Peyton Marek: DYB, Baby!
Introduce yourself! What do you do in the industry? Where are you from?
Hello, hello! My name is Peyton and I am an artist manager for many lovely artists including The Greeting Committee, Betty Who, COIN, Foreign Air and songwriters, Hailey Collier and Peter Thomas. Kansas City is my hometown and its venues are my original stomping grounds + forever will be!
How did you get your start in the industry, and how long have you been in the industry?
I began in the industry on accident! My parents are in a band and have toured/played shows since they were 18. We got a soundboard one day and my dad soundproofed the basement with a bunch of foam on the walls and I hit the ground running with my friends in high school (The Greeting Committee) to record + produce their first EP with my dad!
One day, on Twitter, I direct messaged a program director in Kansas City, whose name is Lazlo. He’s a legend. Long story short, record labels became interested, I barely graduated high school, and The Greeting Committee signed with Harvest/Capitol Records in 2015, right after I hardly made it through anatomy class my senior year.
I have (officially) been in the industry for 4 years..if you don’t count running sound and recording videos of my parents at their band gigs in my early days!
When did you know being in the business is what you wanted to do? Was there a specific moment where you were like “oh god, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life”?
I originally sought out to be an audio engineer/producer (and hope to do more of both soon!); however, I quickly gravitated towards the management role for The Greeting Committee and LOVE IT. Managing artists is a special thing I’ll never stop doing.
I went to school for a semester and flunked most of my classes because I was simultaneously tour managing The Greeting Committee; however, I passed my ProTools class and independent study where I sat in a room with grad students and talked about music for hours a couple of times a week. Watching Spinal Tap was my homework once. Nailed that assignment with flying colors!
Is there anything you struggled with (or even still do struggle with) being in the industry?
MANY. When I first started, I was not old enough to rent a vehicle…so touring was a bit difficult. I started all of this when I was 18. You have to be 25 for most rental companies to drive a rental van large enough to fit gear, luggage and a band (your brain’s frontal lobe isn’t fully-developed until then I guess).
I often struggle with the idea of being a new manager because it is fairly easy to compare yourself to the Scooter Braun’s and Amy Morgan’s of artist management. I always remind myself of my passion for my artists, their music, and the work I am lucky to do. I’ll never stop fighting for my artists.
Generally, I struggle with still being a wee-pup manager but am lucky to have mentors and supportive friends that keep me going! Not to mention artists I’d do anything for.
What is the best part of your job? Why?
Best part of my job is the live performances. I’ll never get over the sound of a crowd screaming for my artists and knowing the words to songs. It’s really cool to watch each artist excited on-stage and doing what they love. Super special to simultaneously get to do what I love as well.
I also love hearing “proud of you, P” from my parents.
Is there someone who you consider as your mentor in the industry?
Jacqueline Saturn is a BEAST! She is a phenomenal example of an unbeatable, unf%ckwithable woman in the industry who truly climbed to the top and is helping others (like myself) climb to the top. One thing I admire very much about Jacqueline is her support for others in the industry.
Vanessa Angiuli is someone I look up to as well. She is a dedicated one and is always there for advice and getting me more and more involved in music. I am grateful for her!
Ryan Matteson is GREAT at what he does. I hope to be as good of a manager as he is someday. He also introduced me to LCD Soundsystem, which is very important.
My bosses, Ethan and Will are also huge mentors for me! They have taught me so much since I began working with them in June of this year. We are a great team.
What advice do you have for women who want to get their start in the music industry?
Dive in!! Now! And keep going. I’ve been chewed up and spit out a few times after moving to LA and after being in music, but it builds me up to be a better manager and to do anything possible for my artists I work with.
Also, support your friends in music. Some of my best friends in the world are in the industry, or are managers and we support each other till the end; no matter what. We also show up to industry events together and are often the youngest people there. I am lucky to have the friends I have.
Have you ever been turned down or not taken seriously because you were a female in the industry? What did you do when put into that position?
Yes! Many times and often times because I am young. I like playing the underdog card.
When I first began in music, I tried (very hard) to act older than I was. I was 18 and wore too many business pants and slicked my hair back to be taken seriously. It’s important to me to be 22 and to own how much I LOVE MUSIC. You cannot worry about what others think about you. You’re here for a reason.
What are some of your other hobbies? What do you do in your free time (which we know can be very hard to find)?
Free time for me is spent watching WWE, going to Yeastie Boys (bagel spot here in LA) with my friend Jordan, doing yoga and going to shows with my friend, Carina!
Tour must-have?
A good read! It’s hard to have time to read but The Greeting Committee’s bassist brings at least 5 books on each tour (and by the way got his Associate’s Degree on the road).
Also, AWAY Suitcases are awesome. I saw them on Oprah’s favorite things once and had to get one. They have phone chargers on them.
What is the best and worst tour memory you have?
Best tour memory: every time Addie crowd surfs at a Greeting Committee show. (I've witnessed this before and it is awesome.) Also, whenever my parents are at a show.
Worst tour memory: probably when TGC’s van broke down in Yonkers, NY. We stayed in a wack motel and I slept in my jean jacket that night.
Who is your all-time favorite artist?
All-time: LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Royal Blood, Amy Winehouse and Lil Kim.
What is something you can't live without?
Bagels, pro-wrestling, good music and real instruments in a song.
Go-to Karaoke song?
“London Bridge” by: Fergie. Pierce from TGC does the “Oh shits” in the background.
Tea or Coffee?
COFFEE.
Celeb crush?
Patrick Mahomes
First concert you went to?
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw! I was obsessed with Faith!
My parents took me to a LOT of shows when I was little. I am so glad them did!! They went to a lot of Disney shows for me.
What’s something that you always have on you?
My phone, AirPods and hopefully a coffee.
Who is your dream artist or band to tour/work with?
I’d love to do something with HAIM or The Stones. Mostly because a photo of my dad with Mick Jagger would be lovely.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I wear many hats and manage artists on completely different spectrums, which is so much fun. On the daily, I am working on pop music, rock/alternative music and am setting up songwriting sessions. Lots of e-mailing and lots of shows to go to!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully managing more rock bands.
I’d love to have my own recording studio, eventually.
Also, hopefully on the road again with TGC!
What do you hope to see done in the industry within the next few years?
I hope to see many more female CEOs and women in the industry. I also want to see more rock bands.
I hope bands are generating more income from royalties overall and that play listing is still alive but with opportunities outside of play listing to benefit artists. My mission is to find and create those opportunities.
What are you most proud of?
Most proud of the last Greeting Committee show we did in Kansas City (their hometown as well). They sold-out a nearly 1,300 capacity venue in less than 2 weeks. I’ll never forget the size or noise of that crowd. I remember standing with my parents in the balcony and saying “look at how many people showed up!! This wasn’t supposed to happen!” over and over.
I can’t wait for them to do an even bigger show!
You manage The Greeting Committee and work for Backbeat Management, do you ever sleep?
Ha, I do! I’m lucky to be excited to wake up in the morning and to get pumped up on my drive to my office. There has never been a day where I dread going to work or waking up to manage bands. I truly love what I do.
You recently moved to LA - tell us about what you do at Backbeat!
Yes! I moved to LA about 6 months ago. A dear friend of mine connected me with my bosses while I was on tour and I moved to LA 2 weeks after I got home from a 2-month tour. At Backbeat, I am the glue. Making things happen and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. We’re scheduling songwriting sessions, planning/routing tours, communicating with a lot of amazing people on the daily and most of all, helping to bring the artists’ vision and art to life how they want to see it.
Lastly, what saying do you live by?
DYB, baby (do your best).
We want to thank Peyton for taking the time to do this interview and we are so excited to continue supporting her! Catch her posting about shows, Yeastie Boys, and many other awesome things on her social media! Follow her on instagram and twitter.
Be sure to check back after New Years to read about more women in the industry!
Introduce yourself! What do you do in the industry? Where are you from?
Hello, hello! My name is Peyton and I am an artist manager for many lovely artists including The Greeting Committee, Betty Who, COIN, Foreign Air and songwriters, Hailey Collier and Peter Thomas. Kansas City is my hometown and its venues are my original stomping grounds + forever will be!
How did you get your start in the industry, and how long have you been in the industry?
I began in the industry on accident! My parents are in a band and have toured/played shows since they were 18. We got a soundboard one day and my dad soundproofed the basement with a bunch of foam on the walls and I hit the ground running with my friends in high school (The Greeting Committee) to record + produce their first EP with my dad!
One day, on Twitter, I direct messaged a program director in Kansas City, whose name is Lazlo. He’s a legend. Long story short, record labels became interested, I barely graduated high school, and The Greeting Committee signed with Harvest/Capitol Records in 2015, right after I hardly made it through anatomy class my senior year.
I have (officially) been in the industry for 4 years..if you don’t count running sound and recording videos of my parents at their band gigs in my early days!
When did you know being in the business is what you wanted to do? Was there a specific moment where you were like “oh god, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life”?
I originally sought out to be an audio engineer/producer (and hope to do more of both soon!); however, I quickly gravitated towards the management role for The Greeting Committee and LOVE IT. Managing artists is a special thing I’ll never stop doing.
I went to school for a semester and flunked most of my classes because I was simultaneously tour managing The Greeting Committee; however, I passed my ProTools class and independent study where I sat in a room with grad students and talked about music for hours a couple of times a week. Watching Spinal Tap was my homework once. Nailed that assignment with flying colors!
Is there anything you struggled with (or even still do struggle with) being in the industry?
MANY. When I first started, I was not old enough to rent a vehicle…so touring was a bit difficult. I started all of this when I was 18. You have to be 25 for most rental companies to drive a rental van large enough to fit gear, luggage and a band (your brain’s frontal lobe isn’t fully-developed until then I guess).
I often struggle with the idea of being a new manager because it is fairly easy to compare yourself to the Scooter Braun’s and Amy Morgan’s of artist management. I always remind myself of my passion for my artists, their music, and the work I am lucky to do. I’ll never stop fighting for my artists.
Generally, I struggle with still being a wee-pup manager but am lucky to have mentors and supportive friends that keep me going! Not to mention artists I’d do anything for.
What is the best part of your job? Why?
Best part of my job is the live performances. I’ll never get over the sound of a crowd screaming for my artists and knowing the words to songs. It’s really cool to watch each artist excited on-stage and doing what they love. Super special to simultaneously get to do what I love as well.
I also love hearing “proud of you, P” from my parents.
Is there someone who you consider as your mentor in the industry?
Jacqueline Saturn is a BEAST! She is a phenomenal example of an unbeatable, unf%ckwithable woman in the industry who truly climbed to the top and is helping others (like myself) climb to the top. One thing I admire very much about Jacqueline is her support for others in the industry.
Vanessa Angiuli is someone I look up to as well. She is a dedicated one and is always there for advice and getting me more and more involved in music. I am grateful for her!
Ryan Matteson is GREAT at what he does. I hope to be as good of a manager as he is someday. He also introduced me to LCD Soundsystem, which is very important.
My bosses, Ethan and Will are also huge mentors for me! They have taught me so much since I began working with them in June of this year. We are a great team.
What advice do you have for women who want to get their start in the music industry?
Dive in!! Now! And keep going. I’ve been chewed up and spit out a few times after moving to LA and after being in music, but it builds me up to be a better manager and to do anything possible for my artists I work with.
Also, support your friends in music. Some of my best friends in the world are in the industry, or are managers and we support each other till the end; no matter what. We also show up to industry events together and are often the youngest people there. I am lucky to have the friends I have.
Have you ever been turned down or not taken seriously because you were a female in the industry? What did you do when put into that position?
Yes! Many times and often times because I am young. I like playing the underdog card.
When I first began in music, I tried (very hard) to act older than I was. I was 18 and wore too many business pants and slicked my hair back to be taken seriously. It’s important to me to be 22 and to own how much I LOVE MUSIC. You cannot worry about what others think about you. You’re here for a reason.
What are some of your other hobbies? What do you do in your free time (which we know can be very hard to find)?
Free time for me is spent watching WWE, going to Yeastie Boys (bagel spot here in LA) with my friend Jordan, doing yoga and going to shows with my friend, Carina!
Tour must-have?
A good read! It’s hard to have time to read but The Greeting Committee’s bassist brings at least 5 books on each tour (and by the way got his Associate’s Degree on the road).
Also, AWAY Suitcases are awesome. I saw them on Oprah’s favorite things once and had to get one. They have phone chargers on them.
What is the best and worst tour memory you have?
Best tour memory: every time Addie crowd surfs at a Greeting Committee show. (I've witnessed this before and it is awesome.) Also, whenever my parents are at a show.
Worst tour memory: probably when TGC’s van broke down in Yonkers, NY. We stayed in a wack motel and I slept in my jean jacket that night.
Who is your all-time favorite artist?
All-time: LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Royal Blood, Amy Winehouse and Lil Kim.
What is something you can't live without?
Bagels, pro-wrestling, good music and real instruments in a song.
Go-to Karaoke song?
“London Bridge” by: Fergie. Pierce from TGC does the “Oh shits” in the background.
Tea or Coffee?
COFFEE.
Celeb crush?
Patrick Mahomes
First concert you went to?
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw! I was obsessed with Faith!
My parents took me to a LOT of shows when I was little. I am so glad them did!! They went to a lot of Disney shows for me.
What’s something that you always have on you?
My phone, AirPods and hopefully a coffee.
Who is your dream artist or band to tour/work with?
I’d love to do something with HAIM or The Stones. Mostly because a photo of my dad with Mick Jagger would be lovely.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I wear many hats and manage artists on completely different spectrums, which is so much fun. On the daily, I am working on pop music, rock/alternative music and am setting up songwriting sessions. Lots of e-mailing and lots of shows to go to!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully managing more rock bands.
I’d love to have my own recording studio, eventually.
Also, hopefully on the road again with TGC!
What do you hope to see done in the industry within the next few years?
I hope to see many more female CEOs and women in the industry. I also want to see more rock bands.
I hope bands are generating more income from royalties overall and that play listing is still alive but with opportunities outside of play listing to benefit artists. My mission is to find and create those opportunities.
What are you most proud of?
Most proud of the last Greeting Committee show we did in Kansas City (their hometown as well). They sold-out a nearly 1,300 capacity venue in less than 2 weeks. I’ll never forget the size or noise of that crowd. I remember standing with my parents in the balcony and saying “look at how many people showed up!! This wasn’t supposed to happen!” over and over.
I can’t wait for them to do an even bigger show!
You manage The Greeting Committee and work for Backbeat Management, do you ever sleep?
Ha, I do! I’m lucky to be excited to wake up in the morning and to get pumped up on my drive to my office. There has never been a day where I dread going to work or waking up to manage bands. I truly love what I do.
You recently moved to LA - tell us about what you do at Backbeat!
Yes! I moved to LA about 6 months ago. A dear friend of mine connected me with my bosses while I was on tour and I moved to LA 2 weeks after I got home from a 2-month tour. At Backbeat, I am the glue. Making things happen and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. We’re scheduling songwriting sessions, planning/routing tours, communicating with a lot of amazing people on the daily and most of all, helping to bring the artists’ vision and art to life how they want to see it.
Lastly, what saying do you live by?
DYB, baby (do your best).
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