Industrial Strength: April 10
FUTURE CLASSIC UNVEIL NEW STUDIO
Independent Aussie operators Future Classic have launched their new recording studios in Los Angeles (pictured above).
The big reveal came in the form of a video outlining the company’s history (including early beginnings as professional party throwers and advocates of vinyl records) and their partnership with Dropbox on their new LA digs.
KYLIE A “DEFINING MOMENT” FOR HER NEW LABEL BMG
No pressure for “Our Kyles”, but BMG’s president, repertoire & marketing, Alistair Norbury told Music Week, “Kylie is going to be a defining moment for this label”.
The new Nashville-made Golden album is Minogue’s first for BMG overseas (although she’s with rival Michael Gudinski’s Liberation Music in Australia).
Some overseas reviews questioned the new country-pop direction, wondering if Minogue is doing “a Taylor Swift in reverse”.
But Norbury added to Music Week: “We believe this is going to be the biggest ship of a BMG record in the UK that we’ve ever had.
“We anticipate that it will be the biggest-selling week one record we’ve ever had on BMG UK.
“What is very exciting is there are four to five radio records on the album, the campaign will run for 18 months, there is a lot of excitement all around the world, there’s a very good US plan which is very exciting.”
To make sure Golden struck gold, BMG and Minogue pulled the record back from its original October 2017 release to do more co-writes.
Nodbury called the singer “an artist who’s absolutely seen it all and has a clear vision and a creative direction, is involved with all the marketing decisions with Alli [Main] and Polly [Bhowmik], her managers.
“She is in this building [regularly], attends meetings and is very connected with the team here. So all eyes are on us.”
KEITH URBAN COMIN’ A-CALLIN’
Time to get the vacuum out and dust off the visitors’ tea set. Keith Urban is comin’ a-callin’
He’s doing a promo tour in May to promote his ninth studio album Graffiti, out here on April 27.
His last studio release, Ripcord, was the second-biggest selling album in Australia in 2016 (behind Adele’s 25). It spent 27 weeks in the ARIA Top 10 and 46 weeks in the Top 20.
In the last decade, Urban has sold 22 million albums, 1.4 million of which were in Australia.
BRITNEY HIT FORCED TO ADD WRITER CREDIT
British pop singer Tulisa Contostavlos is in for a financial windfall after a five-year court battle saw her win a 10% royalty share of Britney Spears’ huge 2012 hit ‘Scream & Shout’.
It was a massive hit through Europe and in the US, and peaked at #2 in Australia.
The former N-Dubz singer co-wrote the original version of the song (called ‘I Don’t Give A Fuck’) with will.i.am and Jean Baptiste for her solo album The Female Boss.
But it was decided by will.i.am’s producer Jef Martens it would be better suited to Britney Spears, and changed the title.
This annoyed Contostavlos on two fronts – firstly, she wanted the song for her own tilt at the charts and secondly, the Spears version dropped her name as a writer and credited it only to will.i.am, Martens and Baptiste.
To make things worse, during the trial, a musicologist’s report indicated that Contostavlos’ original vocals can still be heard underneath Britney’s own.
Will.i.am long agreed that the song was started by Contostavlos before he was involved, and that the decision to edit her out of the credits was the producer’s.
The court found she now gets a writing credit and 10% share of royalties.
All writers royalties have been frozen since 2012 and now will be released with 10% bearing Tulisa’s bank account details.
ALISON WONDERLAND FOR 25 GLOBAL SHOWS BEHIND ‘AWAKE’…
LA-based Australian DJ/producer Alison Wonderland has 25 shows around the world behind her new album Awake.
This weekend she takes Awake live to Coachella on April 13 and 20 as the highest billed female DJ in the festival’s history.
She returns to Australia for three album launch shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, before scooting back overseas for a number of festivals.
She then begins a North American headline tour in August.
In the lead up to release, tracks from Awake have chalked up over 20 million combined streams.
… WHILE TESKEY BROS HEAD TO UK/EUROPE …
Fast-rising soul blues act The Teskey Brothers have announced eight UK/European club shows before they showcase at The Great Escape in Brighton on May 17.
These see them in Leeds, Newcastle, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Dublin and Berlin May 5 to 16.
The group, who made an impact at last month’s South by Southwest in Texas and Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, then return to Australia for the I Get Up tour for eight theatre and club shows between June 14 to 30, with Caiti Baker opening.
Aside from selling out their Melbourne Zoo show earlier this year, their homecoming at Byron Bay’s Bluesfest was to a packed tent with a crowd that included two fellers that looked awfully like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon.
Their album Half Mile Harvest was released in 2017.
… AND KITE STRING TANGLE ALSO HITTING EUROPE
The Kite String Tangle, aka Brisbane composer and producer Danny Harley, is set for eight UK and European dates between May 24 and June 3.
They include festivals as the Dot to Dot in Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham, as well as Barcelona’s Primavera Sound and We Love Green in Paris.
There are also club shows in London, Berlin and Amsterdam.
For fans who can’t wait until then, he plays two sell-out shows with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra on April 21 as part of the Wave Festival in Brisbane.
Although known for his electronic prowess, he has been simultaneously writing music at a piano or guitar and has been attracted to organic music with acoustic and classic instrumentation.
Says Harley: “I have many influences and I’ve never been able to stop myself from writing these sombre, fragile and vulnerable songs.”
Some of the material with the orchestra is also on a new mini album The Kite String Tangle Presents: In A Desperate Moment.
His sisters’ string quartet played all the strings, while also featured are a saxophone, trumpet and flugelhorn horn as well as “weird and wonderful toys, tapes, and trinkets.”
Aside from the single ‘The Heights of Trees’, he collaborated for a second time with longtime friend Dustin Tebbutt on ‘Evergreen’, and his live drummer Kosta Theodosis handled the challenging drum parts.
GAMES BRING GOLD COAST NIGHTCLUB BUSINESS DOWN
The first week of the Commonwealth Games was not the expected boon for entertainment businesses on the Gold Coast.
Despite 1 million tickets sold for the event, revenue at cafes was down 35% and some nightclubs reported to the Gold Coast Bulletin that some nights were down 50%.
This was despite their spending more on marketing, sponsorships and even female spruikers to bring the punters in.
Games organisers admit that their warnings about traffic chaos may have scared off many punters.
Possibly, “the demographic that’s here to watch the Games isn’t suitable for the night-life”, suggested Bedroom general manager Brad Oliver, who quipped, “I’ve been dodging tumbleweed all week.”
Others who hoped to the Bulletin that the second week might be better were Love, Sin City, and Hollywood Showgirls.
KENDRICK LAMAR HITS HI THIRD ONE-MILLION SELLER
Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN album has hit 1 million in traditional sales in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. Current sales are 1.002 million.
Factored in with streaming and downloads, its total US sales are 3.137 million.
Debuting at #1 in the US, it remains in the Top 20 after 50 weeks
It is his third record to hit the magic number, after To Pimp A Butterfly (2915) and good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012).
IKEA UNVEILS AUDIO PRODUCTS
Swedish furniture maker Ikea has unveiled the look of its expansion into audio with two ranges, announced last year and both out in 2019.
FREKVENS (Swedish for ‘frequency’, in partnership with Swedish audio tech firm Teenage Engineering, is portable impromptu party collection with a turntable, party lighting as LED bricks and a movable spot, electronic choir and speakers.
A partnership with audio brand Sonos, struck in December 2017, will result in a smart home range that integrates music into its furniture.
More than 780 million people shop at Ikea each year around the world.
HOBART DJ JAILED
Hobart DJ Astro Labe, who headbutted former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in September 2017, will have six months in jail to think the strategy over.
The 36-year-old, who’d been drinking before, is eligible for parole in two months.
When asked why he did it, he shrugged and stated “I didn’t think it was an opportunity I’d get again”.
JULIA ZEMIRO TO HOST ‘ALL TOGETHER NOW’
Rockwiz personality Julia Zemiro will host Seven Network’s new singing talent show All Together Now.
The wannabes will belt it out in front of a panel of singers and music biz bods – 100 of them – with the approach that the more of these get up and sing, the more marks they earn to get their mitts on the $100,000 prize.
IT’S NOW DR. DEBORAH CHEETHAM
Indigenous composer, soprano, actor and playwright Deborah Cheetham AO yesterday received a honorary doctorate from the University of SA in Adelaide.
As part of the event she composed the Ancient Lands Processional fanfare which will be used in all future graduation ceremonies
LEITH DOES ELVIS GOSPEL
Singer songwriter Damien Leith’s try-out of his show Elvis The Gospel Collection in Melbourne last year was enough of a sell-out to extend to a tour.
Leith has been inspired by the King’s gospel roots including ‘How Great Thou Art’, ‘You Saw Me Crying in the Chapel’, ‘Peace In The Valley,’ ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Glory Glory Hallelujah’.
The eight theatre dates run from July 6 to September 22, full details at www.damienleith.com.
MUSIC VICTORIA GUIDELINES ADDS CHAPTER
Music Victoria has added a revised chapter to its Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues.
The new chapter, Working With Musicians, has been expanded upon by Chelsea Wilson and members of the Music Victoria Artists Advisory Panel.
It was originally written by Jen Cloher and members of the Victorian State Government Live Music Roundtable (2012) and now expanded upon in 2018.
Music Victoria has also provided sample event documents for artists and venues, which complement the chapter.
In the past 18 months, new chapters have dealt with sexual harassment, hearing protection, venue accessibility, protecting the environment, hosting all-ages gigs, planning law reform and copyright compliance.
WANNA PLAY CANADA’S BREAKOUT WEST?
Australian acts wanting to get into the Canadian music marketplace – for long used by Aussies as an alternative back way into the US market – may consider playing BreakOut West,
It is held in Kelowna, BC this October 10 – 14 and is part of a collaboration with the East Coast Music Association and Australian Music Week.
Entries close on April 20 at https://breakoutwest.ca/blog/submissions-open-east-coast-australian-artists-play-breakout-west-2018
G FLIP AT GREAT ESCAPE
Following a noted debut at South by Southwest in America last month, April has been gearing up well for Melbourne singer-songwriter G Flip.
In the wake of her bedroom-made track hitting the 1` million streaming mark, she’s the latest in The Great Escape’s UK conference and showcase meet’s 120 latest additions of acts.
Meantime her debut four shows at Sydney’s Oxford Arts Factory and Melbourne’s Workers Club sold out, so she’s added third dates for each venue.
The run is now between May 2 and 12.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE IN ALICE
National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame in Alice Springs has an artist in resident that is open to a musician, as well as to a visual artists craftsperson and designer, performing artist, screen artist and writer.
If you are interested in working on-site, with collaborative projects please get in touch with the to discuss your ideas and the possibilities for a residency.
Deadline is Monday April 30, see http://pioneerwomen.com.au/learn/news-events/npwhf-museum-artist-in-residence-program-2018.
MAUBOY A EUROVISION BOOKIE FAVOURITE
As Jessica Mauboy plays three pre-Eurovision promo dates – her first was in London last Thursday, followed by Tel Aviv tonight (April 10) and Amsterdam (14) – it seems she’s a bookie favourite in the second Eurovision semi-final alongside the Swedish entry.
She’ll be the 9th act to play, just before the interval.
Unibet reckons she’ll make the Top 5 in the grand final.
CREATIVE SUMMIT BACK IN MELBOURNE
The Creative State Summit will return to Melbourne (June 14 & 15, Melbourne Museum) and members of Victoria’s creative sector are invited to take part as speakers and delegates.
An initiative of the Victorian Government’s Creative State strategy, the Summit is an annual gathering of creative practitioners and organisations from across Victoria.
Last year more than 400 attended the two days of forums, discussions and networking events, building connections with practitioners from across the arts, music, cultural, design, digital games, fashion and screen sectors.
Centred on the theme ‘Creativity in a post truth world’ this year’s Summit will explore how creativity can help influence and shape public debate, the role of the artist or creative practitioner as an activist and game changer, and how creativity can respond to challenging issues and uncertain times.
Organisers suggest, “At a time when community trust in many public institutions is low, the Summit will also explore the role of cultural institutions, such as museums and libraries, as a source of authenticity.”
The first speakers are US journalist Aaron Foley who was last year appointed Chief Storyteller in Residence of the City of Detroit. His role is (to highlight local stories that don’t get covered by traditional media and to change the narrative of the city, which is emerging from a period of decline),
Australian-born, UK-based actor, dancer and disability campaigner Kiruna Stamell will speak about the importance of diversity in the creative sector.
The Summit is looking for applications about bold new ideas, emerging trends and technology. Deadline is April 20.
KIWI RESEARCHERS ON BEATLE SONG
It is well known that when Eric Clapton was lusting after his best friend George Harrison’s wife Patti Boyd, he wrote ‘Layla’ after being inspired by 12th century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi’s The Story of Layla and Majnun, about a bloke who went off his head because he was chasing a woman he couldn’t have.
Boyd’s impending visit to Australia and New Zealand has seen baby boomers dig into Beatles and Clapton songs for earlier and later references.
Two Kiwi researchers actually began work on one two years ago, to be published next month, which suggests that the triumvirate was discussed much earlier, on the album track ‘Savoy Truffle’ from the Beatles The White Album in 1968.
It was long thought to be written by Harrison about Clapton’s obsession for chocolate, which gave him rotten teeth., reciting various flavours included in a chocolate box.
Not so, says the 5000-word academic article ‘Savoy Truffle’: love, Lust and Longing In A Box of Chocolates .
It was written by Auckland University of Technology senior lecturer in hospitality management Lindsay Neill and AUT dean of the faculty of culture and society Professor Nigel Hemmington.
They say that the list of chocolates in the song actually contains metaphors for the “bittersweet” relationship between the three, the NZ Herald reports.
It is due to appear in May’s edition of The Journal of European Popular Culture
SOUNDCLOUD TURNS CORNER
SoundCloud’s 2017 strategy of changing top-tier management and slashing 40% of its staff has worked.
In 2017 the streaming service it exceeded (slightly) its revenue target of $100 million, increased its subscriber base and according to CEO Kerry Trainor, “significantly reduced the [cash] burn.”
RUEL’S RULE
Just 12 months ago, Sydney’s prodigal 15 year-old Ruel played his first show to 35 people at a venue called The Record Crate.
Last week he closed the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony with a rendition of ‘Golden Years (M-Phazes Remix)’, which had been picked by Seven Network as its official track for its Games promotion, with no less than 400 backup dancers.
“Walking out in front of 35 000 people and knowing over a billion people around the world were watching on TV will be an experience I’ll never forget,” he says.
He’s just been added to the main stage of Japan’s Summer Sonic alongside Chance the Rapper, Beck, Alessia Cara, Rex Orange County and Billie Eilish.
Ruel made his official festival debut in Tokyo and Kobe last month as part of Japan’s Pop Spring festival.
This year he signed with RCA Records in the US and shot a video for ‘Golden Years’ in Amsterdam with M-Phazes.
They’re putting the final touches to an EP.
DO YO THANGS CHANGING NAME TO LEISURE CENTRE
Melbourne alt R&B band The Do Yo Thangs are changing their name to Leisure Centre., causing a delay in the release of their debut album Mind Full.
Band leader and songwriter Hugh Rabinovici explained, “We recently received some feedback on the name of our band.
“The feedback highlighted the inappropriate use of African American vernacular as branding by a predominantly Anglo Australian group.
“Admittedly, when I named the band, this was not on my radar.
“Although in the years since starting the band I’ve learnt more about the dynamics of power, privilege and identity, I evidently hadn’t reflected on this in relation to our band name.
“Rightly, this feedback made me uncomfortable. After some discussion we quickly acknowledged the name was out of line with our values and we needed to do something about it.”
Leisure Centre, he says, “represents an iconic part of the suburban landscape in which I grew up, along with some poolside good times.
“I think it’s a much better fit for who we are as a group.”
In the meantime, over to POW Negro…
JUNGLE GIANTS SELL OUT TOUR
Thirteen of the 15 shows of The Jungle Giants’ current Used To Be In Love tour (April 5 to25) have sold out.
These include four dates at Sydney’s Metro Theatre, while the remaining two shows – in Canberra and Adelaide – heading for capacity as well.
The Brisbane band’s album tour last year also was a sell-out.
Tracks from their third album Quiet Ferocity racked up a total of 50 million Spotify streams and four entries in the triple j Top 100.
To coincide with the tour, the lead single off the album ‘Feel The Way I Do’ has been given a remix by Melbourne band Northeast Party House.
SCREEN AUSTRALIA ANTI-HARASSMENT CODE IN EFFECT
Screen Australia, which in February announced it was readying a Code of Conduct to Assist the Prevention of Sexual Harassment, says it is now live.
From this month, approved projects must adhere to the Code as a condition of their production funding.
“The Code sets a clear expectation that producers must make every effort to maintain a safe workplace where there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment,” said COO Fiona Cameron.
“The Code of Conduct will bring the law into plain view, in plain English and provide pathways to address and resolve issues. A Code of Conduct is a simple way to set expectations and lead cultural change.”
Read it in full here https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2018/04-03-code-of-conduct-to-prevent-sexual-harassment.
BEYONCE SETS NEW RECORD ON R&B/HIP HOP CHART
Beyonce has set a new record on America’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Chart.
She’s on DJ Khaled’s ‘Top Off’ (credited as just’ B’) alongside JAY-Z and Future which entered the Top 10 of the chart, according to Nielsen Music.
That makes it her 30th Top 10 on the chart, overtaking Nicki Minaj in the female stakes.
Overall that ranks her at #7 on the chart, which is topped by Drake with 57, and followed by Lil Wayne (54), Chris Brown (48), JAY-Z (35), Usher (32) and T.I. (31).
AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION OF LION KING HITS ASIA
The Australian production of Lion King by Michael Cassel Group and Disney Theatrical has begun its Asian run.
It’s currently staging in Manila in association with Concertus Manila until May 6, “the world’s first international tour of this magnificent production”, according to Michael Cassel.
It then heads to Singapore, Korea and Taiwan with more engagements to be announced soon.
The Manila premiere on March 28 was attended by Cassel, Disney Theatrical Group president and producer Thomas Schumacher, composer Lebo M and theatrical impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh who were joined by. Filipino media, fashion and entertainment folk.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR BUSH BAND BASH
Applications have opened until June 1 for Northern Territory’s Bush Bands Bash.
It includes a skills development camp for six selected bands at Ross River Resort a week before the concert at the Telegraph Station in Alice Springs, along with acts chosen as part of the Country Arts WA Sandtracks Tour.
In 2017 MusicNT received a record number of applications from the Northern Territory and surrounding desert areas.
Apply online at www.musicnt.com.au or email program manager Laurie May on [email protected] for an application form.
OPERA FORUM YIELDS INITIATIVES
Australia’s 15 opera companies’ recent inaugural forum in Sydney gave the smaller ones a voice for the first time – and yielded a number of initiatives to keep working together.
These included a commitment to meet up each year, set up a Facebook page and find new ways to collaborate.
A number of smaller Melbourne companies have decided to jointly audition new singers while independently staging their own productions.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…
Is Jack White headlining Splendour in the Grass?
Has Apple underlined the date March 31, 2019 as the day it shuts down iTunes music downloads?
Molly Meldrum again repeated, this time on Studio 10, the ”strong possibility” that Countdown would be back on the screen with new presenters.
Tame Impala bassist Cam Avery is reputedly a guest on the next Arctic Monkeys album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ alongside James Righton of Klaxons.
The Daily Telegraph tips that music names associated with the Closing Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games includes Guy Sebastian, Dami Im, The Veronicas, Amy Shark, Samantha Jade,. Yothu Yindi and the Treaty Project and Anthony Callea.
The appearance of Jimmy Barnes in the Newcastle Writers Festival has been attributed to major reason for the event setting a new attendance record of 10,000 over three days. The inaugural event in 2013 attracted 1800 people.
US rapper DMX has to pay $2.3 million for tax evasion, aside from being mandated for a year’s prison.
Nine Network, not satisfied with just those over-the-top spots about the return of The Voice this weekend, has also been holding karaoke battles for agency clients. The one in Sydney, at the Beresford, was won by a PhD account executive with a rendition of ‘Son Of A Preacher Man’.
When Bruce Springsteen played Auckland last year, he did a rendition of Lorde’s ‘Royals’ in tribute. So when the Kiwi played his hometown Noo Joisey, she pulled out ‘I’m On Fire’—which had the crowd breaking out into chants of “Bruce! Bruce!”
Paul Simon’s classic Graceland album is to be given an EDM treatment, with remixes by names as Paul Oakenfold, Groove Armada and Thievery Corporation.
A belated congrats to Pete Murray and wife Mira on the recent arrival of daughter, Saachi.
Marlon Williams is big biscuit in his native New Zealand: his tour’s not only sold out but he’s had to add dates.
Ricki Lee Coulter angrily denies speculation that she mimed at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony—which organisers have backed up saying no one mimed.
Meanwhile, Indian band The Ska Vengers’ drummer was facing visa issues days before.