Allyson: Growing up, did you always know you wanted to work in the music industry? (i.e. Were you a performer or an avid music fan?)
Brad: I played the French Horn, but had no idea I'd end up doing what I do. I always loved music, but I thought I was going to be a dentist until I met my college roommate [at Tufts University]. He had a 12-string acoustic guitar and I said 'you're really good, you should start a band.' Then my friend said 'you get me a gig and I'll get a band together,' and that's what I did [back in 1983]. I went home and told my dad I was managing a band and he told me that he grew up with Ron Delsener, the largest promoter in New York City at the time. I found a picture of Ron from my Dad's wedding and sent it on a postcard to him asking for an interview. Apparently he liked that because I got a call to come in and interview for an internship and got it.
Allyson: How long did it take to work your way up in the industry and what jobs did you have along the way?
Brad: At Ron Delsener Enterprises, I started working with the production manager, running for bands – load-in to load-out from 8am-2am. I did that for a couple [college] summers, but Ron said that I really had to go to William Morris Agency and get trained. After applying a few times out of college, I finally got into the mailroom at William Morris in September of 1986. At this point I had to sell ice cream on the beach on the weekends just to make ends meet. I worked my way up to theater casting, then to assisting an agent in the music department. In 1988, I got an interview at Arista Records and I got a job there in production. I wanted to be in artist development however and got my break when I tore a knee ligament playing basketball and was coming into work anyway, even though I was supposed to be staying home for six weeks. [Because of my dedication], my boss let me move to artist development after only a year. I was working under Clive Davis at a good time in the industry, when labels like Arista Nashville, LaFace and Bad Boy Records were forming, and artists like Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Sarah McLachlan, Toni Braxton, TLC and Biggie Smalls were on the rise. After being at Arista from 1988-1995, I was laid off when Arista artist development heads changed. After temping and managing another band for a little while, I got a job at ICM Talent Agency in the adult contemporary music department. A year later an agent spot opened up and I became an agent.
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| Brad Ros |
Brad: I was at ICM until 2000 when I sold Pat Benetar to [perform] at Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras event. I was later invited down for Universal’s New Year’s celebration and got to know the Universal Studios buyer. When the booking job opened up [with my current employer], they tried to get Universal's buyer, but since he didn't want to leave Universal, he suggested my name. I made the decision to take the job [in Orlando] and move to Florida with my wife to settle down and start raising a family. The job was supposed to be just booking for [the company’s] cruise line, but morphed into something bigger. [Today Brad books name talent acts for many major theme park events throughout the year.] The job [here] is perfect for me because it molds everything from my [entertainment industry] experience into this one job.
Allyson: Do you have any words of advice for someone just starting out in the music business?
Brad: Have a working knowledge of what makes up the industry and know what you want to do. You do have to get in when you can and take something, but you need to narrow down where you ultimately want to be. If you got the exact job you wanted and went in on Monday to do it - what would that job be? Figure that out before you move forward. Also, a lot of networking is involved [and crucial to get ahead].
Allyson: My current class at Full Sail University is Project and Team Management. Do you have any advice for managing stakeholders when booking acts for major theme park events?
Brad: There are two sets of stakeholders to handle in my job - the labels, agents and artist manager side, and then the internal [company] contact side. To maintain industry contacts I keep in touch with labels and talk to agents on a regular basis. I go to conventions in NYC, Nashville, Las Vegas and LA to see all the agents and new artists they're trying to market. I have to know up-and-coming artists so I can book them early because once they blow up it becomes too expensive to book them. We have Taio Cruz coming to [an event] this year because I caught him right on the up before he got big. Inside [the company] you have to have the right approach [and the proper business etiquette]. You have to work with other internal departments to get potential bookings approved, and that can be challenging. I've learned that if I'm right and have the facts to back it up, I can get the approvals I need. I don't give up when I know my picks are the right ones.
