Jeff Dorenfeld is an associate professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music. As faculty advisor for Berklee's student-run record label, Heavy Rotation Records, he negotiated a recording contract with Epic/Sony Records—the first-ever college label and major label collaboration. Prior to teaching music business, Dorenfeld has served as personal manager of the multi-platinum band Boston, as tour coordinator, tour accountant, and lighting designer for Sammy Hagar, and tour accountant for Ozzy Osbourne. In 1982, he joined Scholz Research and Development's manufacturing facility, producing the electronic audio signal processor, the Rockman. He eventually became Vice President of this corporation.
In this full-length version of an interview recorded in October 2007, Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses many aspects of the concert tour industry – from who the major players are, who makes money off a live date and how merchandise works, to how independent artists can use touring and the resources of the industry to give their careers a boost. He also relates a history of the concert business in the USA in the last forty years, to put the current state of affairs into context.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, describes how merchandise sales (for example, t-shirts) work on a concert tour – what the costs are, who gets paid, and why merchandise is an important revenue stream.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the thinking and wisdom behind Prince’s decision to give away his last two albums at his concert appearances and in newspapers, and assesses whether giving away albums is a good strategy for Prince to make money and please his fan base.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses some resources you can use to learn more about the tour business, and what you can expect at a show when you know exactly what is going on onstage and behind the scenes to make it all happen.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses his previous careers as an artist and tour manager.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses how the business of touring has shifted over the last forty years, and how this has changed where major artists make most of their money
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the wisdom and strategy of the age-old touring ritual of ambitious new bands: loading up a van and driving it from town to town, sleeping on floors and building your fan base one by one.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses some of the internet-based resources that exist to help independent artists get press and tour exposure and kick-start their career.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, answers a few burning questions about touring, such as: who gets most of the money; why ticket prices continue to rise; and how industry consolidation in the form of companies like ClearChannel, SFX, LiveNation and AEG has – and has not - affected the industry and the fan experience.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music frames a discussion the long-term health of the touring industry by pointing out to emerging artists that the Rolling Stones will eventually retire, and the major concert promoters (such as LiveNation and SFX) will want to be grooming artists to replace them.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, gives young artists pointers on getting attention for themselves from people who can make a difference in their career.
Jeff Dorenfeld, Associate Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music, discusses the various revenue streams that are generated by a major concert tour – how the band makes money, who benefits from sponsorship deals, what facility fees are, where advance ticket grosses go, and much more.
