Industrial Strength: September 12
AMY SHARK’S ADORE HITS 25M STREAMS, CERTIFIED DOUBLE PLATINUM
As Gold Coast singer/songwriter Amy Shark wraps up her sold-out national Night Thinker tour, Wonderlick and Sony Music Entertainment Australia reveal that her breakthrough Adore has notched up 23 million streams and certified double platinum.
In the meantime, Weekends has gone gold.
Shark will from this month turn her focus on to the global market.
She plays New Zealand in Wellington (September 21) and Auckland (22) before she supports Vance Joy for 16 dates on his ‘Lay It On Me Tour’ throughout the U.S. and Canada between September 27 to October 27.
After that she flies to Amsterdam to kick off five European dates from October 30 winding up in Berlin on November 5, including a sell-out show in London and club dates in Ghent and Paris.
She returns to Australia for SIA’s tour, which includes MØ and Charli XCX.
SIXTEEN UP FOR MUSIC NSW DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Sixteen individual artists and artist management companies received Music NSW Development Grants, in its first round.
The program is aimed at supporting musicians and artist managers in developing opportunities whilst attending Australian industry conferences, domestic tours, trade fairs and other career defining opportunities.
The artists were Annie Bass, BLESSED, Body Type, Exhibitionist, Lupa J, Manu Crook$, Meri Amber, Nick Hill, Polographia, Ruby Fields, Sloan Peterson, Thandi Phoenix, The VANNS and Willaris. K.
The companies were BlackSide Management, Rice Is Nice Records and The Kennel Australia.
WA BUDGET FOR ARTS TO SUPPORT NEW TALENT
In its first budget, WA’s McGowan Labor Government said its plan for the arts is to create new jobs, boost economic activity and support new and emerging creative talents through tourism, hospitality, festivals and events.
Specific details were $10 million to the Art Gallery of WA, $133.3 million in asset investment, and an $8 million boost to give people living outside the metropolitan region increased access to arts and culture.
The WA Government had in March already promised a $3 million Creative Mind Fund to bolster up the music industry and increase links to international connections, planning reforms to protect existing live music venues, assist with development of new venues, and new grants for emerging artists.
FOO FIGHTERS TAKE OVER MAX FOR A DAY
Foxtel’s music channel MAX, which is a partner on the Foo Fighters 2018 tour, declared September 16 Foo Fighters Friday’. Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins will, from 6am, discuss the making of their new Concrete and Blonde album, in between playing their music videos and concerts including their longest ever live gig (nearly 3 hours) before 500 fans at Goat Island in Sydney.
Fraser Stark, Group Channel Manager of Foxtel Arts & Music channels said: “The biggest rock band in the world right now, the Foo Fighters, have a very long and successful history with the Foxtel music channels – from the very early days, to the epic ‘Wasting Light on the Harbour’ concert on Sydney Harbour, to now. “
LORDE, STORMZY, SHEERAN IN Q NOMINEES
Lorde, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran were among the nominees for the Q Awards in London on October 18. According to Q Magazine, it got 500,000 public votes.
Stormyz, Sheeran and Liam Gallagher are up for three possible wins, while Lorde, Sleaford Mods and Kendrick Lamar are all up for two awards.
Lorde was nominated for Best Live Act against Stormzy, The Killers, Radiohead and Gallagher.
Her Green Light vies for Best Track against Sheeran’s Shape Of You, Lamar’s Humble, Gallagher’s Wall Of Glass and Kasabian’s You’re In Love With A Psycho.
SOUTHBOUND AROUSES IRE OF SUPPLIERS
West Australia’s Southbound Festival’s recent announcement – that it was taking 2017 off “to focus on some exciting new projects” and “This time will allow us to return with a reinvigorated festival” – has aroused the concern of some suppliers.
They were hoping that this year’s event would see some money thrown their way, and are pushing for proceeds from these new projects to settle their monies.
The West Australian reported that Southbound had ran into financial hot water for it’s fourteenth year after bushfires caused the festival to be cancelled at the start of 2016 and the follow up facing poor ticket sales.
Of two suppliers quoted in the newspaper, Camille Symmons, Managing Director of Concert & Corporate Productions which supplied the lighting, said she was still owed $74,000.
Jim Fidler said of his security company, “We have gone through hardship to pay our staff” and claimed that some other suppliers had lost jobs or houses because of it.
David Chitty of Sunset Events declined to comment to The West Australian.
FRONTIER TOURING ADDS SUPPORT FOR ROAD CREWS
Frontier Touring has added its support to Australian road crews, with a $10,000 donation to Support Act Ltd ear marked for roadies in crisis, who are SAL’s second largest group of service users.
Frontier’s Michael Gudinski said, “It’s with great pleasure that Frontier continues to be committed to support some of the hardest working people in the music business.”
Ian Peel, of the Australian Road Crew Association (ARCA) added, “ARCA is extremely thankful and buoyed by the recognition Michael and Frontier have given all crew by their generous donation.”
Coincidentally, the new Carpenter Caswell album by alt-country singer songwriters Michael Carpenter and Allan Caswell includes a song Boys In Black which Caswell wrote for road crews.
In the last 12 months, acts as Air Supply, Crowded House and Paul Kelly have donated proceeds of their tours to ARCA. Of promoters Chugg Entertainment wrote out a substantial cheque, while others are apparently planning to follow.
ADELAIDE’S FRESH LAUNCHES APP
Adelaide community radio station Fresh 92.7 has launched a free app which provides quicker access to news, interviews, latest tracks and allows listeners to message radio hosts in the studio directly. It’s at the App Store and Google Play.
The app came together courtesy Digital Noir and donations from its radiothon.
The Level Up crowd-funding campaign in July to update the 20-year old station’s technology has been reactivated on their GoFundMe page.
REDFOO’S LMFAO WINS OVER EX-MANAGER
Redfoo’s band LMFAO has won its legal tussle with its former management. In 2012 RPMGRP and Rene McLean sued Redfoo and his music partner SkyBlu for allegedly not paying US$7 million in commission.
The duo hit back telling the California Labor Commissioner that McLean found work for them without a license in violation of the Talent Agencies Act. The Commissioner agreed with them, finding that McLean violated the Act at least 136 times ordering RPMGRP to repay nearly $60,000 in fees.
THE CLEAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO NZ HALL OF FAME
Dunedin folk rock and psychedelic band The Clean who first achieved global success in the 1980s will be inducted into the NZ Hall of Fame as part of APRA’s prestigious songwriting awards The Silver Scrolls on September 28.
It’s an apt choice: the Scrolls are held in Dunedin for the first time.
Naming themselves after a character in the Free Ride movie, The Clean were formed by David and Hamish Kilgour and the late Peter Gutteridge in the late 1970’s and joined by Robert Scott in the 80s.
They were acclaimed as spearheading the Dunedin Sound.
Signed to Flying Nun, they were famous for hits such as Tally Ho! (giving Flying Nun its first hit) and Boodle Boodle Boodle, and albums as Vehicle, Modern Rock and Getaway which they toured behind through Australia, the US and Europe.
The Clean continue to release records globally (Mister Pop in 2009) and toured the USA as recently as 2014.
SA HALL OF FAME TO INDUCT ZOOT MEMBERS
The South Australian Hall of Fame’s next round of inductions will include ‘60s band Zoot, as well as two of its members bassist Beeb Birtles and late singer Darryl Cotton, and Barry Smith of The Town Criers.
It will be held on Friday November 24 at the German Club in Adelaide.
Birtles and Cotton played together in Times Unlimited in 1964 until future Angels singer Doc Neeson suggested a name change. They moved to Melbourne and had hits with 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 and a hard rock version of The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby.
After they broke up after not getting a US deal, Birtles played with the folk-rock Mississippi and then found worldwide success with Little River Band. His return to, Adelaide coincides with the issue of his memoir Everyday of My Life.
Smith and Cotton attended the same school and were in the same cricket team in Adelaide.
The two Zoot members recommended him to front Melbourne band The Town Criers who signed to Festival Records and had hits with Everlasting Love and Living In A World of Love.
PAUL KELLY SETS UP RECORD CLUB, REISSUES CATALOGUE ON VINYL
While flying in the charts with current album Life Is Fine, the prolific Paul Kelly has set up the Paul Kelly Record Club which will see his 24 albums – from 1985’s Post this month– released on vinyl over two years.
An album will be released on the first of each month, and delivered to the club’s subscribers first in a three month window. He is offering six and 12 month subs, as well as individual purchases, at https://www.paulkelly.com.au/record-club/.
Each album comes with a vinyl sized 12” art print, while a mini-documentary of the relevant album goes up on his social media connections.
Next month comes Paul Kelly & The Messengers’ 2-LP Gossip, then Under The Sun in November and So Much Water So Close to Home in December.
Seven of the later releases including Hidden Things: B-Sides/Rarities, Paul Kelly – Live May 1992, Words and Music and Smoke come in vinyl for the first time.
BUSH BANDS BASH DRAWS BIG CROWD
Alice Springs’ indigenous music event Bush Bands Bash drew 2000 to Telegraph Station, an impressive figure for the Northern Territory.
The concert marked the finale of a week-long mentorship with East Coast music industry identities.
Headlining were the Lonely Boys, who recently opened for Queens of the Stone Age’s Darwin show, with lesser known acts including Black Rock Band which ABC Radio said came more than 1,200 kilometres from Jabiru to play,.
MOTOR RACING EVENTS ADD MORE MUSIC NAMES
Daryl Braithwaite joins Delta Goodrem at the first of the two open air concerts at Broadwater Parklands on October 20, as part of the Gold Coast 600.
The second concert, on the night after, sees Montaigne and Dean Lewis joining Hilltop Hoods and Violent Soho.
A number of DJs were also added: Brooke Evers returns from LA to headline Club 600 at Macintosh Island.
Meantime Supercars in Newcastle added The Veronicas to its Friday night music offering, alongside Goodrem.
As previously announced Cold Chisel and Spiderbait play the next night, with a third name to be announced soon.
ACCC WARNS OF ITUNES SCAM
The ACCC has sent out a warning about scammers who try to get their victims to pay for their scams with Apple iTunes gift cards as they are easy to on-sell.
It’s a growing trick. The consumer watchdog’s Scamwatch says that this year, 1236 people lost nearly 540,000 to scammers. It was $480,000 in 2015/6.
ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said, “If someone asks you to pay for anything using an iTunes gift card, it is a scam. There are never any circumstances where a legitimate business or government department will ask for payment this way.”
BMI REVENUE, ROYALTY DISTRIBUTION HITS $1B
In a third consecutive year, Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) hit the $1 billion mark in revenue,. In the fiscal year ending June 30, it brought in $1.13 billion, up 6.6% from the previous year.
Distributions to songwriters and publishers grew higher, a 9.9% rise to $1.023 billion.
GOTYE, GRACE JONES, BUENA VISTA FEATURE IN ANTENNA FILM FEST
Gotye, Grace Jones and Buena Vista Social Club are among those featuring in the Antenna Documentary Film Festival, which is screening 50 films from 20 countries in Sydney from October 10 to 15.
In director Ben Strunin’s five-years-in-the-making Westwind: Djalu’s Legacy, Yolngu warrior and shaman Djalu Gurruwiwi must find a way to bring two worlds together to save his culture, with some help from Gotye who becomes part of his family and amplifies his disappearing songslines to the world.
Fresh from its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami looks at the personal and private life of the icon.
Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club: Adios picks up from Wim Wenders’ landmark 1999 Oscar-winning documentary. It follows the acclaimed Cuban band on their final tour, as they look back at their beginning and rise as a global phenomenon.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS …
Elton John’s championing of Australian acts go way back to the early ‘70s, first with Daddy Cool, then Mondo Rock, Catherine Britt, Pnau and now producer M-Phazes’ 14-year old Sydney protégé Ruel. He played his track Don’t Tell Me on his Beats 1 radio show, called it “an awesome song, wow” and said he might as well “give up” writing songs. In one of those coincides that makes life living, the first song Ruel learned to play was Sir Elt’s 1973 hit Crocodile Rock.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that an earlier decision by the Carver County District was correct in rejecting five people who claimed to be heirs to Prince’s fortune. The five had tried to claim that John L. Nelson, generally accepted as Prince’s father, was not his daddy at all, and that they had been sired by other men with his mother Mattie Shawwere and were therefore his real half-siblings.
While election campaigning in Wollongong for the job of mayor, Greens candidate Mithra Cox promised to bring in a Night Mayor to liven up the city after dark.
Following on from 1001 Australian Nights, Dave Graney has a second book Workshy out in November through Affirm Press. “It’s a book focused on work and all the little jobs I did to try and be a player, an artist. What I did while I was trying to do what I wanted to do,” he says.
A crowd-funding campaign to help Brisbane singer songwriter Tara Simmons with her medical bills for her breast cancer treatment, is a success.. Called Tit’ll Be All Right (https://www.gofundme.com/titllbeallright) and set up by freelance illustrator Emily Nelson and Mucho Bravado’s Ben Preece, it shot past its $15,000 target in ten days. Last night it was sitting at $17, 170.
Community radio stations Brisbane’s 4ZZZ and Sydney’s Alive 90.5 are both looking for station managers. Check out their respective websites.
NZ singer songwriter Gin Wigmore and husband Jason Aalon Butler have called their first child, who arrived late last week, Ivory Nashoba.
Doors are opening in Asia for Tasmanian music student Mia Palencia, who’s doing a PhD at the Conservatorium of Music. Her song So Many Hands was chosen in a competition to find a theme song for the Southeast Asian Games. She sang it at the opening ceremony in Kuala Lumpur before 87,000 spectators. She went down so well that she’s been asked to submit songs for a new musical based around Malaysia’s national football team’s efforts at the1980 Moscow Olympics.
Melbourne 13-year old Isabella Clarke has been selected to represent Australia’s in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday November 26 at the Tbilisi Sports Palace in Georgia.
Tweed Coast Radio 97 is celebrating its 80 year birthday, giving away big prizes to listeners. It was first called 2MW when it went live on September 2, 1937.
Queensland police found it easy to hunt down the owner of some stash at the Maroochydore Music and Visual Arts Festival. The 21 year old had scribbled his name and telephone number on his bag (in case he lost it, you understand) and faces court at the end of the month.
Joe Camilleri’s music equipment and personal items which were nicked from the back of his car in Melbourne two months ago have been recovered. Noise 11 reported that police found his possessions along with others’ in a house, and notified him. Camilleri personally went down to pick up his Victor Rubin hand-painted saxophone and his collectable Nash guitar. Four people were questioned over a series of robberies.