Alex Lloyd reworks song for Richmond; Sony acts join Sanitarium project; DMAs join I Oh You

Sanitarium secures Justice Crew, Samantha Jade, for music project

Sanitarium has secured Sony Music acts Justice Crew and Samantha Jade for a new music project.  The Raised on Weet-Bix initiative invites Australians to submit their favourite Raised in Australia moments through #raisedonweetbix. These will be used for possible inclusion in a song titled Raised In Australia and its video, to be recorded by the two acts.

Remote Control signs Saskwatch …

Remote Control Records added Melbourne nine-piece Saskwatch to its roster. Its second album Nose Dive is out April 11 via a tie-up with Northside Records. A new single Born To Break Your Heart is out as a follow up to last year’s Hands which received airplay from triple j and community radio.

… and Courtney Barnett

Remote Control Records is the new Australian label for Melbourne singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, in a deal signed through her Milk! Records. It will release last year’s The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas on CD format in March with a limited edition vinyl to follow. Barnett also signed for North America with New York City-based Mom + Pop for the April release of A Sea Of Split Peas. In the last 12 months, she’s gained international attention, her music included on end of year lists. She’s currently on tour in the UK and US.

DMAs join I Oh You

Young Sydney trio DMAs has joined I Oh You, which will release their self-titled debut EP on March 28. The tracks were recorded in guitarist Johnny Took’s bedroom in Newtown. The band has yet to play live, but came to label chief Johann Ponniah’s attention last September through demos also made in Took’s bedroom with fellow members Tommy O and Matt Mason. 

Shock treatment for New Empire

Latest signing for Shock Records is Sydney’s New Empire, with their third album In A Breath set for April 18 release. Their last album Symmetry (2011) debuted in the ARIA Top 40 and made the Top Four of [V]’s Oz Artist of the Year and received global attention. The Top 20 single One Heart/A Million Voices was the official theme song for Australia’s TV coverage of the Summer Olympics in London 2012. Jeremy Fowler, Kyle Lane and Kale Kneale met at school in Cronulla, with Nate Cairns a new permanent addition.

Preatures assign publishing to Mushroom Music

Sydney buzz band The Preatures assigned their publishing to Mushroom Music. Its A&R Linda Bosidis said, “We saw The Preatures play live and met with them early in their career.” The band won the Vanda & Young $50,000 songwriting prize and tours UK and US to follow up interest in the title track of its EP Is This How You Feel?. Their debut album is due some time in 2014.

Alex Lloyd reworks Coming Home for AFL’s club …

Alex Lloyd reworked his hit Coming Home to be the 2014 theme for the AFL’s Richmond Football Club. Club CEO Brendon Gale says the new version fits in with the club’s objectives for this year. These include returning their home games to Melbourne and launching their own Victorian Football League team. Lloyd launched Coming Home (To Richmond) at the team’s home at ME Bank Centre in Richmond on the weekend before 5,000 fans. It is released this Friday on iTunes, with some of the proceeds from sales going to the club’s charity partner The Alannah and Madeline Foundation.

…Mahlia Barnes promoting the NRL

Foxtel teamed with R&B singer Mahalia Barnes for its promotion of the NRL (National Rugby League) for Foxtel. The campaign, by Clemenger BBDO Sydney and launched last weekend, focuses on fans’ obsession with the game. Barnes reworks the song Simply The Best, recorded by her father Jimmy and Tina Turner, as Simply Obsessed. The Chaser’s Andrew Hansen wrote some of the new words for the revamped version.

Glass Towers joins New World Artists

Sydney’s Glass Towers join New World Artists agency for touring representation in ANZ. The deal came at the end of a week where they signed a North American deal with Dine Alone Records, and announced their first North American tour and saw the departure of bassist Cameron Holdstock. Their debut album was a triple j staple yielding the hits Halcyon and Tonight.

Little Fox at HUB

Sydney chanteuse Little Fox inked with HUB The Label / Inertia, with her debut Warrior EP available digitally on March 28. The video for Anniversary was conceived by Little Fox during “a turbulent personal time” with cameos from friends and family and shot at her great-grandmothers century old house.

360’s latest signing

Melbourne dance agency 360 added Gold Coast DJ Brooklyn to its roster. Its most recent acquisition, Sydney based Benji, is touring with The Presets.

Brisbane entrepreneurs enter joint venture

Brisbane music entrepreneurs Matt Bales and Jasmine Ryan set up a joint venture company called Vivace Entertainment. It covers tours, events, sound engineering, sound production and band management. The company has also firmed a deal with community radio station 4ZZZ to heavily promote its events, the first held this Saturday at the Prince of Wales in Ipswich showcasing called Music Mayhem (Bales is singer with metal band DTAK).