verified answers 2025/2026
Bertis Downs IV (WHO) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔an American entertainment lawyer. He
originally provided legal counsel (particularly for initial contracts), and then became both
counselor and manager, for the rock band R.E.M., taking over from the band's long-term
manager Jefferson Holt.[1] He is usually credited simply as the band's "Advisor."
Nick Servini (WHO) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔Created his own merchandise company straight out
of Athens called Satisfactory Design and Printing.
http://www.satisfactoryprinting.com/
Clients - Elf Power, Of Montreal
(used to do merch for Drive By Truckers)
Nick Servini (WHAT) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔"Keystoning" - the merch company asks the artist
to pay them double the cost to make the shirt.
Little to no merch is sold online
Posters make the highest margin
Never had problems with bootleggers, but said he would hire one if they made cool shit
has had trouble with fronting money for bands who cannot pay upfront
Pay more money for a soft T-shirt because the quality generates more sales
Bands do well when they associate themselves with a specific type of art - consistancy in
designs creates recognizably as your merch
Branding your band is important
Special edition items create NEED
Kishi bashi has reached a new level of fan involvement with his fan T-shirt contests
, Created a flop of a T-Shirt for Mount Dawgmore
Spoke about how they use their warehouse cat for marketing
Bertis Downs IV (WHAT) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔Went to UGA Law school
claims he met the band through "dumb luck"
REM is his only client (unusual for a manager)
"non-appearance insurance" - 4% upfront to insurance company
REM did not tour for their highest grossing records in 1991 or 1992
1995 Tour was a disaster including one brain surgery, one stomach surgery, and one
Don Passman is REMs Lawyer now
keep band members talking
If too many artists withhold their music from Spotify it could potentially give Spotify a big
problem
What is the typical payment for managers - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔15% - 20% of gross minus
some expenses
in the begining managers may forego payment but keep record of it to be paid later
What is exempt from managers commission? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔Tour Support
Advances
publishing
merch
tour support - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔money given to the artists from the record company to
cover living expenses while on tour
9 Members of the Artist Team - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔Artist