Azoff - the Future of Music Biz

Bob Lefsetz has written a extremely complementary article about GN'R's new manager, Irving Azoff.

The more I hear about Irving Azoff, the more exciting the prospect of him working with Axl seems.

Of course, with Axl Rose, you just never know.

Excerpts from the article follow, the link to the full post is here.

As we contemplate the marginalization of Clive Davis, the era he presided over has already died. Clive was about record company power. That’s been the mantra of the last fifteen years, if not two decades. The record company controls the act. Tells it what to record and if it will release. The record company is the tyrant, your nemesis. But now, through the efforts of Irving Azoff, the act is king once again. May not feel so, you don’t see Mo Ostin presiding over Warner Brothers, but that’s the way it is.

Irving is the best protector of talent in the rock era. He even eclipses Colonel Tom Parker. Parker made a lot of decisions based on self-interest, like not allowing Elvis to tour Europe for fear his own illegal alien status would be revealed. Irving likes money, he likes to win, but he does this by going to the mat for the artist. What Henley wants, he gets. And not only Henley, but Christina Aguilera. Even Jewel. You take a meeting with Irving, and he closes you. And he’s no patsy, if he thinks you’re your own worst enemy, that you’re not taking your business seriously, he fires you! Like J. Lo.

There’s something happening here, and it’s starting to become very clear. Irving Azoff has built a talent powerhouse. More powerful than any label. Which concert promoters are beholden to.

How big is Azoff’s power?

He sold interests to both Warner and TicketMaster. Neutralizing both, telling them they can ride his coattails into the future. Their businesses might be challenged, but they’ve got him in their corner, he’ll help them.

Then there’s the theoretical AEG/TicketMaster/Cablevision lockup. That’s Irving play. Assembling a challenger to LiveNation.

He’s got his own record company. The infrastructure built to sell Buffett albums and the relationship with Wal-Mart. He’ll use a major’s money to develop, but that’s it.

He’s smart enough not to go into competition with promoters. He built Universal Concerts and AEG, he knows the pitfalls, but Irving was bad as an owner. Remember Giant? Irving does best extracting money from others!

So what’s the play? Is it just managing this talent, or leveraging it in some way?

It’s Irving’s world, we just play in it.

Stop watching the major labels.

Start watching Irving. He controls the future of the music business.

At least for now.

You can read the entire article here.