re going to address each level of endorsement: marquee, international, national, and regional. If you’re a marquee- level artist, then you won’t have to ask. For international-level artists seeking an endorsement, they should fi rst and foremost be playing the gear they’re looking to endorse. How can you tell people at the company that you believe in the product, and are willing to let them use your name in reference to it, if you’ve never played it? Also, the intimacy that comes with already owning the equipment is very important in the knowledge you off er to the company. “AR guys are more interested if you own and are already playing the gear,” Terry says. “It means the endorsement is based on honesty. It turns me off when guys come up
to me and say, ‘This company off ered me this and that, so you need to give me more and I will play your gear.’ It starts things off dishonestly. You need to believe in what you’re telling your fans you’re playing.” Another qualifi cation for an international
artist deal is several—not just one—major- label recording credits that have been commercially successful or musically infl uential. You also need to hold a position as the drummer with a national or interna- tional-level artist whose work will be seen and heard by millions of people. For a national-level endorsement, you
should already be playing the gear that you’re talking about endorsing. (This will be a consistent theme.) And you should hold a position as an infl uential drummer that has a gig with a national-level artist who’s signed to a major label or has a very big country- wide following. Consistent visibility, via recordings, tours, TV appearances, and so on, is expected as well. The fi rst requirement on the regional level
is—you guessed it—to already be playing the gear you’re talking about endorsing. You should also be an infl uential drummer in a specifi c geographical area. If the AR rep sees that you’re someone who really stands out and may eventually end up on a very visible gig, then he or she may make a move to sign
you earlier in your career. This is a great opportunity to build a long-term relation- ship with a company and is considered a developmental opportunity for the artist. Regional deals usually go to department heads of major music programs, authors of highly regarded drum books, and top local drummers. This doesn’t mean a lot of views on YouTube—you need to be out working in the music business. One of the crucial points in endorsements
is that both sides are vital in the relationship. “Deals can be extremely eff ective if both parties do their part,” Hibbs says. “If the company gets the right guy to move the needle and makes good use of it, it will have a huge eff ect. Likewise, artists need to commit their eff orts as well—things like making sure products are listed in album credits and on social media, properly displaying logos on gear and websites, talking about their equipment in interviews, and making sure that their fan base knows what gear they’re using. It can work really well for everybody.” For me, endorsements have never been
about getting free gear. It’s always been about support. When you’re doing major tours and records, you can run into many unforeseen situations with your equipment, from broken parts to bizarre requests from producers and artists. Being able to service those, as well as having access to backline kits around the world, is what makes my relationship with the company crucial. In regard to the artist’s side of the
relationship, you need to maintain a valid endorsement status. So don’t switch companies all the time. This weakens your honest viewpoint of the product. Also, artist endorsements are serious business transactions. You need to keep up your side of the deal by being diligent with promo- tion, continually appearing at highly visible events, using all of your faculties to further the relationship, and always being a positive ambassador for the companies. I hope these two articles help to clear up
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this particularly murky part of our industry. I’ve been a little blunt, but it’s important to emphasize that an endorsement isn’t going to make you a star. The quote that I chose this month emphasizes the points I’ve made about why you should want an endorse- ment in the fi rst place. There are no shortcuts to success. It’s hard work that leads to joy, humility, honor, blessings, and great music. Good luck!
Russ Miller has recorded and/or performed with Ray Charles, Cher, Nelly Furtado, and the Psychedelic Furs and has played on soundtracks for The Boondock Saints, Rugrats Go Wild, and Resident Evil: Apocalypse, among others. For more info, visit
russmiller.com.
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