INTERVIEW WITH DOUG GOODMAN FOR THE EIY HANDBOOK

“I’ll die at a show. Probably from a massive coronary
after eating an extra dessert.”

DOUG GOODMAN, 47 (North Hollywood, CA)
TOUR MANAGER / TOUR ACCOUNTANT
YEARS IN MUSIC: 27
CURRENT PROJECTS: Lots: Slayer, Death Angel, DRI, Cannibal Corpse, Ben Folds Five, Warped Tour, Beck, ZZ Top, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day 
(I went on the road in Oct 1984, and 3,341 shows later, I haven’t looked back.)
ROLES: Currently: Tour manager / Tour accountant

WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTERESTED IN MUSIC? The discovery of metal.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU FIGURED OUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO? I went on the road with some friends and knew pretty much from the start that it was what I wanted to do.

WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS WHEN YOU FIRST GOT STARTED? My goal, and it was printed in the SF Chronicle, was to tour manage the biggest bands in the world.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS NOW? I aspire to be the best tour manager / tour accountant out there, pretty much the same goal, I just want to be better at what I do.

DID IT TAKE A FEW DIFFERENT PATHS TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVED TO DO? I knew what I wanted to do, but I had to take a few paths to get to where I am now.

WHAT HAVE YOU HAD TO SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE? A real life. Kids.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU ON A DAILY BASIS? On show days it’s the excited looks on the faces of the audience.

HOW MUCH OF YOUR SUCCESS HAS COME FROM LUCK? TALENT? HARD WORK? [laughing out loud] 33% luck, 33% talent, 50% hard work. Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m an accountant, you can trust my numbers.

HOW HAVE YOU MEASURED YOUR SUCCESS THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? Looking in the mirror.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS? Being happy with my life.

ANY REGRETS SO FAR? Nope.

DO YOU THINK THE BEST BANDS IN THE WORLD GET FAMOUS, OR STAY UNDISCOVERED? It’s a crapshoot. Talent and success do not necessarily have any connection.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE (as-of-yet) UNDISCOVERED BANDS? No, but Danko Jones is amazing. S.T.U.N. were the best band to play Warped from 2000-2004, and Ben Folds will never reach the heights he deserves.

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Read Doug’s answers to 50 questions about music and the music business in the EIY HANDBOOK, available in print or eBook version at www.earnityourself.com

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