Don Van Cleave is president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, a group of sixty prominent independent record stores located across the United States that have banded together to strengthen their market share at retail. Van Cleave also runs Junketboy, a company that specializes in securing exclusive distribution deals for independent artists.
Don Van Cleave (President of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores) and veteran A&R rep Peter Lubin (The Pixies, The Moody Blues, Peter Gabriel) share stories and opinions gleaned from their long careers in the music business – what separates hits from flops, what separates excellent A&R from bad A&R, why music is only one component of what makes a band worth signing or working with, why major labels are no place for a musician to work or be signed, and much more – and share some tips for artists who need to grow their audience beyond their family and friends.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, moderator Don van Cleave introduces the other two panelists: artist manager Gary Gersh and A&R rep Steve Rabolvsky.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), defines co-op advertising and explains how CIMS functions as a liaison for marketing opportunities between record labels and retail stores.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, moderator Don Van Cleave sets up the second session of the day by posing a question about the signing and breaking of new artists in today’s industry.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), weighs the cost-effectiveness of buying direct from distributors against the convenience of purchasing from one-stops.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, panelists Don van Cleave, Gary Gersh and Steve Rabolvsky assess whether downloading and social media hold the keys for the future success of the music industry, and discuss the real motives behind Apple’s espousal of iTunes. They also speak honestly about the music industry’s current state of mind, and what the industry might be able to do to salvage the goodwill of their customers. Gersh also shares his experiences trying to break Radiohead while at Capitol, and the challenges he faced trying to persuade radio, retail and even his own label that the band was worth investing in.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), talks about the instances in which free goods can effectively be used in lieu of retail marketing dollars, particularly when trying to break an unknown artist.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, panelists Don van Cleave, Gary Gersh and Steve Rabolvsky assess whether independent journalist such as bloggers are susceptible to the allures of for-pay reviews, and what might happen to online news outlets who appear to have conflicts of interest between the reviews and news they publish and their sources of revenue.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), explains the obstacles preventing stores from offering kiosk downloads and discusses the ways in which digital rights management is frustrating consumers and retailers alike.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, panelists Don van Cleave, Gary Gersh and Steve Rabolvsky discuss the influence that various parts of the music- buying market have on the record business (e.g. tweens, college students, middle-aged parents), and whether at the end of the day, quality music transcends age, culture, and regional preferences.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), shares his thoughts on what new models are effective, what needs improvement, and the ways in which Radiohead met with success by “monetizing the inevitable leak” that all records face upon studio completion.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), addresses the issue of file sharing, citing other times in history when technology forced the music industry to change and offering his thoughts on how artists can continue to be compensated for their work.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, panelists Gary Gersh, Don van Cleave and Steve Rabolvsky share their opinions on the current situation of the music industry, and offer predictions on what will happen next. They also share advice with the audience on how not to think about the music business, and how to build a career in the music business of tomorrow.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), offers examples of the ways in which CIMS stores continue to bring value to customers, from hosting in-store performances to releasing live recordings. He also shares his thoughts on why Starbucks is good for the music business while large retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart are not, and explains how selling collectible items like band-generated USB sticks can keep customers coming back for more.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), offers his view on what went wrong with the music business and shares his optimism about its future.
Don Van Cleave, longtime music retailer and founder of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, visits Loyola University, New Orleans to discuss his entry into the music business, his founding of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), and the state of distribution and retail in today’s music industry. He discusses how CIMS manages its relationship with record labels, how distributors and retailers go about getting exclusive content to sell, whether USB releases are a viable format for selling music in the long run, and what the future looks like for music distributors and retailers.
Don Van Cleave, longtime music retailer and founder of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, discusses his early experience in music sales and his decision to close his award-winning store Magic Platters to focus on running CIMS. He also discusses how CIMS allows independent record stores to pool their marketing dollars in order deal on an equal basis with major labels and distributors.
Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), shares his thoughts on the state of independent retail today, discussing how indie stores remain relevant to their customers, what criteria they use in choosing inventory, and how they continue to evolve in a changing industry.
In this segment of a panel discussion on artist management presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, panelists Gary Gersh and Steve Rabolvsky discuss their first forays into the music business - manning the boards at tiny radio stations, working at record stores, and eventually road-managing major bands and working in key roles at major labels.
In this panel discussion on artist management and the future of the record industry presented at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, retailer and music-industry advocate Don van Cleave, artist manager (and former label head) Gary Gersh and A&R rep Steve Rabolvsky share their thoughts and advice on artist management, how independent bands can break through to success, and what the music industry of tomorrow will look like. The panelists draw on their experiences working at labels like ATO (with David Gray), Def Jam (with the Beastie Boys), and Geffen (with Nirvana) to explore the artist-manager-label relationship and draw conclusions about what artists of today need to know and to in order to survive.
