For over two decades, Brian Fair has been a commanding presence in the world of heavy music. As the Grammy-nominated frontman of the legendary Shadows Fall, he helped shape the sound and spirit of the metalcore genre, bringing unrelenting energy to stages around the world. But beyond the breakdowns and blast beats, Fair has carved out a second life offstage as a longstanding sales representative for St. Louis Music, a role that has kept him plugged into the industry from an entirely different angle.
We caught up with Brian to discuss balancing his dual careers in music performance and the music business.
You’ve spent years fronting one of the most influential bands in the metal scene. How did you transition from touring the world with shadows fall to working behind the scenes at SLM?
Shadows Fall had a great run as a touring band for almost two decades, but by 2014 or so I was running out of steam and looking to slow down. I had also just had my second child and didn’t want to watch him grow up from the road, so I was looking to settle down a bit and spend some time at home. I had met our current sales manager, Matt Picker, through the local St. Louis scene and he mentioned that a position may be opening up as one of the Inside Sales reps was planning on retiring. It was a perfect way to start a new career path, be home with my family and keep one foot in the world of music. I’ve felt comfortable in this chair since day one and having stability for my family without traveling 10 months out of the year is exactly what I was looking for. I do miss touring at times, but thankfully Shadows Fall still plays festivals and short tours, so I can still enjoy rocking and rolling at a much more mellow pace. We are actually currently working on a new album, so new Shadows Fall music is right around the corner!
What does a day in the life as a sales rep for St. Louis Music look like? Has your experience as a professional musician influenced the way you work with clients?
My normal day at St. Louis Music revolves around making sure my dealers are getting exactly what they need, when they need it for their customers. It comes down to a lot more than just processing orders. I try to educate them on our products, help them plan for the different seasons – such as back to school or holidays – and hopefully help them achieve their goals in the volatile world of retail. When you travel with a band, you learn a lot about adapting to different situations, communicating with a team of people and rolling with the inevitable chaos that lurks around every corner. Those skills definitely come in handy in this position. Thankfully, I don’t need to yell nearly as much as I did as the singer in a thrash metal band…
How often do your dealers realize they’re placing orders with a guy who used to scream on Ozzfest stages with his dreadlocks spinning like helicopter blades? Do you ever get double takes or funny reactions when your metal past collides with a sales call?
It does happen from time to time! It always makes me laugh when a dealer I have been working with for years finally puts the pieces together and realizes they saw Shadows Fall perform at an Ozzfest, or on tour, and that the singer is now selling them their acoustic guitars or student violins. I always enjoy talking about music outside of the context of the job with my dealers since music is what brought most of us into this industry. Relationships are the bedrock of this business and I have never taken a “pushy” approach to sales. Personal connections add so much to professional relationships and lead to becoming a trusted source to help businesses grow. Those connections and relationships keep this industry thriving.
