Steven Beer: This Entertainment Lawyer Sees Music Moving Forward

April 21st, 2010 by Trenton

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MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: Given Steven Beer’s outstanding track record, you’d expect this top entertainment attorney to be a lot less approachable. The fact is, being extra-open to new people – and new ideas – is the secret to his success.

Want hits? Beer, a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig since 2003 signed, developed and co-managed Britney Spears with his previous firm, Rudolph & Beer. He was lawyer/manager for the multiplatinum artist Aaron Carter at the height of his career, and executive produced the first Disneymania compilation. Next up, he introduced Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) to the music industry and worked with her in the early days of her career.

Steven Beer

Today, the budding crop of artists under his guidance include a list of successful and up-and-coming names. His roster includes the likes of Emii, Kaci Battaglia, Sariah, Chevonne, Jackson Harris, and Natalie Gelman.

While Beer appreciates the satisfaction of a mega-hit, nothing pleases him more now than to see the opportunities for emerging artists within the music industry today.  According to Beer, there has never been a better time for aspiring artists.  If you are determined to bring your unique sounds to the people, well, the artist empowerment manager will see you now.

Q: Steven, what do you think artists today need to understand most about how an entertainment lawyer/manager works? When should they strive to work with representation, and when should they strive to remain independent?

A: I serve primarily as an entertainment lawyer. Given my past management experience, however, I often function as a management consultant to artists and record labels.

Every music professional has their own approach to working with artists. In a changing marketplace the lawyer needs to do more than just review and negotiate agreements.  Like every team member, the lawyer should do whatever is possible to create opportunities that support the goals of the artist.

My priorities focus on establishing a business structure that affords maximum creative and business involvement for our artist clients. We applaud artists who set specific goals and are willing to take a no-nonsense business approach to their careers.

As far as legal representation, it is never too early to retain counsel. The relationships you form early in your career can later become sticky and problematic.  A lawyer will help organize these relationships so that they do not become obstacles to the artist’s success down the road.

Q: How does an artist get on your roster? What’s the right way for them to get your attention – and what’s the wrong way?

A: I mostly rely on quality referrals for new artists. Outside of a referral, I respond to professional emails from artists who have established concrete creative and business priorities. It’s always a plus when the artist comes with a fan base and awareness for how the business operates.

The wrong way is to send me a disc or MP3 and ask me to shop them to labels on a percentage basis. That is a difficult business model in today’s marketplace.

That said, you never know when or how you will meet a special artist — over the years I encountered talent in many different ways. For example, I met Natalie Gelman on a subway platform where she was performing. I met Lady Gaga when she was 16 through an established vocal coach. Although that was an unusual and very special case, it reminds me to always keep an open mind.

Q: It seems like we we’re just in a nonstop parade of must-attend music conferences. SXSW happened last month, and a lot of industry pros had to jump on a plane to head straight to Winter Music Conference in Miami. When is it worth it for an artist to spend on attending, and when should they just stay home in NYC, or whatever their hometown is?

A: It depends on the type of artist, their resources, and the stage of their career. Artists learn a lot and meet people when they attend conferences.  That said, music conferences can be expensive so an artist should be disciplined about how to spend their time and money.

Q: Speaking of developing, the “lack of artist development” is the big complaint artist and industry pros alike have about the current landscape. How do you approach that personally in your own practice? Are you filling in for what the labels used to do?

A: With respect to artist development, we all have to pick up where the major labels left off.  It is not realistic for artists to depend on record labels for artist development anymore.  Successful artists take responsibility for their careers.

Artist development requires hard work and patience — to help develop our artists, we introduce them to some of the best producers, co-writers, and musicians in the business. This accelerates their growth and contributes to a high yield of successful tracks.

We emphasize an organic approach to artist development: The goal is to develop a musical and visual identity that is unique to their personality and vision rather than something that’s generic and already on the radio.  We always strive to innovate and bring something new to the table, not play it safe.

Q: What’s a specific artist project you worked on lately that demonstrates the challenges and rewards of your artist empowerment model right now?

A: I am really excited about Emii’s success.  Emii and Adrian Gurvitz co-wrote “Magic”, which was just released by In Grooves Universal and Slippery Eel Records. Emii’s video was seen by more than one million viewers on YouTube in the first week of the single’s release.  The song received more radio play than any other debut artist. Emii performed at Sundance, SXSW and at a holiday benefit I hosted in December, and she made a great impression every time she performed.

With all that exposure and buzz, Emii is developing a dedicated fan base and industry recognition.  Sariah is another new artist who is turning heads and getting a lot of radio spins with her “Deep N Luv” single that she wrote and produced with Mass Ave.  Before the year is out, I am confident that we will hear a lot more from Kaci Battaglia, Chevonne, Jackson Harris, Michaela, Natalie Gelman, Dalal and Kelli T.

Q: I was at that holiday benefit! Emii DID rock. Who’s an artist that you find inspiring right now, in the way they’re building their career?
A: I’m inspired by artists who are talented, ambitious and willing to be the captains of their own ship. Lady Gaga is a great example of this, and I am proud of what she has accomplished.

Artists have to believe in themselves, be confident in their talent, and willing to chart a focused business path to achieve their goals. I’m excited about the music business today — a reshuffled deck creates new opportunities for artists. That’s mostly due to the reduced number of obstacles separating artists from recording, producing and marketing their music to a loyal fan base.

In this new musical renaissance, artists today can define their own version of success. Most of the artists I know are focused in creating, marketing, and performing their music. Artists today can forge a customized, scalable approach to their business. That’s an empowerment model that I champion, because it keeps the artist in control of their career.

Now, artists can create and execute a business plan that empowers their unique vision. They create because they have to — it’s part of their DNA. Now they can actually sustain a lifestyle while doing it. They don’t have to worry about industry gatekeepers or record labels telling them what they can or cannot do.

Q: That’s good, but it also seems to mean that today’s artists have a LOT to keep track of. What do you think their priorities should be as they juggle all of these balls?

A: Successful artists need to roll up their sleeves and manage their own business affairs.  With empowerment comes responsibility. If you’re an artist, your greatest priority should be creating and performing your music, and developing a fan base. To achieve their goals, however, artists must retain capable business professionals that share the artist’s vision of success. The resources are out there – individuals who formerly worked at record labels are available to render essential marketing and promotional services on a consulting basis.

Q: SonicScoop always asks: What makes NYC the place to be?

A: I love living and working in NYC, but a motivated artist can live almost any place. We have an office in L.A., so I travel to the coast on a regular basis. New York is loaded with talented and ambitious people. The motivation level here drives people to work hard at all hours of the day.

Q: You’ve said a lot of inspirational things here. To play Devil’s Advocate, are there any hidden dangers to this artist-empowering environment that we’re in now?

A: I don’t see a downside. In addition to the artist, the consumer also wins because they have more options to discover new artists. Music fans do not need gatekeepers to tell them what to listen to or what concerts to see.  I like the fact that music fans can discover, support, and forge a relationship with their favorite artists.  Consumers today are guiding the process and deciding what artists deserve to be rewarded.

A world with too much music? Is that possible? Music is my architecture, and I could live in a million rooms a day.

– David Weiss