New Signings & Team-Ups: May 9

BOOK PUBLISHER BLOOMSBURY FINDS HOME AT SPOTIFY

Bloomsbury Publishing has finalised an innovative content deal to bring its 33 1/3 series of short books onto Spotify’s streaming service as spoken word and audio.

The 130-strong catalogue – which has struck a chord with musicians, fans and scholars – takes a classic album as a theme.

The popular series includes Lou Reed, James Brown, Celine Dion, Bjork, Tori Amos, Sixousie & The Banshees, Drive-By truckers, J Dilla and Merle Haggard.

Bloomsbury chief executive Nigel Newton said: “This is an exciting opportunity for our authors to reach a whole new audience.

“For 15 years the series has produced an amazing range of personal, experimental, and innovative music writing.”

For this column’s younger readers, 33 1/3 was the speed that vinyl albums played at revolutions per minute, and singles were 45 RPM.

ZAN ROWE, ICE CUBE TAKE FIVE

Double J’s Zan Rowe is taking her Take 5 segment to the stage, with Ice Cube featuring in an intimate conversation at the Sydney Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre on Monday May 28.

The US rapper will open up about his record collection and recounts his life in music, film and culture in an Australian exclusive for the Vivid LIVE festival. Go to the Double J website for ticket details.

The Take 5 segment will also be broadcast at 10am on Friday June 1, and streamed on the Take 5 podcast any time after that.

YOURS & OWL BOOKING ANU BAR

Wollongong’s very own event management company Yours & Owl have taken over the live music and entertainment booking of the Australian National University bar, Mojo Live @ ANU.

The new relationship will be christened with a huge party on May 26 with Polish Club, The Gooch Palms, Citizen Kay, Genesis Owusu, Purple Sneakers DJs, Next Gen and Cressy (Good Content).

Yours & Owl already handles the bookings for Wollongong’s equivalent, UOW Unibar.

SONY/ATV EXTENDS DEAL WITH MENDES COLLABORATOR

Sony/ATV has extended its contract with Canadian writer and musician Geoff Warburton, a primary collaborator of Shawn Mendes.

He had co-writes on the young star’s first two albums, including the chart-topping ‘There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back’ which reached #4 in Australia and certified 4 x platinum, and #1 in the US where it sold 2 million.

Warburton also co-wrote Mendes’ current single, ‘In My Blood’, which addresses Mendes’ anxiety disorder for the first time.

Warburton is based in LA and Nashville these days, collaborating with pop and country writers.

 RVG LANDS UK/EURO DEAL

Melbourne band RVG have signed with Fat Possum for their UK and European releases. Their first release in these territories is ‘A Quality Of Mercy’ on May 25 in clear vinyl format.

The deal comes as the act heads off to UK/Europe this week on their first tour.

These include 10 dates with Shame, opening for US Girls in London on May 16 and showcasing at the Great Escape in Brighton.

The European shows take in Munich, Zurich, Bologna, Barcelona, Madrid, Cologne, Brussels, Hamburg and Berlin.

DEE SNIDER AT NAPALM

Former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider is now on the Napalm Records roster, with a metal album due in late July.

MAZY BUDDY UP WITH SWEAT IT OUT

Sweat It Out’s latest signing is Sydney psychedelic-electro act Mazy, who began making waves since the independent release of their debut single ‘Heliar’ last year.

Ben Tierney (vocals), Tim Grimes (synths/keys), and Sam Clayton (bass) spent 12 months writing away in a studio above Leichhardt Bakery.

The first issue from the sessions is new single is ‘Enemies’.

The Sydney-siders have already been picked up by booking agency Niche Productions and have their debut live show booked for Saturday May 19 at 107 Projects in Redfern.

TINY MANAGEMENT SWITCHES ON TELESCREEN

Melbourne company Tiny Management has officially taken over the affairs of Melbourne pop-rock band Telescreen.

The company’s founder Kelly Miller has been helping them out in an unofficial capacity for a year.

Telescreen releases their new single ‘Crowded’ today (May 9) – their first under their new name after ditching the Lucerne Cr moniker – produced by Dean Tuza and engineered by Tony Espie.

Tiny Management also has alt-folk singer-songwriter James McGuffie on its roster.

 NSW & VIC GIVE FILM SECTORS A BOOST

Create NSW and the ABC will choose four projects to share $100,000 in funding to develop their half-hour drama series “with heart and humour”.  See the Create NSW site.

The two bodies have also joined with company Jungle Entertainment to select eight new screen projects to be developed under the banner of Cli-Fi, the emerging genre that deals with climate change and global warming.

Film Victoria also got a fresh injection of $8.4 million in the state’s budget for film and TV productions.

 MARSHALL RECORDS FINALISES GLOBAL DEAL

Marshall Records, the offshoot of the company which makes Marshall amps, signed a deal with Eleven Seven Label Group for global distribution.

Eleven Seven Label Group is the global home for Mötley Crüe, Papa Roach, Nothing More, Bad Wolves, Just Loud, The Dirty Heads, Bleeker and Diamante, as well as Five Finger Death Punch outside of the US.

TWO DEALS FOR HIP HOP ACT SOLILOQUY

Melbourne based hip hop act Soliloquy, who made his live debut a the age of 13 with NY rapper Pharoahe Monch, has come a long way since the release of his debut EP in mid-2011.

He’s just signed management with Sensible Antixx and bookings with PS Music Group, as he preps the release of his album Spell On Me.

 AMERICAN IDOL EXTENDED

The rebooted American Idol franchise has been renewed for a second season on America’s ABC channel.

Despite early apprehensions, the show delivered strong numbers in the right demographics for advertisers.

Still, it’s a pricey show, what with wages for host Ryan Seacrest at US$25 million and judges upwards of $10 million each.

NEW SPONSOR FOR RECLINK COMMUNITY CUP

The Reclink Community Cup will return to Melbourne on Sunday June 24 at Victoria Park, Collingwood – and this year the event has scored new sponsor, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

The foundation says it likes the Cup’s message of encouraging people to participate in community activities, enjoy them for the inclusion and experiences they offer, and demonstrate to kids that sport and betting do not have to go together.

From its inception in 1993, the Melbourne event now rallies more than 10,000 followers who collectively raise over $200,000 every year for the cause.

NOOSA RADIO OFFERS TRAINING COURSE

Community station Noosa FM starts its next presenter training course on Wednesday May 23, conducted by the ever-effervescent Francesca de Marco (aka Gypsy).

Full details at the station’s website.

CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR KIDS

ABC Classic FM and ABC KIDS listen have launched a new podcast Classic Kids, for pre-schoolers to learn about the beauty of classical music.

With two distinct seasons – Sounds Like Australia and Music For The Dreaming – the podcast focuses on Australian-made music performed by Ensemble Offspring, and gives kids an opportunity to learn about instrument sounds, develop their musical vocabulary, and explore the importance of listening.

VIRTUAL REALITY STARTUP LAUNCHES APP

Virtual reality music platform MelodyVR has raised a further US$30 million (bringing the total to $70 million) to start expanding globally.

It also launched an app (only in the US and UK at this stage), through Oculus Go and Samsung GearVR devices, offering music fans a selection of immersive performances from major stars to buy as one-off purchases.

The footage comes from stadium shows, festivals and exclusive VIP sessions.

MelodyVR will eventually live stream concerts via virtual reality and offer virtual tickets to sold-out shows.

DRAHLA FOR REMOTE CONTROL

Remote Control will release UK post-punk outfit Drahla in this country through a deal it has with Captured Tracks.

These include two 7” singles and the 2017 Third Article EP from the outfit which formed in late 2015 in Yorkshire.