Industrial Strength: Inside Track – Sept 26, 2013
Madonna’s MDNA Blu-Ray recalled in the U.S.
All Blu-Ray copies of Madonna’s MDNA World Tour sold in the US after customers complained about problems with sound and visual quality. Interscope Records blamed “an error in manufacturing” and emphasized that “no other markets will be affected”. The two-hour concert film was released on September 6. Billboard reported that the DVD and Blu-Ray versions debuted at #1 on its Music Video Sales chart after selling 11,000 units first week of sale. The MDNA album debuted in the #1 spot in 35 countries and the resultant world tour reached 2.2 million fans. “I left my heart on that stage every night,” commented Madonna who personally spent six months editing the footage for the DVD and Blu-ray release. In the meantime, in a Facebook Q&A, the Material Girl said she wants to work with Daft Punk and that she is “just waiting for them to return my call”. A new album is a possibility in 2014, the singer hinted. “There might be…my creative juices are flowing….”
Paul Dempsey’s Shotgun Karaoke gets October 4 release
EMI announced that Paul Dempsey’s limited edition covers collection Shotgun Karaoke is set for an October 4 worldwide release. The 10-tracks are Husker Du’s Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely, Wilco’s Jesus Etc., Concrete Blonde’s Caroline, Queen’s I Want To Break Free, Bad Religion’s Faith Alone, INXS’s Never Tear Us Apart, You Am I’s Berlin Chair, Grant Lee Buffalo’s Mockingbirds, Afghan Whigs’ What Jail Is Like, Courtney Barnett’s History Eraser while the CD format has a bonus Archers of Loaf’s Web In Front.
During Something For Kate’s national tour in May and June, Dempsey would film a different cover backstage each night and post it on their Facebook. Fans suggested other covers. One evening after the tour, he went into a studio, alone and with just an acoustic guitar, and put down a whole bunch of songs. Dempsey heads off on a Shotgun Karaoke tour, performing the songs as well as his solo and SFK stuff. Accompanied by Melbourne’s Olympia, he does 11 shows between October 5 and 26. Most of the shows sold out with second dates added in Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle.
Resin Dogs still counting their beats
It has been six years since Brisbane hip hop act Resin Dogs put out the More album but they’ve been far from chilled out. They built a studio in Byron Bay where they recorded Australian and overseas acts, put out a remix album More Or Less and toured the globe several times, DJing and playing with the likes of Wolfmother, Mihirangi and Bankrupt Billionaires. They’ve also been working on an EP titled Beats From DownUnder. Lead off single Still The Beats single (Hydrofunk Records/MGM) is out on November 4.
The track features Dialectrix on vocals. DJ Katch told Industrial Strength that he first thought of getting Dialectrix on it 18 months ago. “I’m a fan of his music. He makes dope rap music and is so underrated, He an extension of the Basic Equipment family out of Sydney, which Serwreck from Def Wish Cast started. So I kept in contact with him after a show here in Brisbane at the Step Inn. We sent him the track and he was really amped about it.”
The track was written three years ago by Dave Atkins with UK engineer Alan Mawdsley, who’s worked with the cream of UK hip hop, during a visit to Australia. It has a message, emphasizes DJ Katch: “STILL THE BEATS FROM DOWNUNDER TO FREAK THA FUNK LIKE NO OTHER” and “WE STILL HERE”. It reflects Resin Dogs’ greater command of the studio. As ever, their early love of Washington DC’s Go Go sound is obvious. As to how reflective the single is of the EP, he reveals, “It represents Id say 1/3rd of what we are putting down. There is a distinctive sound that we do have on this record, there is stuff we have been wanting to do for a long time. So now over time and fine tuning the sound is there, we organized some great artist and producers/ DJs we like that we have met along the way of this musical journey, as Resin Dogs.”