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Modest! Management - A Failure?


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Old 13-07-2012, 23:29
iseloid
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After seeing Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Ferguson, Stacey Solomon and Alexandra Burke leave them...it's clear theyre a bit of a mess. Anyone know why? Rebecca is apparently suing them, and Stacey had to go through a lengthy court battle to get herself career freedom. Alex and Cher luckily managed to leave them without getting legal.

They manage all XF acts who are signed in some capacity. It seems the most successful (Leona and 1D) are generally successful due to a vested label push too. It seems Modest are incompetent of good promo. But why? The acts they have have awesome potential and are well known. Or is it perhaps more sinister? People say Cowell destroys careers, but looking at it closely, it isnt him. He provides the finance (and the artist decide their musical path along with the label) but the management are dire. And we all know management make and break people.
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:34
BrokenBromance
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Rebecca is letting it fly on twitter tonight



1h Rebecca Ferguson ‏@RebeccaFMusic
Be nice to have a nice new responsible caring management team!! Who care for me and my childrens well being ‪#seeyouincourt‬!!!


1h Rebecca Ferguson ‏@RebeccaFMusic
See you in court!!! ‪#greedyvermon‬


1h Rebecca Ferguson ‏@RebeccaFMusic
Was so exhausted I couldn't physically walk on my own but was still told I had to work!!! ‪#vile‬


1h Rebecca Ferguson ‏@RebeccaFMusic
The same people that worked me so much I collapsed and had to say stop!!! I need to see my children you need to give me time off vile!!!!


1h Rebecca Ferguson ‏@RebeccaFMusic
resorting to stalking my twitter the same people that watched me collapse ... And gave me a can of coke and said now go do your interview
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:37
Lovely_noise123
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After seeing Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Ferguson, Stacey Solomon and Alexandra Burke leave them...it's clear theyre a bit of a mess. Anyone know why? Rebecca is apparently suing them, and Stacey had to go through a lengthy court battle to get herself career freedom. Alex and Cher luckily managed to leave them without getting legal.

They manage all XF acts who are signed in some capacity. It seems the most successful (Leona and 1D) are generally successful due to a vested label push too. It seems Modest are incompetent of good promo. But why? The acts they have have awesome potential and are well known. Or is it perhaps more sinister? People say Cowell destroys careers, but looking at it closely, it isnt him. He provides the finance (and the artist decide their musical path along with the label) but the management are dire. And we all know management make and break people.

Rebecca Ferguson sounds like she is moaning beacause she doesnt like hard work...I suppose compared to opening a bag of crisps for an advert it is hard work, I think she will be without a record deal very soon indeed.
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:43
bazztheman93
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Good for her for standing up to them, she is making them money afterall. Rebecca was the right person to speak out because confrontation really isn't her thing. If Alexandra had did this she would have been slammed, which is sad
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:44
shaunnashines
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Hmmm I don't know about failure, but they seem to have their favourites.
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:45
Zack06
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Failure for sure. They are awful. Their only priority is 1D. They only managed to secure one performance slot which was on a Syco show anyway for Leona's Collide making it under-perform, and they messed up Alexandra with terrible promotion, she was nowhere to be seen on the release week of her album which is unacceptable. Again bad bad management.

They are a terrible management label, and Cher, Rebecca and now Alexandra have all done well to leave them and save their careers.
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:55
billiesmith
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Hmmm I don't know about failure, but they seem to have their favourites.
I would agree with this - they prioritise some to the detriment of others
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Old 13-07-2012, 23:57
iseloid
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I would agree with this - they prioritise some to the detriment of others
This is what i was wondering.
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Old 14-07-2012, 00:05
iseloid
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Rebecca Ferguson sounds like she is moaning beacause she doesnt like hard work...I suppose compared to opening a bag of crisps for an advert it is hard work, I think she will be without a record deal very soon indeed.
She's been all over the world promoting her album. She's mad because she needs rest as she's broken her leg (and isn't meant to be moving) yet she's been told to get up do it. Also she wants to see her children but I don't think they're letting her.
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Old 14-07-2012, 00:18
barrcode88
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Rebecca Ferguson sounds like she is moaning beacause she doesnt like hard work...I suppose compared to opening a bag of crisps for an advert it is hard work, I think she will be without a record deal very soon indeed.
She's been all over the world working and has broken her leg and is also a mum, I think she has every room to voice her dissatisfaction with this latest stunt.
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Old 14-07-2012, 00:27
spaceoddity
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She's been all over the world promoting her album. She's mad because she needs rest as she's broken her leg (and isn't meant to be moving) yet she's been told to get up do it. Also she wants to see her children but I don't think they're letting her.
I feel Rebecca would be more happy in the studio, writing for other artists, doing a few TV appearances and shows here and there, as apposed to this relentless world promo tour. Glad she's voicing her dissatisfaction, I hope she's able to get what she wants out of it.
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Old 14-07-2012, 00:53
abrightyz
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now that most everybody agrees that management is a failure, maybe it's time to acknowledge it's not exactly management that's the sole reason for a certain band's success... as we've said before, it's the fans, silly...

it's the fans through the social media and any available forum that made it clear they wanted 1D and it would be stupid not to give in to a market's demand... so let's lie low a bit with the favouritism... with 1D, they were in the enviable position of merely supplying the goods... if the media wrote about them, it's because their public want to read about them!! if they were booked for an appearance, it was because the fans wanted them there...
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Old 14-07-2012, 01:22
iseloid
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I feel Rebecca would be more happy in the studio, writing for other artists, doing a few TV appearances and shows here and there, as apposed to this relentless world promo tour. Glad she's voicing her dissatisfaction, I hope she's able to get what she wants out of it.
That is true, As an adult contemporary artist, she doesn't need heavy promo...airplay suffices.
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Old 14-07-2012, 01:24
iseloid
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now that most everybody agrees that management is a failure, maybe it's time to acknowledge it's not exactly management that's the sole reason for a certain band's success... as we've said before, it's the fans, silly...

it's the fans through the social media and any available forum that made it clear they wanted 1D and it would be stupid not to give in to a market's demand... so let's lie low a bit with the favouritism... with 1D, they were in the enviable position of merely supplying the goods... if the media wrote about them, it's because their public want to read about them!! if they were booked for an appearance, it was because the fans wanted them there...
Bar touring, 1D have had considerably less promo than Alex and Leona with their debuts. They didnt need it
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Old 14-07-2012, 02:15
C14E
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The lines between what Modest and the labels do can be pretty blurry. But by and large they seem to have had plenty of success and obviously some failures. I think there can be an issue when your management is appointed for you. Certainly on American Idol, it caused no end of trouble and from a far earlier time. The "season 2 rebellion" then Kelly ditching 19 Management (apparently on the advice of Clay Aiken).

Cher is the only one there that interests me. We heard absolutely nothing there. And she seems to have moved over to a company that, like Modest, has close links with Syco.

Alexandra "leaving" is a bit like announcing your resignation from work "on your own terms" just after you accidentally burn down the office. She was getting dropped anyway. Had she axed them pre-flop then it might have made a statement. The spread of responsibility for her career crash between RCA, Modest and Alexandra herself is up for debate (and it certainly has been debated!).

Modest actually did pretty well for Stacey when you look at it. They were the ones that put her on I'm A Celebrity and got her that first (albeit disasterous!) tv presenting job on X Factor. It'd be interesting to know what Cowell was thinking - what with his (semi) publicist Max Clifford representing a client that was suing his favoured management company!

Rebecca's complaint seems to be that they made her work too hard and that she didn't get to see her kids. "The show must go on" - in the entertainment industry it's not just a saying. Artists get put under insane pressure because the rewards are insane. Ranting on Twitter late on a Friday night doesn't do her any favours and while she did well last year, it's probably not well enough to be throwing her weight around just yet. Posting "see you in court" on Twitter is unprofessional in the extreme. It would have looked far better for the news to simply break that she had begun legal proceedings and give a more dignified statement through a fancy legal firm! It might be the case that she doesn't want to spend so much time away from her kids which is fair enough. The music business isn't for everyone. But there was always going to be a period of intense promotion and travelling just now.
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Old 14-07-2012, 02:24
iseloid
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The lines between what Modest and the labels do can be pretty blurry. But by and large they seem to have had plenty of success and obviously some failures. I think there can be an issue when your management is appointed for you. Certainly on American Idol, it caused no end of trouble and from a far earlier time. The "season 2 rebellion" then Kelly ditching 19 Management (apparently on the advice of Clay Aiken).

Cher is the only one there that interests me. We heard absolutely nothing there. And she seems to have moved over to a company that, like Modest, has close links with Syco.

Alexandra "leaving" is a bit like announcing your resignation from work "on your own terms" just after you accidentally burn down the office. She was getting dropped anyway. Had she axed them pre-flop then it might have made a statement. The spread of responsibility for her career crash between RCA, Modest and Alexandra herself is up for debate (and it certainly has been debated!).

Modest actually did pretty well for Stacey when you look at it. They were the ones that put her on I'm A Celebrity and got her that first (albeit disasterous!) tv presenting job on X Factor. It'd be interesting to know what Cowell was thinking - what with his (semi) publicist Max Clifford representing a client that was suing his favoured management company!

Rebecca's complaint seems to be that they made her work too hard and that she didn't get to see her kids. "The show must go on" - in the entertainment industry it's not just a saying. Artists get put under insane pressure because the rewards are insane. Ranting on Twitter late on a Friday night doesn't do her any favours and while she did well last year, it's probably not well enough to be throwing her weight around just yet. Posting "see you in court" on Twitter is unprofessional in the extreme. It would have looked far better for the news to simply break that she had begun legal proceedings and give a more dignified statement through a fancy legal firm! It might be the case that she doesn't want to spend so much time away from her kids which is fair enough. The music business isn't for everyone. But there was always going to be a period of intense promotion and travelling just now.
I agree. However with Alex, they could've done more. Her album promo was dire. She was great at the start with the lead single despite airplay issues. They ought to have put her in Europe when the single dropped, it was charting in the 300s in various European countries, which of course, excited us fans (it even made All Night Long return to the top 100s in Spain (#70 peak) they just were so very slow, and I don't think it was her, she always says there is a plan, but it never happens (she's one of the Modest camp who actually tweets about her whereabouts). But she had to have a reason to leave, otherwise she'd be screwed as you need management around album launches. But the whole label/management closeness is scary. Especially with syco...You get lumped with them rather than making a choice. She went from great management to bad management. Rebecca was a bit unprofessional I agree...it shocked me, she isn't one to act like that. Stacey did well out of them, but she did say it was like being in jail and you had to do what they said. They seemed more problematic than pragmatic.
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Old 14-07-2012, 02:43
C14E
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I agree. However with Alex, they could've done more. Her album promo was dire. She was great at the start with the lead single despite airplay issues. They ought to have put her in Europe when the single dropped, it was charting in the 300s in various European countries, which of course, excited us fans (it even made All Night Long return to the top 100s in Spain (#70 peak) they just were so very slow, and I don't think it was her, she always says there is a plan, but it never happens (she's one of the Modest camp who actually tweets about her whereabouts). But she had to have a reason to leave, otherwise she'd be screwed as you need management around album launches. But the whole label/management closeness is scary. Especially with syco...You get lumped with them rather than making a choice. She went from great management to bad management. Rebecca was a bit unprofessional I agree...it shocked me, she isn't one to act like that. Stacey did well out of them, but she did say it was like being in jail and you had to do what they said. They seemed more problematic than pragmatic.
Part of the problem I have is that I just don't know exactly where Modest fit in. They're obviously the ones there every day taking her to these things. But are they always the ones booking the interviews, the TV shows etc? The labels have TV & radio promoters (sometimes in-house, usually independent).

Would Modest be the ones to decide if she went to Europe? Or would that be in the hands of Sony UK's international team and the local Sony labels? Although I'd imagine that Modest were responsible for some of the ridiculous gigs she has done over the past few years so they can be blamed for that at least!

As for her leaving, she may have been displeased with them. But I think she will have known that it was over for her and she'd be looking for new management anyway. Modest do keep some dropped artists on but usually only when there's an obvious career path ahead like TV or the West End.
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Old 14-07-2012, 02:56
iseloid
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Part of the problem I have is that I just don't know exactly where Modest fit in. They're obviously the ones there every day taking her to these things. But are they always the ones booking the interviews, the TV shows etc? The labels have TV & radio promoters (sometimes in-house, usually independent).

Would Modest be the ones to decide if she went to Europe? Or would that be in the hands of Sony UK's international team and the local Sony labels? Although I'd imagine that Modest were responsible for some of the ridiculous gigs she has done over the past few years so they can be blamed for that at least!

As for her leaving, she may have been displeased with them. But I think she will have known that it was over for her and she'd be looking for new management anyway. Modest do keep some dropped artists on but usually only when there's an obvious career path ahead like TV or the West End.
I agree too. I don't know what they do exactly. It's all blurry as said before. I think Modest book the gigs and tv promo. The label release the goods, so I suppose they work hand in hand. Labels are mostly for finance I think. I think she was displeased, especially when fans were furious about things, she does hear what we say (as do all twitter using stars). She knows more than we do. All they booked, she ended when she went to Mexico recently (her last pre-arranged gig by them). She needs management (along with anyone else, in particular Leona) who are dedicated to planning an external campaign. It's easy to put songs on itunes outside the UK, I can do that from my house. Modest don't seem to be confident outside the UK.
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Old 14-07-2012, 03:21
C14E
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I agree too. I don't know what they do exactly. It's all blurry as said before. I think Modest book the gigs and tv promo. The label release the goods, so I suppose they work hand in hand. Labels are mostly for finance I think. I think she was displeased, especially when fans were furious about things, she does hear what we say (as do all twitter using stars). She knows more than we do. All they booked, she ended when she went to Mexico recently (her last pre-arranged gig by them). She needs management (along with anyone else, in particular Leona) who are dedicated to planning an external campaign. It's easy to put songs on itunes outside the UK, I can do that from my house. Modest don't seem to be confident outside the UK.
It's definitely more than finance. I'm quite interested in this stuff (marketing student!) and if you just take Syco as an example they have in-house marketing, PR, branding and commercial teams. Then a whole raft of agencies and consultants.

Typically:

Touring - Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Management - Modest! Management
Regional Radio - Promo Stint
National Radio - Hungry & Woods
TV Promotions - Jacqui Quaife PR
Public & Media Relations - Hackford Jones
Social Media Consultants - Punktillo Digital
Marketing Agency - Various - some agencies they've used for different artists are Adam & Eve London, Essence, Love Creative, AIS London

And that's just the ones that I know of!

RCA use a company called Lucid PR for a lot of their acts. Charlie Lycett (former MD) set that up in 2003 and it specialises in TV and radio promotions. Not sure how Alexandra's team will have changed when she moved from Syco. She's still with Hackford Jones. But can't speak for the others.
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Old 14-07-2012, 03:24
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At least Modest had the sense to drop Matt Cardle. They knew a loser when they saw one!
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Old 14-07-2012, 07:07
Gill P
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Joe left Modest Management too and has a decent management team with Decca. He is also signed to WME Entertainment which, I believe, is the largest booking agent in the world!
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Old 14-07-2012, 08:17
Fatfeatheryowl
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Cher left last November and is with Craig Logan (ex of Bros for those who remember 1988!), but was also head if RCA Uk (I think).

Given the shambles with her last year (leaks galore, odd single choices, kiddy aimed marketing etc etc - though not sure if that was all or partly or indeed not down at all to Modest to be fair) the change seems to have been good.

Mr Logan and Epic USA thus far seem to be doing a great job as far as I can see.
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Old 14-07-2012, 08:45
my name is joe
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Good for her for standing up to them, she is making them money afterall. Rebecca was the right person to speak out because confrontation really isn't her thing. If Alexandra had did this she would have been slammed, which is sad
she was, she's the only one who could get away with it cos we know she wouldn't react that way without reason. I can't even imagine the bratty headlines Cher would have got

But there must be something seriously wrong with this management team, there's more than coincidence going on here.
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Old 14-07-2012, 08:48
my name is joe
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now that most everybody agrees that management is a failure, maybe it's time to acknowledge it's not exactly management that's the sole reason for a certain band's success... as we've said before, it's the fans, silly...

it's the fans through the social media and any available forum that made it clear they wanted 1D and it would be stupid not to give in to a market's demand... so let's lie low a bit with the favouritism... with 1D, they were in the enviable position of merely supplying the goods... if the media wrote about them, it's because their public want to read about them!! if they were booked for an appearance, it was because the fans wanted them there...
i doubt the management could go wrong there, if they could have they prob would have. 1D have taken off like cabbage patch dolls once did (i only mention that example cos of the physical resemblance) and you can't stop that sort of force even if you're incompentent.
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Old 14-07-2012, 08:56
abrightyz
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i doubt the management could go wrong there, if they could have they prob would have. 1D have taken off like cabbage patch dolls once did (i only mention that example cos of the physical resemblance) and you can't stop that sort of force even if you're incompentent.
a-ha!!

and the way people even just a few months back adamantly albeit foolishly were on and on and on about management favouritism and putting millions on promos for the boys that brought about their phenomenal success, lolz!!
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