Indie Talent Agencies: ‘Sound’ Business Cuts Through The Corporate Mix

The theme for at least the last 20 years in the concert business has been one of consolidation, from SFX’s promoter rollup that started in the ‘90s to today’s continued acquisition of local promoters and festivals across the globe, to major acquisitions of talent agencies such as Paradigm going bi-coastal with Little Big Man and Monterey Peninsula. 

Recent years have seen a new wave of talent agency consolidation, with UTA’s acquisition of The Agency Group as well as recent growth from Paradigm with The Windish Agency, Dale Morris & Associates and AM Only. The recent revelation of an imminent mega-merger of UTA and Paradigm that ultimately collapsed begged a few questions, including which other agencies are looking to acquire or merge with another, and what such a shakeup would mean. 

However, there’s one way to avoid all that.

“[Being indie] is kind of looking at the same problem differently, or having a different approach,” says veteran rock agent Tim Borror, who along with Dave Shapiro and Matt Andersen just eight months ago formed Sound Talent Group. 

The former Agency Group-turned-UTA trio opened shop with dozens of clients including Black Label Society, Circa Survive, Ice Nine Kills, Knocked Loose, Lamb of God, Natalia Lafourcade, Opeth, and Perfume.

The prospect of going indie could seem daunting if not terrifying, with the major full-service talent agencies controlling such a large swath of the business and with vast resources in other media, sports, fashion as well as just plain Hollywood clout. However, with long-term relationships and the perks of being indie, STG’s opening was louder than expected by its own founders.

“We didn’t know we were launching with John Pantle or Jake Zimmerman, agents who came over as a result of our launch and thought what we were doing is interesting,” Borror says, adding that the company has also just added former CAA agent Randy Salcedo. “They know what kind of guys Dave and I are, and I think they thought this was going to have a different heartbeat from what else is out there, and that was appealing to them. We started the company with eight to 10 more people than we thought.”

Part of that different heartbeat is being able to do what excites you personally.

“One of the things I love doing is developing bands,” Shapiro said. “You sign bands no one had heard of and a few years later you’re able to headline and make a living making music. With the major agencies, you don’t get to do as much of that. Not because of anything bad, it’s just a different approach – you’re spending more time at corporate meetings, more time in deciding on an actor they want to sign, where a guy happens to play guitar. Now we can focus on our roster and focus on those next signings. The point is we get to wake up now and write our own rulebook. That’s the coolest part of it all. To get to have fun doing it again, on our own.”

Borror stressed that the major talent agencies are attractive for artists and agents alike, with much to offer.

“Dave and I worked at the bigger companies for a long time and there’s nothing wrong with working with them, nothing wrong with what they are – they’re an amazing option for most, frankly, and they wield loads of power and leverage,” Borror said. “But when you’re small, nimble, focused and have great clients that give you some leverage, you can be in the fight in a different way.” 

The switch from major agency to indie is one we’ve seen before, with notables such as Dennis Arfa’s longtime stronghold at AGI (see Q’s With Dennis Arfa) which counts Billy Joel, Metallica and many others as superstar clients, as well as Frank Riley who opened High Road Touring in 2001 and who still calls as clients many of his signings dating back to the early ‘80s, to Cara Lewis opening her own Cara Lewis Group in 2016 representing many of the biggest stars in hip-hop such as Travis Scott, Chance The Rapper, and longtime client Eminem. 

Even more recently was the opening of 33 & West with veteran agents Matt Pike, JJ Cassiere and Dan Rozenblum counting clients such as Dance Gavin Dance, Insane Clown Posse, Dead Kennedys and many others, while recently adding agents Ian Fintak and Shan Patrick.  

Also often is the story of the truly indie concert promoter or venue operator, with notable figures such as Peter Shapiro, Michael Dorf, Rick Bartalini and many others booking shows and putting on festivals across the country.

“Now the MAC Agency is in the same conversation as these bigger building agencies,” Lieber told Pollstar (see full Q&A interview here). “Love to all these agencies, a lot of them have reached out, but right now we love what we’re doing independently and we’re going to continue to lower our heads and work hard.” Again the flexibility goes a long way. “I like being able to move how I want to move. These bigger building agencies, there’s a lot of restriction there. … Hip-hop, the urban music scene, is No. 1. That’s dictating everything right now and I don’t know if some agencies are adapting.”

A challenge of being indie on the agency side is lacking the resources in other media – admittedly the music department is a new concept in the history of the agency business and by most accounts not the true breadwinner of the majors. Boutiques still have a way in and much to offer in this space as well, according to one agent navigating the music and sports worlds.

“The thing the big guys have is they flaunt these huge clients, maybe nostalgia artists or the new hot artists – ICM for hip-hop, or WME or CAA’s got this, that and the other thing because you can cross over to film,” says Artery Global Talent Agency CEO Trevor Swenson, whose agency represents dozens of artists largely in the metal and indie-rock space and has a sports division. “But at the end of the day you’re still calling the same promoter. It’s just who is going to get that promoter to give up more cash – because there’s influence from the bigger artists, or knowing the value and showing the value of your client.”

Swenson says his company is proof that “our agents can do the same work as the big guys,” and again flexibility is key. 

“We kind of do things a little bit more new-age style, not a 9-5 situation, and get things done,” said Swenson, adding that he was particularly excited about client Vanillaz playing the main stage at Ultra Europe. “There’s also not the situation where you work at big corporate offices where you could be fired any minute for not meeting quotas and you’re out the door. We’re a little more free to develop artists instead of told to pick this up because of XYZ manager or XYZ label is pitching this as the new hot thing.” 

While the Artery Sports division tie-in may not be as obvious a fit as, say, an actor who also performs in a regular touring band, there is still plenty of crossover, according to Swenson, as athletes are attracted to getting to meet or work with musicians and vice versa. 

With the challenges of being indie and today’s current consolidated agency landscape, STG’s Borror says he has a lot of respect for both the new school and old school. 

“We started from scratch and built indie companies, moved on to go to major companies to get more experience and see what that life was all about,” Borror says. “Not every person is cut from the cloth to be able to do that. So the people earning a living at it, whether they have smaller clients grinding it out learning as they go, or manage to learn as they go and get bigger clients and stay indie, all that is impressive and healthy for the business.”