New Signings & Team-Ups: March 29

Select Music’s latest inking, Melbourne singer-songwriter Alex Lahey

Massive join United Talent agency

On the eve of the global release of their second album Destination Somewhere, Sydney’s Massive have signed with Paul Ryan and Ben Ward at United Talent Agency (formerly the Agency Group). Ryan and Ward have started booking return tours in the UK and Europe.

Ward said, “Paul and I are very excited to be working with such a dedicated, talented and straight-up rock and roll band that Massive so obviously are. There are no limits to the potential of this band and knowing the drive and passion of the band, the management and the record label, coupled with the experience and clout that Paul, myself and all at UTA can provide, we see nothing but massive success in the very near future!”

The band have been on an upward trajectory internationally since they formed in mid-2012. Within six months, they had showcased in Los Angeles, signed with management company Third Verse and a year later signed a worldwide record deal with Earache Records to release their debut Full Throttle.

123 takes on Riley Pearce

Melbourne based 123 Agency signed WA singer songwriter Riley Pearce. He’s currently on tour behind his triple j and community radio supported second EP Outside The Lines (MGM). Its lead track Brave has been nominated for WAM’s Folk Song of the Year. Outside The Lines was inspired by a recent six-month trip to Montana, USA, and is a look at the world through a young traveller’s eyes.

Select Music adds Alex Lahey

Select Music’s latest inking is Melbourne singer-songwriter Alex Lahey. The agency’s Katie Rynne says, “Already well known on the Melbourne music scene, (Alex’s) new solo project just shows what a divers songwriter and performer she is. Totally relatable lyrics and infectious hooks, coupled with a great voice and killer band, what more could we want?!”

Lahey added, “I feel extremely humbled to be part of a roster that includes some of Australia’s best artists.” Her second single You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me has been picked up by triple j and community radio, and she launches it on Friday (April 1) at Banquet @ World Bar in Sydney.

BBC Worldwide acquires Avicii documentary

BBC Worldwide has acquired music documentary Stories, from Grammy-nominated producer and DJ Avicii. An Australian screening date has not been firmed. The act (aka Tim Bergling) will be attending MIPTV in Cannes in April to launch the 60-minute film.

Directed by Levan Tsikurishvili (Avicii On Tour), Stories documents the creation of the 14 tracks of his album as well as his global rise, a show before 80,000 in his hometown in Stockholm, and the illness, which caused him to take a year off. Stories is an OPA People Production with Sveriges Television. BBC Worldwide has the TV and SVOD rights to the doco for all territories except Sweden.

Another dawn for Napalm Records

Austrian hard rock and metal Napalm Records has signed German death metal band Dawn Of Disease to a worldwide deal. The band has broken out of the German market in recent years following the release of albums Legends Of Brutality and Crypts Of The Unrotten. Their third album is titled Worship The Grave. Napalm Death’s Australian distributor is Rocket Distribution.

Ambassador for Urban Country Music Festival

The 13th Urban Country Music Festival, held in Caboolture, Queensland, from April 29 – May 1 has announced singer songwriter Chelsea Basham as its 2016 Ambassador. Her single Gold currently tops the CMC charts, and is off her second album Youngest which was released in January. She’ll work with local school children on their music dreams.

Her debut album I Make My Own Sunshine produced two singles which went to #1 on the country charts and earned her a Golden Guitar for Best New Talent in 2013. Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland said Basham was a good choice because of the wide demographic of her following, and “the Urban Country Music Festival is a festival for all ages.”

Native Tongue signs Ivan Ooze

Native Tongue signed Melbourne rapper Ben Townsend aka Ivan Ooze. He’s been opening for acts as Azealia Banks, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and most recently Wu-Tang Clan, which saw him record with his childhood hero Ghostface Killah. His new mixtape 93 KFC Rotisserie GOLD is out this week.

Native Tongue’s Matt Tanner stated, “Ben is definitely blazing a trail of his own in the Australian hip hop scene – something we both respect and admire. The Ivan Ooze live show is one of the most frenzied and high energy shows I’ve seen for a long time. Through both touring and the veritable avalanche of tracks he drops, he is connecting with an audience at a rapid rate. We’re excited to welcome Ben and his team to Native Tongue.”

10 artists for Art of Music and Nordoff-Robbins

Ten artists have signed on for fundraising event Art of Music, to the Art Gallery of NSW on Saturday June 18. Steered by singer songwriter Jenny Morris over the past ten years to raise funds for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. The biennial event sees ten artists come together to create a music inspired exhibition with each artist choosing an iconic piece of Australasian music, using it as inspiration for their own artwork. It culminates in the Art of Music Charity Auction and a Gala Dinner, with guests and live entertainment.

The ten artists for 2016 are Lucy Culliton, Stan Dryden, Nicholas Harding, Laura Jones, Guy Maestri, Tim Maguire, Michael Muir, Joan Ross, Alex Seton and Christian Thompson. Details of each artist’s chosen songs will be announced in the coming weeks.

Morris admitted, “I still feel as emotional today as I did the very first time I witnessed music therapy enhancing a kid’s life. Now all these years later I am even more determined to help bring that awareness to the greater population. It’s a crime that all kids and adults in need, do not have knowledge of and easy access to music therapy. Art Of Music goes a long way to rectifying that imbalance. Music therapy is after all, magic!”

Major brands behind Wantok Musik’s PNG launch

Melbourne’s Wantok Musik Foundation is officially launching in Papua New Guinea with a concert on Saturday April 9 at Nora Vagi Brash Amphitheatre at PNG National Museum in Port Moresby. Pulling their support behind it are The Christensen Fund, PNG Air and the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.

The aim of the launch is to introduce the Foundation and music label to PNG, while providing a platform for promotion and preservation of PNG cultures through music and arts within the region. In the days leading up to the show, Wantok musicians and directors will hold workshops with students and young artists, with info sessions from APRA AMCOS on the importance of collection agencies and copyright as well as celebrating culture and identity in artistic creation and performance.

Performing at the launch are George Telek MBE, Richard Mogu, Ben Hakalitz, Pius Wasi, Radical Son (Tonga / Australia) and Tha Feelstyle (Samoa).

Step forward for Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct

The NSW Government has appointed Sydney architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer to design the new $139 million Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. “Selection of the lead architect is a milestone in Walsh Bay’s rejuvenation for the enjoyment and entertainment of people from Sydney, across NSW, and international visitors,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant. The award winning company worked on the refurbishment of Customs House and Carriageworks.

Spotify extends Spark deal in NZ

Spotify extended its partnership with Spark, in a deal that will see the New Zealand telco offer Spotify streaming services on its mobile plans for a further two years. According to Spotify, the Spark partnership is one of its most successful globally. “It’s helped produce some of the highest engagement we’ve seen worldwide from New Zealand music fans,” says founder/ CEO of Daniel Ek.

According to Spark, over the last 12 months, the number of customers using Spotify on their mobile devices increased by around 125%. On an average day, 90,000 customers use Spotify on their mobile devices. In two years, it increased its number of Pay Monthly mobile connections by over 120,000.

Clive Ormerod, Spark Home Mobile & Business GM Manager of Marketing, says the Spotify tie-up, first struck in February 2014, provides a point of difference to customers. “(It) truly reflects our ongoing transformation from a traditional telco to a provider of the digital services that make the lives of our customers a little easier and richer every day.”

The Perfect Wave curates Surf Music in Paradise

Sydney based surf travel website The Perfect Wave has curated two Surf Music in Paradise tours to the Maldives and Bali for 60 people at each. They fuse a love of the ocean and music where travellers can surf on the best breaks by day and hear music by night by Australian acts.

Pete Murray will play in the Maldives June 12 –19 at the Kandooma Resort. Murray will also surf the Kandooma Right and nearby breaks.

Tex Perkins and Phil Jamieson handle the September 5-12 stay in Bali with five intimate shows on the lawns of the Hidden Valley Resort. Perkins says, “The Perfect Wave shows I did last year were my favourite of 2015. Its surfing, its music, and its paradise. It’s brilliant!”