New Signings & Team-Ups
Image: Dasher
THREE MORE ADDS AT INERTIA
Inertia has three more acts on its release schedule through its licensing deals.
Dark metal/garage rock US act Dasher come through the Jagjaguwar label. They’re currently on tour through Europe and the UK with Japandroids, and have a two-minute single out entitled We Know So.
Also via Jagjaguwar are the enigmatic cinematic Midnight Sister, a duo consisting of Juliana Giraffe and Ari Balouzian, who grew up in the isolating landscape of the San Fernando Valley in LA. Debut single Leave Now comes with a video shot by Giraffe, the 24-year-old daughter of a disc jockey who grew up listening exclusively to disco and David Bowie.
The third act, East Sussex-bornLaurence Galpin akaLaucan (pronounced Lor-can) comes through the Sunday Best label. In late July we’ll get his debut album Framespersecond, which was made with Andrew Phillips of Ninja Tune post-rock duo Grasscut as a collaborator. The result is “heart-in-mouth reveries on innocence lost to sublime music: poised between spectral folk and immersive soundscapes”.
AUSSIE ACTS TO GET OVERSEAS BOOST
Australian acts includingHilltop Hoods, Courtney Barnett, Karnivool, Tired Lion, Bad//Dreams, and The Creases are expected to get a boost due to moves by their overseas booking agency.
UK based X-Ray Touring has entered into an equal partnership with US-based Paradigm agency.
The Aussie acts, along with others from elsewhere who are on the UK company’s roster, will benefit from Paradigm’s expertise in branding, endorsements, digital content development and distribution, and other media.
“The alliance creates an unprecedented scale in the global live music space,” they said in a joint statement.
JAY-Z EXTENDS LIVE NATION PARTNERSHIP
Jay-Z has extended his long time deal with Live Nation, as a 50:50 partnership in Roc Nation. In 2008,the two struck a $150 million 10-year 360 deal covering the rap entrepreneur’s next three albums, publishing and other assets. The new deal only covers the touring part of his career.
According to Billboard, the original deal allowed either of the parties to sell their share to someone else. Rumours around New York were that Jay-Z planned to sell Live Nation’s stake to Universal Music Group but that obviously hasn’t happened.
IGGY POP INKS GLOBAL DEAL WITH ARTIST LEGACY
Iggy Pop has signed a worldwide licensing deal with Sony joint venture Artist Legacy Group, Billboard reports. A press release issued stated that the deal will “spearhead new license extension opportunities for Iggy Pop’s name and likeness across multiple product categories and media platforms”.
“Iggy Pop is punk rock personified and a perfect fit for brands looking to add authentic edge to their product lines and advertising campaigns,” ALG’s Austin said in a statement.
GOLDEN ROBOT PLUGS IN TWO NEW ACTS
Australian indie labelGolden Robot Records, have added two new actsto their roster, which currently includes The Art, Rose Tattoo, Mi-Sex, Kilbey Kennedy, Moon, The Superjesus, and Silverchair’s Ben Gillies.
Indie rockers The Cherry Dolls are a five-piece withtwo EPs under their belt, and have a debut album, Viva Los Dolls, out soon.High Tropics is “the fuzz-filled brainchild of South African born Josh Stewart“, touted as a 2017 reincarnation of rock revival acts likeThe Strokes and The Killers were kings, but with a 2017 sound.
CHRISSIE AMPHLETT TOUR PODCAST FUNDED
The Victorian State Government has funded a talking tour podcast of the late Chrissie Amphlett’s links to Melbourne and hometown Geelong.
The full list of landmarks are not announced yet, but after starting at Amphlett Lane, will include Princess Theatre where she performed (and signed her marriage certificate), the Collins Street Baptist Church where she was welcomed to the world and farewelled with a memorial, The House of Mr. John and Merivale where she worked, and Hamer Hall where one of her schoolgirl stage costumes hangs in the foyer.
Amphlett’s widower Charley Drayton will be involved in the project, also involving producer Marshall Cullen as well as media personalities Jessica Adams (who started the campaign for Amphlett Lane), Tracee Hutchison, Jen Jewel-Brown and Jenny Valentish.
MATT OKINE SERIES HAS LATE 2017 SLATE
Production has begun on comedian and former triple j presenter Matt Okine’s original series on Stan. The Other Guy is based on his experiences as a radio jock who’s back in the dating game after discovering his girlfriend was having an affair with his best friend, and began as a stand-up comedy show.
The six-episode,half hour series is directed by Kacie Anning and comes from producers AQUARIUS Films and eOne, which will also distribute the series internationally. The Other Guy has received production investment funding from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW.
VALLEY HEAT BUY INTO DOLLAR BILL MURRAYS
Brisbane-based record label Valley Heat –“ run by two guys with wild tastes and even wilder beards” – have signed Brisbane alt-desert fuzzed up outfit The Dollar Bill Murrays.
Their EP Always On is out on May 4 as a limited edition (50x), hand-numbered cassette as well as online. It is officially launched on May 6 at the Zoo at Five Bands Five Bucks presented by Mountain Goat Beer, with Mary Handsome, Black Sun, Age Champion and Junior Arcade.
AUSSIES TAKE PART IN HEAVY METAL TRUANTS V
Chris Maric of heavy rock PR company Maric Media and Carl Neumann, owner/Editor of Heavy Magazine, return to the UK to take part in Heavy Metal V – Revenge Of The Fifth charity bicycle ride.
The 275km bicycle ride from London to Castle Donington and The Download Festival between June 7 and 9 raises money for children’s charities. Nordoff Robbins, Teenage Cancer Trust & Childline. Last year’s ride raised £102,000 (A$173,000).
Maric and Neumann have pledged to raise a minimum of £2600 (approx A$4400) and calling for donations via www.justgiving.com/australiantruants. The first day of the ride is Maric’s 40th birthday so consider it a beer shout.
MADMAN MEDIA ACQUIRES GARAGE ENT.
Madman Media Group has bought rights management and production company Garage Entertainment. It will “strengthen Garage’s ability to reach audiences across all VOD (video on demand) platforms, allow them to better exploit all aspects of content distribution, while also aligning with Madman’s film and television production initiatives,” Madman said.
It will bring Madman’s registered subscriber base to 600,000. Garage was previously part of online clothing retailer SurfStitch.
LIONFISH TO RELEASE ‘COVER YOUR ASS’
Lionfish Music is releasing in Australia Cover Your Ass Vol. 1 on May 26. It’s a compilation of covers to raise money for the medical teams that work at Planned Parenthood in the US which has lost its funding.
The 13 tracks include Deerhoof’s Fight the Power (Public Enemy), Hinds’ When It Comes To You (Dead Ghosts), Daddy Issues’ Boys of Summer (Don Henley), Speedy Ortiz’s Young Liars (TV On The Radio), Palehound’s
Miss Independent (Kelly Clarkson) and The Quilz’s Girl U Want (Devo).
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