Slush Management on Musicians and Brands Upping Their Creative Game

Artists that push outside industry norms will have longevity in the biz

Aaron Greene and Neal O’Connor are cofounders of Slush Management, which they formed in 2010, representing a wide range of artists across multiple genres of music.

We spent two minutes with Aaron and Neal to learn more about their backgrounds, their creative inspirations and recent work they’ve admired. 

Aaron and Neal, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

• Aaron: I grew up in Novato, Calif., and now live in Sebastopol, Calif., where we built a retreat for artists—a creative hideaway with a studio and space to breathe. The space is meant to pull our clients out of routine and into pure creativity.
• Neal: I grew up in Marin County, Calif. I currently live in Los Angeles with my wife, young son, dog and cat.

Your earliest musical memory.

• Aaron: Listening to my dad play bass. Those memories are pretty significant for me—more so than any concert. Those were the first times I heard music in a way that felt like it was speaking—like language.
• Neal: Hearing The Beatles‘ Greatest Hits album on cassette at 6 years old. I remember jumping on the bed with excitement while it played, and then playing it over and over for months. There was something so magical and captivating about those melodies.

Your favorite bands/musicians today.

• Aaron: Tyler, the Creator and Turnstile. They’re so incredible at building worlds for themselves.
• Neal: Current music: Magdalena Bay, Wisp or Sammy Virji. All-time favorites: the Beatles, Deftones, Justice, Alice In Chains, Underoath, Eric Prydz, Tame Impala and Stone Temple Pilots.

One of your favorite projects you’ve ever worked on.

• Aaron: Porter Robinson’s festival, Second Sky, was something truly special. We built a world I’m incredibly proud of—a place where everyone could feel the love, care and obsession we poured into it. We worked with the same people behind the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to create the physical installations. Together, we built an interconnected story that tied every part of the festival together—characters, locations and hidden details woven into a single universe.
• Neal: Porter Robinson’s Language Tour. It was our first time running a proper headline tour with a bus, truck, crew and full video and lighting production. The tour created a ton of buzz and kicked off a run of many years where his fanbase grew in large part through the strength of his shows.

A recent project you’re proud of.

• Aaron: We just launched EDEN’s Dark fragrance line. The idea started while we were working with him on his new album, “Dark.” Early on, he mentioned his favorite perfume brand, Folie à Plusieurs, which he’d worn for years. We teamed up with them to create a custom scent that fit perfectly within the world of the album. To bring fans deeper into that world, we included a sample of the fragrance with every vinyl. Once fans had a chance to experience it, we released the full-size product and it sold out in 48 hours.
• Neal: EDEN’s “Dark” album campaign. We signed him in the middle of a very challenging situation where he was parting ways with both his prior manager and his record label in the middle of an album roll-out.

One thing about how the music world is evolving that you’re excited about.

• Aaron: Artists that push outside of industry norms are the ones that truly succeed in the long term. As a musician, there are so many people and algorithms influencing your decisions. The artists that are rewarded for the long haul are the ones who follow their actual passion.
• Neal: Every year, there are fewer barriers to entry, and the gatekeepers matter less and less. Artists today can create music in their bedrooms using some of the most sophisticated tools in the world for very little cost. They can reach people without the need for a record label or other gatekeepers. When it does make sense for an artist to partner with a label, the artist has more leverage than ever, and artists can get much better deals than they did in the past. That’s why we always advise our artists to build independently for as long as possible before committing to any sort of long-term deal.

Someone else’s work, in music or beyond, that you admired lately.

• Aaron: Ninajirachi’si latest campaign. She’s clearly so inspired and you can truly feel the genuine love that went into the project as a whole.
• Neal: I recently watched a docu-series called Social Studies by Lauren Greenfield, about social media culture amongst present-day high schoolers. It explores how social media is like an addiction. You get to see all the ways it affects their lives. It was really interesting and well done.

An artist you admire outside the world of music.

• Aaron: George Lucas. One of the greatest worlds ever built is the Star Wars universe. 
• Neal: Norm Macdonald, RIP. He was such a weird, brilliant comic. He would go on late night shows and tell meandering, 4-minute-long jokes that intentionally ended with a stupid punchline. He was a comic’s comic and a true artist.

How should musicians approach working with brands?

• Aaron: With passion and creativity. Everyone knows when you’re forcing it.
• Neal: Our advice to artists is always based on the goal of them having the longest career possible—and maintaining their credibility is critical to that. So we often advise them to leave money on the table [when authenticity’s lacking] … even when it can be very tempting to take.

How should brands approach working with musicians?

• Aaron: The exact same way musicians should approach brands. Begin by focusing on the creative—that is much more exciting and valuable. 
• Neal: Just like the above, brands should find artists that genuinely like their products.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the music business?

• Aaron: Consulting, perhaps for theme parks. I love building worlds in any way I can.
• Neal: I never once considered a Plan B.