Backstage Spotlight™
December 2003 Talent Agent Scott Pang
Scott Pang has worked in the music industry for 24
years and has been an agent at both ICM and William Morris. Artists he’s worked with
over the years include Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Diane Reeves, David Lee Roth, and many
others. Scott Pang was also the director of touring for the Ice Capades and Harlem
Globetrotters. Currently he is an agent at ICM.
MBADC: What traits do you think a good manager should possess,
from your perspective?
SP: I think managers need to be knowledgeable about the business they’re in.
There are two types of managers, from my perspective. One is a touring manager, who
specializes in tours. And they really know how to get acts out on the road and what venues
to play; these managers sometimes are ex-agents, ex-road managers, and people like that.
The other type of manager is a manager who really knows recording and how to work a record
company, what producers are great, and they are the type of manager that is more the
record manager. There are very few guys that are really good at both sides; there are some
that are, but most of them have a tendency to lean toward either side. And because of
that, managers should be real knowledgeable about what’s out there. And if
you’re going to talk touring, you should be knowledgeable about the business,
knowledgeable about what other people think, and have your foot in reality too, which is
the utmost importance in business. Realize that this is a business. You can’t operate
a business based upon false assumptions.
MBADC: Thinking a star is bigger than he is, for example…
SP: Exactly. Or convincing yourself that they’re drawing more people than
they really are. Or that they’re worth more money than they really are. We’ve
seen that happen way too much.
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