Industrial Strength: Inside Track – Oct 3, 2013
Kate Miller-Heidke indie career off to strong start
Over a week ago, Kate Miller-Heidke announced that after three studio albums, a live album and a side project through Sony Music, her next album O Vertigo would be self-funded and self-released. She launched a campaign on pledgemusic.com to raise money to record and market it. By this week, she had hit 113% of the target. The rewards were impressive. For a donation of $10,000 she would play at your wedding. A $5,000 payment put you on her guest list for life or an acoustic gig at home. $1,000 got you an executive producer credit on the album, $500 made you an associate producer. For $100 she’ll phone you and sing happy birthday. Five per cent of proceeds to the World Wildlife Fund. All donors also get a copy of Heavenly Sounds Live recorded on her tour of churches, cathedrals and theatres this May and June.
Lady Gaga: ArtPop being mixed, no Rihanna appearance
Lady Gaga has tweeted that she has nearly completed mixing the ArtPop album, which has a November release. She compared herself to an atelier (main artist works with assistants and apprentices to create work that goes out under the artist’s name) and that the album “makes sense”. Her collaborator DJ White Shadow calls the record “another step up on the ladder” and that it provides inspiration for great live shows. But Rihanna is not among those featured. Rih-Rih had fuelled speculation when she tweeted “Recorded a #monster hook for one of my favorite artists! And that’s all I can give you…” But when asked about it on radio, Gaga responded, “Well no, that’s not true, but I mean, it’s a rumour I guess. I guess it’s a good rumour, I really like Rihanna, but that’s just not true. Rihanna is wonderful, I always like hanging out with her when I see her.”
The Jezabels finishing second album
The Jezabels are currently in a studio in London putting the final touches on their second album, due early 2014. In the producer’s chair is Dan Grech-Marguerat (Moby, Scissors Sisters, Lana Del Rey, Keane, The Vaccines, The Kooks). A new single The End should be out in weeks. The Jezabels relocated permanently to London after their sold-out Australian tour in June 2012, which finished to 5500 fans at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion. In the past 12 months, they’ve been playing festivals as Pukkelpop (Belgium), Lollapalooza (Chicago), Governors Ball (New York), Osheaga (Montreal), Bumbershoot (Seattle), Frequency (Austria), T In The Park (Scotland), Hop Farm (UK), Fun Fun Fun Fest (Austin) and Rifflandia (Canada).
Yeah Yeah Yeahs shoot video on top of Empire State Building
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs reached new heights this week, shooting the video for new single Despair on top of the iconic Empire State Building in New York. Standing at 102 storeys and 443-metres, it was once the tallest building in the world. No other band has shot a video there. The concept came from Noisey.com, who wanted to co-produce the video and have the NY band in a NY landmark. Director Patrick Daughters had earlier worked on their Maps and Gold Lion videos. It allowed Karen O to give an intimate performance. The singer said, “It was my first-ever trip up to the top of the ESB, top of the world, we were up there from 3am to sunrise, I’m guessing very few get to see that view from up there at those hours.” She had a message for the character most associated with the ESB: “Move out the way, King Kong, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are gonna get real with you up in this piece!” Watch the video here