5B's Bob Johnsen

(Gus Philippas)

What was the first concert you ever attended?

Cheap Trick, Civic Auditorium, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Aug. 14, 1979. Everything was incredible. I was a kid surrounded by cool teenagers, girls in tube tops, beer and pot smoke.

You can go back in time and see any concert. Whom would you see and when?

David Bowie, London's Hammersmith Odeon, July 3, 1973. That's when he retired Ziggy Stardust. Or any Black Sabbath gig from the Master of Reality Tour. I'm not picky.

What’s the single biggest change in a manager’s responsibilities since you started in the biz?

The artist’s ability to self-promote. Self-promotion comes naturally to some but not all, and the manager needs to fill that gap. Balancing authenticity, access and commerce is an always-evolving responsibility.

Describe your all-time-favorite photo, memento or tchotchke from your job.

It was early in my career, when I was a sales rep at a record distributor. The late '80s/early '90s were an amazing time to be running around NYC’s live-music scene. After Nirvana's set at the Pyramid Club in 1990, I grabbed a tour poster off the wall.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Brian Eno said, “Gardening, not architecture.” He was referring to the making of art, but it applies across the board in the creative sphere; the day-to-day marketing plan and logistics are obviously important and necessary, but the right long-term moves put you in an entirely different and better place over time.