Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Take That’ charting the incredible rise, shattering fall, and momentous reunion of one of the most iconic boy bands, we get a tell-all documentary that is simply gripping. After all, it comprises nothing but archival footage from the past 35 years as well as exclusive voice-over interviews to really shine a light upon the journey of a meticulously manufactured group. No one could have imagined at the time that the “manufactured” aspect, combined with alleged extensive control by manager Nigel-Martin Smith, are what would make the band break.
Nigel-Martin Smith Has Been a Key Part of the Industry Since the 1980s
A proud native of Manchester, England, Nigel-Martin Smith admittedly stepped foot into the world of entertainment as a casting agent for the Royal Exchange Theatre back in the 1980s. He almost immediately realized there was a “London-centric” attitude in the business, so he gradually began challenging it by ensuring local talent found their way onto major projects. He has long made it clear that he was initially employed as an actor’s agent, but he branched out to manage and represent artists from all areas, including acting, modeling, music, and presenting.
It was in 1989 when Nigel got his big breakthrough in the music industry as the artist he managed, Damian Davey, got a hit with their cover of “The Time Warp” from ‘The Rocky Horror Show.’ He then began running the Film Artist Agency at Half Moon Chambers and was operating his Nidges Model & Casting Agency before changing its name to Boss when a business partner joined in. That’s when he got a demo and a headshot in the mail by Gary Barlow, only for him to fall in love with the music and get the idea of creating a band from the ground up.
Although Gary was not originally interested in being in a band, when Nigel honestly told him he was not ready for a solo career, he conceded, and Take That was hence born in 1989/1990. Auditions were held for members, but once Gary, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen, and Robbie Williams all came together and started touring, he allegedly ordered them to tell the press they were longtime friends. As per the documentary, he controlled everything from what they did, the way they operated, and who would lead vocals in a song, amongst much more, which bothered band members a lot over time. However, that’s also what led to their success.
Nigel-Martin Smith’s Relationship With Take That Members Soured Over Time
While Nigel and Gary had the same goal from the get-go, according to the series, there was still a sort of power dynamic that existed. The former allegedly often even got personal with the members, with Mark claiming he said things to keep them insecure when he got angry. As for Jason, he was reportedly made to feel as if he was just a puppet and that it would be better if he didn’t even attempt singing. Therefore, when the band broke up in 1996, with Robbie Williams igniting the spark by quitting a year prior, a lot of heat fell on the manager.
The fact that Robbie didn’t shy away from expressing his opinions to the media didn’t help either, driving Nigel to sue the artist not once but twice over a period of a decade. In 1997, he sued Robbie for unpaid commission in relation to a Take That contract, and then, in 2006, he sued him again for defamation for his crass lyrics in a song. The former manager won both suits, with the musician even having to change the lyrics to his song prior to his album’s release and then issue a public apology.
A year before the second lawsuit, though, Nigel was contracted to work with Take That again to produce a documentary about them and manage their UK tour, essentially relaunching their career. However, he was let go after just the film because the band had decided to get back together for good and did not want old management to be part of the new chapter. Nevertheless, he seemingly continued to support the band from afar and also continued to rise up the ladder in the entertainment industry.
Nigel-Martin Smith Continues to Scout and Develop New Talent
While Take That was still originally active, Nigel decided to part ways with the agency he had helped establish to launch Nemesis Models Talent Agency in 1990, which is thriving even today. In fact, as per reports, it is one of the biggest modeling agencies outside of London in England as of writing, especially with its full casting facilities, including photographic and video studios. As if that’s not enough, over the years, Nigel briefly served as a consultant for Virgin Records to launch the careers of new artists, manage the comebacks of a few others, and help guide a handful into the right direction for success.
According to records, Nigel helped Scottish singer Lulu Kennedy-Cairns return to the industry after a hiatus, and launched actor-turned-singer Adam Rickitt, who had 2 Top 20 singles and a Top 20 album. As if that’s not enough, in 2008, he formed a new vocal group after extensive auditions called ASBRO, a play on the word ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order), who later rebranded as The Mend. Moreover, he has served as an agent or manager for many renowned celebrities in the UK, like Emma Willis, Michelle Keegan, Vernon Kaye, and several soap stars at one point or another. He once also owned and operated three separate nightclubs/bars in his hometown of Manchester, called Essential, Queer, and Boyz, but all of them have since closed for good. Therefore, today, a proud dog dad with at least 6 little fur babies, Nigel simply continues to serve as the Director of Nemesis Models and a Talent Manager specializing in developing new artists.
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