New Signings & Team-Ups: October 18

MAX SETS DATES FOR OILS’ ‘REEF’ SHOW BROADCAST

Foxtel’s Max channel will premiere Oils At The Reef on Saturday, November 11 at midday and then at 5 pm.

Encore screenings of the concert will also air on Sunday November 12 at 10.00 am, 3 pm and 8 pm

The show was recorded earlier this month at Cairns’ Tank Arts Centre to raise awareness of the current state of the Great Barrier Reef.

All proceeds went to Great Barrier Reef Legacy and the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

Peter Garrett told the audience: “We want to explain to people that there are strong scientific, economic, moral and environmental reasons why Australia should put protecting the Great Barrier Reef (first).

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the planet and not opening any more massive, giant coal mines is the most important thing that we can do.”

The 90-minute broadcast includes hits as ‘Blue Sky Mine’ and ‘US Forces’ as well as the lesser known ‘Surfin’ With A Spoon’ and ‘Koala Sprint’ which the Oils dropped into the set to fit in with the spirit of the show.

Fraser Stark, Group Channel Manager of Foxtel’s Arts & Music channels, said: “It was a privilege to be part of the audience when Midnight Oil performed their unique and intimate gig, Oils At The Reef’.

“The room was full with very appreciative fans, and MAX was there to capture it all.”

In the meantime, due to significant rainfall over the weekend and the forecast of more we weather, the Oils’ Coffs Harbour show tomorrow (Thursday October 19) has been moved from the Hockey Fields to the nearby C.ex Coffs International Stadium forecourt.

SONY/ATV LANDS FIRST FEMALE RAPPER IN ALMOST 20 YEARS WITH CARDI B

Sony/ATV finalised a worldwide deal with the hottest new US songwriter and rapper at the moment – New York’s Cardi B. whose debut single’ Bodak Yellow’ has just spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

She’s the first female rapper since Lauryn Hill nearly two decades ago to top the Hot 100 with a recording not featuring any other billed acts.

Sony/ATV Senior Director, A&R, Jennifer Drake, said: “Cardi B is honest, real and refreshing and has the confidence to say exactly what she is thinking and feeling. It’s tangible and you can connect to that.”

GOOD BOY GO FISHING WITH BARELY DRESSED

Brisbane punk band Good Boy are now with Barely Dressed Records, which is distributed through Remote Control Records.

They’ve dropped a video for the track ’Fishing With A Shotgun’, from the November 10-due EP Shirk Life.

The video, 3-D animation and created by SPOD, while the track was produced by Tim Fitz (Middle Kids), and mixed and mastered by Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring / Total Control).

The song, explains singer Rian King, “is a dig at the disgusting, spineless leaders that run our country, the dismal state of Australian politics and the gutless idiots too dumb and stupid to say or do anything.

“It talks about the helplessness felt by thousands of young Aussies.”

Good Boy hit the road for six national club dates December 8-22.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH DROP THE CLINCHES

Las Vegas band Five Finger Death Punch has settled its 18-month legal dispute with label Prospect Park, Variety reported.

Prospect Park sued in April 2016, over the fact that FFDP started work on a new album when the contract called for them not to begin recording it until nine months after the release of their Got Your Six (September 2015).

It claimed FFDP were heading to release a “rushed… mediocre studio album” and that the band had also refused to hand over two new tracks for inclusion on a planned Greatest Hits set. These were being held over for their first record with a new label.

However, Variety says, a new settlement means that Prospect Park will release the Greatest Hits (with two new tracks) in December, with a new album out next year.

A few months ago, guitarist Jason Hook told SpazioRock that the 2018 album is finished and “Everybody that’s heard the record so far thinks it’s our best record.

“I’m super excited about it. I thought we fucking knocked it out of the park. There’s some really cool, different things on there that are slightly different for us”

MONDO ROCK CATALOGUE MOVES TO MUSHROOM GROUP’S BLOODLINES

Mondo Rock’s entire back catalogue has moved to Mushroom Group’s new Bloodlines label.

All six albums will be re-released digitally remastered for the first time.

They are 1981’s Chemistry (#2 chart debut), 1982’s Nuovo Mondo (#7 debut), 1984’s The Modern Bop (#5 debut) as well as Boom Baby Boom (1986) and Why Fight It? (1990).

Also coming is a 30-track 2-CD Complete Anthology with a 10,000-word essay on their career and previously unpublished photos.

Additionally, the classic Chemistry lineup – Ross Wilson, Eric McCusker, James Black and Paul Christie – hit the road in June 2018 covering Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. For more details visit the official website.

According to Bloodlines, the Mondos “had more hit singles in the ’80s than Cold Chisel, Australian Crawl and Men At Work!” These included ‘State of the Heart’, ‘Chemistry’, ’Come Said The Boy’, ‘Cool World’, ‘Summer of ‘81’ and ‘No Time’.

Warren Costello, Director and co-founder of Bloodlines said, “Bloodlines is about embracing Australia’s incredible music pedigree and honouring the best in Australian music.

“We feel these attributes are synonymous with Mondo Rock and we’re thrilled to be involved in the next step in their remarkable career.”

Added Ross Wilson, “Mushroom was the one label we weren’t signed to during the Mondo Rock years.

“But it’s the perfect home for Mondo Rock. They are passionate music people, and our connection to the Mushroom Group goes back to the start of the band as Frank Stivala at Premier Artists booked the very first Mondo Rock gig way back in 1976.”

NATIVE TONGUE ADDS PHRASED DIFFERENTLY

Native Tongue struck a sub-publishing agreement with UK publisher Phrased Differently for Australia and New Zealand.

Since being set up in 2006, the London-based company has managed over 1,500 song placements.

These include over 60 No. 1’s, 250 top 10 records, 50 platinum records and 60 gold records around the world coming from a roster of 17 writers, including 8 artists signed to major labels.

Artists it’s placed songs with include Kygo, Ariana Grande, Calvin Harris, Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus, Britney, David Guetta, Avicii, Craig David, Robin Schulz, Tiesto, Little Mix, Olly Murs, Backstreet Boys, Kiiara and Galantis.

BMG SIGNS GAVIN ROSSDALE, BUSH

BMG has signed a global publishing deal with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale and a new recording agreement with the British band.

One of the most commercially successful rock bands in the ‘90s, selling 10 million records in the U.S., six million of these for debut album Sixteen Stone.

BMG will re-release with digital mastering Bush’s Black and White Rainbows, their third album since their reunion in 2011, and issued in March this year via their own Zuma Rock Records.

POISON CITY OPENS DOOR TO MOD CON

Melbourne-based MOD CON – the new collaborative project of Erica Dunn, Sara Retallick and Raquel Solier – are now with Poison City Records.

They share debut single ‘Do It Right Margo’ off a limited split 7-inch with Fair Maiden, out digitally October 27 and physically November 10.

Dunn explains the song which unveils a new sound: “it contemplates the many hoops we have to jump through to ’fit in’.

“I worked for years with newly arrived refugees, and this is a response to the lengths i observed them going to try and get their heads around what ’being normal’ in Australia was.”

The three MOD CON(s) previously played in alt-country Palm Springs. That now continues as a solo project for Dunn.

MOD CON and Fair Maiden launch the new split 7-inch at The Tote, Melbourne on November 10.

RVG LANDS EUROPEAN BOOKING AGENT

Following their showcase at BIGSOUND, Melbourne band RVG have been signed to UK & European booking agent Isla Angus from ATC Live.

Meantime, their self-released debut album A Quality Of Mercy will be re-released on Friday October 20 via Melbourne collective Our Golden Friend / Island Records.

There’s a re-release launch show at Howler in Melbourne on the same day, followed by one at Sydney’s Oxford Art Gallery on November 2.

PLANET/ MGM LAUNCHING LAILA BIALI

Planet/ MGM are prepping an early 2018 Australian launch for Canadian jazz-pop singer, songwriter and pianist Laila Biali’s self titled debut album. It features an all-star cast including a number of Snarky Puppy members.

Already a big name in North America, Bial is high priority for German label ACT, which has a distribution deal with Planet. Downbeat magazine voted Biali in the “album of the year” category.

CAROLINE AUSTRALIA MOVES LIZA ANNE

Caroline Australia’s latest addition is 23-year-old Nashville-based pop grunge/ confessional artist, Liza Anne, through a deal with Arts & Crafts.

Her new single ‘Paranoia’, out now, is followed in March by the Fine But Dying album. Her first, the self-released TWO from 2015, was in the acoustic realm and generated 20 million worldwide streams.

LATIN SUPERSTAR JUANES AT WARNER CHAPPELL

Warner/Chappell pacted a worldwide deal with one of Latin music’s biggest superstars, Juanes. He’s got the heat in Latin music territories— his latest album Mis Planes son Amarte, was #1 in 14 countries – but his J third album, Mi Sangre, sold 8 million in the US and broke through Europe.

COMMERCIAL RADIO EXTENDS GFK DEAL

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) extended its audience measurement contract with international research company GfK by a further five years.

The deal includes a new multi-million-dollar Measurement Innovation Program (MIP) to explore the potential for a hybrid future for radio measurement over the next three years including mobile devices and possibly streaming– a global first for GfK.

GIRLS ROCK CAMP HEADS TO NZ

A New Zealand version of the internationally renowned Girls Rock Camp (there are 60 of them, including in Australia) makes its debut January 15—19.

A team up by APRA, Recorded Music New Zealand, the NZ Music Commission and MAINZ will see 40 campers between the ages of 12-17 using music to build confidence, empowerment and foster social change by learning instruments, uptick skills at workshops and write original tunes to perform at the end of the week.

ANDY AND HAMISH SHOW EYES GLOBAL MARKET

International TV distribution company Warner Bros and Radio Karate are pitching True Story with Hamish & Andy format at the annual MIPCOM conference in Cannes (October 16-19) to be localised with stories from different markets.

TEG LIVE APPOINTS MEDIA AGENCY

After handling its media directly, entertainment, sports and lifestyle events company TEG Live appointed Zenith Sydney to take over those duties for its concert tours, exhibitions and “life like” tours.

FOOTSTOMP MUSIC GOES SURFING…SURFING USA

Brisbane based Footstomp Music reports that its relationship with the World Surf League is turning into a “fruitful” one.

Earlier this month it represented up and coming acts Luke Yeoward, The Settlement and Shag Rock. Over as they showcased at the music/tech MONDO music conference in New York City.

After a successful week of gigs and meetings in NYC Footstomp was given the opportunity to hold a music event at the World Surf League HQ in Santa Monica.

Harrison Storm, Shag Rock and Luke Yeoward all took to the stage playing songs to an intimate live audience. These were broadcast live on the WSL Facebook page to its 6.4 million followers, generating 32,000 views, over 550 likes and 130 comments in the first 48 hours with the surfing community.

JIM WHITE’S THE DOUBLE AT KASUMUEN

Dirty Three drummer/percussionist Jim White’s new meditate/ dance orientated project The Double with Emmett Kelly (Cairo Gang/Ty Segall) releases its full unedited debut album in Australia through Kasumuen Records.

The US-based band is currently in Australia on a brief visit, tonight (Wednesday October 18) at the Melbourne Recital Centre opening for Lambchop with headline shows at the Tote (20) and Sydney’s Lansdowne (28).

When the record was released on vinyl in the USA by In The Red, a review in the LA Times asked, “Could The Double’s epic (45-minute +) new Dawn of the Double spawn a dance craze?”

MOSHTIX EXPANDS TO TURF CLUB

Independent ticketing company Moshtix’s latest client is The Australian Turf Club. The partnership began last weekend at the $10 million inaugural horse race, The TAB Everest at one of the ATC’s venues, the Royal Randwick.

INERTIA DISTRIBUTING SON LUX

Inertia has the Australian distribution for Son Lux’s fifth album Brighter Wounds (out February 9) through the New York outfit’s recent signing with City Slang.

Formed in 2008 by Los Angeles composer Ryan Lott, Brighter Wounds is a shift from 2015’s Bones, his lyrics more personal reflecting the birth of his son and the death of a close friend to cancer.