News:
· Puff 'n' Stuff
Everything that's happening in Adelaide this fortnight.
· Industry
The latest from the music industry.
· Puffio
Theatre news.
· Dance
Dance and electronica news.
· Metal
Updates from the wide world of metal.
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Industry.
Parisi, Varasso, Leaving FMR
Festival Mushroom Records was rocked by the departures of two major executives. Managing director Michael Parisi is returning to Warner Music after seven years, to become director of A&R in January. Frank Varasso, its general manager of promotions for the past six years, becomes director of national promotions and publicity at Sony BMG in October and remains in Melbourne. FMR had earlier lost its chairman Roger Grierson, and its NZ managing director Mark Ashbridge who joined Warner Oz as its director of marketing.
Speculation in the music industry last week - and we stress it is just that - was that News Corp will finally get rid of FMR. It's been on the market for some time and Warner and Sony BMG both passed on it, mainly because News wanted $20 million. An exec close to negotiations estimated that labels were only prepared to pay one quarter of that, considering that FMR seldom makes a profit and has 3% to 5% of the market.
A number of other executives tell us they are keen to snap it up at a lower price. A prevalent rumour is that Michael Gudinski, who founded Mushroom and sold it to Rupert Murdoch in 1998, would buy it. Gudinski says that he's busy with his other label Liberation but he would be interested in buying the Mushroom name back. "I guess I'm still emotional about giving up the name," he admits.
A way for News to recoup is to downsize FMR as per early Aussie indies like MCA and Virgin (that is, from 90 staffers to 15) and license its content to a major. Warner is an obvious, as it already has FMR's sales and distribution (not to mention its executives!).
Caldas Steps Down As Shock's CEO
Charles Caldas has stepped down after six years as CEO of Shock
Entertainment Group. He joined 15 years ago and was instrumental
in Shock being a major force in the growth of the Australian
indie sector, and of its role as major exporter. "I've decided
that it's time to smell the roses for a little while," he says,
wanting to spend more time with his family, follow his love
for photography and take guitar lessons. Caldas recently recovered
from a serious spinal infection. He and his family will holiday
through Europe for the next month. He might retain an ongoing
strategic role with Shock in the future. Shock Entertainment
will appoint a managing director for Shock Records/DVD shortly.
When The Levee Breaks
The Neville Brothers, Fats Domino and producer Allen Toussaint were saved from the floods of New Orleans but they lost their houses, as did Master P, Juvenile and Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner. Alex Chilton and soulster Irma Thomas (Time Is On My Side) are missing. It's possibly the end of the New Orleans music scene: none of its music clubs were insured and are unlikely to get back on their feet.
MIPI Raid
Members of the Music Industry Piracy Investigation unit (MIPI)
and Victorian Police last week raided two record stores - one
in St. Kilda and one in the city - both of which operate under
the same name. About $20,000 worth of allegedly bootlegged records
were seized. Police are investigating, and no arrests have been
made.
Big Day's Break?
Whether there is a Big Day Out 2006 depend on whether it gets permission this week to use Optus Oval as its Melbourne venue. BDO's traditional home down south, the Showground, is going through renovations. Olympic Park, Melbourne Park, Albert Park and Flemington Racecourse, which are capable of holding seven stages and 40,000 people, are being used for Commonwealth Games practises. Co-promoter Ken West told the 'Melbourne Age' no venue means no Melbourne - and no Big Day Out tour. As it is headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers bowed out after their album was delayed until March.
Global Battle
The Global Battle of the Bands hits Adelaide shortly. The winner
will be flown to London to compete with 23 other world finalists,
while global victor gets a cold hard $US100,000 cash and a world
tour. If you're an original Adelaide band and serious about
your future, be at the Governor Hindmarsh on Sat 24 Sept for
the State final. To register, go to www.gbob.com. More details,
call 0439 811 260.
Deadline For Arts SA Funding
Professional practitioners, groups and organisations can apply for assistance for projects undertaken between January 2006 and July 2007 in the following categories: Emerging and established artists: artists' grants, professional attachments, established artists' fellowships for major projects, International: presentation and marketing, artists in residence, festivals, events and commissions, and cultural facilities and equipment. Applications close 5.00pm Fri 9 Sept. Application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from www.arts.sa.gov.au under Support and Funding. To have information mailed to you contact: Arts SA at 110 Hindley Street Adelaide,South Australia, 5000 or GPO Box 2308, Adelaide, SA 5001, phone 08 8463 5444 or email artssa@saugov.sa.gov.au. And for those of you thinking about applying for funding for demos, CDs, CD marketing and distribution, touring and mentoring: stiff luck, deadline was last Friday.
SA Funding Down
South Australia is one of the lowest funding per capita on arts
and culture, according to the Bureau of Statistics. It spent
just $181 million, or $118.38 a person, in 2003/04. That is
less than all the other states except Tasmania.
SA's Staen 1 Defends Title
DJ Staen 1, winner for the past three years of the DMC Australian finals, is off to Melbourne this weekend to defend his title. 24 DJs around the country are grasping for the mantle, 23 of them guys, the sole female DJ D from Sydney. Also heading over to compete from SA are Kansel, Snair and reigning SA champion Sumone.
Adelaide Radio Talk
Nova Adelaide celebrated its first birthday at Intensity in
Norwood. The whole crew (except for Hayden Else who was on air
at the time) threw themselves into pinball duels. Station manager
Paul Bartlett was unbeatable. The only staffer who could have
whopped his ass was Ryan Fitzgerald who, alas, was in the dentist's
chair. Karen Prater, assistant music director at MIX 102.3 will
also be heard every morning in Melbourne on sister station MIX
101.1.
Bands, Biz, Join To Support The Palace, Palais
Melbourne acts and biz members have pledged support to save the Palace and the Palais in St. Kilda. Plans have begun for a rally concert, to draw up to 10,000. The government is redeveloping the "St Kilda" beachside triangle where both venues are. The Palais will be retained because it is heritage listed but not the Palace, one of the city's best known live music venues. The Palais and the Palace put in their own bids, as did 15 others. Last week, the government announced three consortiums were on the short list, to be announced mid-2006. The Palais and the Palace's designs were not among them. The Palace is planning legal action. Meantime, the state government wants to take the Palais lessee to court because she refuses to let its designers and constructors into the venue to check it out!
Nevin Exits Mushroom Publ.
Bree Nevin has moved on from her post as Licensing Manager (Advertising
& Corporate) at Mushroom Music Publishing. She can now be reached
at contact@breenevin.com or via phone 0402 488 899.
Lifelines
Dating: according to UK mags, Kaz James of Aussie band Bodyrockers and Brit actress Keira Knightley.
Married: Jools Holland to his partner of 15 years Christabel (they have a teen daughter).
Recovering: Gay Gregson, functions coordinator at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, from major surgery and receiving chemotherapy.
Injured: Dillinger Escape Plan cancel live shows after guitarist Ben Weinman severely re-injured his arm.
Suing: Kanye West wants $300,000 damages from a Chicago DJ trying to release nine tracks that West made as a teenager in 1995.
In Court: the RIAA took action against 754 more people alleged to use illegal file sharing software (bringing the grand total to 14,000).
In Court: a finance company wants to foreclose on Courtney Love's $2.4 million New York loft for non-repayment of loan.
Investigating: a Federal Court is looking into the disappearance of $1.25 million in songwriting royalties from the Songwriters Guild of America, allegedly by its royalty manager and her family members.
Died: Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, guitarist with Canadian thrash metallists Voivod, 45, after a battle with colon cancer.
Died: US bluesman RL Burnside, 78, who enjoyed a renaissance after being on the "Deep Blues" documentary.
Earthcore Lodges Appeal
Organisers of music festival Earthcore have lodged an appeal
with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in an attempt
to keep the outdoor gig at Undera on its scheduled November
date. The Greater Shepparton City Council nixed a planning permit
after the local hospital said it could not cope with Earthcore
and the annual Spring Car Nationals on the same weekend. The
appeal will be heard on 16 Sept. Unconfirmed press reports suggest
organisers are looking at Mt Disappointment near Broadford as
an alternate site.
Double Whammy For Eminem
Eminem wasn't on his bus during the Anger Management tour when it crashed in Mississippi and hospitalised seven people, including Em's DJ Alchemist and protege Stat Quo. But Em is getting sued by a truck driver and his wife who say the bus hit them. Meantime, his uncle and aunt, Jack and Betty Schmitt, say he's trying to evict them from the house they say he built for them. They want the house and $350,000.
Vreman On Long Service
Mishell Vreman, National Promotions and Publicity Manager at
Shock is on long service leave until 9 Jan. Her duties will
be handled by Fiona Opai on 03 9014 0269 or on fiona_opai@shock.com.au
and George Hatzigeorgiou on 03 9014 0283 and george_h@shock.com.au
Chaosmusic Being Sold
Online retailer ChaosMusic is being sold, reports the Australian Financial Review. It is being bought by Mariner Brand Capital which invests in consumer companies, helps run them for four or five years and then puts them on the block. MBC is run by Bill Ireland, formerly of financial services company Challenger International. The sale, for $5.5 million, is due to go through in a couple of months.
Mobile Phones With Itunes
The new Motorola mobile phone creating a lot of excitement -
it comes equipped with Apple's iTunes software - is expected
to be released in this country at the end of October.
Canadian Music Week Submissions
Canadian Music Week, held in Toronto 1 to 4 March, gets you to 2,000 execs. Showcase application forms are at http://www.cmw.net/festivalmain.htm, there is an entry fee.
Jazz Awards Finalists Announced
The ten finalists of the National Jazz Awards have been announced.
Only one is from Adelaide - Jo Lawry, 26, who is currently based
in the USA. The awards will be held during the TAC Wangaratta
Festival Of Jazz Oct 28 to 31.
Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am
Hottest topic of conversation around the Sydney traps last week was a war of words and a punch up between two female record company execs at the Judgement Bar in Darlinghurst. Over a guy.
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