What exactly is Merck's relationship to the band?

[HoldenCaulfield]

I know he's their manager and head of Sanctuary and stuff, but he's EVERYWHERE that Axl/GNR are. He was there with Axl at the F1 race, he's in almost every single photo taken of Axl in clubs, on the streets, everywhere. I don't recall ever seeing a person/group's band manager always being with the artist. Anyone else find it a little strange? I'm sure GNR are his prized possession but it's almost like he's an unofficial member of the band...

[AdZ]

Maybe he's just really good at his job.

[TrueRock&Roll]

They're probably good friends as well.  I'm sure he doesn't always have to be there with Guns, but just chooses to.  Who else does Merck manage?

[Gnr_man202]

They're probably good friends as well.  I'm sure he doesn't always have to be there with Guns, but just chooses to.  Who else does Merck manage?

Maiden, I believe

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Nah, just Guns.  Maiden are with Sanctuary, but Merck doesn't represent them.

[penelopepitstop]

he is Axl's baby-sitter

[Mattattack]

Merck is the guy who cleans up the mess, when Axl is pissed off and pushes his $50,000 piano through the window. Merck has taken over from Doug Goldstein, as Axl's minister of Propaganda.

[Christos AG]

Merck is the guy who cleans up the mess, when Axl is pissed off and pushes his $50,000 piano through the window. Merck has taken over from Doug Goldstein, as Axl's minister of Propaganda.

Wow... looks like you know everything... Merck cleans up the mess that Axl makes when he's pissed off... I mean, right on duuuuude.... 

Merck is GN'R's and Axl's manager. He's good at what he's doing and he loves music.

This is one of the biggest comebacks of all times, and we're talking about a huge European tour with a crew of 80 people.

Don't you think someone who knows and does all the business should be with them?

[Mattattack]

I'm just kidding around!! Haven't you ever read the story about Axl pushing his piano through the window?

[Red1]

Maybe he's just really good at his job.

Um - that isn't strictly true though.  As a music industry figure he isn't seen as a successful part of the Sanctuary group and is under extreme scrutiny all the time due to the massive financial problems Sanctuary have experienced in the past few years.

I would think that his attention to Mr Rose is because he needs a back-up plan when he gets the boot from Sanctuary.  When that happens he is probably hoping to stay on as Axl's personal manager.

[Tomorrows]

Hes one of the very few people in the world Axl has let close to him, I say. Plus he probably orders Axl's drinks, warns security, cleans his seat before he sits down etc so hes convenient to have around. Its not that abnormal for a celebrity to travel with some kind of assistant to help with stuff.

You think how hard it would be to get around a foriegn country if everyone knew you but you didnt want to be noticed.

[Crashdiet]

he also manages maiden. and he is the ceo of sanctuary.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Rod Smallwood manages Maiden.

[Big Gun]

Represents: Morrissey, Guns N' Roses, Jane's Addiction, Iron Maiden, Buddahead, Overseer, Rob Dickinson

A former A&R and marketing director at Virgin Records by the time he was 20, Merck Mercuriadis has been working with Sanctuary for the past 16 years, splitting his time between the commercial and the creative. He is involved in the management of artists such as Guns N' Roses, Catherine Wheel, Jane's Addiction, Iron Maiden, and Bruce Dickinson. A self-confessed "record junkie" with a global approach to business, he relocated from Sanctuary's London office to the U.S. in 2000 to helm Sanctuary Group Inc. as its CEO.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Indirectly.  But Smallwood does all the things for Maiden just like the things Merck does for Guns, i.e. Press Releases, Traveling, etc....

[WARose]

Maybe he's just really good at his job.

Um - that isn't strictly true though.  As a music industry figure he isn't seen as a successful part of the Sanctuary group and is under extreme scrutiny all the time due to the massive financial problems Sanctuary have experienced in the past few years.

I would think that his attention to Mr Rose is because he needs a back-up plan when he gets the boot from Sanctuary.  When that happens he is probably hoping to stay on as Axl's personal manager.

i don`t think so....  people like merck don`t have to worry about their job or finding a job at least....

Hes one of the very few people in the world Axl has let close to him, I say. Plus he probably orders Axl's drinks, warns security, cleans his seat before he sits down etc so hes convenient to have around. Its not that abnormal for a celebrity to travel with some kind of assistant to help with stuff.

You think how hard it would be to get around a foriegn country if everyone knew you but you didnt want to be noticed.

well...   axl has beta and co for that....  merck is responsible for the business side of things etc...

[Red1]

Maybe he's just really good at his job.

Um - that isn't strictly true though.? As a music industry figure he isn't seen as a successful part of the Sanctuary group and is under extreme scrutiny all the time due to the massive financial problems Sanctuary have experienced in the past few years.

I would think that his attention to Mr Rose is because he needs a back-up plan when he gets the boot from Sanctuary.? When that happens he is probably hoping to stay on as Axl's personal manager.

i don`t think so....? people like merck don`t have to worry about their job or finding a job at least....

Um... yes they do.  Merck is currently one of the most under-fire people in the whole of the music business.  The industry as a whole do not give a flying f**k about any upcoming GNR release because it will make a very insignificant dent in the financial problems that Sanctuary currently have. 

Sanctuary is in serious trouble at the moment and that is down to Merck. 

[JeDr]

Profile on the Sanctuary website:

http://www.sanctuarygroup.com/index.php?l1=6&l2=4&l3=0&rt=AM

[Gargh!]

Who the hell is Rob Dickinson?  Is Roadrunner related to Sanctuary in any way?

[veritas55]

Merck does NOT manage Maiden.  Rod Smallwood has done that since the beginning (and is EXTREMELY succesful with them, I might add).  Merck is part of Sanctuary, which, as others have posted, is having some very significant financial troubles.  Like Smallwood, Merck seems very hands on (i.e., going to gigs) and probably, like Beta, fulfills somewhat of a "keep on eye on Axl" role, but more from the gig/hotel management end (versus Beta's apparent more personal management end).