MDDN's Joel Madden

What was the first concert you ever attended?

The Beastie Boys' Ill Communication tour with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Roots, at the Patriot Center, Fairfax, Virginia, 1995.

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

Alice in Chains, Nirvana or The Clash.

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

Management teams now often have to be the label, publisher and brand builders. We're Swiss Army knives for each artist's different needs.

Name a manager not in your company whom you admire.

I have to name two: Rick Yorn and Chris Kappy. Kappy and I share the same views on business, career and life, and he was an early supporter of MDDN. Rick's ability to see large-scale, culturally significant art and put the pieces together for execution is unmatched, as is his optimism and support for artists and entrepreneurs.

You’re made czar of the concert industry. What’s the first thing you’d change?

I would change merch fees for the house to 5-10%. Smaller venues get 10%, larger venues get 5-7.5%, based on a sliding scale.