Industrial Strength: February 20

NERVO, STARLEY UP FOR WORLD DANCE MUSIC RADIO AWARDS

Australia’s Nervo and Starley are nominees in the World Dance Music Radio Awards, held on Wednesday March 21 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

It is presented for a second year by Los 40 – the world’s largest music radio broadcasting platform. The event is held before a crowd of 90,000 and streamed to millions.

Nervo are up for Best Party DJ against Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Galantis, The Chainsmokers and Martin Garrix.

The sisters are also in the Best Trending Track category, as one of the feature acts on New York duo Sofi Tukker’s ‘Best Friend’ alongside The Knocks and Alisa Ueno.

Starley is in Best Remix, for the Ryan Riback Remix of her 2016 track Call On Me, which charted in 23 countries.

In Australia, the original reached #8 and certified 3 x platinum for sales of over 210,000.

The full list of the 78 acts in 12 categories can be found on the website, where global voting is open until March 14.

ETERNALLY YOURS: ED KUEPPER PARK OPENS

The in Oxley, the south-western suburb of Brisbane, was opened on the weekend, with the Saints co-founder, guitarist and songwriter on hand for the ceremony.

The naming was due to the hard work of Oxley resident Maurice ’Moz’ Murphy who collected 800 signatures, with help from Councillor Steve Griffiths, of Moorooka ward.

The decision to honour the guitarist was announced last July

Kuepper migrated from Germany with his family at the age of four, and settled in the area. Some of The Saints’ early classics were written in their garage.

The park, previously unnamed, is located along Oxley Road and Lawson Street.

Kuepper took to social media to thank Murphy and admit that he was “humbly flattered and honoured”.

Tongue firmly in cheek, he stated, “I’ve been told by several people that it’s unusual for a living person to have something like this named after them in case that person fucks up and does something to embarrass the authorities later…

“In my case, I believe they must have thought I was at rock bottom from the outset.”

He added, “Now about that three-storey statue…”

ARTS PARTY CONVENES MEETING

The Arts Party is holding a meeting in Sydney tonight (February 20) between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at the Harlequin Inn, 152—156 Harris Street, in Pyrmont.

Established to promote support for the arts and an arts-type lifestyle in government policy, The Arts Party also signalled it wants to set up a branch in Victoria to field candidates at the next elections there.

DUA LIPA VIDEO PASSES 1B VIEWS

Dua Lipa’s tropical house/EDM ‘New Rule’ has hit 1 billion YouTube views – making her the youngest solo female artist to hit the milestone on the platform.

It is the 100th video to hit 1 billion on YouTube, taking 223 days to do so, and exploding her subscriber base from 800,000 to 4.9 million.

‘New Rule’ reached #2 in Australia and was certified double platinum for sales of 140,000, In the US it went to #6 and certified gold.

In the UK it was a #1 smash and sold 1,229,212 copies.

MUSIC PROJECTS AMONG ACT ARTS FUND RECIPIENTS

Music projects were among those getting the brass ring in the latest Project round of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Arts Fund.

Girls Rock! Canberra got $24,341 for a mentorship program for girls through music, the SoundOutSoundOut Festival of improvised and experimental music received $23,048, Chris Endrey $13,189 to record a new album, Hark the Heart $13,014 to attend residencies and instrumental training in Italy and Matt Barnes $5,200 to attend an international music mixing seminar in France.

KATY PERRY WOULD REWRITE ‘I KISSED A GIRL’

Katy Perry would rewrite her 2008 hit ‘I Kissed A Girl’ because the lyrics contain “a couple of stereotypes”.

When first released, Gossip’s Beth Ditto criticised it as being offensive to gay culture.

Perry told Glamour, “We’ve really changed, conversationally, in the past 10 years.

“We’ve come a long way. Bisexuality wasn’t as talked about back then, or any type of fluidity.”

“If I had to write that song again, I probably would make an edit on it.

“Lyrically, it has a couple of stereotypes in it. Your mind changes so much in 10 years, and you grow so much.

“What’s true for you can evolve.”

More recently, Perry caught the bouquet at her brother’s wedding.

TONY COHEN APPEARS ON AUGIE MARCH VIDEO

The late Melbourne producer Tony Cohen makes an appearance on the video for Augie March’s new track ‘When I Am Old’.

He is seen monitoring the band during one of the live takes in the studio.

Helmed by Sunny Leunig, the clip also stars Jack Charles, Australian actor, musician, potter, and Aboriginal elder.

The track is off their Bootikins album out on February 23 – which is the same day Augie March mark their live return at the sold-out return at The Velvet Room in Melbourne.

The band next appear at the inaugural Good Saturday Festival on March 31, with more extensive touring plans to be unveiled.

SCOTLAND TO INTRODUCE AGENT OF CHANGE… COURTESY MELBOURNE

Scotland’s venues had a landmark victory when the Scottish Government agreed to include it in its next revision of the National Planning Framework and Scottish Planning Policy.

It’s a victory for the Australian state of Victoria as well – those who pushed for it say they were inspired by the Victorian Government introducing it statewide to protect its venues.

BUSK FOR A CURE RETURNS TO NEWTOWN

Founded in mid-2014, Busk For Cancer seeks donations and support for Cancer Council NSW and Crohn’s & Colitis Australia. Last year 50 performers raised $3,000.

It is held on May 26 from 10 am to 7 pm in five locations in Newtown, with the main area being within Newtown Markets,

They’re looking for performers to join on the day. Information and registration at the official website.

TWITTER AUSTRALIA TO DOUBLE VIDEO CONTENT

Twitter Australia Managing director Suzy Nicoletti told B&T of plans to “double down” on video in 2018.

“What we’ve found is Australians really love video, they love premium content, and they love live streaming,” she said.

“One of the bigger changes we’ve seen is a lot of content providers are now coming to us, and we’ve been able to allow a number of really great integrations, even in the last few weeks of 2018.”

Following live-streaming partnerships with Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and SBS, and the Vissla Sydney Surf Pro, more such deals are expected.

LORDE STILL HOUNDED OVER ISRAEL SHOW CANCEL

Lorde is still being hounded over the cancellation of her scheduled June 3 performance in Tel Aviv, Israel.

In the latest, Randy Fine of the Florida House of Representatives has written to the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority saying that two of her shows at its venues– Amalie Arena in Tampa April 11 and AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami April 12 – should be cancelled.

Both feature Mitski and Run The Jewels.

Fine reminded the authorities that Florida law prohibits government business worth more than $1 million with any organization boycotting Israel.

He huffed and puffed that Lorde’s actions “anti-Semitism” and “bigotry” and that her decision to cancel the show was an effort to “join the anti-Israel BDS Movement.”

This is the latest, following lawsuits filed against two NZ-based activists who encouraged Lorde to pull the plug.

SARAH MCLEOD LAUNCHES BAD VALENTINE FASHION LABEL

The Superjesus’ singer Sarah McLeod is launching a new fashion label Bad Valentine, an extension of the stage clothes she’s been making for years.

Bold, brave, tongue in cheek and provocative – not unlike McLeod herself – she says, “I want people to know it’s OK to be bold and it’s OK to be confident and it’s quite alright to let ‘em all know you feel that way by pasting it across your chest in broad daylight!”

These messages, always recommended when visiting grandma next or going for a job interview are, BAD ASS, BAD MUTHA FUCKA, WHO’S BAD?, FUCKIN’ UNREAL, BOSS, BAD VALENTINE 69 and BAD VALENTINE SKULL LOGO.

An accompanying single ‘Bad Valentine’ features in the video models Lola Van Vorst, Tuyamaa Tumenjargal (Miss Mongolia) and Natalie Sweete.

MAUBOY PLAYS SHOW FOR BATON

Jessica Mauboy is headlining a Commonwealth Games community event on March 2 at Darwin Waterfront to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay in NT.

Mauboy will be carrying the baton herself earlier in the day.

VICTORIA’S ARTS AND DISABILITY PORTAL TO GO NATIONAL

Victoria’s arts and disability portal ARTfinder – the online portal providing up to date information about arts activities, cultural institutions and events for people with disability – is to go national.

ARTfinder was developed by Arts Access Victoria with support from Creative Victoria.

Following the OK from the Federal Government, it will become available to participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

ARTfinder will map disability-inclusive arts programs and experiences in regional and metropolitan Australia, and will be searchable by accessibility, location, cost and artform.

CARAVÃNA SUN HEADING BACK TO EUROPE

With a new album on the way, Sydney based “rebellious surf-rockers” Caravãna Sun are returning to Europe during the northern summer to catch the festivals.

These include slots at UK’s Bestival in August alongside London Grammar and Jimmy Cliff and the Netherland’s own MaDnes and two headline slots at the UK’s Rock Oyster.

This follows 35 dates through Europe last year.

In Australia where their stock went up considerably after a spectacular show at Woodford Folk in Queensland welcoming the year, they’ve just announced new WA dates for Mojo’s (Feb 23), and the Nannup Music Festival (March 3) as part of a six day run in that state.

DARWIN GARDENS GETS FACELIFT

The George Brown Botanic Gardens in Darwin – home to everything from the Bassinthegrass festival to Carols By Candlelight – is to get a $9.9 million facelift.

Aside from upgrades to power, water, lighting and amenities, Tourism and Culture Minister Lauren Moss said there would also be a new multipurpose visitor and event centre that would include community events.

CULTURE TRACKS RETURNS FOR 4TH YEAR …

Victoria’s Yarra Ranges is bringing back its Culture Tracks program for a fourth year. It includes contemporary music, museum exhibitions, comical theatre, family holiday programs, visual arts and classical music.

Acts include Dan Sultan, Isaiah Firebrace, Hotel Sorrento, Dan Bridie’s My Friend The Chocolate Cake, Mark Holden’s family history Greatest Show on Earth, Grigoryan Brothers, Vince Jones & Paul Grabowsky and The Umbilical Brothers.

There’s also Agatha Christie Radio Mysteries, Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow, radio-star drama Master In The Air, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Splash Test Dummies, Orchestra Victoria, National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018, and In Reconciliation: Art of Apology and Forgiveness.

For more information visit the website.

…AND INAUGURAL REGIONAL CENTRE FOR CULTURE

The inaugural Regional Centre for Culture is a year-long celebration of arts, culture & creativity in Central Victoria.

An initiative of the Victorian Government delivered through Creative Victoria it is in partnership with the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, to deliver a thousand events in a year-long celebration of culture in Victorian centres such as Bendigo, Daylesford, Clunes, Castlemaine, Maldon and Maryborough

UK ENTERTAINMENT SETS NEW ANTI-BULLYING GUIDE

Organisations from across the U.K.’s film, TV and video game industries came together to unveil a new set of principles and guidance aimed at tackling bullying and guidance for taking action.

Initiatives include training schemes on dealing with harassment and a 24-hour helpline to be introduced in April.

The eight core principles cover both employer and employee responsibilities. It stresses, “Everyone is responsible for creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace.”

REPORT #1: STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROWTH UP 3.3% BUT PROFIT DOWN 76.8%

Star Entertainment properties in Sydney and Queensland reported that revenue for the six months to December 31 rose 3.3% to $1.27 billion.

But profit in the period dropped by 76.8% to $32.9 million.

The company has new projects on the go. Late next month comes the Darling Gold Coast and the MGF expansion, with the green light also given for Queen’s Warf in Brisbane, and Sydney domestic PGR.

REPORT #2: ARN EARNINGS DOWN IN 2017

The Australian Radio Network had a mixed 2017, according to calendar year figures released by its parent company Here, There & Everywhere (HT&E).

Revenue was up 5.1% in the second half (compared to the market growth of 1.7%) but a drop of 6% in the first half meant an overall 0.6% to $218.7 million.

HT&E CEO and MD Ciaran Davis said that the upswing in the last six months suggested that 2018 looked positive.

The report maintained that ARN had the best ratings year in its history, regaining the number one national 10+ network position in surveys 5 to 8, ending the year as the leading national radio network in Australia, with strong survey 8 results across all markets.

In Survey 8, in the important Sydney market, ARN held the number one and number two FM stations, as well as the number one and number two FM breakfast shows.

KIIS 1065’s Kyle & Jackie O and WSFM’s Jonesy & Amandaachieved a 12.1% and 10% share respectively.

In Melbourne, ARN finished the year with GOLD104.3 retaining its position as number one FM station, while KIIS 101.1 was the #5 FM station.

In Brisbane, 97.3FM finished with the #4 FM breakfast show and #3 station overall, and 4KQ retained its position as #1 AM station overall, and #1 AM commercial breakfast show.

Mix102.3 maintained its lead in Adelaide as #1 station overall and in Perth the refocused music positioning yielded strong audience growth for 96FM.

NEIL YOUNG BLAMES PONO FAILURE ON RECORD LABELS

Neil Young has blamed the failure of his portable digital media player and music download service, Pono on record companies.

The venture launched in 2014 after a $6.2 million Kickstarter campaign, set for music lovers to hear digital music in record studio sound quality.

But it went belly-up in 2016.

Young says, “It’s my feeling that all music should cost the same.

“The [high-resolution] file doesn’t cost any more to transfer.

“And today with streaming, you don’t have the problem [of unauthorized file sharing]. Who wants to copy something if you can stream it?

“The record companies, by charging three times as much for hi-res music as they charge for regular music, they’ve killed hi-res music.

“It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.”

HARRY JAMES ANGUS, GABRIEL VARGAS TAP ON OTHER MYTHS

In their latest projects, The Cat Empire’s co-vocalist and trumpet player Harry James Angus and Melbourne singer-songwriter, Gabriel Vargas, tap into mythologies from other countries.

Angus’ new album, due March 1 via OPvia / Vitamin Records, and titled Struggle With Glory, re-imagines classic tales from Greek mythology, using gospel, jazz and soul.

“I was drawn to Greek mythology because the myths are such great stories,” Angus explains.

“(New single) ‘Paper Faces’ is the story of Persephone and Hades. Persephone was the daughter of the goddess of the harvest, and she was kidnapped to become Hades’ bride.”

After previewing the material in fans’ lounge rooms across the country, the music will be performed by a 10-piece jazz band in one-off festival show appearances throughout March including Perth Festival, Adelaide Festival and The Peninsula Picnic with more large-scale shows to be announced.

Gabriel Vargas’ lifestyle borrows much from the Cherokee First American tribe’s philosophies. One of these is the proverb of the Two Wolves.

A grandfather tells his grandson about the battle going on inside us between two wolves – one the evil one depicting anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed and arrogance; and the other the good one, representing joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy etc.

The boy asks, “Which wolf will win?” The old chief simply replies, “The one you feed.”

Vargas’ new single ‘Like Wolves’ was initially written about a disagreement with his mother, which in turn he acknowledges is the dynamic shift and trauma following the 2009 suicide of his stepmother.

The song is launched on March 17 at Croxton Front Bar and comes with a video conceptualised by Ian Ritter.

It was directed and edited by brothers Matt and Trevor Holcomb, whose short film Flat Daddy was nominated for AACTA’s Best Short Film of 2014, and starring Vargas’s younger sister Raquel and long-time friend and collaborator Red Horse.

BOYUP BROOK COUNTRY FESTIVAL DRAWS 12,000

The 33rdBoyup Brook country music festival in WA’s southwest drew 12,000 over four days, and injected $2.5 million into the local economy.

However many of the shows and events – including the WA Country Music Awards – were also streamed, so more people ‘attended’ the festival.

Acts included The McClymonts, Travis Collins, Luke O’Shea, Allan Caswell, Eastern Line, Simply Bushed, Benn Gunn, Donna Lou & The Jay Katz, Hussy Hicks and The Latehorse.

NOMINATIONS FOR CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AWARDS

Nominations are open for the 2018 Creative Partnerships Awards. But it’s not about who doles out the biggest sponsorship.

Rather, it celebrates leaders who generate long time and effective partnerships between the creative sector and private donors,as well as those who inspire private giving to the arts and at a deep level.

There are four categories – Arts Leadership, Business Leadership, Emerging Philanthropist, and Philanthropy Leadership – and the deadline is March 29. More details are available at the website.

MELBOURNE MUSIC BUS GETS TICKET TO RIDE

The $60 Melbourne Music Bus Tour is back, running once every month from Saturday February 24 to Saturday July 21.

Hosted by Melbourne media, label and venue identity Bruce Milne, the 3.5 hour trek allows 22 fans to stop off at current venues (Tote, Corner, The Palace) closed ones (Seaview Ballroom, Espy), Kylie and Molly’s houses, places of importance (Bakehouse Studios where the game-changing SLAM rally was organised) andlocations where videos were shot and inspired iconic songs, and important sites for indigenous music.

There are also recording and rehearsal studios, Mushroom Records headquarters, as well as Chrissy Amphlett and AC/DC Lanes.

The tour departs from the Australian Music Vault at Arts Centre Melbourne. Details are available on the website.

VALE

* Michael White, one-time member of British 80s pop band Thompson Twins (‘Hold Me Now’) moved to Perth in 2002 where he went on to become a science lecturer, a bestselling author of 43 books, a screenwriter for the upcoming film, The Gateway and ran a writing course under the name The Book Guru.

* Ma’ilo Ben Vai was a New Zealand singer, composer and music producer who emerged in the ‘90s. He was born in Jamaica where his father was a missionary at the time. He was popular at Pacific festivals and died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

AND A FEW OTHER THINGS….

Kylie Minogue was so traumatised by the Joshua Sasse split that she reveals she suffered a “nervous breakdown”.

Tim Freedman who famously wrote The Whitlams’ ‘Blow Up The Pokies’ has donated the song’s use to the Tasmanian ALP in its campaign to get rid of the machines from venues. After a show in Hobart, he joined the party leader Rebecca White during one of her speeches.

Tkay Maidza is this week in London, attending Fashion Week for the first time, with shoe brand Converse.

A Dunedin woman holding up a “Fuck me Robbie” sign at Robbie Williams show at the at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night got her moment up onstage with him. Apparently, she’s been holding up the sign at his shows in Europe as well over the past two years and only got a thumbs-up. This time he got her up onstage. He told her not to hurt his back as he has back issues, and she told him not to hold her hand so hard as she’d recently broken her finger.

You thought Prince fans spat chips when a visual apparition appeared with Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl? You’ll love this. Chris Moon, a record producer and former owner of the Minneapolis studio where a teenage Prince recorded his first demo tape, is offering a member of the public his share of the co-writing credit on a song called ‘Soft And Wet’ as long as they write out a cheque for $490,000. But it’s a vanity deal only, they won’t get any royalties,

Melbourne outfit Husky’s tune ’Late Night Store’ has hit 5 million streams on Spotify

Coming up from Client Liaison: the results of recording sessions in Byron Bay, tours through Australia and Europe, and a new designer fashion range.

After inflicting heir first kid with the name Dusty Rose, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and Victoria Secret model wife Behati Prinsloo have called their second Gio Grace.

Award-winning NSW country singer Amber Lawrence announced on social media she got engaged to her marketer boyfriend Martin Newman whom she met two years ago on Tinder. On the weekend, she took off to Nashville to start work on her sixth album.

Aussie tech and pro-audio company Hills faces a wind-up application in the Supreme Court of Queensland, on February 28, initiated by Milestone Systems whose video management solution software Hills was distributing.

Manfred Eicher, owner of ECM Records (which is distributed locally by Universal Music Australia), was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London, a rare distinction for a recording producer.

No sooner than Fifth Harmony ditched an Australian tour due to “scheduling” issues came rumours the band had imploded, with some of them planning to follow solo careers … just like former bandmate Camila Cabello.

Allegations of sexual misconduct with young fans saw the band Hedley dumped from Canada’s March 25 Juno music awards. They said the accusations were not “substantiated”.

Perth band Cursed Earth who’ve parted with singer Jazmine Luders, revealed she was in a “deeply dysfunctional and abusive relationship” while in a separate post, Luders thanked them for being “very supportive over the last few years getting me to a space with my mental health where I am capable of talking of these issues candidly.”

Two Newcastle bands have returned after lengthy absences. Ska band Porkers have released their first new material in eleven years. One-time riot grrl outfit Bitchcraft is back after a five-year break to record a new album, saying they wanted to be part of the new supportive female music industry.