All Mankind

The best part of my job is listening to new music, discovering artists and predicting future music hits. I am pleased to say that I have a great track record in knowing who’s going to make it. The rule of thumb is that one in over 2,000 artists have what it takes to make it. These are the five things that make a successful band: The right songs, the right attitude, the right lyrics, the right team and the right mission. But following those five rules alone is not enough. The music has to be food for the soul. It has to communicate to the listener so they can feel the heart and connect with the ethos or mission of the band on a personal level. It’s likely the reason bands like The Clash did so well.

This past spring while attending MuseExpo in Los Angeles, a trade show for the music industry, I met a fellow from Australia, Rich Beeston. A quiet and kind unassuming frontman from a up and coming band called “All Mankind”. I heard the single at an A&R panel. This is a place where a bunch of music executives sit in a room and listen to the potentiality of new songs for pop mainstream. When I heard the song “Welcome Home”, I knew I had just heard a band with a mission. (I have to confess, though that it wasn’t my first listen. I had heard “Welcome Home” on Spotify about a week prior in Toronto. I knew it had what it takes.)

The band were on a mission to get a deal so they put their best foot forward. They made a commercially accessible song and sought out a suitable mixer, in this case Coldplay’s engineer Michael H Brauer at Electric Ladyland studios in New York City. Let’s check with the five rules to be a successful band. They had the right song, the right attitude, the right lyrics, the right team and the right mission.

All Mankind are an example to all musicians who have a dream to GO FOR IT. Electric Ladyland is a long way from home for a bunch of Australian rockers. It takes vision, courage and commitment to think globally and act accordingly. Without a mission, a band just won’t make it. Even after getting a deal, the pressures of recording, touring and other record label commitments will tear at the fabric of a band and can lead to its demise.

If we look at bands that stand the test of time such as Coldplay and U2, we can see the band members remain friends and share a mission to serve the creative flow, each other, the label and their fans. This is so just as important as the music. Communicating their mission is what connects them with their fans. When it is done properly, it is sincere and heartfelt, which I think is what makes All Mankind a rare gem in the new crop of artists coming out. If this is the first you are hearing of them, take note: All Mankind could very well be the next Snow Patrol. Check out All Mankind’s recent release “Welcome Home”. I am waiting and hoping that it gets picked up in a popular TV show and blows up giving them a chance to tour internationally and build the global fan base they deserve.

 

Rishi Deva is the CEO of Kupid’s Play Records. With two decades of experience in the music industry, Rishi has been nominated for numerous marketing awards and earned a Gold Record in the music industry for management.

For more information about Kupid’s Play, visit kupidsplay.com.