Industrial Strength: New signings and team-ups – August 21st

TMN, Radio Today, strike deal

The Music Network and premier Australian radio site Radio Today have struck up a partnership. Radio Today is writing a radio column for TMN, and in turn will use TMN’s weekly chart wrap. Sounds like the meeting of great minds to us.

Live Nation Australasia, mixitup, form joint venture

Promoter Live Nation Australasia and Australian brand entertainment agency mixitup Enterprises formed a joint venture, mixitup Australia, to create music and entertainment brand partnerships across Australlia and New Zealand. Mixitup claims not to be “a traditional sponsorship agency, but in addition a unique youth media outlet with exclusive access to over 2 million consumers direct, 6 million online and 5 million via other media.” Its clients include Air Asia.com, Bacardi, McKenna Bourbon, Zero Coke, ANZ, Jagermeister, Budweiser, Playbill Venues, Southern Comfort as well as festivals as Soundwave, Harvest and Falls. Mixitup stitched up AIR’s recent three-year deal with Carlton Dry for its awards and weekly charts.

Greg Segal, Sydney-based managing director of mixitup said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Live Nation. We share common values centred on delivering professionalism and integrity to the music and entertainment space for brand partners. Being part of the world’s leading entertainment company will create substantial opportunities for us to deliver the best outcomes for our clients and sponsors.”

Mixitup had worked with Live Nation Australasia president Michael Coppel when he operates his tour and events company Michael Coppel Presents. The two worked on projects as V Festival, Daft Punk and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Coppel said yesterday, “We are looking forward to continuing our great working relationship with mixitup, who have a well earned reputation for creating and managing highly successful brand partnerships.”

ABC Music signs Adam Brand…

ABC Music signed Australian country crossover performer Adam Brand. His most recent album There Will Be Love debuted at #4 on the ARIA chart with the title track receiving FM airplay. He has sold half a million albums, won 12 Golden Guitar country music awards, had five albums which topped the ARIA country charts and voted CMC Oz Artist of the Year a record five times. “Adam Brand is an undisputed star of Australian country music and his profile in a broader market sense is now higher than ever,” declares ABC Music general managerNatalie Waller. “The loyalty and ongoing commitment of his dedicated fan base is simply legendary.” ABC Music will release an unplugged album My Acoustic Diary on November 8, followed by a new full studio album in mid-2014.

… and singer/harpist Alana Conway

Singer and harpist Alana Conway found a home at ABC Music, which releases her debut album Fields Of Gold on September 6. It includes covers as Songbird, At Last and her favourites You Raise Me Up andHallelujah along with self-penned tracks. Conway came to national attention via Australia’s Got Talent in 2010, reaching the semi-finalist stage with a rendition of Unchained Melody. She’s been in demand for corporate shows since.

Shock reels in Seabellies

Shock Records’ latest signing, through its Permanent Records imprint, is Newcastle band Seabellies. A yet-untitled album is released in late 2013. Written and recorded in Melbourne, Sydney and Berlin, it is a far cry from their last album By Limbo Lake from three years ago. The band does four club dates along the East Coast between September 14 to October 11 behind new single It’s Alright and booked through 123 Red Booking.

MakeMusic signs Australian distribution with Alfred Music

US music software technology company MakeMusic has appointed global educational music publisher Alfred Music to distribute its products in Australia. Alfred Music, set in 1922, has an office in Australia among four international and three US offices. MakeMusic’s SmartMusic interactive software transforms the way students practice with an online library of thousands of band, orchestra, and vocal pieces allowing them to practice with background accompaniment and immediate feedback on their performance. Its Finale music notation software allows musicians to create, edit, audition, print, and publish musical scores. Garritan provides virtual software instruments and used in TV, film, game audio, and concert stages. The Alfred Music Aussie distro deal is part of a global deal including North America, India, and NZ.

Abbe May joins Alberts

Alberts will represent Abbe May’s current album Kiss My Apocalypseand future works, in all territories. May, who traded her swampy guitar blues for electro-pop on the new album, hails from a small coastal town in southwest Western Australia and records in a small studio by the Indian Ocean.

Rob Potts Entertainment Edge moving

As of September 5, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge is moving into Chugg Entertainment’s offices at Level 1, 490 Crown Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. The two promoters are working on many projects together, including festivals as Deni Blues and Roots, CMC Rocks The Hunter, CMC Rocks North Qld and superstar country tours asDolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Alan Jackson. RPEE’s new telephone # is (02) 9361 2200. Its artist management side with Roberts Network (Jasmine Rae, Morgan Evans, Peter McWhirter) continues with Kerry Roberts contacted at her current details.

Mama Kin appointed Oxfam Trailwalker Ambassador

As part of her commitment to supporting Oxfam’s international campaigns to end poverty and invest in long-term development,Mama Kin (aka Danielle Caruana) is undertaking the Oxfam Trailwalker as an ambassador for the inaugural Perth event. “I think there might be something pathologically wrong with me!” Mama Kin says. “Just as a small break opened up in my touring and recording schedule I signed up for my biggest physical challenge to date: to walk 100km through gorgeous bushland in WA. Continuously. Without any sleep. In an effort to raise money for Oxfam through their annual international event The Oxfam Trailwalker.” Mama Kin will, with her four woman team The Sole Mamas, hopes to finish it in 30 hours. For further details, head here and to support the Sole Mamas clickDONATE and follow the prompts.

Sony Music signs Crayon Pop

Sony Music Entertainment struck a license and partnership deal with new girl band Crayon Pop. Similar to fellow-Korean PSY’s dance track, Crayon Pop’s single Bar Bar Bar has spawned the Straight-Five Engine Dance, garnered 2 million online views since June 20 and a rash of parody videos. Sony Music’s president of Asia, Denis Handlinand CEO of International Edgar Berger visited Korea in late July, and pacted the deal two weeks later.

CBD to rep Halfbrick

Australian game developer Halfbrick and its licensing partner HAP Consulting appointed CBD Promotions as its new sub-agent in Australia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. It covers promo events, activities and campaigns for its games which include Fruit Ninja andJetpack Joyride.

Dave Stewart partners with Kobalt Label Services

Kobalt Label Services (KLS) struck a deal with former Eurythmicsguitarist Dave Stewart’s label Weapons of Mass Entertainment (WME) to release worldwide his new album Lucky Weapons in late September. Stewart had already worked with Kobalt in music publishing and neighbouring rights.

Reprise goes Boom

Search and social agency Reprise Media was appointed by social video platform Boom Video to drive its organic search, social media and website optimization. Boom Video is Australia’s first YouTube Partner network for content creators and brands. Reprise Media Australia, which has 60 staff in four cities, won the 2013 IAB Award for Organic Search.

Designers chosen for Hobart’s creative academy

The University of Tasmania chose three companies to design its $75 million Academy of Creative Industries and Performing Arts. They are Hobart’s Liminal Architecture and Singaporean architects WOHA and Arup Acoustics and Theatre. UTAS vice-chancellor Prof. Peter Rathjen said the Academy was planned as an international centre for the creative industries, equipped with “state-of-the-art acoustic, visualisation and computing technologies as well as flexible laboratories, rehearsal and performance spaces, a Creative Technology studio, recital hall and black-box theatre space.”