In the concluding part of our interview with pop monarch Gary Howard, the UTA agent reflects on the second half of his career and shares his hopes for the future. Catch up on part one here.

Going Live
In the late 90s, Gary Howard realised that if he wanted to remain in music for the long haul, he needed to shake things up. “As a young lad, I genuinely thought anyone over 30 didn’t have a clue about music because they were too old. But at the age of 29, it dawned on me that I could not do nightclub PAs forever and needed to get into live music.

“The problem was I didn’t have a clue how to put a tour together. I didn’t know about spread-sheets, band end deals, production, etc. I tried some live bits at Mission Control, and my first attempt was PJ & Duncan, but I never went to a single show because I got fired the night before the tour started. And I realised it was because I didn’t know what I was doing, and I had no help at Mission Control.”

Determined to start working with live acts, Howard convinced Jason Donovan to return to touring. “That was the start, and my way in was working with artists like Tony Hadley, Go West, Bananarama, Peter Andre, and East 17.

Through Samuel’s management firm, ASM, Howard also worked with acts like So Solid Crew, Oxide & Neutrino, and Blazin’ Squad. “So I was really starting to cut my teeth, live wise, but despite the fact I owned half of Mission Control by that point, I knew after 17 years I had to move on. CAA and WME had arrived in town, and I needed more experience to get them to look at me. I needed to go somewhere where I’d get more support.

“With N-Dubz, the boys were geniuses and Tulisa just gave them that pop edge that was setting them apart from others”

“I met with the legendary Barrie Marshall and discussed setting up a new agency with him called Marshall Arts Talent. It was 2008, I left Craig D’Souza (now at WME) to take the managing director role at Mission Control. I told Craig when I left that Mission wouldn’t survive without me and had 24 months, tops. Craig left two years later and Mission perished.

“But I figured that if I was going to learn about the live business, who better to be around than Barrie Marshall?”

The only problem was that Barrie was so busy with clients such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, and P!nk that Howard had very few opportunities to work alongside him.

“I didn’t really get the full benefit of Barrie, but while I was there, I signed N-Dubz. I could see their potential for arenas, even though at that point, the only arena shows I’d done were with Simon Moran at SJM when we put together the Clubland Live tours. But I knew this band had that something, so I promised I would have them in arenas within three years. I did it in two.

“With N-Dubz, the boys were geniuses and Tulisa just gave them that pop edge that was setting them apart from others. Most people saw just another British urban band only doing clubs. I saw a group that made amazing songs and was mind blowing live. Before I signed them, I went to Amadeus nightclub in Rochester, a 3,500-cap venue on a Sunday afternoon, and it was just rammed, with every kid in that room singing every word to every song. They blew me away and still do to this day.

“That’s always been the difference for me with pop. I see it. I understand it. That’s maybe a lot to do with learning from Pete Waterman. He was the best to learn from, and I’m so proud that I have maintained my relationship with him after all this time.”

“Jason Donovan came in to see me, and all these metal heads were just freaking out”

Having recently enjoyed a sell-out comeback tour with N-Dubz, Howard contends that the trio were pioneers who helped pave the way for numerous UK urban acts. “For instance, back in the noughties, Wireless Festival had only been putting on big American acts and hadn’t had any British urban acts. But I told Steve Homer he should do it, and to be fair, he put N-Dubz on the main stage. And then Simon Moran put them on V Festival. And those performances opened the door for many others that had been locked in clubs to make the climb.

“That said, I also convinced Simon to book Peter Andre for V Fest, and he caused a roadblock, as I had predicted.”

Getting Support
Unsure about where to go next to further his career, a conversation with George Michael’s manager, Andy Stephens, put him on the right track. “Andy said to me that Neil Warnock was the best agent in the business – and that’s basically the reason I am where I am – because of Neil. I’m a big believer in the saying ‘go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated,’ and I felt that straight away when I met Neil.”

However, being at what was then The Agency Group was rocky to begin with. “For 19 years, I’d been at the top of the firm,” explains Howard. “I’d run my own companies, but suddenly, I was just part of this big chain, which sometimes means it takes a bit longer to get things done. I remember arriving with Dani [Simmonett] on our first day at The Agency Group. We came from a pop world that wore nice clothes and went to nice venues. The receptionist was covered in tattoos and had loads of piercings, and the whole feel of the place was rock and indie, and we were like, ‘What the fuck have we walked into?’”

But the pop department soon had the upper hand. “One day, Jason Donovan came in to see me, and all these metal heads were just freaking out. There’s always a buzz about the place when one of my clients comes to visit. Pop music does that to people – in pop, you’re a brand.”

“I was thrilled a few years later when the company announced that David Zedeck was coming onboard. It was literally a dream come true for me”

And while others might have panicked when the company was acquired in 2015, Howard was ecstatic.

“I was in New York with my family when I got an urgent message from Geoff Meall to call him. It was to hear that Neil had sold the company to UTA. I thought it was absolutely brilliant news because it meant I would finally be able to compete with William Morris and CAA, who had all turned me down before.

“In fact, on my first meeting with [UTA CEO] Jeremy Zimmer, when he asked me what the company could do to help drive growth, my immediate answer was ‘Get David Zedeck!’ So I was thrilled a few years later when the company announced that David Zedeck was coming onboard. It was literally a dream come true for me. This is the biggest pop agent in the world, and I knew the value of having him.”

Having clocked up 15 years at the company, Howard notes that his skills have developed markedly under Warnock’s tutelage. “Neil is an amazing soundboard,” he tells IQ. “Like all agents, I can get a bit above my station, but Neil can pull me down a peg or two when it’s needed, and I appreciate that, so it was a great move for me – and I’ve finally found someone who is willing to put their arm around me for support. Although Doris [Dixon] at Marshall Arts was also good at that, I have to say.”

With more than a decade of selling out arena tours for his popstar clients, Howard’s contribution is not taken for granted by building operators. Indeed, in addition to collecting the coveted Agent of the Year gong a couple of years ago from the world’s busiest venue, The O2, rumour has it that venue staff now refer to hospitality suite 210 as The Gary Howard Suite, given his perceived omnipresence, thanks to his acts dominating the calendar (and his love of watching shows).

“There’s a wall backstage at The O2 with all the promoters’ names on it that all the agents freak out about because we’re not on it – none of us. It’s outrageous,” observes Howard. “However, during the N-Dubz tour, someone added my name on the wall,” he adds, feigning innocence. “It stayed up there for quite a while, apparently…”

“I always had a very clear plan for Craig [David], as I knew he could fill arenas”

Comeback King
Addressing industry bias toward pop acts, Howard says it remains an issue, but the accusations of artists not being credible no longer stack up, as the revenues they can generate are very serious indeed. “Colleagues like Paul Ryan – who looks after Bring Me The Horizon and loads of cool bands – absolutely love my roster and the shows that we book for them.”

One act that his UTA peers always like to see in their offices is Craig David, whom Howard waged a long-term campaign to represent. “I was knocking on [manager] Colin Lester’s door for 16 years,” he states. “I represented Artful Dodger back in the day, plus all the spin-offs – Robbie Craig, Lifford, Romina Johnson, Michelle Escoffery… the only one missing was Craig David. At first, Colin ignored my calls, but I never gave up. I knew I would be Craig’s agent even if he and Colin didn’t.”

Eventually, Colin caved and opened the door, but it was not as straightforward as Howard had envisioned. “I have to be honest, I didn’t understand the TS5 concept at first. If you’re selling something and you don’t get it, it’s very difficult. But thankfully, [the late] Ben Kouijzer, one of our DJ agents who I brought on board explained it to me, and I got it.

“I always had a very clear plan for Craig, as I knew he could fill arenas.” Revealing his strategy, Howard says, “I wanted to go for the younger crowd first, so we just did festivals to begin with, performing as only Ts5 sets. I held back the arenas as we built the comeback.

“Craig coming back was a massive moment for me as an agent, as well as for him, because a lot of people were saying it was the greatest comeback of all time.”

“I got Steps back. I was over the moon because they are just the best people to work with, and I love them”

Having tempted many artists back out of their living rooms (Rick Astley and Jason Donovan, included), it’s another act that Howard cites as one of his biggest coups – Steps, who under his stewardship have enjoyed huge success with a number of sold-out arena tours since their comeback.

“I’d been banging on everyone’s doors for about four or five years, and finally, the feedback from [singer] Claire [Richards] was that everyone kept talking about the band reforming, but nobody put any money on the table.”

Arranging a meeting with Richards, Howard reveals that in the meantime, he turned to then Live Nation’s Steve Homer and Simon Moran to hammer out a deal. “They both trusted me and believed what I believed, so quickly came on-board. I walked into that meeting with Claire and put the money on the table. And I got Steps back. I was over the moon because they are just the best people to work with, and I love them.”

“Dani, my long-term assistant, says going to a Steps show is a cure for depression. She is so right – they are just the best, and it’s fun when you watch 15,000 people in an arena all doing the same dance moves. It always cheers you up.”

As the master of the comeback, Howard discloses his thinking behind persuading pop acts to get back together. “It’s definitely a ten-year thing,” he says. “You need that distance and to keep your powder dry. Look at what my good friend Solomon [Parker] did with Girls Aloud – he did a great job – along with Paul Franklin with McBusted and Five.”

“Barrie Marshall taught me that the two most important people to keep happy are the artist and audience”

Indeed, it’s a couple of acts Howard is working on with David Zedeck that have him most excited about the next couple of years.

“Leona Lewis looked at what we’ve done with Craig and everybody else and wanted us to represent her as we look to plot the next part of her live career. That was a lovely moment, knowing that this amazing artist could see the hard work and love we put in over the years on others,” he states.

“The act that I’m most excited about working on is Zayn. David Zedeck signed Zayn and brought me in as part of the team.

“Zayn is a very special and important client, and again, we had a clear plan in reintroducing him back to live shows and working closely with his manager Nicola Carson, who was extremely instrumental in building the plan, which we’ve been able to deliver with perfect results.

“We opened with a Shepherds Bush Empire show in May last year and then added a small run of underplays in the UK and US. It was the right thing to do: he loved it, and the audience loved it. Barrie Marshall taught me that the two most important people to keep happy are the artist and audience.

“The pent-up demand for tickets and fans sitting in the waiting room for all of his shows was outstanding. That build continues and we are kicking things off with three sold-out arena shows [25, 27, and 28 March] in Mexico City.

“Success is that I’m still in this business after 35 years doing what I love and that amazing artists still want to work with me”

“As we plot the future for Zayn, I can tell you that sales will continue to be stratospheric. The demand is a real eye-opener. David and I get constant emails from every major promoter globally to book Zayn.

“Zayn will be in stadiums – there’s no question about that. But it’s about doing the right things at the right time and, luckily, I’ve got 35 years’ experience behind me. But more than that I’m working with the best pop agent in the world, David Zedeck. We share the same values for our clients, we truly care about them. So we’re making sure that we get it right for Zayn.”

Success & Successors
As he celebrates his latest milestone in the business, Howard puts his longevity down to hard work and gut instinct.

“I started a career and didn’t have much help but was determined to make it this far. 35 years later, I’ve earned good money, I drive very nice cars, I own property, have nice holidays. Is that success? No! Success is that I’m still in this business after 35 years doing what I love and that amazing artists still want to work with me.”

He notes. “I’m the kid who got told I wasn’t going to make anything of myself, had zero qualifications to my name, and hit a low by signing on the dole.”

And when it comes to his favourite signings, Howard doesn’t hesitate: “My two kids – Kenzie and Mason. My second wife and I couldn’t have children, so we adopted. And, without a doubt, they were my greatest signing… well, depending on what day it is,” he laughs.

“I’m still yet to achieve one goal and that is to represent the biggest boy band in the world – so watch this space on that one!”

Indeed, his occupation is maybe rubbing off…

“Musically, my daughter is across everything like I was, and I think she could make a great A&R. My son is more academic and would make a brilliant agent. But they’re both still figuring out what they want to do, and given the path I’ve had, there’s no way I’m rushing them into any decisions.”

But no matter which career they choose, hard work will be the proven Howard family route to success. “My granddad taught me that more than anyone,” says Howard. “When he was in hospital in 1993 and I was a young agent, I’d go to visit him every day after work. But one Friday, I had a wedding to go to, so I went to see him during the morning, and he berated me for not being at work.

“He was dying but his message was, ‘What are you doing here? You should be at work, you have a career to build.’ And even 35 years in, I still have that drive to be more successful and sign more acts.”

Some say he’s at the top of his game, but Howard concludes that the best is yet to come. “As Neil Warnock says, I’m just starting out. I have some amazing things coming, and I’m still yet to achieve one goal and that is to represent the biggest boy band in the world – so watch this space on that one!”

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AEG Presents is launching a new outdoor concert series at Warwick Castle in the UK, called The Castle Sessions.

The inaugural sessions comprise four concerts between 4–7 July, headlined by The Darkness, JLS, Craig David presents TS5 and Mika respectively. More acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Castle Sessions marks JLS’s return to the medieval castle 14 years after their 2010 concert there with Diana Vickers.

“Warwick Castle is such a unique setting and fans across the UK have shown their appetite for seeing the biggest acts in these special places,” say AEG promoters Chloe Pean and Rachel Lloyd in a joint statement.

“Fans across the UK have shown their appetite for seeing the biggest acts in these special places”

Liam Bartlett, general manager of Warwick Castle, adds: “We are so excited to welcome these artists to Warwick Castle as part of The Castle Sessions and hope that this event, along with others in 2024 will bring lots of new visitors into this magnificent town.”

Last year, Warwick Castle saw concerts from the likes of Gwen Stefani, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, UB40, Bastille, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Rag’n’Bone Man, Kaiser Chiefs and Will Young.

Meanwhile, AEG Presents has announced that The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie will co-headline Sunday 25 August at All Points East in London.

The show celebrates 20 years of their albums Give Up and Transatlanticism and marks The Postal Service’s first performance in London in a decade.

The two bands join previously announced headliners Loyle Carner (17 August) and LCD Soundsystem (23 August).

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UTA agent Gary Howard is hoping to build on N-Dubz’ success internationally after the trio sold 260,000 tickets for their UK arena comeback tour.

The British hip-hop group – cousins Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer – recently reunited following an 11-year hiatus and Howard tells IQ the enormous public demand for their live shows has left many within in the business eating their words.

“The whole industry thought we were completely mad,” laughs Howard. “An email from one agency, which will remain nameless, said, ‘Gary Howard is off his head, this is no more than a Shepherd’s Bush [Empire level tour].’ And all the record companies were going, ‘This is never going to work.’ But what no one saw at that point was that the mere fact they were all talking about it showed you how big it was.

“There were only three people that really believed this was going to be big if I’m being honest and that was Tulisa, her manager and myself. We knew what would happen.”

“We announced the first 10 shows and they just popped out in minutes, it was unbelievable”

Promoted by AEG Presents, the November/December tour now comprises more than 20 dates, including four nights at The O2 in London.

“We [announced] the first 10 shows and they just popped out in minutes, it was unbelievable,” says Howard. “We then added another seven shows and they all went within 10 minutes.

“Keep in mind, they’d already sold 100,000 tickets, so we announced another seven shows and within 10 minutes, had sold out another two O2 arenas. But we still had half a million people waiting to buy tickets. That was crazy and it was a lovely moment for us all, given the band had had a lot to deal with and some dark moments over the years.

“Of course, at this point, everyone’s calling us now and telling us what geniuses we are all of a sudden! So we put the other six nights on sale and they went as well.”

“Everyone asks me, ‘What’s the secret? Why does it work?'”

Howard represented the band during their first run and has previously guided successful comeback tours by the likes of Craig David and Steps.

“Everyone asks me, ‘What’s the secret? Why does it work?’ And it works because one, they left enough time, which is the first point,” suggests Howard. “But two, what people forget about N-Dubz is they were very ingrained into British pop culture and the kids related to them.

“When the band split up, I knew that if we were ever going to get back together, we needed that long period. Tulisa and Fazer came to see me in 2019 and were like, ‘Gary, we’re ready.’ We started discussing it and I felt there’d be enough water under the bridge and said, ‘You’ll be bigger this time around.’ I knew it because what I’d seen when we brought people like Craig and Steps back is that your audience broadens a lot.”

N-Dubz dropped Charmer, their first single in over a decade, ahead of the tour going on sale in May. The presence of new material was a key part of the promotional strategy, explains Howard.

“When we brought Craig David back it was massive, but this was a different level”

“Obviously, we had [the pandemic], which put us back, and then we were hanging on for the first song, because the whole point of bringing them back wasn’t just a nostalgic trip, it was to make them contemporary again, as we had done with Craig David,” he says. “As soon as we got Charmer ready, we knew we were ready to go and we put everything in place.

“We announced the tour and the swell was unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it. When we bought Craig back it was massive, but this was a different level. We expected the audience to be 25 to 35, but 21-year-olds were losing their shit.”

Howard, who reveals the group have outdoor UK shows in the offing for next year (“We’ve got a surprise or two up our sleeve”), is now bidding to guide the trio to the global success that largely eluded them first time around.

“The hope is that we can make N-Dubz international this time around. Nothing would please us more”

“We did some stuff in Greece, Norway and maybe Germany, but there was no real push from the label,” recalls Howard. “Keep in mind that back then, Europeans just weren’t into British urban music, which is what it was called at that point. They weren’t listening to it and didn’t understand why they needed it when they had hip-hop coming out of America.

“When you think of artists now like Stormzy and Dave, what they’ve done internationally is absolutely brilliant, so the hope is that we can make N-Dubz international this time around. Nothing would please us more.”

Howard, who says he is also working on a live comeback by another blast from the past, adds he is staggered by the amount of shows seen in the UK this summer.

“It’s mind blowing what’s going on in the industry right now,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many shows in the summer as I have done in the past month or so. Live music it definitely back and business is great. It’s probably a little bit flooded at the moment, but it’s good to be back.”

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International artist management company Jem Music Group has announced the appointment of Naz Idelji to the position of managing director.

In addition to heading up Jem Music Group, Idelji will also oversee TS5 Presents, the joint venture between Jem Music Group founder Colin Lester and singer Craig David.

Idelji has over 15 years’ experience as a senior executive within the UK music industry. She began her career as an intern at Warner Music, later taking on more senior positions at Warner, Universal Music, Sony Music UK and Ministry of Sound.

The new Jem Music Group managing director has coordinated projects with artists including N-Dubz, Craig David and Skepta, as well as creating and building a range of brands for Ministry of Sound and Clubland.

“Bringing in someone of Naz’s amazing experience, skillset and pedigree sets out a very clear mandate for our future, which is shaping up to be very exciting,” comments Lester.

“Bringing in someone of Naz’s amazing experience, skillset and pedigree sets out a very clear mandate for our future, which is shaping up to be very exciting”

“Naz will be responsible for expanding our operations into new international markets and will consolidate Craig David’s existing successes in a range of markets, which include France, Belgium, Australia and Southeast Asia,” adds Lester.

“I have worked with Colin for many years on a range of campaigns and have seen first-hand how passionate he is about maximising success for the artists he represents and about growing the Jem Music Group presence around the world,” says Idelji.

“This is an exciting opportunity at an exciting time for the music industry and I am very much looking forward to helping to build on the company’s existing successes.”

Jem Music Group has also appointed Jack Balsam to oversee its north London-based recording studio complex. Balsam will be responsible for both of the company’s recording studios, having previously engineered sessions with Craig David, DJ Oliver Heldens and Big Zuu. He will work closely with the management team at Jem Music Group and TS5 Presents.

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Leicester city council in the UK has warned the promoter of an upcoming Northampton show by Craig David and Rita Ora could face prosecution for unauthorised postering.

David and Ora, supported by Samantha Harvey and Bobii Lewis, will play Northampton’s 6,500-cap. County Ground on 1 November, promoted by Liz Hobbs Group. According to the council, which governs neighbouring Leicester, the show is being advertised using large posters which have been put up without permission and are obstructing the view of motorists.

Large fly posters have been put in a dangerous place on Hinckley Road and Braunstone Gate. These will be removed and the busines fined. pic.twitter.com/c0fhYZjxjN

— Leicester Waste, Recycling and Clean Streets (@LeicRecycles) July 27, 2018

As the posters are allegedly being displayed without permission, the council says it intends to take legal action against the promoter.

IQ has contacted Liz Hobbs Group for comment.

“The posters are being removed as we find them,” reads a statement given to the Northampton Chronicle & Echo. “Due to their size and location on the roadside they could be distracting to drivers and obstruct views, so are being removed by city wardens using powers under the Highways Act.

“They are being displayed without permission and we will be aiming to take action against the promoter, who could be liable to a fixed penalty of £80 per poster or prosecution in court, where the penalty can be up to £2,500.”

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London dance music event We Are Fstvl has agreed an increase in capacity to 29,000 after selling out of its original ticket allocation on Monday night.

The independently promoted festival, which has taken place at the Damyns Hall aerodrome in Upminster, east London, since 2013, this year adds a 5,000-cap. campsite, expanding its non-music offering to include glamping facilities, hot tubs, a “woodland spa”, giant pillow fights and a ‘We Are Houseparty’ on the campsite each night. Musical headliners are Craig David’s TS5, Carl Cox, Dizzee Rascal and a DJ set by Basement Jaxx.

“Due to unprecedented demand for our fifth anniversary, We Are Fstvl 2017 has seen record-breaking sales and a demand for tickets like never before,” comments festival director Reece Miller.

“We are delighted to announce an extension to our licensed capacity so that more fans from around the world can experience We Are Fstvl for the very first time”

“We’ve been working hard on very detailed plans and a large amount of improvements with all local authorities and the Met police for several months, and are delighted to announce an extension to our licensed capacity so that more fans from around the world can experience We Are Fstvl for the very first time.

“I would like to place on record our sincere thanks to all those behind the scenes for making this possible for the greatest dance music fans on the planet.”

We Are Fstvl 2017 takes place from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 May.

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