New Signings & Team-Ups: March 22
NATIVE TONGUE RIDES WITH SMITH STREET BAND
Native Tongue has signed Melbourne four piece The Smith Street Band to a worldwide publishing agreement.
Native Tongue’s MD Jaime Gough stated, ”The Smith Street Band have been a long time favourite at Native Tongue, so we are extremely happy to welcome Wil, Chris, Lee and Fitzy to the family.
“Wil has a penchant for cutting to the core of issues that affect our daily lives with insightful lyrics. The band don’t compromise for anyone and their DIY ethos has seen them build a loyal fanbase around the world.
“The forthcoming album is only going to see this grow and we are excited to join the team.”
The band is dropping its fourth album More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me on April 7. It’s issued in Australia through Pool House Records / Remote Control Records, North America via SideOneDummy Records, the United Kingdom via Specialist Subject Records and in Europe via Uncle M Music.
They are following it up with touring from April through to June, first as part of Groovin’ With The Moo and then their own shows.
Drummer/vocalist Chris Cowburn praised the new publishing deal, not only because “Jaime and Matt (Tanner, Head of Creative Services) have been awesome and lovely to deal with” but “Now Wil’s lifelong dream of having his music played on the footy is within our fingertips!”
WINSTON SURFSHIRT LAND US BOOKING AGENT
Sydney hip hop and dream pop outfit Winston Surfshirt have signed with the major US agency CAA for bookings. They will be repped by Alex Becket (RUFUS, Róisín Murphy, Tom Misch) and Joe Hadley (NAO, GoldLink).
Despite playing live for years as a collective, they’ve just released their debut single Be About You which has scored triple j and community radio play.
THE VOICE CHANNEL FARNHAM
The new trailer for the sixth season of Nine’s The Voice reality series has licensed John Farnham’s You’re The Voice. It’s the first time all the judges – Delta Goodrem, Boy George, Kelly Rowland and Seal – sing together, and they wanted something anthemic.
The song, which last year celebrated its 30th anniversary of reaching #1, was the last track recorded for the Whispering Jack album. It almost didn’t make it: one of the writers, Chris Thompson, who grew up in new Zealand before moving to London to join Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, remembered Farnham from his ‘60s Sadie The Cleaning Lady and initially refused to let him wrap his tonsils around a power-to-the-people anthem.
FESTIVAL BUY-OUTS
Live Nation has become a major shareholder of England’s Isle of Wight festival, which draws 42,000 a year. Live Nation has 86 festivals around the world, including Australia’s Splendour in the Grass and Falls, as well as Download, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits and Governor’s Ball.
UK’s second largest festival operator Global Entertainment secured majority stakes in Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival and Croatia’s Hideout.
JONTI AT FUTURE CLASSIC
Sydney-based multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, singer and Avalanches touring member, Jonti, has signed a solo deal with Future Classic, joining the likes of Flume and Nick Murphy. It is in partnership with LA tastemakers Stones Throw Records. His first solo material in five years is Scrood featuring Steve Lacy from The Internet.
South African-born Jonti was touring with Gotye when he received an email from The Avalanches asking him to write with them for their Wildflower album. It led to the infamous recreation of their first album Since I Left You with a 17-piece band and 3500 reverse-engineered samples. They asked him to join them as part of their live band.
On his signing, Jonti says: “It’s going to be cool to a part of the Future Classic family. I’m looking forward to having a team in Sydney that I can work with directly on bringing my music to life.”
TAMWORTH FESTIVAL BUYS PUBLICATIONS
In a move to enhance the marketing of the Tamworth Country Music Festival and the city as Australia’s country music capital, Tamworth Regional Council has voted to purchase the festival’s publications from Fairfax Australian Community Media.
These include the Tamworth Country Music Festival Official Guide (the annual magazine, website and app), the monthly Country Music Capital News magazine, Toyota Starmaker, Coca-Cola Country, Festival FM Radio and their associated URLs and Facebook pages.
The transfer is expected to be completed by July.
ARTIFICIAL LIMB HANDS IT TO FERAL MEDIA
Melbourne electro-producer and film maker Marc Eiden created Artificial Limb as part of Sydney’s irreverent and risk-taking underground electro and hip hop movement in the late ‘90s. He was one of the founding members of Elefant Traks.
He’s now with Melbourne’s Feral Media and issuing a single The Inner Circle. It is launched on Saturday April 8 in Melbourne at the new Footscray venue & bar The Night Heron.
Artificial Limb performs live with drummer The Right Reverend AL, against a backdrop of modernistic, op-art visuals by acclaimed Melbourne designer and artist Sean Hogan (Trampoline).
WILD THING BOOKING IVANYI
Melbourne’s Wild Things Presents is booking Sydney guitarist and producer James Norbert Ivanyi. After making waves with The Usurper, he’s prepping a fourth EP for a late 2017 release.
GOOD CHARLOTTE WITH UTA GLOBALLY
US multi-platinum pop-punk band Good Charlotte, fronted by Benji and Joel Madden, have signed with UTA for worldwide representation in all areas. They have just announced a Canadian tour for April with U.S. dates in May and European and UK dates in June.
Their management company MDDN also manages Jessie J, Anti-Flag, Architects, Big Jesus, Counting Days, Sleeping With Sirens and Hollywood Undead.
DEEZER EXPANDS WITH TWO DEALS
French streaming service Deezer has firmed its hold on the European music market by partnering with France’s leading music retailer Fnac-Darty. Deezer will take over the retailer’s own streaming service. The two will co-promote music festivals and events, and the retailer will offer its customers special deals associated with Deezer.
Deezer will also introduce a new music channel in the US, Reggaeton, targeting the huge Latin market.
SAMSUNG ADDS PANDORA TO FRIDGES
You’ll always find Pandora in the kitchen at parties, it seems: Samsung Electronics Australia has pre-loaded the Pandora app in its Family Hub refrigerator with a 21-inch touch screen. “We are excited to partner with Pandora to give families the ability to enjoy their time in the kitchen more conveniently,” said the company’s Director of Home Appliances, Jeremy Senior.
Research from Pandora music found that 1 in 2 users listen to Pandora whilst cooking or eating at home and 42% of users listen to Pandora whilst entertainment or socialising with others. One in three Australian households have more than one refrigerator.