Ryan Gentles

Ryan Michael Gentles
Born (1977-11-28) November 28, 1977
Occupation(s) Music manager
Associated acts The Strokes, Ryan Adams, The Moldy Peaches, CRX, Streets of Laredo, School of Seven Bells, Romes, The Hunts

Ryan Michael Gentles (born November 28, 1977) is a music manager and the CEO of Wiz Kid Management. He is the manager of the New York City-based band The Strokes.[1]

Biography

Gentles began his career in the music industry as a musician; he was the vocalist and guitarist in the band Timmsie's First Time which broke up in 1995 and then The Selzers, which broke up in 2000. Matthew Romano, The Strokes' drum technician and back-up drummer, was also in both bands, playing drums. While in school, Gentles interned for future Strokes publicist Jim Merlis at Geffen Records and New York music venue Mercury Lounge. After graduating in 1999, he was hired by Mercury Lounge and shortly became their booker. He soon came in contact with The Strokes who asked him "three or four times to manage them" despite the fact that professional managers were courting the band. He became their manager in 2000 and, at the insistence of frontman Julian Casablancas, had an equal share in the profits of the band, untypical of the music industry. Gentles was contracted to be The Strokes exclusive manager for five years and has continued to manage them.[2] He played a starring role in their music video "The End Has No End". He is now often considered to be "the sixth Stroke".[3] Gentles played guitar on one track of Strokes-guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr.'s 2006 album, entitled Yours to Keep.[4]

Gentles management firm is known as Wiz Kid Management.[5] In the early 2000s, he managed musicians Adam Green and Ryan Adams for a brief period.[2] In January 2008, he merged his company with that of music business veteran's Danny Goldberg to form Gold Village/Wiz Kid Management. In June 2014, Wiz Kid joined the management division of production company C3 Presents.[5] As of 2018, he manages the bands The Strokes, CRX, Romes, School of Seven Bells, Streets of Laredo, and The Hunts.

References

  1. ↑ "The Strokes writing 'Thin Lizzy and Elvis Costello-inspired' album" NME 30 March 2009.
  2. 1 2 Goodman, Lizzy (2017). Meet Me in the Bathroom. New York: Dey St./HarperCollins. pp. 379–380.
  3. ↑ "Our 2003 Strokes Cover Story: "The Rebirth of Cool"". Spin. 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  4. ↑ "Albert Hammond, Jr.* - 101". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  5. 1 2 "Ryan Gentles and Wiz Kid Management Join C3 Roster, Opens New York Office". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
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