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Industry News
Tour Rumours
Look out for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eric Clapton visits to be announced any day now, both for January.
Venue owners are offered tours by two ex-Pink Floyd members, David Gilmour and Roger Waters. The market won't handle two tours covering the same songs, so a decision has to be made which one.
The Who told the BBC that they'll end their world tour in Oz, at a festival, presumably the bluesfest in Byron Bay? Christina Aguilera's world tour brings her here in autumn, as will Elton John's. Prince is rumoured negotiating for a quick run.
Nouvelle Vague, the groovy French act which puts a lounge-bossa nova feel on British new wave songs, will be here in February, their leader Marc Collen told this column. The act has just released its second album 'Bande A Part' through Filter Music.
Foo Fighters' drummer Taylor Hawkins plans to show off his side project The Coat Tail Riders to Oz crowds this year.
Rick Springfield announced on Seven Network's 'Where Are They Now?' that he expects to tour here in November - his first solo tour since he departed Zoot in the early '70s and headed to Los Angeles.
Expect world music phenomenon Celtic Woman to be here in May. The all girl ensemble are huge in America and Europe with Irish songs, both traditional (Danny Boy) and new (Enya's Orinoco Flow, Clannad's Harry's Game). Their album's just been released here through EMI, and their DVD went gold in a week. SBS TV is airing a Celtic Women special on 23rd September.
NZ acts the Black Seeds, Phoenix Foundation and Ladi6 will return by the end of the year, says their local label Loop Australia.
EMI Additions
Rachel Guy has joined EMI Music Australia as Capitol Radio and TV Manager, based in Sydney. She was previously at The Music Network. Marianna Annas is now Head Of Business Affairs replacing Deborah Gervay, Garth Isaac is Head of Strategy & Business Development, Jake Denny is Digital manager, and Tom Inglis moves to Mobile Manager from being Promotions manager for specialist media.
In The Name Of Tax...
Changes in Ireland's tax law has seen U2 shift some of its multimillion publishing business U2 Ltd to the Dutch finance house used by the Rolling Stones because royalties are almost tax free in Holland.
Myspace.Com Aussie Site
Myspace.com launched an Australian site this week, following the UK as the second localised branch outside America. To celebrate, the site hosted a Jet show in Melbourne on Monday. Over 1 million Australians have subscribed to the site, says CEO and co-founder Chris DeWolfe. Rebekah Horne, the company's first Australian hire, will oversee local marketing and content in Australia and New Zealand.
SA Finalists For Radio Awards
South Australia was well represented when finalists for the remaining six categories of the Australian Commercial Radio Awards were announced. The Awards include 29 categories, which cover all areas including news, talk, sport, music and entertainment.
Jacqui Kassulke of Nova 91.9 is up for Best Music Director, Matthew Pantelis of FiveAA for the Brian White Memorial Award, Paul Rogers of SA FM for Best Salesperson, and the sales team of 5RM and Magic 93.1 Riverland for Best Station Sales Achievement.
In the Most Popular Station Manager, David Bye of 5MR and Magic 93.1 Berri, Steve Rowe of Mix 102.3 / Cruise 1323 Adelaide and Paul Bartlett of FiveAA are against eight others nationally.
BHP Billiton Fund
BHP Billiton has committed $1 million over four years to South Australia's youth arts. Its new BHP Billiton Youth Arts Fund will be administered by the SA Youth Arts Board. The funds are earmarked for the Artists In Schools which sets up arts programs in schools for 3,000 students; Playfull - Live Performance In School which attracts art forms including circus, dance, multi-arts, music, puppetry and theatre to schools; the Come Out festival which is aimed at the 3 to 18 age group (and now has its first sponsorship in its 30 year history); the Odeon Theatre which is the only performing arts venue in SA to cater for a young crowd; and the annual Whyalla's own youth arts company, D'Faces of Youth Arts workshop. The BHP Billiton Youth Arts Fund has identified areas like Roxby Downs and the Upper Spencer Gulf Region (Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla) as its priority areas.
Things We Hear
* Which major US concert promoter is sniffing around these parts looking to buy an Australian promoter?
* Has Ten Network picked up SonyBMG's reality series 'Girlband'?
* How will Aussie musicians on tour be affected by the Australian Government's plans to also banning carry-ons in plane cabins?
* Will the Australian Business Arts Foundation and the Australia Council eventually merge?
*Will Ian "Dicko" Dickson judge Seven's 'Australia's Got Talent' show, to launch later this year?
* Of the $110 million Kazaa paid to global music and movie movies, how much is going to Australian record companies? Nothing is going to songwriters and artists yet, though.
* Will Human Nature get an o/s deal with Virgin Records? Richard Branson saw them play in Sydney and made the right clucking noises.
* Hilltop Hoods reveal they thought their new album would debut in the ARIA chart in the Top 50 - not come in at #1.
* Are we seeing a new trend? The drop in ratings by music stations at last week's ratings results, especially in Sydney, could mean that more "kids" are tuning to MP3s and podcasting.
Registration Opens For SxSW
Registration has opened for South by Southwest (March 14-18), with 400 attendees from Australia and NZ tipped to attend. Ten Oz acts already applied to showcase, with 30 more to be chosen. Early bird rate of US$425 (A$550) ends Sept 29. Go http://2007.sxsw.com/register_to_attend/ for details & online regos. To showcase, apply with CDs and press package. It's US$20 (A$26) to apply, go to , deadline is October 27. A 20 minute video presentation by Austrade from 2006's SxSW is online at and an audio podcast of the Melbourne roadshow meeting will be available shortly.
Hilton In Spring?
Paris Hilton here in spring to peddle her album? Warner Music Australia took half a dozen media types on a junket to Los Angeles to get pearls of wisdom from the gal herself. It didn't get off to a good start. First interviewer was Molly Meldrum, who walked in clutching a tabloid magazine. La Hilton freaked and cancelled the rest of the interviews shrieking "no personal questions". She and Molly were duly calmed down and things plodded on.
Modular Widens Roster
Modular, home of Wolfmother, has been signing up o/s acts - LA's The Soft Lightes, London based New Young Pony Club, East London's Klaxons, and Death From Above 1979's Jesse Keeler's new band MSTRKRFT (pronounced Master-Craft).
Fall Tassie's Good Works
Falls Festival in Tasmania this week announced it had distributed $13,170 to projects for the local community. Copping Hall, near the Tasmanian festival site of Marion Bay, was given $7,496 to upgrade its kitchen and buy stackable chairs. Dunalley Neighbourhood House got $3,480 to hold four concerts at Copping Hall. Bream Creek Hall was given $2194 as part payment for its move to possum proof its ceiling.
Universal Vs Abba Fan Site
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Music Industry Piracy Investigation unit sent a cease and desist letter on behalf of Abba's label Universal Music to an Australian Abba fan site Abbamail.com for selling lo-fi "unauthorised" CDs and DVDs of radio and TV performances. These include an Australian radio interview from 1979.
ABC Music Changes
Libby Bain is exiting ABC Music after 13 years (her last post was marketing manager for the country division), while Lee Holmes, marketing manager for ABC Kids shifts to the ABC merchandising arm.
Fowler Leaves SonyBMG
Megan Fowler exited as a national publicity manager at SonyBMG Music Entertainment Australia to began at Network Ten as Publicity Team Leader, Light Entertainment. Her new contact email is mfowler@networkten.com.au. NSW Promotions Manager Jemma Gorman took over her role, and is at Jemma.gorman@sonybmg.com
World's Loudest Drummer
Col Hatchman, of the Screaming Jets and Dirty Skanks, has entered the Guinness book of records as the loudest drummer in the world. He was measured at the Northern Star Hotel in Newcastle on Fri 4August. He beat the old record set in 2003 by Frenchman Jrme Dehdin who reached 109.1 dB, by being measured at 137.2 decibels. This is equivalent to a propeller plane taking off!
Working For The Weekend
Scott Dooley, a floater around triple j, has bagged his own show, 'Weekend Breakfast' launched on the weekend, broadcasting 6-10am on Saturdays and Sundays. Also back on the weekend are Zan Rowe for 'Weekend Lunch' 10am-2pm, with music news and gossip, and Gabby Brown on Saturday afternoons from 2-5pm.
Lifelines:
Engaged: Former Culture Shock singer Lorena Novoa and Mario Paolucci, Managing Director of BlowMusic.
Engaged: Kanye West and girlfriend Alexis. They dated until 2004 and then split, during which he was linked with MTV's Brook Crittenden, American Idol's Fantasia Barrino and Pamela Anderson.
Split: Sydney clubland boss Justin Hemmes and chiropractor fiancee Simone Bosman after eight years.
Divorcing: former Blink-182 drummer and ex-Miss USA Shanna Moakler, after 22 months.
Hospitalised: Barry Manilow needs hip surgery.
Injured: Sydney jazz saxplayer Mark Ginsburg of Mosaic broke his finger and arm in an accident in his Porsche.
In Court: former Panic!At The Disco bassist Brent Wilson is suing them alleging unpaid royalties.
Arrested: Former Huey Lewis & The News bassist Mario Cipollina for heroin and speed possession. Unfortunately, he was already on parole for burglary, so he might get four years in jail.
Arrested: Michael Scott Axley, 24, and charged with murder. Atlanta police say he punched Andrew Richardson after an argument in the moshpit at a Korn show.
Fined: Malaysian promoter of the Pussycat Dolls for their skimpy costumes and sexual suggestive routines.
Sued: 'American Idol's Clay Aiken by ex-neighbour Jeannie Holleman for "sabotaging her unauthorised book on him 'Out Of The Blue'.
Suing: California punk band Supernova, which has been around for 17 years and released four albums, against the Rock Star TV show.
Died: Dorothy Greene, the first woman to record for the Blue Note jazz label, in her mid-80s.
Died: legendary Cuban conga player Miguel 'Ang' Diaz, 45, known for his inventive five conga patterns, at his home in Barcelona.
Voting Starts For Deadlys
Voting has begun for the annual Deadly Awards, which celebrates indigenous and Torres Strait Islander achievers in music, sports, film, the arts, literature, health, education and broadcasting. Deadline is 15 Sept. It is held on Thurs 21 Sept at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. See www.deadlys.vibe.com.au
Glenn Shorrock Scholarship
Applications for the 2007 Glenn Shorrock Music Scholarship are open to vocalist/musician/songwriters aged 15-25 years who have trained in Australia for at least 3 years. Entries close on the 1st of March 2007. See www.glennshorrock.com.au for details.
Row Over Awards Changes
Members of the country music industry have sent a petition to the board of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) after it made changes to its Golden Guitar Awards. The top selling album and single awards have been dropped, and non-Australian writers are now eligible to win Song of the Year. It was coordinated by singer Deniese Morrison who called the changes "a poor decision".
Henley At Stomp
Angela Henley this week takes over as Promotions & Publicity Coordinator for Stomp Entertainment from Christine Kakaire. She is at (03) 9412 3583 and angela.henley@stomp.com.au
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