Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 13, 2021
Oscar Peterson (pictured) and Triumph have docs at TIFF, the era of virtual concerts is here, and word of a Geddy and Ed collaboration. Also in the headlines are Amazing Grave, Kobalt, Apple Music, Pavement, Lindsey Buckingham, Emmylou Harris, The Black Crowes, CMAs, Matthew Fowler, Kacey Musgraves, Rick James, and Gerry Rafferty.
By Kerry Doole
Behind the Scenes as the Canadian music industry copes with an unprecedented crisis
We spoke with five prominent people in different segments of the Canadian music industry – an artist and advocate, a manager, an agent, an association head, and a label executive – to get a behind-the-scenes snapshot of the crisis. – Michael Raine, Canadian Musician
Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson has teamed up with Geddy Lee for a "super-secret" project
If we had a million dollars, we wouldn't have seen this collaboration coming. – Jackson Maxwell, Guitar World
From a documentary premiering at TIFF to other posthumous honours, Oscar Peterson is having a moment
Oscar Peterson: Black + White made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12. In the new documentary , the late jazz pianist comments on the significance of his Companion of the Order of Canada honour in 1984, saying that the country he lived in recognized, “to some degree,” what he was trying to do. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
Original-Cin Interview: Rik Emmett on being the 'Yoko' in the Triumph TIFF film
Guitarist Rik Emmett admits some fans of the Canadian power trio Triumph didn’t take it well when he quit the band in 1988 after 13 years and about a million road miles. “There was some of that, ‘Hey Rik is Triumph’s Yoko Ono!’” Emmett says with a laugh during a Zoom interview promoting the Toronto International Film Festival premiere. – Jim Slotek, Original-Cin
On Our Radar: Amazing Grave makes an unrelentingly evil debut with "Dog Chained to Dog"
Even if you don’t know the name Amazing Grave, the names of its two members are familiar ones—and not just to those who clean up in the Canadian Indie Rock Royalty category during Jeopardy!. The group features members of Limblifter and Fake Shark. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
Toronto Market Preview: Demand is high but films are scarce due to Covid and pre-fest sales
TIFF 2021: ”There is more demand for content then there has ever been,“ one sales agent tells us. Demand for films and the race for content among streamers and traditional film distributors is as high as ever as the industry looks forward to returning in person for TIFF. But if buyers line up itching to make deals, are there enough movies to go around? – Beatrice Verhoeven & Brian Welk, The Wrap
Toronto, fall fests and awards campaigners adapt to the new normal of Covid
There’s never been as much uncertainty around film festivals’ impact on the awards season. With Toronto, Telluride, Venice, New York and other key fests opening amid an overcrowded field of films postponed from 2020, the acclaim, buzz and distinction festivals bestow on award contenders is more important than ever. Yet the surging Delta variant now threatens to derail premieres, star appearances, in-person screenings and the press, the public’s and Oscar voters’ willingness to attend them. – Variety
We’re about to enter a new era of virtual concerts. And it is going to get very, very weird.
Since Fred’ Astaire's vacuum boogie and Tupac’s Coachella set, many other dead celebrities have been reanimated. – Alan Cross, Global News
International
After selling AWAL, Kobalt pays $89M to buy back equity from shareholders
There is a lot riding on the sale of AWAL – and not just for buyer Sony Music Entertainment (SME). MBW has learned that Kobalt Music Group, which sold AWAL to SME in a $430M deal in May, has since agreed to buy back a chunk of equity in its company from shareholders, for the cumulative price of nearly $90 million. – Tim Ingham, MBW
Apple Music officially launches DJ mix technology to ID (and pay) rights holders
Apple Music has quietly built up a substantial collection of DJ mixes from electronic, dance, and hip-hop heavyweights thanks to a new tool that allows rights holders and DJs to get paid for their work.”– Micah Singleton, Billboard
Lindsey Buckingham angrily details Fleetwood Mac firing, Stevie Nicks and Irving Azoff blast him back
Lindsey Buckingham has reopened the wound of his 2018 firing from Fleetwood Mac, placing the blame on former bandmate Stevie Nicks and manager Irving Azoff for his departure — who both responded with fierce rebuttals. – Ellise Shafer, Variety
Pavement announce 2022 reunion tour of Europe
They’ll head across the Atlantic for a run that begins in the United Kingdom next October. – Allison Hussey, Pitchfork
Emmylou Harris reflects on the dawn of The Nash Ramblers
The revered singer discusses Ramble in Music City, the newly unearthed recording of her acoustic band’s 1990 live debut.– Geoffrey Himes, Nashville Scene
The Black Crowes to perform ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ in Las Vegas
The Southern rock hitmakers will perform their debut album ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ at two shows in Las Vegas in November. –Noise11
Chris Stapleton, Eric Church share top CMA nominations
Country stars Chris Stapleton and Eric Church will go toe-to-toe with each other at this year’s Country Music Association Awards, with both vying in the same five categories, including entertainer of the year. – Kristin M. Hall, AP
Public demand sky-high for Covid news in New Zealand
Another year, another Level 4 lockdown and another surge in audiences for news outlets - with many seeing demand for news on Covid-19 grow exponentially at times over the past three weeks. – Newsroom
Review: Matthew Fowler brings acoustic elegance to debut
The bright promise of singer-songwriter Matthew Fowler’s label debut lies in its acoustic elegance. His new album, “The Grief We Gave Our Mother,“ combines clean, crisp guitar playing with Fowler’s warm, wistful tenor and tight background harmonies to deliver well-crafted songs that change speeds and create moods with the sure-footedness of a more seasoned artist. – Scott Stroud, CP
Review: Kacey Musgraves breaks down marriage breakup
Kacey Musgraves breaks down the breakdown of her marriage on “star-crossed,” her follow-up to 2018’s Grammy winning album of the year “Golden Hour.” Musgraves delivers the story in roughly three acts of tightly woven pop/country songs: the optimism of falling in love, the sadness of drifting apart and everything that comes from the realization there is no going back. – Scott Bauer, CP
Rick James and Neil Young’s band: The sad story of the Mynah Birds
The Rick James documentary Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, briefly touches on James’ stint in a band with Neil Young called The Mynah Birds — one of those rock collaborations that sounds too weird to be true. – Tim Molloy, MovieMaker
Wide range of artists breather new life into Woody Guthrie’s ‘Dust Bowl Ballads’
In 1940, Woody Guthrie released what would be the most successful album of his career, the legendary Dust Bowl Ballads. Though he was just 28 years old, his songwriting and storytelling gifts were already well developed on his commercial debut. – Chuck Armstrong, No Depression
Gerry Rafferty: Bipolar alcoholic, industry misfit – and one of Britain’s most treasured musicians
Ten years after his death, a new record adds to the treasured artist’s legacy. Paul Sexton speaks to Rafferty’s daughter Martha about putting together one final round of superior song craft. – The Independent
