Are there any conflicts being a record company owner and managing acts on the label?
Only in the case of recording contracts. And as I offer my only two managed acts (Koko Taylor and Lonnie Brooks) the best deals that I give anyone else, isn’t a big conflict. Also, our management deals are handshakes, so the artists can walk away at any time. At various times we’ve managed other artists, like Son Seals, Albert Collins, etc. But I see management as a service, not a profit center.What kind of acts do you look for to sign to Alligator Records? Good ones! Seriously, we’re a blues and blues-based label. I look for artists who have their own statement to make, who are true to the blues tradition without copying what’s been done before, and who have onstage charisma. I need artists who can take care of their own business, lead a band, and don’t have significant drug or alcohol problems. I found you can’t make a good musician into a good bandleader. They are two separate skills. Mostly, I follow my gut. I have to be personally excited about an artist, and feel who fits the All
