Martin Tibbetts, an artist manager with 18 years in management, says earning enough to sustain artist development remains a central challenge, with teaching helping him continue working with his acts.
A certified manager with the Music Managers Forum (MMF), Tibbetts also leads its Essentials of Live & Touring training.
Current roster and first management role
Tibbetts manages the following artists directly:
- Pauline Murray / Penetration
- Toseland
With his partners at Three Piece Management, he also co-manages:
- Ryan McMullan
- The Guzzlers
- Evie Cain
- Ugly Baby
His move into management followed 22 years in the music business. Tibbetts and his then business partner, Mark Hobrough, were hired to recruit and assemble The Stiff Dylans for a film.
The project was Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. The pair subsequently became the band’s managers and signed them to Columbia Records. Tibbetts has since managed a range of artists.
Deals and career milestones
At the time of the interview, Tibbetts said he was close to completing a services deal for one of his acts. He values working with a company that shares his commitment to an artist and its direction.
He measures a productive day by completed tasks, progress for his artists and successes of any size. Unanswered calls and emails, stalled work and differing schedules can make that progress difficult.
His career highlights include live performances, chart results and expressions of thanks. He singled out his work with Australian pop group Sheppard across three album campaigns.
In 2014, Tibbetts was running Strange World Management with the late Steve Strange. They co-managed Sheppard alongside Chugg Music.
Sheppard had recently released Geronimo, their debut single outside Australia. Tibbetts heard it over the public address system while entering Universal Studios Florida with his family, then heard it at Disney World the next day.
He recalled those moments as the point when he recognised the song’s potential reach.
Funding artist development
Asked about managers’ biggest current challenge, Tibbetts answered: “Making money. It’s that simple.” He said developing artists takes considerable time and work, sometimes with little financial return.
Tibbetts lectures at several universities and colleges. He finds teaching rewarding and believes continued industry work is essential to teaching the business, while his lecturing income enables him to keep managing artists he cares about.
Balancing those commitments remains difficult. He said many managers need other work to pay their bills as their artists’ income streams narrow.
Training, community and listening
Tibbetts values the MMF’s support and resources, particularly its community. Delivering training for emerging managers also gives him opportunities to learn from participants and hear how others handle similar challenges.
He said the organisation’s regular events provide further opportunities for those exchanges. Its Manager Certification Programme recognises managers who have demonstrated professional knowledge and experience.
His listening continues to include The Clash, whose music first connected with him in 1977. He also praised Noah Kahan, whom he saw in Belfast a couple of years before the interview, and Kahan’s new album.
He said hot summer weather had renewed his interest in reggae, with John Holt and Max Romeo frequently playing on his CD player.
