MUMBAI: As a co-manager for one of the most popular British rock bands - Radiohead, Brian Message has seen an evolution in the managerial role. With music becoming more accessible to the fans, the role of an artiste manager has transformed as compared to yesteryears. It involves a lot more than just managing tours and recording deals. In one of the session of the Nokia Music Connects 2013, Brian spoke to Ralph Simon about what is expected of today's managers and how can they tackle the changes in the music industry.

Message, who is also a founding share holder of ATC management - an artist management firm - believes that the manager needs to build a long term business for the artist.

Talking about the responsibilities of a manager, Message expounded: “A manager has to be prepared to do everything right from health insurance to business planning to venues; basically, being a generalist.” He added that being in alignment with the artist is necessary since a manager earns 20 per cent of what the artist makes.

Message, who works with a number of other artists like Elisa Dolittle and Canadian band Metric emphasised the importance of repacking an artist into a 'brand'. The process of artist management also involves developing multiple revenue streams across multiple countries. However, this can only happen if the artist is consistently good, visually appealing and keeps the wheels turning. Of course, good fortune and good timing also play their part and help in reaching out to more fans on a larger spectrum.

When it comes to guiding artists in terms of mobile and social media, Message is of the opinion that managers should encourage their artists to be authentic because most fans wish to see the real side of the artist which could bring a larger following.

In 2007 Brian, along with his partner and Radiohead brought forth a revolutionary idea. He proposed a 'pay-what-you-like' plan for the band's album 'In Rainbows'. The reason behind this idea was the need for artists and their managers to do something interesting and inspirational every once in a while. And although the move resulted in a lower per cent of people paying for music, it did discover the trend in how fans look at music.

Talking about the Music Managers Forum (MMF), Message said that he is chairing a team of managers who feel that sharing information is necessary. The members involved in the MMF are pro-technology, which helps improve things for artists and managers. These are the managers that want to work with properties like Google and Spotify because in the long run, these will benefit the artists.

Message is a patron of music streaming as he feels that it is not just about growing revenue. The ability for fans to search and get music with just two clicks is the way forward for music lovers. Live music is a crucial aspect of an artists' career and apart from live concerts, Message believes that meet-and-greets are also one of the ways for the artistes to interact with their fans on a personal level, making them more credible. He concluded with being open to introducing his clients into Bollywood, owing to its enormous reach and the tremendous opportunities it holds for international artists.