New Signings & Team-Ups: August 10
CHASE & STATUS GO DOWNTOWN
Downtown has signed a worldwide deal with English multi-platinum EDM act Chase & Status, composed of Saul Milton (Chase) and Will Kennard (Status), two Londoners who met while studying in Manchester.
The act toured Australia for Future Music.
The deal includes their upcoming Return 2 Jungle and all songs they write for other artists.
They have collaborated with the likes of Plan B, Cee Lo Green, Rihanna, Example Dave Ball and Tinie Tempah. They run the independent record label MTA Records.
Milton and Kennard have a long time relationship with Downtown’s head of A&R in the UK, Daniel Lloyd Jones.
Jones says, “I’ve know Saul and Will for over a decade and worked closely with them on their past releases.
“They are diamonds in the rough. Signing them is adding to the exceptional people that we are blessed to be surrounded by at Downtown.
“Will and Saul are not only talented writer/producers, they are fine music industry execs and entrepreneurs.”
Downtown set up operations in Australia and in May signed Stella Donnelly as its first local acquisition.
STEPHEN CUMMINGS AT BLOODLINES FOR FINAL ALBUM
Stephen Cummings has returned to Mushroom Group where his international career with Sports began.
The group’s Bloodlines imprint is re-releasing his solo albums including vinyl reissues, while a 2-CD career retrospective is also in the pipeline.
Bloodlines will also release new album Prisoner of Love in February 2019 – which he says will be his last.
Mushroom’s Michael Gudinski also managed Sports for a time – and says, “I gave up management for 10 years because of Stephen Cummings. He was traumatic to manage. But he’s great now and in a much better space.”
Cummins recalled in his 2009 memoir, Will It Be Funny Tomorrow, Billy? “Even if Gudinski was an offensive and abusive bear of a man, at least he went to gigs and liked music.”
Cummings is on a national tour October 4—26.
HANDSOME TOURS HELP GANG OF YOUTH LAUNCH OWN FESTIVAL
Handsome Tours are helping Gang of Youths become the latest Aussie band to curate their own festival.
A More Perfect Union is held on Saturday, November 24, and has hand-picked, in alphabetical order, Charlie Collins, Jack River, Luca Brasi and Thelma Plum.
Gang Of Youths have partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket purchased will be donated to support Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS).
ALS is an organization working with Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people, to provide culturally appropriate legal services, influence positive change, and increase access to justice.
NICKI MINAJ GETS ON BEATS 1 SHOW
Nicki Minaj premiered her Apple Music Beats 1 radio show overnight.
It’s called Queen Radio after her upcoming Queen album and included a live Q&A with listeners and discussing her album.
LUCA BRASI + ALICE IVY = BFFS
A cancelled flight and a Falls Festival set time swap has led to Alice Ivy remixing recent Luca Brasi single Clothes I Slept In as the two acts recount their festival meet cute.
“Alice Ivy swapped spots with us and when we got to the site she gave us a bottle of Moet and we hung out and drank together,” said lead singer Tyler Richardson.
“We made a sick and extremely talented new friend, got to party and play a show. The result of all this is that she also did a sick remix of one of our songs.”
Clothes I Slept In appears on the band’s recently released fourth record, Stay.
HOT TO ROT JOIN HYSTERICAL RECORDS
HoT To RoT, the latest addition to Hysterical Records, have dropped new single Oxytocin, building on the disco-garage vibe of first single Kindred.
The track is off their self-titled EP, due out August 17, and recorded during a three-day heatwave at a friend’s studio.
The live launch is in September at a secret location with Mares, Deader and Hon3ymoon.
COOKING VINYL AUSTRALIA BRINGS IN BOYDOS
Cooking Vinyl Australia signed Sydney-based Boydos and released debut single Plans from his upcoming debut album.
Growing up in the Blue Mountains, Boydos aka Eddie Boyd spent his youth busking, before studying classical guitar and touring the world as guitarist for Julia Jacklin.
NASHVILLE HITMAKER GETS UMPG DEAL
Nashville songwriter Natalie Hemby who’s written for the A-list – Kelly Clarkson, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Chris Isaak, Blake Shelton, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack – is now with the Universal Music Publishing Group roster.
ABC RADIO RUNS NSW DROUGHT APPEAL TODAY
ABC Radio has responded to listeners asking how they can help drought-hit NSW farmers by devoting today (Friday) to shifting programs to discussing the serious issue and asking listeners to support charities via a link on abc.net.au/drought or by calling 1800 RED CROSS.
Today’s initiative is a collaboration between ABC Radio Sydney, Canberra, local stations across NSW and ABC NEWS.
Country Hour replaces Conversations with Richard Fidler from 11.00am to midday.
Simon Marnie will take over the 12.30pm to 2.00pm, slot, normally occupied by Myf Warhurst.
James Valentine’s afternoon show becomes a radiothon.
Evenings presenter Chris Bath will host a 90-minute drought appeal.
Richard Glover will devote Thanks God It’s Friday to the issue, with music by Diesel.
FCAC TO PRODUCE DUE WEST ARTS
Maribyrnong City Council in Melbourne announced that Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) will produce the 2019 Due West Arts Festival.
It will celebrate the unique pop culture emerging from the west, via local artists, organisations and venues across multi-disciplinary art forms over ten days in November.
NICHE TAKES IN CXLOE
Niche Talent Agency’s latest client is Sydney alt-pop act CXLOE, repped by Matt Thomson.
She has been travelling between Sydney and LA building up her career after signing with Mushroom Publishing.
NEW NIGHT FOR BEACH RD. HOTEL
Sydney’s Beach Road Hotel launches a new club, Friday Night Live, curated with youth agency, Only Everything, to bring back Bondi’s golden era.
The night covers live bands, electronic acts, singers and percussionists
BIGSOUND TRIPLE J WINNERS
Chorus queen Austen and 2018 Billy Thorpe Scholarship finalist Keelan Mak are this year’s triple j Unearthed BIGSOUND competition winners, and play the Unearthed stage at the Famous nightclub.
FINALISTS FOR CORNER HOTEL
One of Melbourne’s best live music venues, the Corner Hotel, unveiled the long list of its Corner Awards.
Alice Skye
Amyl & The Sniffers
Baker Boy
Cati Baker
CC:Disco
Civic
Didirri
Divide & Dissolve
Evelyn Ida Morris
Fraser A Gorman
G Flip
Haiku Hands
Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda
Hatchie
Hexdebt
Jess Locke
Jesswar
Kaiit
Kardajala Kirridarra
Laura Jean
Mallrat
Midlife
Miss Blanks
Mod Con
Native Cats
No Mono
Odette
Skegss
Thando
Time For Dreams
Wilaris. K
Winner gets a headline show at The Corner, as well as $2000 cash, limited edition 7” pressings, artwork, advertising and merch packages.
JUSTICE GETS VR TREATMENT
As part of its launch of the new album by French production duo Justice, Caroline Australia is throwing a listening party which provides a VR experience to play Chorus, the original interactive video game set to the pulsating Justice track of the same name.
STA TRAVEL TRIES MUSIC LINK
STA Travel is trialling new technology in conjunction with Brand USA and British band Skinny Living.
It’s a first of its kind interactive music video, that features travel tidbits and information regarding the areas that the music video shows!
Seeing a trend in the ability for consumers to ‘try before they buy’ a holiday destination, STA Travel and Brand USA has created this virtual tour of Hawaii, Texas and Louisiana.
The interactive music video, dubbed Rhythm in the Streets, allows potential travellers to look into the location by clicking on the indicated buttons that pop up while you’re watching the video clip.
STA Travel has also launched a consumer competition to coincide with a $5,000 prize in the way of a trip for two to Hawaii.