New Signings & Team-Ups: May 17
Image:UNFD count in Sum 41
123 Agency closes in on Gabriella Cohen…
123 Agency signed enigmatic Melbourne songstress Gabriella Cohen. Newly arrived to the scene, singles I Don’t Feel So Alive and Alien Anthem received national radio airplay while she independently dropped her debut album Full Closure And No Details in March. Between June 17 to July 1, she plays clubs in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and a slot on Dark Mofo festival in Tasmania.
…and call in From Oslo
123 also added Melbourne punk rock duo From Oslo. They are about to embark on an East Coast tour behind their new self-titled EP on the Habit label. The single No Sound got multiple spins on triple j, with Nick Findlay calling it “sing-a-long grunge punk that gets stronger after each spin.”
UNFD count in Sum 41
UNFD will release US band Sum 41’s(pictured) next album, their first in five years. It was written and produced by singer/guitarist Deryck Whibley, and continues the momentum for the band, which plays 300 shows a year and this northern summer joins Van Warped. UNFD gets the album after the band signed to Los Angeles’ based Hopeless Records.
Lloyd Spiegel creates new guitar make
After a hectic 2015 behind his award-winning Double Live Set album, blues guitarist and singer songwriter Lloyd Spiegel has unveiled his new 2016 LS signature model for Cole Clark Guitars. He’s worked with them for the past 15 years and has had a hand in every advancement in technology and design at the company in that time.
Spiegel says the guitar is made out of Australian Blackwood top, back and sides “to suit my aggressive, hard hitting style and withstand the tour schedule I keep.” About to embark on his first solo tour in seven years, audience members at each show go in a draw to win one of the guitars, retailing $3299.
HopeStreet drives in The Do Yo Thangs
Funk/soul label HopeStreet Recordings have brought in slow-jam/R&B group The Do Yo Thangs. They join Emma Donovan, The Cactus Channel and The Bombay Royale. Inspired primarily by the Stevie Wonder back catalogue, the band was the brainchild of drummer and singer Hugh Rabinovici, who has also signed a publishing deal through HopeStreet, taking advantage of its recent partnership with Native Tongue. An EP is in the pipeline.
New home for Snow Patrol’s publishing
Snow Patrol’s Polar Patrol Publishing has been bought by Spirit B-Unique UK, the British operations of USA’s Spirit Music Group. Polar Patrol’s catalogue includes songs written by Snow Patrol, Belle and Sebastian and Ed Sheeran’s co-writer Johnny McDaid. The company’s Director, Steve Farris, moves to Spirit B-Unique’s London offices to continue overseeing Polar Patrol’s catalogue and scout new signings for Spirit B-Unique.
Niche booking KLLO
Niche takes over bookings for electronica act KLLO, aka Melbourne cousins Simon Lam and Chloe Kaul. Over the last two years, their music got airplay in Australia and the UK. Current single Bolide, aired on BBC Radio 1, has amassed over one million plays on Spotify on Ghostly International (US), PIAS/Different Recordings (UK, Europe & Japan) and Good Manners Records (ROW).
Australia’s Razor cuts it up with Polydor France
Melbourne DJ and club owner Gavin Campbell’s Razor Recordings struck a licensing deal with Polydor France. It will launch Melbourne electro act Evangeline’s career abroad. Last week it released a remix by LA based William Black of her second single My Kingdom, which with 3 million streams, came to the attention of Julien Creuzard, Head of Capitol and Polydor France. Polydor is also issuing a video, produced by Evangeline and directed by Realm Choong. Evangeline, currently demoing her debut album is managed worldwide by Erin Jameson and Helen O’Malley of Jameson & Co Publicity and Management.
Nova, Qantas, partner again for Red Room Global Tour
For the third consecutive year, Nova Entertainment and airline partner Qantas will collaborate on Nova’s Red Room Global Tour. Headlined by Coldplay with supports by Tinie Tempah and Meghan Trainor, it starts June 1 with stops in Manchester, London and Sydney. Qantas will fly competition winners from around Australia to the UK.
Marquee The Star Sydney returns for a third year, as venue partner for the Sydney leg with Trainor.
Slayer on their bike
US heavy metal band Slayer will release a series of bikes and gear for BMX brand Subrosa that will be released in Australia in October as part of a global roll-out. Subrosa Brand Manager, Ryan Sher, calls it a perfect fit, saying, “We wanted to create bikes that BMX riders could use and abuse, and we had to do justice to Slayer and their fans by creating a look that would represent the band, and stand out from anything we’ve done before.”
Golden Robot expands with The Lockhearts
Golden Robot Records’ latest inking are Sydney band The Lockhearts, who’re set to start recording their debut “Americana doom fuzz” album in July. Last year they did 30 dates nationally behind acclaimed double EP Tales From The Sea.
Golden Robot, which has offices in Sydney, Los Angeles and New York says it signs acts to break them worldwide. Recently it went into partnership with Los Angeles’ New Monkey Studio to be studio of choice for their acts which include Rose Tattoo, The Superjesus, Moon, Heartache State and Toe To Toe.
UK deal for Teenage Mothers
Melbourne’s Teenage Mothers inked a deal with UK label 1234 Recordings, home to Whitey, Babyshambles and The Buzzcocks. They will release an album recorded at Birdland Studios with Jim Sclavunos, producer and drummer from The Bad Seeds, Grinderman and The Cramps. They also feature on the 1234 Festival in London in early September.
Coopers behind Ash Grunwald dates
SA brewery Coopers’ latest Coopers After Dark series will present three shows featuring Ash Grunwald & Band. These are only available to VIP ticket holders and won through the Coopers After Dark promotions with Coopers Ale on the house. They’re at The Great Northern, Byron Bay (June 29), The Tote, Melbourne (June 30) and The Gov Adelaide (July 7). More info www.coopersafterdark.com.au
Canadian residency for indigenous acts
Global indigenous acts, including those from Australia, are offered interdisciplinary residency with a music focus in October by The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. The Re(Claim) residency will “focus in which Indigenous artists ‘reclaim’ the era of silent films made about Indigenous peoples. Through live performance, music creation, composition, song, storytelling, spoken word, dance and silent film, this new program will subvert the gaze behind the camera and bring a fresh voice to an era of silence.” Deadline to apply is June 1. Full details here.
Blue Raincoat Songs partners with Rickie Lee Jones
UK-based Blue Raincoat Songs bought into Rickie Lee Jones’ catalogue. The company is the publishing arm of Jeremy Lascelles and Robin Millar’s Blue Raincoat Music, which recently signed its first act, Australian-born hit songwriter and producer Mike Chapman. The Jones deal gives a “substantial stake” in her publishing companies and includes songs as Chuck E’s In Love, On Saturday Afternoons in 1963, Weasel And The White Boys Cool and Easy Money.
Lascelles recalls, “The moment in 1979 when I saw that iconic photograph of Rickie Lee Jones in a beret, I thought this must be the coolest girl on the planet. I immediately fell in love with her music as well. She has remained stylish, sassy and wonderfully uncompromising in everything she has done since, a real artist’s artist.”
Substi-flute glass
At Keith Moon’s funeral, Roger Daltrey sent an exquisite wreath shaped in a champagne bottle going through a TV set. Years later, The Who are issuing a limited edition champagne to mark their 50th anniversary. The ’Champagne Cuvée Roger Daltrey’ hits selected markets next month for £95, with a percentage of proceeds going to Teen Cancer America, which was founded by the band.
The bubbly, is produced by Charles Orban Champagne, a family vineyard in the village of Troissy, on the left bank of the Marne. It is produced from a blend of three grape varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The bottles come with a Who bullseye and Daltrey’s signature, as do ice-bucket at £650.
Avenue sets for launch
Melbourne’s Avenue Records and Moonee Valley Youth Services come together to release the debut EPs of Camdogg, Cyanide Teeth and Old Street. The launch party sees the new signings joining established acts Storm the Sky, Trophy Eyes and Luca Brasi at the Ukrainian Hall on Saturday June 18.
Two Sydney hospitality groups merge
Hospitality groups, Bruce Solomon’s Solotel and Matt Moran’s MorSol, strengthen their 16-year business relationship by merging under the Solotel brand. It gives them 20 venues in Sydney and Brisbane, some of them music and DJ showcasing, including Opera Bar and The Sheaf.