Industrial Strength: August 29
FOOS’ METAL RACKET
Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters are in Sydney doing promo for the band’s new album Concrete and Gold, and are using the time well: they’re playing a secret show tonight at Oxford Art Factory, as their covers-band incarnation Chevy Metal.
Tickets are just $20, but must be bought in person at the OAF box office from 1pm today.
SIA UP FOR SOUNDTRACK AWARD
Sia is among those nominated for the 19th World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent on October 18.
Her track ’Never Give Up’ from hit movieLionis a contender in the Best Original Song Written Directly For A Film category,
She’s up against Justin Timberlake’s’Can’t Stop The Feeling’ from Trolls, the Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone-performed ’City of Stars’ from La La Land, Auli’i Cravalho’s’How Far I’ll Go’ from Moana, and Pharrell Williams’’Runnin’’ from Hidden Figures.
AUSTRALIAN DATE FOR PEARL JAM CONCERT DOCO
The new Pearl Jam documentary Let’s Play Two opens on 30 Australian metro and regional screens on October 4 as part of a global screening in 250 cities.
They include Bondi in Sydney, South Yarra and Doncaster in Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Launceston.
The full list is at www.letsplaytwofilm.com.
The film was shot by Danny Clinch with funding from Universal Music Publishing Group and Monkeywrench Films at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on August 20 and 22 2016, during the Chicago Cubs historic World Series championship season.
Clinch says, “In my films and photographs, I love to explore the relationship between a band, their fans and the location.
“When it happens that the main characters of your film are Pearl Jam, the Chicago Cubs, their fans, and Wrigley Field during a historic moment, you know it’s going to be epic.
“Our instincts were correct to follow the story and it took us to a historic Game 7 of the World Series ending a 108 year drought for the Cubs.
“I have learned to welcome the unexpected and it always pays off if you’re ready for it.”
Universal Music Australia issues a 17-track soundtrack on CD, vinyl and digital formats to coincide.
MORE U.S. SUCCSS FOR AUSSIE WRITER STU CRICHTON
Australian songwriter Stu Crichton, who is signed to indie publisher Native Tongue, had two songs on last week’s America’s best selling album.
Crichton co-produced and co-wrote ’Learn To Let Go’ and ’Let ‘Em Talk’ on Kesha’s first album in five years Rainbow.
It debuted at #1 in the US and Canada, and Top 5 in eight countries.
Crichton has had a number of UK and global Top 10s via acts as Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Elton John, Brian McFadden, Sugababes, Jamelia and Dame Shirley Bassey.
RADIO ADELAIDE LETS FIVE GO AFTER RADIOTHON MISSES TARGET
Adelaide community radio station Radio Adelaide’s transition from fully funded by Adelaide University for decades to becoming a fully independent business has had a rocky road.
After a loss of $400,000 last year, it hoped to raise $150,000 during its July Keep the Airwaves Alive radiothon.
But the tally was “disappointing”, the board revealed.
As a result, five staff – including General Manager Rob Popplestone and breakfast presenter/producer Jennie Lenman – will be leaving in September.
SCA RADIO REVENUE UP…
Of Southern Cross Austereo (SCA)’s 7.5% rise in to $690.8 million in the first half of the year and profit up 21.5% to $93.8 million, its metro radio division contributed $247.2 million (up 2%) and the regional radio section brought in to $169 million which was an uptick of 3.3%.
…BUT HT&E’S IS “DISAPPOINTING”
Ciaran Davis, CEO and Managing Director of Here, There & Everywhere (HT&E) – formerly APN News & Media – called its radio division Australian Radio Network’s 6% drop in the first half of 2017 to $105.3 million “disappointing”.
But he said it was still appealing to advertisers. He also noted that while costs of investment in talent and digital assets were up $4.5 million, the company had largely offset it by cutting down operating costs.
JOHN BUTLER EXPLAINS ‘BULLY
“Over the years of campaigning to protect pristine and sacred parts of our globe, I’ve witnessed two archetypes over and over again; The Bully and the Power of Community.
“It’s always been the injustice inflicted by the bully that’s incited me to stand up, and the strength of community that’s kept my faith in humanity.”
So says John Butler about his new single ’Bully’. It was recorded last year but comes out as a single in the wake of the Charlottesville, Virginia, shooting and the plebiscite on same sex marriage.
“’Bully’ is about the abuse of power,” Butler explains. “It’s about Governments, corporations and organisations who think they have the right to use violence and their powers of state against their own community; telling us how we should live, who we’re allowed to marry, whose lives matter and whose do not, how much racism is tolerable, what industries and private enterprises should be allowed on our land and how contaminated our water is allowed to be.
“It’s about a bully mindset that is so greedy for more control, power and dominance that it’s willing to use violence against innocent citizens and in the process, killing the planet and life upon it, just to feed its voracious appetite.
“This song is about good people all over the world, who believe in a fair, just and sustainable future, who are willing to stand together to protect what is most precious to them.”
CHISEL TASSIE GIG DRAGGED INTO POLITICAL CLASH
Cold Chisel’s November 22 show on the laws of Wrest Point in Tasmania to launch their live album is creating waves – but not for the right reasons.
Greens Tasmania leader Cassy O’Connor took a shot at the show being held outside at a venue owned by the Federal Group rather than inside like the Derwent Entertainment Centre which is owned by the Glenorchy City Council.
She accused Liberals’ Nic Street of siding with Federal on this because they donate to the Libs.
She said, “Mr Street is backing in the Federal Group undercutting the Derwent Entertainment Centre as Hobart’s major venue for large acts like Cold Chisel.
“He also apparently hasn’t given thought to the impact of an outdoor rock concert and huge volumes of traffic on local residents.
“This has nothing to do with what a great Aussie band Cold Chisel is, and everything to do with the Farrell family’s desperation to improve a public image tarnished by the suffering their poker machines cause.”
The Federal Group, which has a monopoly until 2023 to operate up to 3680 poker machines in Tasmania, lashed back.
The Greens, they said, are “now the fun police” who were “desperately trying to stop a major act like Cold Chisel from being enjoyed by Tasmanians in the scenic grounds of Wrest Point.”
ARTS TASMANIA OFFICE MOVING
The Hobart office of Arts Tasmania is moving from Elizabeth Street on Friday September 15 and operational from Monday September 18 at Salamanca Building, Parliament Square, 4 Salamanca Place, Hobart, 7000.
The move will bring all the business units in the Cultural and Tourism Development Division together in one space with Arts Tasmania co-located with Events Tasmania, Screen Tasmania and the Tourism and Hospitality Supply Unit.
The association stated, “This will provide greater opportunities for collaboration and closer working relationships across the division as it continues to promote and develop the cultural and creative industries in Tasmania.”
ADELAIDE LOSES MUSIC SHOWCASING VENUE
Adelaide has lost the live music venueO’Brien’s Irish pub. Owners Red Rock Leisure sold the North Terrace nightspot after falling trade.
GM Nick HavriluktoldThe City that it was due to changing trends, the rise of small bars, and Irish pubs no longer being the novelty they once were.
B-BOY TO REP AUSTRALIA IN RED BULL FINALS
Sydney’s B-Boy Lowe took the crown at the Red Bull BC One 2017 Australian Cypher in Sydney.
A break dancer for 17 years, in between his enthusiasm for anime and sport, he showed off some well rehearsed moves including the toprock and downrock, to wow the judges at the Ultimo Community Centre.
He heads to Amsterdam for the Red Bull BC One World Finals on November 4.
DIGITAL MAP FOR ST KILDA JAZZ HERITAGE
One of the projects coming out of Victorian Government’s Rockin’ The Laneways grants to bolster the state’s music history is a digital project that highlights the Melbourne bayside suburb of St Kilda’s jazz legacy.
Created by writer and filmmaker Kaye Blum, The St Kilda Jazz Heritage Tour has 37 pins on a mobile device to walk along to or a PC to explore.
It looks at jazz venues in three eras: the dance halls and ballrooms of the 1920s-1950s, coffee lounges and clubs of the 1930s-1960s, and pubs and bars from the 1970s to today.
There are also 23 music videos and interviews with musicians and record producers who shaped the scene. It’s at http://stkildajazztour.com.au.
VIXEN GROUP LOOKING FOR FEMALE MUSOS
The Vixen Group is looking out for working female musicians who want to help create more professional playing opportunities.
All details and applications are available online, with first meetups in Sydney and Melbourne in November.
INDUSTRY SAFETY GUIDE ON ITS WAY
A number of production companies in the Australian live music industry have banded together to fund The Australian Entertainment Safety Resource Guide.
Over 25 chapters and covering all the various sectors, it cover aspects of Work Health Safety acts, regulations, codes of practice and Australian standards that apply to everyone working in the sector.
It is written by industry safety veteran Roderick Van Gelder. In 2012, he set up the Event Safety Alliance Australia to collectively put the guide together. But it was disbanded after little input, awareness or money.
CHUGG FOR ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT
Veteran concert promoter Michael Chugg is one of the headline speakers (the other is theatre producer David Ian) to speak at the Mumbrella Entertainment Marketing Summit on November 30 at the Seymour Centre in Sydney.
Chugg will be interviewed on stage by Havas Sports & Entertainment GM Francis Coady.
They’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities in the live music space, creating and operating successful festivals, and the work that Chugg and his company does with brands and marketers.
SPOTIFY ENTERS THAILAND
Spotify enlarges its footprint in Asia, going live in Thailand. Spotify Premium, which has 60 million subscribers, is available thee for129 THB, about $4.
Thailand becomes Spotify’s 61st territory. The Swedish company entered Asia in 2013, first with Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Two years later came the Philippines ($4 a month) and Indonesia and Japan last year. Rumours are Vietnam is next,
KIWIS PROVE TO BE EARLY TECH ADOPERS
IDC New Zealand’s 2017 ConsumerScape 360° survey findings find that New Zealanders are above the world average when it comes to adopting and using digital services,
They are enthusiastic streamers, with 22% using it to watch videos. This equals the rate in the US and above the global 14% rate.
81% accessed Facebook in the last month, and 47% of their waking hours in a week (56 hours) is spent on a digital device. The average Kiwi owns 6.5 digital devices with 67% of them smart
However New Zealanders are quite solid in their adoption, jumping on them if they are of benefit, and not because they’re trendy or hyped up.
Only 12% of NZers want the latest device (world rate: 23%) and only 18% have used virtual reality (world rate: 38%).
MUSICIANS LAND MYER FELLOWSHIP
Two Queensland musicians were among the ten creatives who scored a 2017 Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship of $160,000 over a two-year period. They were jazz-pop singer songwriter Megan Washington and jazz, world and contemporary classical fusionist and pianist Yitzhak Yedid.
The others were from the dance, theatre, acting and visual arts sectors.
MAJOR ANTI-PIRACY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
Behind the Federal Court’s two separate orders to block 59 copyright infringing websites, Creative Content Australia (CCA), launched Australia’s biggest ever anti-piracy consumer campaign.
Called The Price of Piracy, it is on TV, cinemas, pay TV, some websites and social media to alert consumers to the increased online risks posed by streaming or downloading pirated content from the remaining sites.
The CCA states, “Content links on infringing sites have become the number one method of propagating malware on the internet1, with one in three sites exposing users to malicious software that can steal personal information like addresses, bank details, credit cards and passwords, and facilitate identity theft.
“Ransomware – spreading globally in pandemic proportions – can lock a computer and encrypt files so they become inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
“Research also shows nearly 40% of Android VPNs – often used by pirates to circumvent blocks to access pirate sites – are affected by malware.”
CCA’s 2016 research reveals that, despite the proliferation of legal content options, 21% of Australians aged 18-64 admit to pirating content at least once monthly.
The level of piracy amongst 12-17s is at 26% while the number of Australians aged 12-13 who stream or download from pirate sites has increased significantly: from 14% in 2014 to 23% in 2016.
MAKING MURIEL GETS FUNDING
A documentary centred around Muriel’s Wedding is one of 12 screen projects green-lighted by Creative NSW.
Making Muriel follows film director P.J. Hogan and his team as they turn the Australian film classic into a stage musical at the Sydney Theatre Company.
Create NSW CEO Michael Brealey says the 12 productions “will bring a total of $60.85 million in direct production expenditure to NSW and create over 3,400 highly-skilled jobs in the screen sector.”
SONY/ATV LATIN HEADS FOR RECORD BREAKER
Fuelled primarily by the global success of ’Despacito’, whose writers Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Erika Ender are signed with Sony/ATV, the company announced that its Latin division is set for a “record breaking” year, Billboard reported.
Since ’Despacito’ flung open doors for greater acceptance of Latin music, Sony/ATV has had success with Maluma’s ’Felices Los 4’, Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno and Zion & Lennox’s’Súbeme La Radio’ and ’Chantaje’ by Shakira feat. Maluma.
HYDROFUNK TURNS 20, ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS
Australian hip hop label Hydrofunk celebrates its 20th anniversary with a series of projects that includes opening a shop in Japan.
To coincide, a collaboration by Tigermoth and Uhnelly produced a limited edition Japanese release Snakecharmer followed by a July tour of Japan. Upcoming releases are from Calski, Bankrupt Billionaires, BreeChBoy, and Dave (Dog) Atkins, and the likelihood of an album from the Resin Dogs.
Also a possibility is a national tour featuring Hydrofunk artists past and present.
MTV GREEN LIGHTS CRASH KARAOKE
Coming next year to MTV is the 10-episode seriesCrash Karaoke, where hosts Hannah Rad and Dylan Landon will “crash” businesses and locations like fast food restaurants and entice people to get into a karaoke battle for cash.
Contestants will spin a wheel to select what style of music their songs will be.
VALE
- Perth drummer John ‘Pecko’ Petkovich picked up the sticks after he wagged school to see bands like Max Merritt & The Meteors (and its skinsman, the late Stewie Speers) play lunch time gigs at the Troubadour club.
He was soon inMax & The Unicorns and The Cherokees before hitting the big time with The Mixtures.
His image reflected his larger than life personality, whether his immense kit set up had double drums and gongs, or the huge American Trans Am he bought with the first month’s pay check from The Mixtures.
He was also involved in the early WAM awards. In July, some of the biggest acts in Perth got together a benefit for him when he was diagnosed with a virulent cancer. - Primary Talent International director and agent Dave Chumbley, who died at 57 after a short illness, was Kylie Minogue’s global agent until 2014. Regarded as one of the best in the business, he also repped such acts as Lana Del Rey, Ziggy Marley and Gwen Stefani.
- Terry Kerr’s quick humour, engaging personality and love for radio kept him consistently on Queensland’s airwaves since 1971. He worked at 4AK and 4GR and set up Power FM. Kerr who fought a lengthy battle with leukaemia, passed in his sleep in Toowoomba aged 66.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS …
Rushing into the studio in Melbourne to put down some tracks before her world tour next month, Tash Sultana had to cancel last Friday’s show with The Wailers in Malta, where some of her family came from. Sultana has promised Malta she’ll play a headliner there next year.
In an interview with Stellar magazine on the weekend, Ian “Molly” Meldrum revealed that he told Paul McCartney that he wanted The Beatles’ ’The Long And Winding Road’ played at his funeral, and McCartney responded he’d come and sing it personally.
The Nick Cave / Warren Ellis latest scoring project, Kings, about a relationship set in the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, makes its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September
Indie folk trio Tinpan Orange head off to seven dates in Germany between September 17 and October 3, before returning for an Australian run behind new single Wanderers. It was written by band member Emily Lubitz with The Cat Empire’s Harry Angus and produced by Anna Laverty.
Paying $700 VIP tickets for the Royal Flying Doctor Service fundraiser Altitude Ball at Perth’s Crown Towers, didn’t stop some of the 900 attendees from yapping throughout Tina Arena’s set. We’d like to say she took it meekly on the chin. But thankfully, no. The Sunday Times reported she told the chatterers to go outside if they wanted to talk. They kept yakety-yakking. Some songs later, looking most annoyed, she told them she needed quiet as their talking was coming through into her earphones. At the end of the 45 minute set, she farewelled the crowd, “Thank you for listening .. and for those of you who haven’t paid attention, I guess you fucking missed out!”
After a hiatus Brisbane’s The Bear Hunt are back with new member Murray Bowler of Go Go Fish and a new single called ’Name And Shame’ (from the Fallen On Deaf Ears EP out October 13) about a group of friends “carrying on like a group of school children, bitching about other people behind their backs,” explains singer Bec Wilson. “If you have a problem, find a way to deal with it. Don’t whinge and spread rumours.”
Australasian singer songwriter Anika Moa admits she’s more than slightly worried about her career – she’s lost 75% of hearing in one ear after infection ruptures. The docs have told her she might regain it with lots of rest and recovery.
So why didn’t Andrea Keller hop up onstage to win her Excellence in Jazz trophy at last week’s Art Music awards in Sydney? There was a certain amount of confusion (not to mention panic, we warrant) after her name was called and she was a no-show. Co-host Simon Marnie collected it on her behalf quipping she might have been in the loo. Not so, Keller told her following on social media: “I was in the dressing room waiting to be collected, ironically, discussing missed opportunities for female musicians in jazz.”