New Signings & Team-Ups May 24
Photo: Morgan Evans withWarner Music Nashville Chairman/CEO John Esposito
NATIVE TONGUE PAIRS WITH NT SONG OF YEAR
Independent music publisher Native Tongue is partnering with MusicNT’s NT Song of the Year competition. One entrant will be offeredan all-expenses-paid trip to their annual songwriters’ camp.
The Native Tongue songwriting camp brings together leading songwriters to help them develop their songwriting skills and learn more about production, co-writing and the development of writing networks.
The package includes flights, accommodation, transfers to and from The Grove Studios on the NSW Central Coast, food, drinks and of course the Writers Camp with mentoring from songwriters and producers.
Mark Smith, Executive Director of MusicNT, calling the prize “an invaluable experience to be able to give to an NT songwriter.”, has pushed back the competition’s deadline to June 2 in case the idea of the camp attracted others/
US DEAL FOR MORGAN EVANS
Newcastle country music singer Morgan Evans hassigned his first US deal, with Warner Music Nashville.
He has been with Warner Music Australia since 2012, released an album two years later yielded three country music hits and in 2015, got the Country Music Association’s Global Artist Award.
Evans, who is engaged to US country singer Kelsea Ballerini, is currently in the studio with songwriter and producer Chris DeStefano.
BMG RUNS AWAY WITH DEAD LETTER CIRCUS
BMG have signed to a global publishing deal with Brisbane rock band Dead Letter Circus. Their debut album This Is The Warning went gold, while follow-ups The Catalyst Fire and Aesthesis both debuted at #2 on the ARIA album charts.
BMG Australia Managing Director Heath Johns said, “Dead Letter Circus are one of the best and hardest working rock bands in Australia.
“Their enduring success and consistently sold out live shows are the direct result of their talent and work ethic.
“BMG is truly excited to be working with DLC and I’m sure we will do great things together”.
To celebrate 10 years since the release of their debut self-titled EP, DLC recently released The Endless Mile, an album dedicated to re-imagining their back catalogue with alternate versions of the EP’s six songs plus more from their three studio albums.
They are working on new music for release later in 2017.
NICHE ADDS 30/70 TO ARTIST ROSTER
Niche Entertainment added Melbourne collective 30/70 to its agency roster. The neo-soul and jazz-funk act is basically a five piece but swells to an 11-piece when the music calls for it.
They worked with Paul Bender of Hiatus Kaiyote and Jamil Zacharia to produce upcoming album Elevate for release on Rhythm Section International.
TASMANIA AT BIG SOUND
For the first time, Music Tasmania is showcasing at BIGSOUND in Brisbane in September. It’s choosing three Tassie acts to showcase, with the help of Arts Tasmania and APRA AMCOS. Applications close June 1.
Judges include QMusic CEO Joel Edmondson, Ryan Limb & Jesse Higgs who founded Tasmanian festival Party In The Paddock, Listen Records’ Chloe Turner, APRA AMCOS’ Chris O’Neill, Danae Effern of Melbourne publicity and management agency Little Giant, Hobart lifestyle developer Duckpond and Music Tasmania CEO Laura Harper.
JACKSON ESTATE SAYS NO DEAL
Michael Jackson estate has released a statement denying it has approved two projects that have made the headlines, and implied legal action could not be far behind for using his image and music without permission.
One is Lifetime TV’s movie Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland, whose trailer is already been screened in the US. It is based on the 2014 book Remember The Time: Protecting Michael Jackson In His Final Days written by two of his bodyguards, and stars Jackson impersonator Navi in the lead.
The other is a stop-animation movie about Jackson from the perspective of his pet monkey Bubbles. Netflix has apparently paid $20 million to the script and is to be directed by Taika Waititi, who helmed the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok,
The estate indicated it has a number of unannounced Jackson projects in development.
BLUNDSTONE WALK UP TO MOFO
As part of a major brand refresh, Aussie footwear manufacturer Blundstone will provide Tasmania’s Dark Mofo with its Dark Boots model as the festival’s official footwear.
WA BREWER KEEPS ACTS ON ROAD
After providing Fremantle group Koi Child $2500 to help them get to SxSW in Texas this year, Freo’s Otherside Brewing Co has come up with grants to help local players under a scheme called Tapped By Otherside.
The Australian Touring Grant is worth $5,000 and the International Development Grant is worth $2,500. In the first year it’s confined to WA acts but will go national next year. Application deadline is June 16, at tappedbyotherside.com.
Otherwise was set up in late 2015 by promoter Sunset Events.
REGURGITATOR REVIVES UNIT AT GAMES EXPO
Australian video games retailer EB Games is celebrating its 20th year by teaming with Regurgitator, who are this year marking the 20th year of the release of their ground-breaking, triple Platinum, multi-ARIA-winning album Unit.
The EB Expo 2017 will include a music event called Unit20. Held on Friday October 6 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, the Gurge will be accompanied byArt vs. Science, along with Bitpop gamers 7Bit Hero.
The expo will have 200sqm of visual effects combining the latest 4K projection technology, LED screen and state-of-the-art 3D effects.
WARNER MUSIC POP UP WITH LAURA MARANO
A record deal with Warner Music is part of Laura Marano’s move to shift from Disney actress (Disney channel’s Austin & Ally, and weekly show on Disney Radio) to pop music. She’s with Warner Bros Records now, with new music due this year.
Last year, her single Boombox,through Big Machine, received over 45 million views on YouTube.
IN WATER’S WAKE
Byron Bay hardcore outfit In Hearts Wake plan to clean up the country’s waterways. It is as part of their new We Are Waterborne initiative in conjunction with marine health charity Tangaroa Blue.
They’re urging fans to join them from 1 pm at St Kilda Beach (26 May, the release day of their new album Ark), Bondi Beach (27 May), Captain Burke Park in Kangaroo Point (28 May) and Main Beach (1 June).
ONYA SOAPBOX ADDS THREE
Onya Soapbox is now representing, in its music roster, Eurovision alumIsaiah Firebrace, UK’s blues act Z-Star Delta who’re touring Australia for three months in autumn, and Trinidad/UK Fimber Bravo.
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