An industry is only as strong as who’s working behind the scenes. While listeners are presented with artists new and old every day, seeing them embark on tours and press junkets and shoot music videos, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Behind the scenes of the tours, music videos, and the recording studios is a non-stop machine of cogs both big and small working to ensure that there are always plenty of tours, music videos, and recording sessions to keep musicians busy and listeners happy.

More and more important, however, is touring. As the music industry begins to recover from the growing pains of transitioning into the 21st Century, live performance has become ever more important to artists, whether up and coming or established.

The general rule of thumb has become that touring is the only way to make a living anymore, which makes the job of 123 Agency’s Damian Costin one of the most important in the Australian music industry.

Costin got his start in the music industry as the drummer for Melbourne band Motor Ace, best known for their 2002 single ‘Carry On’, which came off their number one album, Shoot This. The band had success overseas, too, and were invited to play at the Fuji Rock Festival.

“It was epic,” Damian, known affectionately around the 123 Agency as Damo, now says of the band’s performance at the iconic Japanese music festival. “I lost the tape that recorded the whole thing. I’m still shattered.”

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After seven years, three albums, countless tours, opening spots for the likes of Oasis and the Foo Fighters, as well as an unforgettable meeting with Joe Strummer of The Clash, Motor Ace finished up and Damo immediately hit the ground running in the industry.

As he tells Tone Deaf, Damo “always wanted to be a creative”, first considering a career in the marketing world or “an entrepreneur of sorts”. Eventually, his creative tendencies and entrepreneurial flare took him to the Premier Artists agency.

After working as an agent at Premier Artists for five years, he decided to take the leap an open his own shop. Damo now commands a small team working out of an office in Melbourne. Not that much has changed, music still takes up his day-to-day life.

“Music is my driving force, obviously,” he says. “[At 123], we like to make the impossible happen. Not sure we have a grand plan that we are working on. It’s important to have balance in life. Good food, good music, happy times, and cut the crap that slows you down or gets in the way.”

There’s no yearning for the life of a rock star either. Damo couldn’t be happier, with 123 Agency boasting an ever-expanding roster of artists that includes Kingswood, Ella Hooper, Darren Middleton, Guy Pearce, Dallas Frasca, Calling All Cars, Drunk Mums, and many more.

“It’s one of the best jobs in the world. Hands down,” Damo declares. “Going to festivals, travelling, seeing acts achieve amazing results, and being part of that story is only half of it.” 123 is carving quite the story for itself, but Damo confesses that simply starting the agency is his “proudest moment”.

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“Opening our doors and going through a year of anxiety and coming out the other end is testament to our team, late nights, and hard work,” he explains. “Not sure I would do it again, but I’m happy we did and we’re doing incredible things for a completely independent company.”

With two successful years behind him, and many more ahead — something Damo credits to his ability to “go through the pain barrier and good listening skills” — the director of 123 Angecy has nothing but optimism for the future of the Australian music industry, and even has a few suggestions for it.

“Live music will always exist. It’s been through a dark period, sure, but ultimately more people are listening to music now than they have ever before,” be says. “Some support from the Australian government with getting greater local content laws on our radios would help our situation.”

“I get extremely frustrated with big wigs in positions of power that don’t tackle this more aggressively or even at all. Commercial radio has a lot to answer to, we just don’t get the windows like previous decades for local artists.”

“Our industry would be at a healthier starting point if Australian artists got more than a grant or two and more consistent radio play during the day nationally on commercial networks. Also, I get worried as our world gets bigger, it gets harder to get heard with all the white web noise.”

“It’s great to see so much local talent do well, but we could be much, much bigger and stronger with a little kick along from our politicians, but you knew that didn’t you.” So long as Damian Costin knows it, the musos of Australia will definitely be keeping busy.

123 Agency will be hosting and curating a residency of local acts this May at Howler in Brunswick, the line up includes:

Wednesday 6th May  – ANIMAUX & JACK STIRLING
Wednesday 13th May – TASH SULTANA& SPENDER
Wednesday 20th May – WOODLOCK& GENA ROSE BRUCE
Wednesday 27th May – SPECIAL SECRET GUEST & MY ECHO
For any additional information and ticket purchase jump over to Howler’s website.

If you’re interested in studying music management, visit www.aim.edu.au for more info on exciting new courses. 

Photo credit: www.wherethewhiteboysdance.com

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