“If you don’t have a star in the band, you are a cover band.” Listen as Andy Kushner and his guest Alex Le Roux discuss what he looks for when auditioning musicians and singers, what makes a band extraordinary, and why he keeps the same musicians together for every event plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Alex is the Founder and CEO of ALR Music based in London. Alex and his team of music and wedding specialists provide entertainment for over 450 luxury events around the world each year. With high profile clients ranging from rock n roll to British royalty, their exclusive roster, and unrivaled level of service and expertise has led to an impressive client list including the United States Ambassador to the UK, Simon Cowell, Google, Chanel and more.  Alex speaks about why he transitioned from singing to music production and management, and how he keeps his musicians loyal by keeping them busy, playing over 150 events a year. Alex allows each band to voice the music they play, their style, and the vibe that makes them unique.

Listen as Alex describes how he designed the music for Engage London, how the pandemic has impacted his business and what he sees happening in the event industry as the end of the year approaches. Alex’s vision for his company is intuitive, and where he is taking his bands is extraordinary, don’t miss this episode. Don’t forget to listen to Andy’s new podcast, The Music Makers. It’s a podcast about behind-the-scenes stories from some of the most influential music industry pros around including artists, recording engineers, record producers, songwriters, managers, record industry executives, and more. You can find The Music Makers podcast by searching for that term in your cell phone’s podcast app or by going to www.themusicmakers.com.  Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he produces podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show, The Business Of Being Creative, comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.

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Show Highlights:

[02:40] Welcome to the show, Alex! [03:25] Alex shares when music first grabbed his attention and became his passion. [04:52] Were you performing or putting together any bands in high school? [05:39] Alex knew when he got out of high school that he would pursue music, so he auditioned at The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and finally got accepted. [07:13] He speaks about the key lessons he learned at the Institute that he still uses today. [09:35] Alex shares how he transitioned from being a singer into the management side of the industry. [12:00] How many permanent bands do you have set up? [13:50] Alex believes that having a star singer leading each band is the difference between being extraordinary instead of mediocre. [15:54] Because he can offer them so much work, he doesn’t have to worry about his musicians leaving. [17:23] Do you contract with sound companies? [19:45] Alex discusses how his bands handle weddings and events, which are so different from concerts. [22:30] Alex empowers his bands to have their own style and vibe. [24:44] What is your behind-the-scenes process with clients? [27:54] Alex shares how involved he gets with the planners during lux events. [29:16] Alex describes how he designed the music for the Engage summit in London. [31:27] For the Gala, they started with a 20’s swing band and continually switched up the music throughout the event. [33:11] How do you handle the business side of your company? [35:16] Alex discusses how the pandemic is affecting his business. [36:43] How are you spending your downtime? [40:45] Alex shares about how busy he has been in the last few years. [42:52] Alex gives some tips and advice for musicians that want to do what he does. [44:15] What would you tell planners about how to handle bands for events? [45:40] Thank you for being on the show!

Links & Resources:

Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:  The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment. Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Find Alex: Alex Le Roux @alrmusic Instagram @alrmusic1 Facebook ALR Music Lockdown Series Alex & ALR Music in the Mayfair Times ALR Music compilation video The New Atlantics The Fellas The Joints in Monaco The Music Makers