Music Biz Headlines, Oct. 12, 2018

By Kerry Doole

A day in the life of Jessie Reyez, Toronto's next big pop star

From Kensington Market to the 905, the breakout singer/songwriter shows us the spots that keep her grounded. – Samantha Edwards, NOW

Dear Rouge’s new chapter 

The Vancouver pop duo brings its new album *Phases* to town on a wave of buzz and activity. – Brandon Young, The Coast

Provincial favourite Amy Nelson gives The Last Saskatchewan Pirate a new sound

Since starting her project of redoing the hit song The Last Saskatchewan Pirate, Amy Nelson has received an outpouring of support from the province and other musicians.  – Matt Olson, Star-Phoenix

Review: Better off dead? In Dreams brings 'holographic' Roy Orbison back to the stage

In Roy Orbison: In Dreams, a hologram show which is neither a hologram nor in any meaningful physical way Roy Orbison, things get all tricky anyway. And this hiccup comes despite the fact the singer is, in no particularly dramatic way, long dead. – Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

What is the Halluci Nation?

Bear Witness is curating this year's X Avant festival, expanding the powerful and inclusive concept established on A Tribe Called Red's last album. – Tom Beedham, NOW

Gord Downie’s brothers deal with grief as they unveil documentary about his final year

Gord Downie seems to be at the table with us. I can see him in the eyes of his brothers, Patrick and Mike. I can hear his voice, his dream of reconciliation, when they explain the work on Indigenous issues that consumed his final months, work they’ve vowed to continue. – Vinay Menon, Toronto Star

That Alberta sound: Wide Cut Weekend brings Alberta music to the forefront

Now entering its fourth year, Wide Cut is a music festival focused primarily on roots, folk, blues and country. The unique aspect of Wide Cut, what makes it so different from other festivals in Calgary, is it’s devotion to Alberta and its artists. – Ein News

CD release party set for Jay Aymar in The Soo

Now based in Toronto, the acclaimed roots troubadour has a hometown gig to launch his new album. – CTV News

Cat Power on motherhood and moving on

Thirty minutes stolen backstage with Chan Marshall before a gig isn’t even remotely enough time to properly get a grip on Chan Marshall as a human being, but it is enough to see that she’s got a better grip on what she does as Cat Power than she has in years. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

Leonard Cohen wrote a poem called “Kanye West Is Not Picasso”

The poem is included in Cohen's new posthumous collection, The Flame  – Alex Young, Consequence of Sound

Azealia Banks learns the hard way that the last thing you wanna do is tangle with a dead-inside Lana Del Rey

Banks' online feud with our favourite despondent goddess Lana Del Rey has proven the Internet’s most one-sided battle of late. It recently peaked with Del Rey suggesting that Banks pop by her house for a good old-fashioned no-holds-barred ass-kicking. At which point Banks wisely chose to shut the f*** up. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

International

President Trump signs Music Modernization Act into law

With Kid Rock and Sam Moore are among the witnesses, but prez pal Kanye is a no-show. – Ed Christman, Billboard

Hollywood's Top 10 music business managers 2018

Handling everything from tour budgets to streaming royalties, these money men and women advise the A-list artists in the music business. – The Hollywood Reporter

Industry figures warn of 'serious' problems facing UK live music scene

Experts warn Britain could lose its reputation for music if nothing is done to support the industry. – Roisin O'Connor, The Independent

The Palomino, L.A. country music venue that hosted  Patsy Cline and Gram Parsons, re-opens for one night

Nearly 300 people were more than happy to fork over up to $200 for a ticket to a one-time-only concert event Monday on the site of the Palomino, North Hollywood’s storied country-music club, which closed its doors in May 1995. It was an opportunity unlikely to roll by again. – Chris Morris, Variety

Music's mystery mogul: Len Blavatnik, Trump and their Russian friends

The Ukraine-born billionaire owner of Warner Music is not only a backer of films who has looked at buying a Hollywood studio, he’s also reportedly on the fringe of the Mueller probe thanks to generous GOP giving and links to oligarchs with ties to Putin. –  Kim Masters, Hollywood Reporter

The American Music Awards plays like an exercise in not trying very hard

Taylor Swift began this most inconsequential of awards shows with an assured but un-thrilling rendition of “I Did Something Bad” — a carefully choreographed routine that likely felt familiar to anyone who caught Swift on her recent world tour, back when she famously kept mum on matters of politics. – Mikael Wood, LA Times

The Internet’s keepers? “Some call us hoarders—I like to say we’re archivists”

“I’ve got government video of how to wash your hands or prep for nuclear war,” says Mark Graham, director of the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive. –  Nathan Mattise, arstechnica

Talent and Touring

Alessia Cara talks Jingle Ball tour, upcoming album, and addressing her 'Insecurities' on new song 'Trust My Lonely'

What do you do after a year of dominating the charts with hit singles and snagging the Grammy for best new artist? If you're Alessia Cara, you keep going. –  Nicole Engelman, Billboard

Lindsey Buckingham sues Fleetwood Mac over dismissal from band

The musician alleges breach of fiduciary duty, breach of oral contract and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.   – Andy Greene, Rolling Stone

'I believed love could cure cancer': how grief sent Steve Perry on a new Journe

The man behind Don’t Stop Believin’ had abandoned music – until he fell in love with a dying woman, who made him promise to return to performing. – Michael Hann, The Guardian

Cardi B, Post Malone won't compete for Best New Artist at Grammys

Cardi B was not eligible because of her previous nominations. Malone lost in a vote by music industry players — ranging from executives to producers to publicists — and will not compete for the coveted honour. – AP

BTS review – warmth and wonder from world's biggest boyband

Despite Jungkook’s heel injury, the Korean septet creates a powerful communion with devoted fans at their UK debut. – Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian