Industrial Strength: Nov 24
Adele’s 25: double platinum in Oz in three days!
Adele’s new album 25 has hit double platinum in Australia for sales of 140,000 in its first three days, Remote Control Records confirmed yesterday. Hello is sitting atop the ARIA singles chart for a fourth week. All of Adele albums are in the iTunes chart: 25 at #1, 21 at #3 and 19 at #6.
On Sunday night, Nine’s Adele – Live In London drew 680,000 metro viewers and was 8th most watched program of the night. Just before its screening, 60 Minutes screened an interview with the singer, and drew 1.5 million metro viewers.
The figures are overwhelming in the US. After its first day on sale, 25 broke *NSYNC’s first week figures of 2.42 million. Physical sales are expected to hit 2.5 million by end of this week. It sold over 900,000 copies alone through the iTunes Store on its first day of release. All this, and not a streaming service in sight.
In the UK, 25 registered one of the biggest first day sales totals of all time in that country, shifting 300,000 units in its first 24 hours. It is on course to rival the
biggest one-week album sales tallies in UK chart history.
WA Song Of The Year to launch
WAM’s annual Song Of The Year competition will launch in December. Around 16 categories cover all genres as well as school-aged to regional and indigenous entrants. Winners and finalists will be celebrated at a gala event in April. Citing the national media attention the event gets, WAM is offering brands the chance to get on board, from presentation rights to a category award to logos on its website to acknowledgement on screen and program. Development Manager Georgia Kennedy at [email protected] is whom to discuss options with.
Malaysia to investigate Prom Queen claims
Malaysia’s Immigration Director-General will investigate claims by Adelaide’s I Killed The Prom Queen that they were forced to sing a song for guards during their detention in an Immigration cell. Datuk (Sir) Mustafa Ibrahim told the Malay Mail he had not heard of the incident, nor had the band mentioned it when he met them briefly before their return to Australia.
He also clarified comments that he had apologised to them – not because they were locked up, he said, but because their case could not be processed quicker because the Australian Embassy had been, he said, closed during the weekend.
But action will be taken against the tour’s promoters for not taking out a 5000 Malaysian ringitt (A$1614.25) working permit. “The whole problem happened because the organisers did not want to pay for a permit. We already had warned them and advised them before.”
Ten Victorian icons get inducted into Hall of Fame
The Age and Music Victoria celebrated the 10th anniversary of their music awards with ten Victorian icons inducted into the Hall of Fame at a star-studded concert at the Palais Theatre on Friday night.
The Palais was inducted by Tex Perkins and accepted by Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley and Palais CEO Neil Croker. Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson and Vika Bull, backed by The EG Allstars, performed The Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter, to acknowledge that the British superstars played their first ever Melbourne show at the Palais in 1965.
AC/DC’s initiation was accepted by Alberts CEO David Albert (they were playing in Adelaide that night) from Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan who recalled the band’s share house in Melbourne was where the music took shape from endless jam session. Kingswood’s Fergus Linacre and Alex Laksa, with Vika Bull, tore up the stage with Highway To Hell while the finale of John Farnham’s 30-minute headlining set ended with a knees-up It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll).
Radio identity Billy Pinnell inducted the late Stan ‘The Man’ Rofe, who in the ‘60s dominated Melbourne radio with a hip night show. Mark Seymour dedicated The Loved Ones’ The Loved One, which Rofe was instrumental in breaking.
The Sunbury Festival honour was accepted by one of its founders, John Fowler, and presented by Brian Cadd who performed his A Little Ray Of Sunshine from that era.
Both Olivia Newton-John and inductor Barry Gibb did the honours via video link after which Angie Hart paid tribute with A Little More Love.
Normie Rowe did his 1965 hit Shakin’ All Over for his former record producer Bill Armstrong. The Thunderbirds were inducted by their former lead singer Marcie Jones, after which Paul Williamson did their 1961 hit Wild Weekend.
3AW’s David Mann stepped in for The Seekers who were rehearsing for their Georgy Girl theatre production, and whose I’ll Never Find Another You was interpreted onstage by Kate Ceberano.
Archie Roach was joined onstage for Took the Children Away and We Won’t Cry by Paul Kelly and Craig Pilkington before he was welcomed into the Hall of Fame by friend, musician, actor and Aboriginal elder Uncle Jack Charles who also conducted the Welcome Ceremony at the start of the event.
John Farnham and his nine piece band (including a cameo by two bagpipers) finished off the night with a spectacular full production set following his induction by Sony Music Chairman & CEO Denis Handlin.
Perth’s Mourning Lilith guitarist in car crash
Perth metalcore band Mourning Lilith guitarist Justin Camilleri remained in a Perth hospital this week after a car accident last week. The 22-year old and singer Max Faranda were returning home after band rehearsals when a car, allegedly being pursued by police, crashed into them. Camilleri was taken to intensive care but is out of danger to the most recent Facebook post from the band. Faranda suffered minor injuries and is recovering at home.
Adelaide’s Fowler’s Live gets extension
Adelaide music venue Fowler’s Live has received an 18-month extension by the SA Government to stay on at the Lion Arts Centre until May 2017. Clouds over the future of 500-capacity venue began last year when the Government indicated that it wanted to take over the lease to install the State Theatre Company. Arts Minister Jack Snelling said the lease “accommodates the business plans for Fowler’s Live, keeping the Fowler’s building as a live music venue and providing opportunity for other performance uses. The Lion Arts Centre is an important precinct and I am committed to ensuring the site remains a cultural space.”
But club owner Peter Darwin says that it doesn’t give him much time to find another site, and hints he may have to close then. “For the next 18 months, let’s get as many gigs booked in as possible and get as many people through the doors as we can,” he posted on Facebook. “If there is any time to start showing your support for live music it’s now.” He estimated that since the club opened in 2004, it also introduced 150,000 under-18 music fans to live gigs.
Industry farewelling Sydney journo Michael Smith
When Sydney scribe Michael Smith decided to chuck it all in after 27 years of writing for Sydney’s street press (On The Street, Drum Media and TheMusic), friends in the biz decided a farewell bash in December was a must. A committee was assembled with photographer Tony Mott, publicists Sue McAullay, Seven Network producer Monique Lisa, and former Drum Media publishers Margaret and Jennifer Cott who now run Rozelle’s Garry Owen Hotel. The Fluffy Boys will play but no planned reunion of Scandal (How Long) for whom Smith played bass in the 1970s.
WA grants recipients
Among recipients of the WA Department of Culture and the Arts’ new Organisational Investment Program were music association WAM, Country Arts and the Fremantle Arts Centre getting triennial funding. Getting yearly funding was the Perth Jazz Society. This year’s funding saw the biggest shake up in decades. Young and experimental creative types were given priority, as 45 groups were cut to 35 in sharing the $29 million over three years.
Bookies bet on Britt for country awards
Bookies are betting that Catherine Britt will have two wins at the CMAA Country Music Awards in Tamworth in January the Northern Rivers Daily reported. Sportsbet.com.au has Britt, who had six nominations, has $1.80 favourite to take home Female Artist of the Year, with Beccy Cole at $3. Her Boneshaker is $2.25 for Album of the Year with Lee Kernaghan’s Spirit Of The Anzacs at $3.25.
Venues NSW posts revenue surplus
Venues NSW which owns/ operates five major venues in NSW posted a rise in ticketing and sponsorship revenue for the year ending June 30, 2015. The $11.759 million surplus included depreciation of $9.299 million, loss on disposal of assets of $1.883 million, grants of $1.108 million and an asset revaluation increment of $20.878 million.
After adjusting for these factors financial performance on day-to-day operations resulted in a surplus of $0.955 million. This is a modest improvement on 2013-14 results and in contrast to the $0.78 million trading loss in 2012-13, its first full year after being set up as a Statutory Authority in March 2012.
The five venues are Hunter Stadium in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Pirtek Stadium in Parramatta and WIN Entertainment Centre and WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
More Aussies invited to play SXSW
Six more Aussies are invited to showcase at SXSW next year. The latest round of 200 global acts included The Gooch Palms (Newcastle), Hockey Dad (Wollongong), Nite Fields (Brisbane), and Melbourne’s Ben Abrahams, Oh Pep! and Sui Zhen.
Aussie Punk gets chronicled
Four Four/ABC Music’s 51-track 2-CD Stranded: The Chronicles of Australian Punk was a labour of love for ABC Music’s Manager of Contemporary Labels & Digital Strategy Basil Cook with Licensing & Projects Coordinator Paul Barnes. Punk fan Cook was inspired by the Stranded doco on ABC TV (http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/stranded/AC1413Q001S00).
The first CD looks back at the original punk surveyors, starting appropriately with The Saints whose (I’m) Stranded was released before the Sex Pistols. It unearths tracks by Radio Birdman, Thought Criminals (Fuck The Neighbours), The Birthday Party, The Hard-Ons and The Survivors. The second CD looks at the later generation as Frenzal Rhomb, Nancy Vandal, Born Lion, Bodyjar, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and H-Block 101. In keeping with the times, Saints drummer-turned-The Australian music writer Iain Shedden did the liner notes, and artwork design was by Ben Brown who started out doing posters and album sleeves for his band The Hellmenn.
Report: SVOD viewer numbers 4.7m by 2019
An Ovum report predicts a 300% rise in SVOD (Streaming Videos On Demand) subscribers in Australia to 4.7 million by 2019. There will be a proliferation of different kinds of services that will make the 2019 market totally different to the current one, particularly in the offer of niche content.
The NBN Co. commissioned report tips pay-TV subscriptions to grow 18.4% in that time. The rapid take-up of SVOD services this year saw NBN average monthly download usage rise from 73GB in March to 110GB by September, up 51% in six months. The report warned the boom would put a strain on telco networks and new investment needed to deliver required capacity increases.
Music tracks added to archives
Latest contemporary music adds to the National Film and Sound Archives ‘Sounds of Australia’ list: Redgum’s I Was Only 19 (A Walk In The Light Green) (1983), Hoodoo Gurus’ Like Wow – Wipeout (1985), Deborah Conway’s Alive And Brilliant (1993), djhmc’s LSD (1995) and Hilltop Hoods’ Alive and Brilliant (2003).
Redgum’s John Schumann said comments had been made about I Was Only 19, that it helped brings Vietnam vets home, “that it precipitated a Royal Commission (and) it changed forever the way we Australians think about the men and women we send to fight our wars. These things are for others to say, not me. For me, I Was Only 19 has been an amazing gift.”
Deborah Conway and long time collaborator Willy Zygier recalled, “We first played it during a late summer storm in Sydney in 1992, made memorable for the amount of people dancing around crazily in plastic rain ponchos. In 1993 it was released on the album Bitch Epic and subsequently became the first 5/4 song to hit the pop charts since Dave Brubeck’s Take Five in 1961.”
4TO leads in Townsville
Townsville’s first survey in 12 years had 4TO FM in the lead with a 21.2% share. HOTFM followed with 19.5%, Mix106.3 (13.3%) and ABC North Qld (10.3%).
Venues Update: new buys, grants, flooding, attacks
* Sydney based Century Venues bought Newcastle’s heritage-listed 1340-capacity Victoria Theatre. Closed since 1999, it will be revamped to an active performance space. Century Venues also runs Enmore Theatre, the Metro, The Factory, the Vanguard and The Comedy Store.
* Six Melbourne venues share $250,000 in grants to cover costs of sound proofing, offered as part of the Victorian Government’s new Live Music Attenuation Assistance Program. The six were Bakehouse Studios, Bendigo Hotel, Cherry Bar, Ding Dong Lounge, 1000 Pound Bend and Revolver Upstairs.
* A new law in Tasmania means drunken pests can be banned by venues and police from 24 hours to six months. Police now have the right to extend the ban to multi-venues which means it can cover an entire entertainment precinct.
* A staffer at a Mackay licensed venue was hit on the head with a bottle while he and others were trying to evict a group of men brawlers. Police arrested the five.
* Max Watt’s in Melbourne got flooded out, causing Dream On, Dreamer to abandon their show that night.
* Western Sydney gets a new performance space in April, with the opening for the National Theatre Of Parramatta.
* After a 12 month journey, three level floating club Seadeck has arrived in Sydney Harbour as a permanent addition to the nightclub scene. Its summer program is to be announced shortly to include Australian and international acts.
* Adelaide’s top EDM venues as HQ, Rocket/Crown Ruler and Zhivago will share tips with young musicians on getting bookings. It is part of Fresh 92.7’s Open House session at St Paul’s Creative Centre, on Monday November 30 from 6pm.
* After the PCYC pulled out of financial involvement in the Port Macquarie Indoor Stadium expansion project in NSW, the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will increase its contribution by $3.25 million over two financial years.
Live Music Office makes waves in politics
Recent developments in two states has seen the ongoing contribution of the Live Music Office acknowledged in political circles.
Following South Australia’s amendment of the law to cut red tape for venues before midnight, J.M. Gazzolo rolled off in the Legislative Council the names from the liquor licensing authority, the Hotels Association and parliament who had been instrumental in bringing the law to pass. Singled out from the music industry were “Mr John Wardle, Policy Director for the Live Music Office, who also happens to be a fine guitarist” as well as Becc Bates and Karen Marsh from the Music Development Office.
Sydney’s Leichhardt Council also endorsing the direction of the Sept 2015 Live Music Office’s Low-Risk Arts and Cultural Venues: A NSW Case Study of Exempt and Complying Development for Live Performance For National Application report. The LMO recommended eliminating fees and red tapes for landlords providing entertainment to create affordable small venues and enable creative hubs for community centres and local government facilities, pop up events for festivals, and even in-store gigs in retail stores.
Acknowledging that this will be used as the basis for Council’s new policy, Mayor Darcy Byrne said more venues would persuade residents to remain in Leichhardt for the nights out. “We’ll see a boost to tourism and spending as well as more opportunities for local live music, arts and culture.”
Regional Song Contest returns
The Regional Song Contest is returning again this year, offering opportunities for young songwriters from regional areas who are aged 12 to 25. They have a chance to enter by December 4 at www.fretfest.com/regional-song-contest. Prizes include a Cole Clark Angel guitar, a music mentorship with organiser Fretfest, a studio session, radio interviews and festival slots. The winner is announced at the Best Of Fretfest Concert on December 12 on the Gold Coast.
Last year’s winner, 17 year old Harry Marshall from Central Queensland went on to record his first single with producer Kev Browne, played through the Gold Coast and performed with Mumford & Sons.
Inaugural Audiocraft conference sounds off
The inaugural Audiocraft conference claims an Australia-first in bringing together producers from the public, community, and independent radio and podcast sectors. On Saturday March 5 at Redfern’s 107 Projects in Sydney, the day-long initiative covers workshops and discussions exploring narrative techniques, creative sound design, and podcasting nuts and bolts.
Elliott Smith doco screenings
Heaven Adores You, the documentary about US singer songwriter Elliott Smith, comes with 30 interviews about his continuing legacy after his 2003 death at 34 from a stabbing suicide, and 20 new tracks. It had its Australian premiere at the Melbourne Film Festival. But Mushroom Pictures is holding a one-night-only screening in six cities. These are at the Luna Palace in Perth (Tues Nov 24) with Nov 25 at Brisbane’s Palace Centro, Melbourne’s Palace Kino, Sydney’s Chauvel Paddington, Palace Electric in Canberra and Palace Nova Eastend in Adelaide.
Number crunching
15 hours a week spent by 16 to 30 year old Aussies on their smartphones, says a new Connected Life study. That’s 2.1 hours a day on mobile devices.
$1,725,057.44 raised by i98FM Wollongong’s Camp Quality Convoy, exceeding last year’s record $1,578,190. 764 trucks and 960 motorbikes travelled 70 kilometres to raise money.
6 month parental leave policy introduced by Spotify globally for all full-time employees, including obviously those in Australia.
$3 million revamp for WA’s Bassendean Oval, which also hosts music concerts
Sounds By The River gets tourism gong
The Sounds By The River festival in Mannum won a South Australian Tourism Award in the Best Festivals and Events category. Situated on the Murray River, the outdoor festival draws people to hear the music and experience nearby tourist draws. The festival is part of Duane McDonald’s Regional Touring company which also runs the Red Hot Summer shows in January.
As Paradise Falls headlines fund raiser for guitarist
Brisbane hardcore band As Paradise Falls is headlining a benefit concert for the family of their guitarist Glen Barrie who died in his sleep at 26 during recording sessions in Bangkok. The band uploaded a tribute video on its Facebook page.
The show is at The Brightside on Friday November 27 along with A Breach Of Silence, Among The Vanished, Bayharbour, Down Royale and Trinatyde. The Brisbane community rallied to set it up. It was put together by the band’s by Tom Byrnes of Mannequin Republic, along with Vanguard Touring while Seventh Circle Studio, Via Studios, Beserk, Bach Guitar Services and The Brightside donated prizes for a raffle. In addition, a crowd-funding campaign is specifically for Barrie’s widow Cassandra and their child who is due in January.
New Zealand to introduce online GST
New Zealand Revenue Minister Todd McClay confirmed that a GST will be imposed on music bought online from overseas suppliers from October 2016. Items also include books, videos and software. The offshore supplier will be required to register and return GST on these items if their supplies exceed NZ$60,000 within a 12 month period. The Government estimates it loses $40 million in loss GST annually to overseas purchases.
Arena, Wurst and, umm, Madonna for Mardi Gras
A new event at the 33rd Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (February 19 to March 6) is The Harbour at Mrs Macquarie’s Point in partnership with Canon. It includes a Tina Arena concert on February 25 (followed by a set at the State Theatre on March 4), a series of films headed by In Bed With Madonna to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and a Sing-a-long with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir to the film Mamma Mia. 2014 Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst teams with Sydney Symphony Orchestra to bring her new show From Vienna With Love to the steps of the Sydney Opera House, joined by Courtney Act, Trevor Ashley and Paul Capsis at the Concert Hall.
Other events for the Momentum-themed festival (as in turning passion into purpose) include Fair Day at Victoria Park which draws 80,000, the Queer Thinking talkfest taking over a number of venues for the first time and Gender Trailblazers with transgender rights activists.
Festivals Update: returns, sell-outs, venue stuff-ups, charities
* When Narooma’s Great Southern Blues ended its long run in August, promoter Neil Mumme did hint of a return in a different format. It is coming back next October over two days in partnership with the Narooma Oyster Festival. It includes a stand-alone concert on the Saturday, and a series of gigs the next day. “The total concept for the new event including the ’name’ is being refined over the next couple of months,” Mumme said.
* Melbourne’s NYE On The Hill, in its third year, has sold out.
In the meantime, its organisers also announced that their other event, the 8th The Hills Are Alive, will take place over the Easter weekend. It is an invite-only, with patrons needing a password supplied by previous attendees or acts on the bill.
* The Norfolk Island Travel Centre has travel packages that combine airfare, accommodation and car hire for the 23rd Norfolk Island Country Music Festival in May. The packages start from $1099 ex Brisbane and $1139 ex Sydney. Freecall on 1800 1400 66 or email [email protected] for further details. The idea is that aside from seeing acts as Country Heart & Soul (comprised of singer songwriters Felicity Urquhart, Lyn Bowtell and Kevin Bennett), Luke O’Shea and US based Tanya Cornish (who won the festival’s Entertainer award last year) you’ll check out the island’s picturesque locations and snorkelling opps.
* The one off Royal Funk event in Melbourne in June, in celebration of Prince’s birthday, was such a blast that it’s turned it into a regular mini-festival. The Royal Funk Festival: Summer Edition is on Sunday December 6 at the Shadow Electric in Abbotsford.
* This weekend’s Tbar in Toowoomba, Queensland, is also raising money for local charity Base Services so it can help its soup kitchen provide free meals for the homeless and those struggling financially over the holiday period. Organiser and musician Brendan Leggatt got the idea after he read an article in the local paper that the head of Base Services had gone homeless for a week.
* Geelong’s inaugural music, arts and food StreetLife was considered a success with 800 attending its events in various laneways that promoters Michael Ward and Kieran Blood have made it an annual event.
* The excitement by headbangers following the announcement of a new heavy metal festival Rolling Thunder at Kryal Castle near Ballarat with international acts, dissipated when (a) the venue said there was no booking and (b) major sponsor Young Henrys brewer said negotiations were never finalised. The promoter posted that a new venue is being sought.
Vale
Tim Franklin was a well-known music and radio DJ, working within Australia and in New York. Nicknamed Radar for his physical resemblance to the character of the M.A.S.H series, he set up Radar Promotions Australia. The 60-year’s body was found at his home in Tasmania.
Melbourne guitarist and skateboarder Chris Paine emerged in Utter Stench before helping to form Killing Time in 1989. The band, which later became Mantissa, signed to Polydor after a bidding war and released the Mossy God album after which they worked the North American market. Following their split after the release of the Thirst album, Paine formed Mechatronix. A memorial was held in Melbourne yesterday.
And A Few Other Things
At former Jands CEO and concert production pioneer Eric Robinson’s funeral, Jimmy Barnes sang When The War Is Over while Sting, Billy Joel and Elton John’s former manager John Reid sent tributes to read out.
Chris Isaak has been getting props from two of his X Factor mentorees. Big T revealed he’d given him a guitar. Cyrus Villanueva’he, who returned with the US singer songwriter to his alma mater Kanahooka High School, says Isaak promises to help him in the US if he didn’t win this week’s show Grand Final.
The creative-friendly City of Prospect in South Australia is on Monday January 18 will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Ukulele Ensemble as part of its street party. The number to beat is 4,792 players, held by Tahiti. Mayor David O’Loughlin and a group of Marilyn Monroe impersonators will be leading the uke-nuke strummers, with proceeds to the Cancer Council.
Melbourne’s youth publishers Furst Media has launched a new title, Melbourne Permanent, dedicated to showcasing the city’s vibrant tattoo and body art culture. It will be included in every copy of its street paper Beat #1500.
Gin Wigmore had a good time at the New Zealand Music Awards. When she won Best Female Solo Artist, she flipped the bird to fellow-nominee and good buddy Anika Moa calling out “Up yours Anika” and getting flipped back in return. Later when she spotted Marlon Williams after one of his wins, she clinked her Tui trophy against his in celebration – and watched hers break in two.
New Zealand singer songwriter Aly Cook notched up an achievement for the Australian Country Top 40 Chart. When her Midnight Cowboys moved from #39 to #1, it was the chart’s biggest move since it moved from a Top 30 format two years ago. Cook was last on this side of the Tasman in August playing the Sydney Opera House at the fund-raiser for Jimmy Little’s Thumbs Up program, doing a version of Under The Milky Way. Cook told Industrial Strength, “Email of the Year was one I got from Steve Kilbey saying he liked my interpretation of his song. As a songwriter who rarely sings a cover, that’s a huge honour. Especially when The Church were a huge personal favourite for me as a kid.”
The rumours have been around since July. But the Australian Financial Review this week reported that Guvera will file for an initial public offering after finalising a $100 million raising. It’s apparently tossing over whether to list on the Australian Securities Exchange or head to the Nasdaq in the US.
Brisbane-based songwriter and vocalist Wafia has a fan in Pharrell Williams. He played her Heartburn a number of times on his Apple Music radio show, and asked to be supplied with more music. We’re betting her label Future Classic busted a few records getting her new XXIX EP to him. Recorded at Gotye’s property in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, XXIX features collaborations with Brisbane artist Vancouver Sleep Clinic and label mate Ta-ku.
The stars were out for Fleetwood Mac’s show at Auckland’s Mt. Smart Stadium. Before the show, All Black champ Richie Flynn and coach Steve Hansen and their wives met up with Stevie Nicks, an all-Black fan. All the Mac members were duly presented with a team jumper. During the show in the pouring rain, joining the other 38,000 screaming out the words to the songs was Lorde.
According to MusicNT, CAAMA Music’s sub-label Therrka has released seven new albums by indigenous acts featuring five different languages in its inaugural year and contributed around $25,000 into the Central Australian Indigenous music industry through sales, performance income and events.
David Day, Adele Ferguson and Christopher Pash are among those up for the Author Director position on Copyright Agency’s board.
Prime Rocks NZ Women in Rock drew a viewing audience of 148,500 when screened on New Zealand last week. It featured Shona Laing, Sharon O’Neill, Jenny Morris, Margaret Urlich, Anika Moa and Brooke Fraser talking with frankness about their career starts, the highs and lows after including health issues and disappointments, and anecdotes about their songs.