Industrial Strength: November 29
Image: Gareth Liddiard
VIC GOVT. LAUNCHES ‘MUSIC UNDER WINGS’
The Victorian Government yesterday launched a three-year $1.2 million professional development program called Music Under Wings. It is aimed at emerging contemporary music artists, industry personnel, live music events and venues through mentoring by musicians and industry execs, masterclasses, skills development programs and business development training.
It has partnered with non-profit youth music organisation The Push to deliver the program, while Music Victoria will manage a pro-development initiative to support small music venues and independent promoters, especially those in regional Victoria.
WA STUDY SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR ARTS
An independent study shows strong support for arts and culture. The latest annual Arts Monitor survey by Patterson Research Group found 95% of respondents supported the role of arts in the school curriculum. 81% agreed with Government investment in the arts
Additionally, 75% agreed that the arts have a positive impact on individual wellbeing. 60% and 62% respectively reckoned that arts and culture play a valuable role in contributing to the State’s identity and sense of community.
Minister for Health Culture and the Arts John Day said, “Event attendance trends in recent years reflect a consistently strong support for the sector that goes beyond the impact of major events such as The Giants in 2015.”
For full Arts Monitor 2016 results, visithttp://www.dca.wa.gov.au/research-hub
GARETH LIDDIARD WINS FELLOWSHIP
Gareth Liddiard of The Drones won the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships, worth $160,000 each. He was the only musician of the eight recipients. The others were Khadim Ali, visual arts (QLD); Mary Anne Butler, playwright (NT); Dr Bianca Hester, visual arts (NSW); Sarah Holland-Batt, poetry (QLD); Alex Kelly, community arts (NT); Jonathon Oxlade, theatre, film and design (SA); and Justin Shoulder, community arts (NSW).
The Fellowship was established in 2001 to reward mid-career artists, and since then has made grants worth $8.8 million to 55 artists.
NUFFSAID AGENCY RELAUNCHES AS POSTER CHILD
Talent and touring agency Nuffsaid relaunched today as Poster Child. Since launching in October 2015, Nuffsaid has represented acts as Kilter, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Odd Mob and Luke Million, and hosted international tours for the likes of Ookay, Boombox Cartel, Yellow Claw, Valentino Khan, Jack Beats, DJ Craze, Kayzo, J Phlip, Worthy and Brillz. Since launching last year, Nuffsaid artists have played 1063 gigs and the company has toured 47 international acts. Poster Child will announce three new signings next week.
FIVE GET SA MUSIC FUNDING
The latest recipients of Arts SA’s contemporary music funding are Northern Sound System; Nexus Arts; COMA; Fresh 92.7; and Five Four Entertainment.
TAME IMPALA TAKING A BREAK IN 2017
After their commitments to Laneway Festival in January, Tame Impala are taking a break through 2017. They’ve been on the road behind their 2015 album Currents. Band leader Kevin Parker says it’s the first time a cycle for the band has ended. “In the past, they’ve sort of merged into each other. This time it’s a bookend.” The album opened doors for Parker, and he’s following collaborations with the likes of Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga with more major names.
NEW ON THE HILL SELLS OUT FOR FOURTH YEAR
Melbourne’s 9th NYE on the Hill announced this morning it has sold out for the fourth year in a row. This year’s bill includes The Preatures, Pierce Brothers, Tash Sultana, The Bennies, Dylan Joel, L-Fresh The Lion and The Belligerents.
4M AUSSIES USE SNAPCHAT
In its first report on Australian usage, Snapchat says that 4 million Australians are daily active users. It has 150 million users around the world. Its biggest users are the 18—24 age group (31%) followed by 25—34 (28%), 13—17 (23%) and 35+ (18&). Snapchat opened an Australian office in May.
Facebook claims 14 million monthly active users and Instagram has seven million monthly active users. Twitter has not released local figures.
FREMANTLE SHOW OFFERS ALT0ERNATIVE TO JAN 26
After City of Fremantle cancelled all Australia Day celebrations on the traditional January 26, a culturally inclusive One Day In Fremantle event is held on January 28. Performing are John Butler, Dan Sultan and Mama Kin. A number of indigenous acts have gone public against moving Australia Day to another date. Including The Medics’ Wake Up and A.B. Original’s January 26.
HOME COOKED MALAYSIAN FEAST FROM SOPHIE KOH
Self-funded self-managed singer songwriter Sophie Koh launches a Pozible crowd-funding to finish her March-due fourth album Book of Songs to raise $10,800. The pop album is influenced by Chinese poetry and western classical music. The campaign, at https://pozible.com/project/sophie-koh-book-of-songs, offers hand-drawn art, a house concert and a home-cooked Malaysian feast.
COPYRIGHT AGENCY DISTRIBUTES $115M
At its AGM, the Copyright Agency reported it distributed $115 million to members in the 2015-16 financial year. This came in the wake of expansion in digital licensing, particularly among corporates, media intelligence companies and colleges. CEO Adam Suckling said the company distributed an average of $100 million a year over the past decade.
Its Cultural Fund allocated $2 million in the financial year to 66 arts organisations, 31 authors and artists, and 8 Fellowships. It also teamed up with APRA AMCOS, ARIA, PPCA and Early Childhood Australia to provide a simple licensing solution to early learning providers.
HOME A LOAN
A new rapid loan fund for South Australian creatives by Guildhouse has generated growth for small businesses. Having just green-lighted 16 applications from its pool of $70,000, end results for some injection of cash has led to the creation of a sci-fi feminist novel, an illustrator able to attend Australia’s first Queer Gaming convention GaymerX Australia, and a new website that generated more sales than the investment.
RIOT HOUSE EXPANDS ROOMS
Heidi Braithwaite’s Melbourne-based national Riot House Publicity is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a name change to Riot House Publicity & Creative Agency, a new website (www.riothouse.com.au) and an extension of services to meet the demand for new media strategies. This includes copywriting, social media management and general PR consulting.
KOFM RAISES $56K FOR KIDS
Newcastle radio station KO FM and Newcastle Permanent raised $56,729.67 for Give Me Five for Kids. Money raised will help the John Hunter Children’s Hospital purchase gear for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
ADELAIDE DISCUSSES MENTAL HEALTH IN BIZ
Peak music association Music SA is hosting a panel discussion on mental health in the South Australian music industry. Check Your Head will look at the issues facing the music industry, including long working hours, high stress, low pay and addictions among others. Speaking are Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson, Dan Schmidt of Headspace, Tam Boakes of Jive, psychologist Sharon Robertson and GP Dr George Choimes.
The plan is that once the causes of the issues are identified, the industry can discuss solutions, as state legislation changes, new venue regulations and contractual agreements for touring acts. It is held on December 7 from 6 pm at Music SA’s headquarters in Pultney Street.
TV RATINGS ADDING NEW DEMOGRAPHIC
TV measurement service OzTAM is set to introduce a new ‘Total Grocery Shoppers’ demographic to its TV ratings database next year. It will be added to the current ‘Main Grocery Buyer’ demographic to provide a background to changing shopping patterns among Australians.
VALE
* Guitarist, singer and songwriter Hugh McDonald was studying at Flinders University in Adelaide when he and three fellow students formed the politically-charged Redgum. They went on to have hits as I Was Only 19 and I’ve Been To Bali Too. McDonald contributed songs to the band including The Diamantina Drover. His interest in Australian military personnel and their treatment by the Government, gave him his nickname Bullet and led to him playing for armed forces abroad. When leader John Schumann, who described McDonald as “my wingman and backstop” left Redgum in 1986, McDonald took over until it split in 1990.
McDonald went on to set up a recording a studio in Melbourne, worked with the Geelong Music College Orchestra and release solo material including the Lawson album in 2003 based on the works of the poet Henry Lawson and The Land in 2014. He also reunited with Schumann in Vagabond Crew. Hugh McDonald was 62 when he passed after a battle with cancer, and survived by nine children. Schumann said in parting, “You get a mate like Hugh once in a lifetime – if you’re lucky. I was blessed – we all were.”
* Based in Byron Bay, Cliff Whyte was tour manager for Bluesfest tours, and also worked internationally for De La Soul, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Coolio and Snoop Dog. In addition he managed Brisbane beatboxer Joel Turner. Born in Birmingham, UK to Jamaican parents, he moved to Australia after meeting and marrying future Bluesfest publicist Kylie during De La Soul’s 1989 Australian tour. They had two children: Levi (rising Brisbane based rapper and producer) and Isabella. Whyte was diagnosed with 4th stage pancreatic cancer last month .Bluesfest Director Peter Noble said, “Cliff was a giant of a man, literally (he was 6’5”), yet one of the most gentle, soft spoken, beautiful people you could ever meet.” A crowd-sourcing campaign for expenses is set up athttp://peoplepledge.com.au/clifton-whyte2016/
* Geoff Gray was singer with Flake, a Sydney pop-psychedelic band formed by drummer Wayne Thomas. They took their name not from the candy bar but the Small Faces’ album Ogden Nut Gone Flake. Flake signed with producer Martin Erdman’s Du Monde labels and hits with covers of Wheels On Fire (which went Top 5) and Teach Me How To Fly. Gray also worked as a booker at the Nova Agency. The band split in 1972,reforming a year later with another lineup that did not include Gray.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS
How many Australian promoters are bidding to get Paul McCartney here in 2017?
Will Taylor Swift and Adele fully embrace Spotify for future releases? That’s what the company’s UK head of content programming George Ergatoudis reckons.
The long awaited book on the legendary early 70s Sunbury festivals by its promoters has secured a publisher and will be out next year.
While James Arthur was in New Zealand, ZM’s Fletch, Vaughan & Megan got him to call Port FM Timaru in South Island to request his own #1 hit Say You Won’t Let Go saying “I just really love my own music.” The suspicious DJ knew he was in NZ “but that’s a bit f***g far-fetched.” Arthur insisted it was him, adding “I know it’s a bit narcissistic requesting my own song but what else is there at the moment, everything else is a bit shit isn’t it.” The hoax audio is posted on the ZM website.
Former Savage Garden guitarist Daniel Jones and wife Kathleen De Leon (ex-Hi-5), are planning to move back from the US to the Gold Coast. They’ve been calling Las Vegas home since the band split up and where Jones became a full-time record producer. Now with two children, they’re selling two luxury apartments in Surfers Paradise to fund a large home.
It’s been a busy year for Melbourne band Buchanan who released two albums, toured headliners and notched up a million views and streams. It ends with Keith Urban asking them to open for him on his six dates in December. The band’s singer Josh Simons has been in LA, to promote the new app Vamp which links musicians with the industry, which he and Hunters & Collectors Barry Palmer developed. While in LA. Simons wrote and recorded new single The Beep Test with Kanye West’s producer Anthony Kilhoffer, and working with him on various projects to be issued through West’s G.O.O.D. Music.
Congrats to 919 SEA FM Sunshine Coast’s Jess and her husband on the birth of their daughter, Matilda.
Also to Tom Wolfe of Tasmania’s Wolfe Bros and partner Allison who surprised close friends and family and got married at home on the family farm.
Sticky Fingers head off to North America for 15 dates, starting in New York on February 17 and ending in Boston on March 11.
The Melbourne home where Kylie and Dannii Minogue grew up in has been saved from demolition. A family rushed in and bought the place (which the Minogues offloaded in 1985) for $1.74 million before builders got their hands on it.
The Australian operations of Spotify and Pandora teamed up to present Unrivalled: This is Audio Now to 300 media agencies and client partners on the growing popularity of audio streaming.
VMO’s DART 2.0 (Digital outdoor Audience in Real Time) technology tracked those at the recent B&T awards, and reported that 30% of the men sported moustaches.
A 25-year-old woman was found dead at Victoria’s EDM Earthcore festival. The Sydney leg saw nine people charged and seven cautioned on drug charges, a 22-year old man hospitalised with a suspected overdose, and a woman charged with assault after allegedly biting a police officer and kicked another in the face.
A police investigation of Melbourne’s nightclub scene has seen DJ Michael Musca charged with trafficking ketamine. He’s the latest after a number of DJs and promoters were fingered through the year.
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