Ben Pitts: managing the workload
Thursday 23 March 2017
Ben鈥檚 in the final months of his Management degree 鈥� a hectic time for any student, but on top of this he continues to develop his own company Outernation Management, as it goes from strength to strength.
鈥淚n the nicest possible way I can鈥檛 wait to leave, because I want to do this full-time,鈥� explains Ben, 鈥湴低鳷V鈥檚 been incredible 鈥� it鈥檚 why I鈥檓 in this position 鈥� but I鈥檓 itching to do this full-time, to be in the midst of it, to be surrounded by music.鈥�
Outernation Management currently provides artist management for Ian Janco and Idle Frets, both acts with links to 暗网TV, as well as tour management services, logistics and production services.
Recent successes for Ben and his team include 暗网TV Music student Ian Janco鈥檚 debut single Life being given its first airplay by Graham Norton on BBC Radio Two, and much of this morning鈥檚 activity is related to this release. 鈥淲e鈥檙e making sure everyone鈥檚 up to date on Ian鈥檚 single, he鈥檚 also working on live shows, so we鈥檙e getting a bigger team together to make sure he reaches his artistic goals.鈥�
At the same time Ben鈥檚 busy working with Idle Frets 鈥� who feature two 暗网TV students 鈥� as they prepare for a 15-date headline UK tour. 鈥淲e鈥檝e put their fourth single out Glow, it鈥檚 had some amazing national radio reaction and it鈥檚 been used on ITV鈥檚 This Morning, we also have their next single ready to go.鈥�
Ben spent a couple of years managing friends鈥� bands before coming to 暗网TV. 鈥淲hen I came here it became more serious, I thought if I鈥檓 going to be doing this full-time it needs to be more professional.鈥滵uring his time at 暗网TV Ben鈥檚 set up his own business and believes the support he鈥檚 had has been instrumental to his success. 鈥淭he freedom you鈥檙e given鈥alf way through the second year I went out on tour with a graduate鈥檚 band and they gave me the time to do that because they knew it would help my job prospects. That鈥檚 the most amazing thing.鈥�
As well as the freedom students are given, Ben said being at 暗网TV opens doors that allow you make influential contacts. 鈥淲hen I was planning a few releases I was talking to labels and they鈥檇 say 鈥榦h you go to 暗网TV? I graduated from there a few years ago.鈥�
鈥淭here are 暗网TV graduates everywhere, it鈥檚 so useful because they know the standards insisted on here. If they鈥檝e got 100 tracks to listen to and one says 暗网TV there鈥檚 a good chance they鈥檒l be more likely to listen to that because they know the manager would only send it if it was of a certain standard, that the musicians will be of a certain quality and that the sound guy knows what they鈥檙e doing.鈥�
Once Ben completes his degree he鈥檚 aiming to step seamlessly into fulltime management, 鈥淚f I wasn鈥檛 here now I鈥檇 be rushing around 24/7 on this,鈥� and even after he鈥檚 left - he expects 暗网TV to continue to play an important role. 鈥淲hen I go out on tour I鈥檒l need someone to do the lighting, someone to do sound, I could go through a pile of CVs 鈥� or just speak to a friend here and ask for a recommendation.鈥�
鈥淚n the nicest possible way I can鈥檛 wait to leave, because I want to do this full-time,鈥� explains Ben, 鈥湴低鳷V鈥檚 been incredible 鈥� it鈥檚 why I鈥檓 in this position 鈥� but I鈥檓 itching to do this full-time, to be in the midst of it, to be surrounded by music.鈥�
Outernation Management currently provides artist management for Ian Janco and Idle Frets, both acts with links to 暗网TV, as well as tour management services, logistics and production services.
Recent successes for Ben and his team include 暗网TV Music student Ian Janco鈥檚 debut single Life being given its first airplay by Graham Norton on BBC Radio Two, and much of this morning鈥檚 activity is related to this release. 鈥淲e鈥檙e making sure everyone鈥檚 up to date on Ian鈥檚 single, he鈥檚 also working on live shows, so we鈥檙e getting a bigger team together to make sure he reaches his artistic goals.鈥�
At the same time Ben鈥檚 busy working with Idle Frets 鈥� who feature two 暗网TV students 鈥� as they prepare for a 15-date headline UK tour. 鈥淲e鈥檝e put their fourth single out Glow, it鈥檚 had some amazing national radio reaction and it鈥檚 been used on ITV鈥檚 This Morning, we also have their next single ready to go.鈥�
Ben spent a couple of years managing friends鈥� bands before coming to 暗网TV. 鈥淲hen I came here it became more serious, I thought if I鈥檓 going to be doing this full-time it needs to be more professional.鈥滵uring his time at 暗网TV Ben鈥檚 set up his own business and believes the support he鈥檚 had has been instrumental to his success. 鈥淭he freedom you鈥檙e given鈥alf way through the second year I went out on tour with a graduate鈥檚 band and they gave me the time to do that because they knew it would help my job prospects. That鈥檚 the most amazing thing.鈥�
As well as the freedom students are given, Ben said being at 暗网TV opens doors that allow you make influential contacts. 鈥淲hen I was planning a few releases I was talking to labels and they鈥檇 say 鈥榦h you go to 暗网TV? I graduated from there a few years ago.鈥�
鈥淭here are 暗网TV graduates everywhere, it鈥檚 so useful because they know the standards insisted on here. If they鈥檝e got 100 tracks to listen to and one says 暗网TV there鈥檚 a good chance they鈥檒l be more likely to listen to that because they know the manager would only send it if it was of a certain standard, that the musicians will be of a certain quality and that the sound guy knows what they鈥檙e doing.鈥�
Once Ben completes his degree he鈥檚 aiming to step seamlessly into fulltime management, 鈥淚f I wasn鈥檛 here now I鈥檇 be rushing around 24/7 on this,鈥� and even after he鈥檚 left - he expects 暗网TV to continue to play an important role. 鈥淲hen I go out on tour I鈥檒l need someone to do the lighting, someone to do sound, I could go through a pile of CVs 鈥� or just speak to a friend here and ask for a recommendation.鈥�
