Michael Lippman, a successful music manager whose former clients included David Bowie and George Michael, has died at the age of 79.
Lippman’s death was confirmed by his family to Rolling Stone.
The music veteran began his career working for lawyer Marvin Mitchelson, before landing a position working in the soundtracks department at Columbia Pictures. He joined Arista Records in the mid-’70s, where he worked for industry icon Clive Davis.
“I never saw a man work that hard and that long every day,” Lippman recalled during a 2016 interview with Billboard, explaining what he learned from Davis. “He’d be in the office until nine or 10 o’clock and then would have dinner. He inspired me to put in the time.”
Soon Lippman linked up with Bowie, working with the rock star through his Ziggy Stardust period.
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“I’m very proud of the many ‘firsts’ we had together,” Lippman noted of Bowie. “My first big photo shoot was with him; he was the first ever white artist on Soul Train; he had a No. 1 single with ‘Fame’”; he starred in the movie The Man Who Fell to Earth, which I put together.”
The two men were even roommates for a short time, an experience Lippman remembered fondly.
“[Bowie] was incredible to talk to,” the manager recalled. “He taught me a lot about fashion, art and photography. All I wanted to do was learn from and help him.”
Michale Lippman’s Success With George Michael
After his run with Bowie, Lippman, along with business partner Rob Kahane, managed George Michael. The singer had just broken away from Wham, and it was Lippman who helped guide his massively successful career as a solo artist. Their partnership lasted until the singer’s death in 2016.
Jane’s Addiction, Melissa Manchester, Megadeth, Giorgio Moroder, Matchbox Twenty and Bernie Taupin were among Lippman’s other notable clients.
“People who want to get involved with management often ask what it’s like and I tell them that they’ve got to realize that in most cases that they’re going to invest a lot of emotion, energy and money in someone and there is no return,” Lippman explained to the Los Angeles Times in 1990. “But if you believe in the act, it’s the best feeling in the world when the act does break through. You share in the success, and I’m not just speaking about financially, but emotionally. You’ve got to be willing to fight. That’s why it is important to make sure you really believe in the artist.”
Across his years in the music industry, Lippman earned a reputation for being tough and hard-nosed. Some called it intimidating, but he preferred to describe it as “aura.” “I created this persona that people respected and slightly feared and hopefully, if things went the right way, I got what I wanted,” he admitted to Billboard.
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
