Industrial Strength: March 27
12 MILLION STREAMS FOR DEAN LEWIS’ ‘CHEMICALS’
The latest single from Dean Lewis, ‘Chemicals’, has clocked up 12 million streams according to his record company Island Records Australia.
It’ll be interesting to see how long it’ll take for it to catch up to ‘Waves’, which has done 97 million.
Last Friday he dropped the new video for the track. Directed by Mick Jones from Filthy Look Films, it was shot in various locations across Sydney
Lewis recalls, “’Chemicals’ was one of those songs that kind of fell from the sky.
“As in one of those songs that you start writing and the words just come down and it feels complete.
“It’s happened a few times and I’m thankful for when it does as it’s not too overthought.
“To me, ‘Chemicals’ is that feeling of being addicted to someone and them being around you.”
Lewis first performed the song at a house along the canal in Hackney, East London for the UK Mahogany sessions.
A clip of the performance clocked up 100,000 YouTube views, which led to his 2016 signing with Island, and which he re-recorded for his debut EP.
Island reports that his music has been streamed 148+ million times and his videos viewed 32+ million times.
Lewis is currently in Los Angeles working on his debut album. He wound up his North American tour on the weekend, and will now open for Sigrid for a couple of shows in the US.
He then returns to Australia for Groovin The Moo, Friday April 27 to Sunday May 12.
FOUR AUSSIES MAKE TOP 100 DANCE ACTS LIST
Four Australian acts have made it into a global Top 100 list of dance acts.
Flume was highest placed at #14, followed by Alison Wonderland at #44, Pendulum at #49 and Nervo at #80.
We could stretch the list to five acts if we include Carl Cox (who has a home in Melbourne which he uses for half the year), who landed at #32.
The list, compiled by Billboard, was topped by The Chainsmokers, with Calvin Harris in second place.
BASEMENT UPDATE
In an update to TMN’s story yesterday on the closure of Sydney’s Basement club after 45 years, building owner AMP has since said that the two parties have amicably been working at dissolving the lease.
AMP said that reports that it planned to turn the premises into apartments were wrong, and that the next tenant could be a music venue, a bar or a restaurant.
SHEERAN POPS AROUND TO NZ PM’S FOR TEA
New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern couldn’t make any of Ed Sheeran’s three Auckland shows at Mt. Smart Stadium.
So the tongue-in-cheek politician suggested he pop around for scones and a cup of tea.
He showed up, and Ardern later told him via Instagram, “It was a real treat to meet you. And as an added bonus, my scones weren’t a complete disaster.”
Sheeran also indulged his love for cricket while in the country, heading for Eden Park where the English and NZ cricket teams were playing.
He spent about ten minutes with each side in their dressing rooms during a rain break, and was presented with a Black Caps shirt.
Later, watching the game from a corporate box, he spotted some English fans waving the flag of his team, Ipswich Town, and sent over 10 beers with his compliments.
KOBALT, WIXEN WILL PAY SONGWRITERS “FAIRLY”
Two independent publishers have told Music Business Worldwide that they will share proceeds from their recent licensing deals with Facebook with their songwriters.
Wixen founder Randall Wixen told the music publication that they have done this for the past 40 years with other deals.
“We will be accounting for 100% of the money we receive from Facebook in our standard transparent manner, as we always do,” Kobalt CEO Willard Ahdritz added.
THANDI PHOENIX RECRUITS RUDIMENTAL FOR SINGLE
Sydney-based Thandi Phoenix has recruited East London collective Rudimental for her new single ‘My Way’, out through Neon Records/Island Records UK.
Their relationship goes back to 2015 when they spotted her onstage and invited her to open on their Australian tour the following spring.
Similar to the way the Londoners helped break Anne-Marie, John Newman and Jess Glynne, they’ve worked on increasing her global profile.
Rudimental said, “Thandi’s vocals are amazing! Her latest track ‘My Way’ has a lot of Rudimental elements in there.
“It’s got all the ingredients that make you want to jump on it and do something with it.”
In the last 12 months, Phoenix scored high rotation on triple j with ‘Standing Too Close’, toured nationally with Vera Blue, drew rave reviews for her BIGSOUND showcase, was hand-picked by Pete Tong and the 65-piece Heritage Orchestra, topped the Australian Spotify Viral Charts and this month showcased at SXSW.
FANFAIR FOUNDER HONOUURED
Claire Turnham, who founded the UK’s anti-ticket scalping organisations FanFair and Victim Of Viagogo, was honoured with the Best Consumer Award at the 2018 National Campaigner Awards in London.
FanFair has been an effective lobby group, pushing the government to take action against scalpers and fund increased enforcement to the tune of £300,000 (AU$550,000).
Victim Of Viagogo has helped return around £200,000 ($367,000) to ticket-buyers in refunds they were initially finding it difficult to get.
TROYE SIVAN ON SECOND ALBUM
When asked to talk about his upcoming second album, Troye Sivan wasn’t giving too much away.
“I heard something about how when an artist reaches their peak, the thing that’s in their head winds up being the same as the thing they’re creating,” he said.
“This album is the first time in my life I’ve been able to do that. If people don’t like it, I’m shit outta luck.”
Meanwhile, the track ‘My My My’ has already doing the business in the United States.
It’s gone into the Top 40 of the Dance Club Songs chart (his second appearance after ‘Youth’) and Top 30 in the Pop Songs airplay chart.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR LIVE N LOCAL
Applications have opened for the Live N Local festival in Melbourne, from August 25 to September 1.
They have to live, work or study in the City of Port Phillip, with the deadline being April 30.
Applicants can also play the Live N Local Stage at the 2019 St Kilda Festival, which last month drew 460,000 people.
DOCUMENTARY: STAN WALKER HAD STOMACH REMOVED
A documentary on Stan Walker’s ill-health, screened in New Zealand on Sunday night, confirmed speculation that the singer/actor had his stomach removed because it was cancerous.
The story began earlier this year when he was seen on social media photos looking gaunt. His weight dropped from 102kg to a mere 67kg.
More than 20 members of his family have died from a rare mutant CDH1 gene, and his grandfather died from the same operation.
But Walker’s woes continued after the operation. He caught a chest infection and suffered a collapsed lung, and had to have his appendix removed.
Months later, after his first concert after surgery, he was hospitalised for gallstones.
In the documentary, which is the second-highest rating programme on New Zealand television for the year-to-date, the 27-year-old also noted that people who were convinced he was “on crack” would be feeling “pretty dumb”.
DOWNLOAD GETS THUMBS UP
The inaugural hard rock/metal Download Festival in Melbourne got the thumbs-up from fans on social media.
Aside from great sets from Korn and Prophets of Rage, the punters also acknowledged one of the key elements that programmer Nigel Melder told TMN was an essential element of the Download experience – discovering new acts.
Among those getting the thumbs-up were Sabbat, Neck Deep and Nails, while Gojira announced they’re returning for their own headliner tour.
“Legends! Thank you so much for a brilliant day,” promoters posted.
RISING CABARET STAR WINS AWARD
Rising Adelaide cabaret performer Anya Anastasia has taken out the 2018 Made in Adelaide Award for her show The Executioners.
The award from Arts SA comes with a $10,000 cash prize for the show to be presented at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.
A performer at the last nine Adelaide Fringe events, Anastasia has presented works at festivals in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and was a finalist for the inaugural 2017 Made in Adelaide Award with her show Rogue Romantic.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE PAIN?
The inaugural May tour by Swedish industrial metal act Pain, which looked iffy after tour promoter Stag Music Touring ran into financial problems is going ahead as scheduled.
Doug Dalton’s Hardline Media, in association with the newly formed Overdrive Touring, have stepped in and taken over the tour. The dates remain the same.
Former tour manager of Stag Music Touring, Buzz Burnsen says, “Though Stag Music Touring is now defunct at the hands of our former boss, I am proud I never gave up and am able to hand over the reigns to Hardline and Overdrive.
“This tour is in great hands and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
NILE RODGERS CREATIVELY ADVISING ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
Nile Rodgers has become the new chief creative adviser at London’s Abbey Road Studios, which he says is one of the most technologically advanced in the world.
Rodgers, currently wrapping up the next Chic record there, will be signing up new talent as well as working with established ones.
JOHNNY CASH’S SON VISITING AUSTRALIA
Johnny Cash’s son John Carter Cash Junior is visiting Australia between April 9 and April 12 to promote his father’s new recording through Legacy/Sony Music
Forever Words consists of songs created from Cash’s previously unpublished poetry, lyrics and letters.
The album features Chris Cornell, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson, T-Bone Burnett, John Mellencamp, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Jewel, Rosanne Cash, The Jayhawks and Brad Paisley among others.
The track ‘I’ll Still Love You’, performed by Elvis Costello, has been released as a single.
Cash Jr will be talking to media, uncovering the stories behind the unpublished pieces and sharing memories of his father, and hosting a listening session at the Sony Music Sydney office on Monday April 9.
VICTORIA COURTS SOUTH AMERIICA
Creative Victoria recently hosted five music industry leaders from Latin America as part of its Victoria Invitation Program – a trade mission style exchange that aims to build strategic business connections between Victoria and key markets across the globe.
They met with Melbourne musicians and execs to talk business opportunities from tours to festival appearances to collaborations and deals with labels, between Victoria and Latin America – one of the youngest demographics in the world.
The trade delegation was held in conjunction with Sounds Australia, which late last year took a national delegation to South America.
HEADLESS CHICKENS WIN AWARD
Dunedin’s electronic music pioneers Headless Chickens have won the Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) Classic Record award for their 1998 debut album Stunt Clown.
They were among the first to try out drum machines, samples and synthesisers, and went on to have a series of 90s hits as ‘Cruise Control’ and ‘George’.
They receive the award at a ceremony in NZ next month.
IMNZ also announced the finalists for Best Independent Debut: Kendall Elise, L.A.B, Strangely Arousing, Daniel McClelland and The Miltones.
PATTI BOYD: COCKTAILS, MEMORIES, EXHIBITION
Patti Boyd inspired two of the greatest rock love songs ever – ‘Something’ by first husband George Harrison (as well as ‘I Need You’) and ‘Layla’ by second husband Eric Clapton (as well as ‘Wonderful Tonight’).
A few years ago, Boyd was in talks with an Australian film crew to make a movie of her life, but that fizzled out
Fans in Sydney and Melbourne will now get an intimate three hours of George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me; An Evening with Pattie Boyd.
That includes an hour of cocktails, and memories, film footage and personal photographs.
The events are being held on Tuesday May 15 at Four Seasons, Sydney and Wednesday May 16 at Grand Hyatt, Melbourne.
Sydney also gets Boyd’s second exhibition in 10 years, at the Blender Gallery from May 5 to June 2, as part of the city’s annual Head On Photo Festival.
STONNINGTON OFFERS GRANTS
Melbourne’s City of Stonnington is offering $400,000 worth of arts and cultural grants to inspire a diverse range of works.
It already supports events such as the Stonnington Jazz Festival, Sunset Sounds summer outdoor concerts, the Glow Winter Arts Festival, Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Fringe Festival, Melbourne Festival and the Midsumma LGBTIQ festival.
The deadline for applications is April 26, and you can find out more information at the website.
‘GREATEST SHOWMAN’ EQUALS ADELE IN UK
The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman as circus entrepreneur PT Barnum, wasn’t supposed to be a hit in the UK.
The critics canned it, but it’s now grossed £37.5 million (AU$68.9 million) worth of tickets – second only to Black Panther in 2018.
The soundtrack is sauntering closer to the 500,000 mark (40% of it on vinyl and CD), and has been at #1 for 11 weeks (more than any other album in modern chart history except Adele’s 21).
It’s fended off greatest hits sets by the Eurythmics (nine weeks in 1991) and The Beatles (nine weeks in 2000), and Ed Sheeran’s Divide (nine weeks in 2017).
But the album is a long way from beating new milestones.
The album to spend the longest at #1 in the UK was the South Pacific soundtrack, for a jaw-dropping 70 weeks in a row from 1958-1960.
VALE
New Zealand outlaw country musician Peter Caulton had many links to Australia.
He signed management to Melbourne-based White Cloud Management (run by Barry Coburn) and hosted The Peter Caulton Country Music Show on 3RRR-FM.
According to country music columnist David Dawson, Caulton was banned from Tamworth Workers Club after he sang David Allan Coe country porn songs to celebrate the birthday of a NSW vice squad member.
He died of a heart attack in Auckland on March 13, shortly after his 71st birthday.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…
Australian Radio Network’s new national weekly nights entertainment show Celeb HQ launched yesterday with Zoe Marshall and John ‘JC’ Caldwell in the hosts’ seats. Craig ‘Lowie’ Low will contribute special news and features from his base in LA.
New Zealand’s High Court has rejected a request by Kim Dotcom to subpoena Barack Obama. The former US president would have been asked to give evidence in Dotcom’s case demanding damages from the US government and Hollywood over the shutdown of his former MegaUpload business on copyright grounds back in 2012.
Aussies announced for Lollapalooza in Chicago in August are Gang Of Youths, Tash Sultana, Amy Shark, Alex Lahey, Vera Blue and What So Not.
Overwhelming demand has seen Bruce Springsteen’s acclaimed Springsteen on Broadway show add 81 more appearances, driving the run up to December and to a total of 236 shows. The Boss does solo renditions of his back pages and reads passages from his autobiography – and getting the sort of overwhelming audience love that hopefully will see Frontier Touring bring him here to do so as well.
4Square Media, Australian publisher of SmartHouse Magazine, Sound Mag, Channel News and Click Magazine, has reportedly avoided being wound up by the tax office after sorting it out. The issue was over superannuation payments to its writers and freelancers, which 4Square insisted it was not liable for.
Celine Dion cancelled all her shows until late August, needing surgery to correct a middle ear condition that made it impossible for her to sing onstage.
The Crowded House fan club celebrated the 13th death anniversary of Paul Hester by posting online a never-before-released track ‘God’s Money’, which he cut with Largest Living Things.
Simple Plan’s Australian tour in April through Chugg Entertainment and Destroy All Lines has a change in opening act. Real Friends bowed out after singer Dan Lambton posted he wanted to stay in the US to work on his mental health treatment. Simple Plans have chosen Aussie band Stateside, calling them “one of the hottest young rising female-fronted acts in the country”.
Australian duo NAATIONS – aka Klaxons collaborator Nicky Night Time and songwriter Nat Dunn – are this week doing two club dates in London to coincide with the UK release of new single ‘Touch Me’ on First Access Records. Their 2017 summer anthem ‘Real Life’ with Gorgon City and Duke Dumont is now sitting on over 28 million Spotify streams.
The push for drug testing at New Zealand festivals has a powerful ally, with former PM Helen Clark speaking at a gathering of addiction sector leaders at Parliament. Having recently been appointed to drug reform think-tank Global Commission on Drug Policy, Clark stated “Drug-testing at music festivals is also very important because they are places where a lot of drugs tend to be traded…This is the way to go. How do we save lives and how do we give people options about how they can move forward?”
‘80s poster Kim Wilde’s new album was inspired by an encounter with an alien.
Dua Lipa and Calvin Harris are teaming up for new single ‘One Kiss’. After being sidelined from appearing on two Bruno Mars Brisbane shows because of wisdom teeth issues, she made a return to the tour in Sydney.