5 Questions with Matt Taranto
LOVE POLICE ATM
#AccessAllAreas
If you have a favourite band tee, it’s likely thanks to Love Police ATM - the largest artist merchandise company in Australia & New Zealand.
The Love Police ATM team design and sell merch at over 700 shows per year, covering everything from your local gig and even sell-out stadium shows ... including Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift’s record-breaking tours.
We sat down with Tour Manager Matt Taranto to learn more.
Q: Thanks for the chat! First up, what made you want to work at Love Police ATM?
A: It all stems from my love of music and being able to work with bands of all sizes, be it international or local artists. I was never musical, so I knew I would never be on stage. I did know that merchandise was a great option; fortunately, I got a shot early on.
I started by counting t-shirts, doing whatever I could really. I thoroughly enjoyed it and moved up from there. There’s a lot that can be done at Love Police ATM, from working in the warehouse to packing orders, managing national tours and getting out to the shows.
Q: Do you have a favourite tour that you’ve worked on?
A: I’d say one of the biggest ones I ever did was Adele in 2017. it was my first go at a stadium show. You’re booking your trucks; we have tents everywhere and touring reps who work with you on a tour of that size. It was a great experience.
One of my favourite events was Knotfest last year. Working directly at the event with the band was a fantastic experience. Working at Love Police ATM allows you to get up close to the action, which is cool.
You know, there’s something special about band merch – we all have our favourite piece.
Q: Absolutely, and we have the responsibility to give them something cool.
A: There’s a fine line between artist merchandise and fashion.
Some of the more established artists these days try to go down a fashion path, but it’s the classic black t-shirt with a band logo and tour dates, that’s what most people want.
Q: Have you seen artist merchandise trends change over time?
A: For sure, there used to just be two t-shirts and a stubby holder, or something like that - that would be the full range. Now there are printed jackets, jerseys, track pants, socks and more. We see demand for a lot of new pieces. There’s a market for more bespoke items. It’s a great time to be a fan.
Q: You’ve worked at Love Police ATM for well over ten years, what makes it so special?
A: The community here is great, all the staff get on really well. We’re lucky that we’re a tight-knit group of people, we always try to lift each other up. We bounce ideas off each other, it’s a great creative way to work.
The more you learn, the more scope you can get regarding responsibilities – there’s no real ceiling to a lot of it. If you enjoy one part of the business, you can branch out.
