Industrial Strength – August 7, 2013
Gold FM tops Gold Coast survey
Gold FM rose 1.1 points to go from #2 to #1 on the second Gold Coast radio survey of the year. Gold has a 16.2% share, and increased in all shifts and went 3.8 up in the 40-54 demographic to dominate that age group.
Sea FM dropped to second spot with a 16.1% share but still drew the under-40s. Hot Tomato had its 10th anniversary celebrations dented. It dropped from 14% to 12.3%, losing ground in all shifts and losing their lead with the 40-54s. Triple j remained at #4, down 0.7 to 8.2% on the Gold Coast.
Remote Control sets up Recon
Remote Control launched a new marketing and publicity arm called Recon Music. Its services include album, EP & single promotion; tour, festival and special event publicity and music servicing across online, radio, print and TV media. Specialist services include mailing list management, international blog servicing and client-personalised marketing support. The Remote Control PR team is involved but the main contacts are Marketing & Promotions Manager Lorrae McKenna(03- 8514 5195 and Publicity & Promotions Manager Adam Christou(03-8514 5196) and [email protected].
Sheppard hit platinum with Let Me Down Easy
Brisbane 6-piece Sheppard’s break-out single Let Me Down Easysingle has gone platinum, Chugg Music announced. “Having a platinum record with our very first release is like a dream come true,” said George Sheppard. The track not only got radio support but was also aired on The Today Show (where they were awarded their plaques), Packed to the Rafters, Ten Late News and Nine’s Mornings.It’s also receiving airplay in the United States.
Venues #1: Lizotte’s Kincumber hit by fire
NSW Central Coast music venue and restaurant Lizotte’s Kincumber had $250,000 in damage after fire broke out in the kitchen and roof during Abby Dobson’s performance. Check their site to see when gigs resume.
Venues #2: Parker launches in Perth
Perth party agents Boomtick launching a new club Parker in Northbridge on August 10. It has five bars, dual level dancefloor,m and will host DJs, producers and live electronic acts.http://www.parkernightclub.com.au/
Venues #3: Perth’s Claremont Hotel for sale
Perth live music venue the Claremont Hotel is up for lease or sale. The place last made headlines in April when local council banned bands from playing its outdoor areas.
Venues #4: Folk Federation home closing
Guthrie’s in Adelaide, has been the showcase home to the Folk Federation of South Australia since January 2012. But due to a loss of government funding, the Federation continues but can’t financially keep the venue going.
Venues #5: Annandale robbed, ransacked
The new owners of Sydney’s Annandale were given an unpleasant hearty welcome: thieves broke in, stole booze and cash, and ransacked the place to such an extent that a few night’s worth of shows had to be canned.
Venues #6: Mars Bar calls for support
Yet another venue has gone public to plead support from patrons to survive. The latest is Adelaide gay nightclub Mars Bar, whose ownerAndrew Hobbs reveals that business has dropped 20% in the past two years. He’s had to cut opening times from four days to two.
Venues #7: Cally Hotel changes hands
Cally Hotel in Warrnambool, country Victoria, has changed hands for $1 million. It has long been a hub for the local music scene, especially in the ‘90s when former Men At Work manager Russell Deppler ran it.
The Chemist video wins at WA Screen Awards
At the 25th WA Screen Awards before 600 at Perth’s Astor Theatre, the $500 Best Music Video category was won by The Chemist’s Silver & Gold, made by Stephen Lloyd & Dominic Pearce. It was up againstEmperors’ Ready When I Say Go (Ben Young & Adam Livingston), Kucka’s Rewind (Julia Ngeow & Steve Hughes) and Voyager’s The Meaning Of I (Natalie Lewis & Ben Berkhout). Best film went to Red Dog: producer Nelson Woss donated the $2000 prize cash to Shenton Park Dogs’ Refuge Home in Koko’s memory.
Chart Factfile: Pink accumulates more weeks at #1
Pink stays at eighth week at #1 with her The Truth About Love album. This gives her 32 accumulated weeks at #1 on the album charts. She now breaks away from sharing the honour with Jimmy Barnes andDelta Goodrem who are 31 weeks. Pink is now ranked #7 on the list. But as the list below shows, she has a long way to catch up with the act on top.
126 weeks – The Beatles
53 weeks – Dire Straits
46 weeks – Neil Diamond
45 weeks – John Farnham
39 weeks – Abba
38 weeks – Rod Stewart
32 weeks – Pink
31 weeks – Jimmy Barnes
31 weeks – Delta Goodrem
30 weeks – Elton John
30 weeks – Michael Jackson
Mauboy, Fanning, joins Mbantu bill
Jessica Mauboy and Bernard Fanning join the bill of the five-day Central Australian red dust music and culture Mbantu Festival. Already announced are Missy Higgins, Dan Sultan, Tjintu Desert Band, Djupi Band, Frank Yamma, Archie Roach and Warren H. Williams. Co-directed by Rachel Perkins and Nigel Jamieson, the October Alice Springs event features world premieres of Bungalow Song with Opera Australia and Bush Mechanics Live.
Promo tour #1: Miguel on promo tour
US Grammy winning R&B singer Miguel makes his first visit to Australia on a promo tour for Sony Music Entertainment Australia. He’s here to spruik his album Kaleidoscope Dream and breakout single Adorn, arriving in Sydney on August 25, stopping over in Melbourne, and returning to the US on August 30.
Promo tour #2: Moby does one-off at Chinese Laundry
Moby will do a one-off Sydney DJ set at Chinese Laundry on Thursday September 19. It will be part of a three day visit to Australia to promote his latest album Innocents, out Friday September 27.
MUSICAL CHAIRS
David Grice replaces Daniel Randell at MusicSA
David Grice took over this week as GM of operations at South Australia’s peak music association MusicSA. He replaces Daniel Randell who leaves the organization after eight years to become GM of Unilife (University of South Australia Student Association). He remains a director on the MusicSA board.
Grice has worked in the biz for 25 years as a musician, studio engineer, owner of Fat Trax studios and duplication facility City Dub, manager of live music venue The Promethean in Grote Street, and industry trainer at Music SA. The association’s board chair Anne Wiberg said, “David brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, and we are greatly looking forward to the future of the organization under his leadership.”
Anthony Frangi now GM at Fairfax Brisbane
Anthony Frangi is the new FM of Fairfax Radio’s Brisbane stations 4BC and 4BH, effective immediately. Initially their PD, Frangi stepped into the role in an acting capacity seven weeks ago after the departure of David McDonald. There were 31 applicants for the job, Fairfax Radio CEO Adam Lang A said. Meanwhile Majella Marsden is named acting PD.
David Faiman becomes Aussie rep for Music2Deal.com
David Faiman is appointed Australian rep for Music2Deal.com, the global industry-only B2B platform for “networking and dealing with music.” He is at [email protected]. Music2Deal has 10,000 members in 30 countries, including musicians, songwriters, producers, management, labels, publishers, distributors, media and business services. They can freely communicate with others, search for new business contacts, discover artists, offer services and opportunities in all facets of the music business. It has long had an Australian section/page and users, and lifting activities in this territory.
Emma Kilkeary to head Sydney publicity for dmg
Emma Kilkeary takes over as Sydney publicity manager for dmg Radio from September 2, after Chris Sioris moved into a dedicated PR role for the Fitzy & Wippa show. She handles publicity for Nova 96.9 and smoothfm 95.3 as well as the network’s digital media brands. Kilkear who did publicity & promotion for Austereo was most recently publicist for the Nine Network. Jane Elliott is publicity director for Sydney and Melbourne and for dmg’s corporate and national shows.
Chris Martin becomes editor of The Brag…
Chris Martin has taken over the editor’s chair at Furst Media’s Sydney weekly The Brag. Apart from being a regular contributor to the magazine for the last two years, Martin has worked in newsroom and social media roles overseas, covering music and the occasional sports event in South East Asia.
…while Nick Jarvis heads to InTheMix
Nick Jarvis vacated the editor’s role at The Brag to become editor at Sound Alliance’s dance music site InTheMix. Jarvis has been writing about dance music for ten years and edited 3D World.
Conan Fulton new CEO for AICA
Conan Fulton is the new CEO for the Australian Indigenous Communications Association (AICA). He worked in community radio in Hobart, and as producer and presenter for ABC Radio in Hobart, Launceston, Canberra and Sydney. His work in community, public and private sectors covers policy and program development in Indigenous health, education, broadcasting and juvenile justice, project management, community consultations and stakeholder engagement, both in Australia and the USA.
Two sales additions for Pandora
Pandora Australia & NZ appointed Jon Stubley as sales director. He spent the last five years as group direct sales manager at Macquarie Radio Network, and previously general sales manager at Australian Radio Network, sales & marketing manager at XYZ Entertainment and at Nine Network and Triple M. mPandora also tapped Shaun Alexander as account director. He previously headed sales at APAC for Spiral Media, as well as CBS Interactive.
EMI’s David Rowe joins Universal Music
Former EMI exec David Rowe has joined the Universal Music catalogue team in the UK as managing director, A&R and Commerce. Rowe, who spent ten years at EMI after starting at Ministry of Sound, was its VP, Global Campaign.
New role for Tim Aquilina
Tim Aquilina fills the newly created role of operations manager of 91.9 Sea FM and 92.7 Mix FM Sunshine Coast. He was assistant content director of Mix and continues his on-air role there. On August 19,Michael Batty (2DAY, Nova) joins SEA FM as afternoon announcer and social media coordinator.
Kristy Botfield heads sales and partnerships at Moshcam
Former Fairfax digital staffer Kristy Botfield has joined live music video producer and distributor Moshcam as national sales and partnerships manager. Her appointment marks the beginning of Moshcam’s shift from external sales representation and creating more commercial partnerships. Moshcam’s CEO Stephen Peach was CEO of ARIA.
Nisar Malik heads SCA’s Melbourne agency
Nisar Malik joins Southern Cross Austereo from Network Ten to head up its Melbourne agency sales across TV, radio and digital alongsideSam Bingley.
Sales team shuffle for dmg Radio
Changes at dmg Radio’s sales team sees Rob Sloan taking over as Melbourne agency sales manager, Steve Marshell as group sales manager for the Sydney agency team and Janella Pash returning to Perth.
Focal promotions for Hemphill and Christensen
Focal Attractions has made two promotions, with Encore managing editor Brooke Hemphill becoming editor and senior journalist Nic Christensen now deputy editor of Mumbrella and Encore. Guy Johnson joins Focal as commercial director, taking over from Sean McKeown who relocates to Singapore to launch its Asian sales operation.
Geelong GM leaves radio
Dean Anglin, GM of K-Rock and Bay FM in Geelong for 4 ½ years, is leaving at the end of September to become the CEO at Basketball Geelong.
Fairfax Radio promotes Darshan Paul
Fairfax Radio’s national account manager for the past six years,Darshan Paul, is promoted to agency sales manager in Melbourne.
NEW SIGNINGS AND TEAM-UPS
Sony Music inks Sydney hip hop duo Jackie Onassis
Sony Music Entertainment Australia has signed Sydney hip hop duo Jackie Onassis, aka MC Kai and beat maker/ DJ Raph. It’s been an upswing in 2013 for the duo, who played the Sydney leg of Big Day Out courtesy triple j Unearthed, and had their track Crystal Ballingplayed on triple j as well as on BBC Radio 1 by UK tastemakers Zane Lowe and Rob Da Bank. Both triple j and Lowe acclaimed Jackie Onassis as a band to watch out for in 2013. Kai and Raph met at high school (which incidentally was also attended by Spit Syndicate andHorror Show) and then did American History at university. They were studying President John F. Kennedy, so the Jackie Onassis was inevitable. They are managed by Myles Cooper for Phat Planet Music.
Pludo signs sync deal with SCA
Aussie duo Pludo inked a sync deal with Southern Cross Austereo to use their current single / video Haywire in Southern Cross Ten TV’s promo. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EcvNNYmLHs). This gives the young act exposure on 30 regional areas, including Newcastle, Canberra, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Wollongong, Lismore, Tamworth, Bendigo, Gippsland, Launceston, Hobart and Darwin. The Pushworth Agency is booking an extensive regional tour for Pludo Sept / Oct to coincide with the TV promo.
Take it Greasy: Universal, John Frost, team up for Grease cast album
Universal Music Australia and theatre producer John Frost will release a 17-track cast album of Grease from the new multi-million dollar Aussie production. Frost said, “Australian cast albums are a rarity these day, so I’m thrilled that Universal Music is as excited as I am to record and release a new Grease album featuring our stunning cast. Grease is a perennial favourite of musical theatre audiences, and ticket sales are proving how popular it still is.” The show stars Rob Mills as Danny, Gretel Scarlett as Sandy, Bert Newton as disc jockey Vince Fontaine, Todd McKenney as Teen Angel, Anthony Callea as Johnny Casino, Val Lehman as Miss Lynch, LucyMaunder as Rizzo and Stephen Mahy as Kenickie. Grease opens at Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre August 20, with seasons at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from October 13, and at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from January 2.
Gabriella Cilmi partners with Absolute
Australian-born London-based Gabriella Cilmi has partnered in the UK with Absolute Marketing & Distribution for the independent release of her third album The Sting on October 28. The deal is through her Sweetness Tunes label. Cilmi was previously with Island in the UK. At the age of 13, Cilmi was discovered by Warner Music Australia A&R director Michael Parisi. At 16 she released Sweet About Me that sold over 2 million copies, went Top 10 in 16 countries and spent 37 weeks in the UK chart. Debut album Lessons To Be Learned went Top 10 in a 12 countries and sold one million copies.
Kobalt gains Zappa catalogue
Kobalt Music Group will globally administer the works of rock eccentricFrank Zappa, who died in 1993. The deal will see Kobalt represent his work with The Mothers of Invention and solo ventures for film, TV and game deals.
Indigenous cultural leaders celebrate AWAYE!
Singer songwriter Archie Roach is among eight Indigenous arts and music figures who will feature in a month-long celebration to mark the coming of age of ABC Radio National’s Aboriginal arts and culture program, AWAYE! The others include artist and provocateur, Richard Bell, and chair of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council,Lydia Miller. It launched on the weekend with a live recording ofGurrumul and the Sydney Symphony.
Jason Singh signs with Ambition Records
Former Taxiride singer and songwriter Jason Singh has signed with Ambition Records/EMI Music, it was announced this morning. His solo album Humannequin is out on September 20. The lead-off single ‘Hold On Forever’ will impact radio Monday August 12 and will be available digitally on Friday August 16. The album was produced by Charles Fisher, one of Australia’s most successful record producers and one time owner of Sydney’s Trafalgar Studios.
The Ambition deal sees Singh reunited with its founder, Robert Rigby, one time WEA Records managing director who was responsible for introducing Taxiride to Warner Music heads around the world. Rigby says, “I have had a long history with Jason and Charles each respectively with Taxiride and Savage Garden in my days at Warner Music. I am really thrilled to be working with them again and to have Jason on our label; he is a top rate song smith and talent.” Singh has had two Top 10 ARIA Club hits The World As You Know It and One World.
Nova gets Confidential
Nova 96.9 Sydney will this weekend launch Sydney Confidentialfeaturing Sydney Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraphentertainment writers J.Mo & Elle (Jonathan Moran and Elle Halliwell) with a weekly dose of news, gossip and interviews. It airs Sundays from 9 pm.
Brisbane’s The Trouble With Templeton gains UK release
UK artist hub Communion added Brisbane band The Trouble With Templeton, led by singer songwriter Thomas Calder, to its roster. It is featuring the track You Are New on its site. Communion was founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons), Kevin Jones (Bear’s Den) and producer Ian Grimble, and issued tracks by Aussies Matt Corby, Gotye and Boy & Bear.
Sydney Festival strikes four year partnership with The Star
The Sydney Festival, which celebrates art, culture and ideas each January, announced a new four year Principal Partnership with The Star venue. It replaces its long-term incumbent sponsor, Zip Industries. Star is already a sponsor, but the deal increases its commitment. Festival director Lieven Bertels points out, “The synergies between our ’This is our city in summer’ positioning, and the place that The Star occupies in Sydney all year round, presents many opportunities to take the festival to another level.”
TRIPPING
Which radio exec is one of those behind a new social media agency which snaps up celebs to indulge in the shameless practice of spruiking products through tweets and postings to their fans?
Which masseur to young yuppies is denying he was a rock icon in the ‘70s?
Were parts of the announcement of the Live Music Office a tad rushed? For one, Dave Faulkner of the Gurus claims he didn’t know he was an ambassador until he read about it in the morning paper.
Plans are for EMI’s former Victorian staff to stage a reunion function in October, venue to be decided. A reunion in May by executives from the label’s Sydney headquarters was well-attended.
After Ten Network’s program chief Beverley McGarvey announced in February of the possibility of a return of Australian Idol, why has Ten now distanced itself from that? Because the low local ratings of its broadcasts of American Idol don’t justify the high production costs of the Australian version?
In the wake of model/musician Karen Elson taking out a restraining order from estranged hubbie Jack White, some emails he sent her before have surfaced online. One was White urging her to contact their kids’ school to pull their son from his class because it contained a kid of another entertainer whom White claimed had “ripped off” his music. “That’s a possible twelve (expletive) years I’m going to have to be sitting in kids chairs next to that (expletive) with other people trying to lump us in together,” he wrote. “He gets yet another free reign to follow me around and copy me and push himself into my world.” TMZ outed him as Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.
Vivendi’s selling off video games maker Activision Blizzard set off speculation that Universal Music Group was next. But Vivendi assured Music Week that UMG will remain at “the centre” of its future plans. Similarly, Sony Corp’s chief Kazuo Hirai rejected major stakeholderDan Loeb’s push to sell its music division, insisting “Our music business is profitable.”
Everybody’s a critic. A Cairns karaoke house party came to an abrupt end when a man, irritated by the choice of songs and the vocal skills of the guests, walked in and smashed the machine with a shovel. Police are investigating.
NZ radio presenter Dominic Harvey got a casting call asking him to try out for an ad for a Japanese noodle company in which he’d play an All-Black rugby player. He shared that morsel with his twitter following. Alas, the Japanese execs were actors, and the entire audition was part of a comedy TV special.
After the official announcement at Sydney Town Hall of a Strictly Ballroom musical arriving next April, media went back to producer Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s place for lunch. Someone lit the outdoor fire pits with too much igniting liquid and smoked the place out.
LIFELINES
Injured: Dead Daisies and Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens ended with a broken leg, dislocated thumb and facial injuries wrestling a giant marlin on a recent fishing trip in North Queensland.Nevertheless, he’s off to tour America with the Daisies: “The voice still works so I have no excuse to stay home.”
Ill: former Easybeats singer Stevie Wright has left St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney but his health continues to fail, reports Noise 11. Wright, 64, had two metres of his intestine removed and was treated for liver, kidney, lung and stomach disorders. Messages of support can be sent to Wright c/o St James Respite Care, 25-29 Noble Pde, Dalmeney, NSW, 2546.
In Court: Bill Caralis, owner of the Super Radio Network, paid Adobe and Microsoft an undisclosed amount. They charged him with using their products without licenses on his stations. Caralis called the case a “storm in a teacup”.
In Court: Jordan Faagutu, 22, bouncer at Townsville’s Consortium Nightclub, found guilty by a Townsville District Court jury of grievous bodily harm. He was accused of breaking a patron’s jaw and knocking out teeth while escorting soldier Kye Simpson out of the venue on July 16, 2011.
Vale: Wagga (NSW) radio announcer Brenton Thomas passed at a Sydney hospital after a short illness aged 53. Beginning at 2LF in Young, he was most recently afternoon announcer on 2WG. Colleagues remembered a “country good bloke” who loved to have a natter and highly community-spirited.
Vale: Philip Crothers, 42, singer with Launceston band The Fabulous Picasso Brothers and drummer in 1980-90s’ band Devils in Heaven.He died in a single-vehicle crash at Deviot, Tasmania.
NUMBER CRUNCHING
15 years that Big Day Out’s Ken West pursued Blur (Daily Telegraph).
12 million sales of Justin Bieber’s Baby, from January 2010, making it the biggest-selling digital single in American music history. It’s been awarded a diamond sales status after attaining 12 x platinum.
4,000 had signed an online petition by Sunday decrying the “sexist and racist” North American DVD of The Sapphires. It put Chris O’Dowd, who played the group’s manager, out front and shoved the singers to a blurred background.
3 days that country singer James Blundell’s wife refused to speak to him for after he told her he’s running as a senate candidate for Bob Katter’s new party (The Australian).
£104.8 million spent by brands on music in 2012 in the UK, according to PRS and music and entertainment strategists Frukt. This was a 6.09% rise from the previous year. Sponsorship of festivals and tours were £33 million, accounting for the greater 35% of the pie. Artist endorsements or ‘sponsorship’ were £4.5 million (a 33% increase) and digital campaigns reached £10.4 million.
846,800 songs played in its first decade by Gold Coast station Hot Tomato which turned 10 on August 1. There were also almost 1.04 million commercials, 13,520 news bulletins and 2600 breakfast shows.
$481,524.64 raised by 92.9 in Perth who ran their Kids Appeal with Telethon.
168,000 Aussies woke at 4 am for the ABC’s live 4am unveiling ofPeter Capaldi as Doctor Who, another 148,000 tuned in for an evening replay.
$69,323.57 highest sum raised by a radio exec during Dry July to raise money for cancer sufferers. ABC 702’s Adam Spencer took the lead, followed by 702 colleague Roger Glover with $64,969.
INSIDE TRACK
New tracks from new mystery Mushroom Group album
Mushroom Group will unveil a new mystery album tomorrow (Thursday 11 pm AEST) on Mushroom.com/August8. Reportedly a tribute album, it features new music from Cloud Control, Matt Corby & Missy Higgins and The Rubens. There’ll also be a remix by The Avalanches of one of the lauded act’s tracks, cut up with an old disco sample. The Avalanches are putting the final touches of their long awaited follow up to 2000’s internationally acclaimed Since I Left Youto see light through Modular.
Boy & Bear: new radio track, interactive site
Three Headed Woman, the first song that Boy & Bear wrote for theirHarlequin Dream (out August 16) is lifted as a radio single. It was also the only track on the album that they road-tested before recording. Fans will also get more details of the album courtesy the Harlequin Dream interactive artwork. It launched this week onwww.harlequindream.com.au. Each day leading into the album’s release a new piece of content will unlock a glimpse behind the scenes of the record, and track snippets before release.
NZ success for DNA
Australian writers and production collective DNA have had success with hits for X Factor/ Idol alumni as Reece Mastin, Stan Walker andJessica Mauboy. Now they’ve charted in New Zealand with a song they wrote called It’s Worth It. It was the debut single by Jackie Thomas, the unemployed 22-year old who won the first season of X Factor NZ. A day after her win, it went to #1 oniTunes. Three days later, it was atop the official New Zealand charts.
Staffords cut official Future Music anthem
The Stafford Brothers have recorded the official anthem of the 2013 Future Music festival, called Hands Up. Released through the festival’s own label, Future Music/EMI, the club stomper features US rapper Lil Jon and remixes from Tenzin, Dirt Cheap, Charity Strikeand Stan SB.
Kings Of Leon on the Mechanical Bull album title
Kings Of Leon explain that the title of their next album Mechanical Bull, out next month, was inspired by the wild, wild, west. “Every record has to have five syllables,” bassist Jared Followill told Norway’s NRK P3. “For some reason we kept watching all these old cowboy clips when we listened to our songs and it was just kindda something that was sticking in our heads and I felt like the further we got into the record, the more tracks, it really did feel like it was a bit of a roller coaster ride.” Its “vibe” harks back to their first two albums Youth & Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak but musically more accomplished.