Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 11, 2019
Dubmatique (pictured) makes Quebec hip-hop history, David Foster gets candid, and advice from Terry McBride. Also in the headlines are The Weeknd, MattyFest, Jason Cloth, Jonathan Batiste, Nicki Minaj, Steve Hackett, Liz Phair, DJ Muggs, Tyler, The Creator, Billie Eilish, Robert Plant, and Helen Reddy.
By FYI Staff
Dubmatique: Making history
The hip-hop combo Dubmatique is known for popularizing the genre in Québec in the latter part of the ’90s. This month, their hit Soul pleureur will become the very first hip-hop song to become a SOCAN Classic in Québec. – Eric Parazelli, Words and Music/SOCAN
David Foster gets candid about his long list of failures & the artists he can't produce
"My goal when I go in the studio with a singer is I believe in my head that I'm going to get a better vocal out of this singer than he or she has ever done before or ever will do again," says producer/songwriter David Foster in the new documentary, David Foster: Off The Record, directed by fellow Canadian Barry Avrich. – Karen Bliss, Billboard
Major music CEO warns Aussie acts of Triple J hype
“You are better not to get added to triple j… [It] will kill your career internationally.” It was the key takeaway from Nettwerk head Terry McBride’s keynote speech at BIGSOUND 2019, his first industry presentation in ten years (he claimed he stopped delivering talks after his last one angered so many people). –Lauren Baxter, Mick Radojkovic, The Musc News
MattyFest attendees furious after Toronto chef's festival runs out of food
Matty Matheson managed to bring Wu-Tang Clan, The Descendents, Gogol Bordello and Danny Brown, among other iconic artists, to RBC Echo Beach on Saturday for thousands of people to enjoy at Mattyfest. Unfortunately for those who came to eat — and, let's be real, this event was promoted as a food festival just as much as it was a music festival — his vendors didn't bring enough grub. – BlogTO
Showpass completes Equity raise following record H1 & Token Mobile Solutions acquisition
Calgary's homegrown event ticketing company is positioned to scale rapidly after an eventful first half of 2019. Showpass achieved a remarkable 83 percent year-over-year revenue growth, expanded its successful partnerships with tech giants Facebook and Square, acquired Token Mobile Solutions Inc., and recently completed an equity raise. CNW
Toronto 2019: Renee Zellweger gets standing ovation for Judy Garland role
A new film based on the life of Judy Garland has been warmly welcomed at the Toronto Film Festival. Renee Zellweger plays the titular role in Judy, which is released in the UK next month. – Steven McIntosh, BBC
How The Weeknd came to play himself in the Safdie Brothers’ berserk ‘Uncut Gems’
The Adam Sandler crime drama, a hit in Telluride and Toronto, has "real cinephile" the Weeknd singing — and fighting — in "punk"-ier 2012. –Chris Willman, Variety
Toronto-based financier for Joker has made movies into ultimate yield play
Jason Cloth manages risk in his film-financing business just like he did as an investment banker, scrutinizing deals with one big question in mind: “How do I not get screwed?” That means staying focused on business and not getting bedazzled by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood." – Natalie Wong Bloomberg
International
Paid streaming music subscriptions in US top 60M, says RIAA
Streaming music subscriptions continue to drive the U.S. music industry’s growth and revenues, according to a new report from the (RIAA) released this week. The organization said total music revenue grew 18% to $5.4 billion in the first half of 2019, with streaming music accounting for 80% of industry revenues. The report also noted the number of paid subscriptions topped 60 million in the U.S. for the first time. Sarah Perez, Tek Crunch
John Batiste: So much more than Steven Colbert’s music director
Louisiana native Jonathan Batiste is a Grammy-nominated musician, TV personality, and bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Though just 33 years old, he has released 11 albums and Eps (including his just-released “Anatomy of Angels: Live at the Village Vanguard”) and has recorded and performed with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, Ed Sheeran and Mavis Staples. – Margie Goldsmith, Forbes
Venice Film Review: ‘Roger Waters Us + Them’
Roger Waters may be “running over the same old ground” in his latest concert film, but the new material shows Pink Floyd’s ageless war dog is always up for a new fight. – Mark Keizer, Variety
Music history says Nicki Minaj is lying, not retiring
Musicians say lots of things that should not be taken seriously. Remember when Keith Richards said he didn’t have a drug problem? The biggest lie of all is, “I’m retiring.” On Thursday, Nicki Minaj fans convulsed to a backbeat of confusion when the rapper said that was a wrap. – Vinay Menon, Toronto Star
Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett talks ‘Selling England by the Pound’ tour
“Genesis is a very competitive band, and there’s still that tension when we get in the same room,” Hackett says. “But at the end of the day, I honour the music politics-free.” – Andy Greene, Rolling Stone
In Conversation: Liz Phair
On being misunderstood, working with Ryan Adams, and the dawn of Girlville.– Rob Tannenbaum, Vulture
Long before cannabis went commercial, DJ Muggs was on the frontlines preaching the green gospel
Having spent most of his life in the often unscrupulous industry known as the music business, DJ Muggs is quick to note he has a finely tuned bullshit detector. This served him well when he branched out from the job that made him famous. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
How Jack White reactivated his other band — with a new album and a show in Toronto on Thursday
Jack White and Brendan Benson apologize for not having a really good yarn to explain the Raconteurs’ sudden return to active duty this year. There was no magical, catalytic moment that inspired the Detroit-bred four-piece to reunite in early 2019 after 11 years of silence, just a series of “baby steps.” – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
Review: Tyler, The Creator goes high concept on his Igor tour
The California rapper donned alter-ego regalia to perform his most mature, choreographed and biggest Toronto concert to date at Scotiabank Arena. – Kevin Ritchie, NOW
On Our Radar: Billie Eilish flexes her powerful black wings in the highly symbolic video for "all the good girls go to hell"
More so than most of her fellow multimillionaires, Billie Eilish seems to actually give a shit about the future of the planet. The 17-year-old multi-platinum wunderkind tied the release of her new video into both the UN’s 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York City and the upcoming Global #ClimateStrike, spearheaded by like-minded teen activist Greta Thunberg. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
I Am Woman' star Tilda Cobham-Hervey says Helen Reddy's anthem 'will always be relevant to women'
The Helen Reddy biopic premiered this week at Toronto International Film Festival. – Karen Bliss, Billboard
Robert Plant allows Indie film ‘The Friend’ to use Led Zeppelin songs
“Ramble On” and “Going to California” would have cost a third of drama’s budget, but singer cuts filmmakers a deal. – Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone
Mick Jagger lashes Trump for wiping out environmental protections
“The U.S., which should be the world leader in environmental control, has lost that and has decided to go the other way,” said the Rolling Stones singer.– Mary Papenfuss, HuffPost US
Sinead O'Connor apologizes for racist remarks about white people
Sinead O’Connor retracts race comments she made following her conversion to Islam last year. Returning to Twitter on Sunday, the 52-year-old Nothing Compares 2 U singer raved about her new faith but confessed she went too far with her conversion message, telling fans she was “angry and unwell” when she made the “racist” remarks. – WENN
The Waterboys review – breathless, hair-prickling Big Music
Pan-Celtic post-punk returns with a dash of tambourines and a swirl of mysticism as Mike Scott leads his genre-hopping crew. – Malcolm Jack, Guardian
