Three Things that Wilspro and Band Of Thieves Manager Looks For
by Hal Selzer
"Keep writing, keep playing, keep recording, and go out to see other artists as much as you can," says Jonathan Klear, about what young bands should do to get to the next level. "That's where it all happens. You will meet a lot of people who are on the same playing field as you, if not one step ahead, which you can learn from."
Klear is a manager at Wilspro Management and Consulting, a New York-based firm that handles a number of major label-associated artists. He started out working in radio, and worked his way to his present position. "After college I had planned on living in Philadelphia, close to where I was raised," he recalls. "I worked at one of the top rock radio stations there and made a few connections. But it wasn't until later that year I got the bug to move to New York, where I landed a job at VH1. I did marketing there for a few years. VH1 is where I really got to understand the business, of cable TV anyway, and learn the corporate culture."
His desire to get involved with artists on the business side took off from there. "While I was at VH1, I began to think about broadening my horizons on the business side of the actual music industry, not television," he relates. "I then called up a few bands that I knew of who were doing well at the time. They were from Philadelphia and as far as Ohio. I used the VH1 platform to gain clients. It worked. Then in 2005, I had a chance meeting with Debbie Wilson through a friend, and we started talking about working together, so that is where I am currently, Wilspro Management."
One of his projects is the group Band Of Thieves, and they are a great example of how networking and self-promotion can get a band the attention of industry executives. "A friend and solid networker, Leigh, who plays bass in the band, sent out a mass e-mail in December of 2006," Klear says. "I had not checked that account for a bit, and when I went through it in January I saw Leigh was in a new band, Band Of Thieves. So at that moment, upon hearing the song 'Woman,' I called Leigh on a Sunday at about 12 a.m. and asked him to bring the band into the office. One of the best phone calls I have made." Or, as Tyler Rann, lead vocalist of the group, put it, "Divine intervention … we all dreamed of each other."
Since that time, Klear has worked with the band on the release of their latest EP, and through shows at venues around New York City such as Webster Hall, the Bowery Ballroom and the Mercury Lounge. They are also booked to be a part of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Simple Man Cruise, a four-day music vacation onboard a luxury cruise liner.
One thing that attracted Klear to Band Of Thieves was their musical philosophy. "We definitely take inspiration from bands like the Stones, the Faces and Zeppelin," explains Tyler. "Not just sonically, but also the emotion and attitude they put into both writing and recording. Not everything needs to sound as produced as Britney Spears, in our opinion. There is no need for auto tune or musical wizardry. We only play and record what we can actually perform."
Klear's appreciation for the band's dedication to its principles is what he looks for in all bands that come to him for advice and consideration. "Passion. Conviction. Knowledge. If you are just starting out, you might not realize how tough it is to get heard, even if you have a label deal," he emphasizes. As far as finding new artists that have that intensity needed to be successful, it's not something that he sees very often, so he doesn't usually go looking. "Sometimes when you're not looking is when you find what you're looking for, if that makes any sense," he muses. "I go out a lot and I talk to a lot of musicians, but I have to REALLY love the music first and foremost to take it to a second show. There are a lot of great talents out there these days, so it has to really stick out to me."
As far as having a major label behind you, that can be helpful, but it may not always be the best path for an artist. "It's so tight these days with each end of the spectrum, I think you have to go with what suits your music and brand best," he explains. "If you think a major is going to get behind it and you have faith in them, then go for it. If you want to be with an indie and love what they have to offer, then that should be good enough for you. There is no right and wrong anymore. Make your music, put it out there any way you can. Just get a good manager!"
You can find out more information about Jonathan Klear and Wilspro Management and Consulting at www.wilspro.com. Further information about Band Of Thieves is available at www.wearebandofthieves.com.
If you have any questions concerning this column or any other music business topic, send them to me at: How To Succeed In The Music Business, P.O. Box 1422, Hightstown, NJ 08520. Or e-mail them to me at: CaptainHal@aol.com.
