A friend of mine that manages bands had a few things to say about my post “Do I really need a manager???” Since the band he manages is one of the biggest bands in history and he has done some impressive deals with their catalog - I figured there might be some credence in his words. So, here is what he had to say:

“A band in todays music business needs to do a lot on their own - this is important! After the basics (strong fan base, selling records, filling local venues, etc.) are in place - a manager then becomes necessary. Bands can accomplish a lot self-managing, and they should. But, a band probably isn’t going to be profitable without a manager. Here’s how I see it - I don’t know how to write amazing songs, but I know how to license music. A great band knows how to write amazing songs, but doesn’t know how to license them! A talented, hard-working band and a smart manager can work together, utilizing all the awesome tools available today, and do it all themselves.”

And I couldn’t agree more…

Cruxy is a new service that provides tools for the musician and filmmaker to market, distribute and monetize their assets. It was sent to me by a friend in the tech world, where there is apparently a buzz about Cruxy. However, from a music world perspective, they are lacking a credible music community. It is worth keeping an eye on their progress. If they have a solid platform that delivers what it promises, it may catch on.

Here is a description of the company from their ABOUT page:

“Cruxy provides powerful marketing, monetization and performance tools for digital creators, whether filmmakers, musicians or artists of any kind. Cruxy’s tools give artists the power to share their work on Cruxy or across the web using the Cruxy Social Player. Cruxy also gives creators the ability to sell their work as digital downloads. The artist chooses the retail price and the file format. Cruxy registers the work with search engines, generates thumbnails and previews and handles all aspects of the financial transaction. Cruxy also provides a robust set of analytical tools so that creators can track and improve their progress.”

They also help you sell your wares in virtual worlds like Second Life. Included in their services are a real time analysis of your sales and Internet buzz. Valuable information for any band self-managing. And…you can monetize any asset that can be made into a digital file; drum beats, video clips, ringtones, and photos. The Long Tail model for bands is emerging.

Thanks to my good friend Luci in Portland, OR for tipping me off to this story:

Beaverton mother sues recording industry, could make history
12:59 PM PDT on Tuesday, June 26, 2007
By kgw.com Staff

A Beaverton mother who was accused of illegally sharing gangster rap music online and sued by the Recording Industry Association of America is fighting back by suing several major record labels.

If Tanya Andersen wins, her case could make history, experts say.

Two years ago, the RIAA sued Anderson for file-sharing. Anderson believes it’s a case of mistaken identity.

The single mother denied their claims and filed a counter suit alleging fraud, racketeering and deceptive business practices by the record labels, according to technology news Web site Ars Technica.

The RIAA dropped recently dropped their suit against Andersen.

“The RIAA is also accused of trying to contact Andersen’s then eight-year-old daughter without her knowledge” in an attempt to dig up knowledge implying Anderson was guilty, the article on Ars Technica reported.

“The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Oregon late last week and accuses the RIAA of a number of misdeeds, including invasion of privacy, libel and slander, and deceptive business practices,” the article stated.