Part Two: Music Attorney Brian McPherson (Interview)

We continue our conversation with music attorney Brian McPherson. 

. 

Patch:  I know you had a hand in getting Neutral Milk Hotel involved with Merge. How did that happen? 

Brian McPherson: Well I was repping the Apples in stereo, and when they came through LA the first time, they visited my Beverly Hills office.  There was this tall lanky guy with them wearing a Shrimper T-shirt. Shrimper is a great label from Claremont that put out records by great artists like Franklin Bruno, Mountain Goats, Refrigerator, Sentridoh, and I was intrigued. 

He told me his name was Jeff Mangum. I told him that I had been trying to get in touch with him because I was really into this song "Rubby Bulbs" on this split 7” Those Pre-phylloxera Years and the song “Everything Is.”  I just really loved those songs.  So I became his lawyer and sent some music to Mac and Laura (I think Jeff did, too) and they were like “Oh, well, of course we'll put your records out.”  It's not like I was John Hammond or anything. I thought his talent was pretty obvious.  

Patch: Did you, at the time, have any inkling the messiah-like figure Mangum would become following the release of Aeroplane? 

Brian McPherson: No, but I always felt that there was something very special about him and that band.  I am not a religious person and I am VERY cynical, but the many times I saw them play I must admit that I felt “something” come over me that I cannot explain. 

He's a really nice, normal person who loves music and just hasn't really felt like making a record.  I can see why his music (and, to be fair, the music of other E6 bands like OTC and the Apples) has influenced so many people - it's really tremendous music - but the mania that seems to follow his every move is pretty wild and must be kind of a bummer for him and his family. 

He enjoys his privacy like anyone else.  I'm hoping that these shows he's doing will diffuse some of the intense scrutiny.  I can't wait to see him play again. 

Patch: As this is an Eastside neighborhood publication, I want to touch on the locality a bit. How often do you find yourself out and about at night scouting for new talent? 

Not often enough, to be honest.  My wife and I used to live next door to Spaceland, but since we moved to Eagle Rock in 2000, I must admit to being a bit more of a homebody. I try to get out to see my clients and my publishing company writers, but I really do need to get out more.  The added distractions of food, booze and basketball don't help much. 

Patch: In your profession was this initially crucial to building you client base? 

Brian McPherson: Yes.  Back then there were no blogs: you had to go to clubs, know booking agents, A&R guys and promoters - they tipped you off and then I would literally cold call them or go up to them after shows.  A&R guys would tip you off to new bands so that you would in turn remember them when you had a hot unsigned artist.  I kind of had the indie market on the West Coast cornered for a few years. 

Patch: How has new media (blogs, web magazines, etc) played into your discovering new talent?  

Brian McPherson: I need to spend more time cruising these blogs but that takes away from work, dig?  You want a job as my talent scout? 

Patch: The music industry is a vastly different landscape than it was a decade ago. Where do see it moving 5 or 10 years from now? 

Brian McPherson: Man I don't know.  I think you have distinguish between the “Music Business” as a whole and the “Recorded Music Business.”  The former will be fine--you can't steal a ticket to a show with your laptop, really--but record sales will probably decline.

I'm hoping that newer, more progressive pricing models and subscription services will encourage people to stop stealing and buy more music.  I'm not holding my breath. But I also want to point out that labels like Merge, Sub Pop, the Beggars labels and Secretly Canadian are thriving. They are doing this not by building ridiculous offices, signing washed up bands and spending $15,000 a month on overpriced outside lawyers.

Instead, they make smart, fair deals, they sign good bands, they get cheap office space, they keep staff salaries reasonable, they don't take your publishing, merch or touring, they work their asses off instead of trying to be “players,” and as a result they ARE players.  It's a simple formula but it works. You also have to have the “ears” of course. 

Patch: Thanks Brian. See you out there.

[Ed: McPherson tells us that right now he's listening a lot to Poor Moon, Talk, Talk and John Martyn.]