The Monday Bulletin
Quebec’s TVA specialty network has teamed up with the provincial government to produce a Mother’s Day, May 10 TV concert special, entitled Une chance qu’on s’a, a title inspired by
By David Farrell
Quebec’s TVA specialty network has teamed up with the provincial government to produce a Mother’s Day, May 10 TV concert special, entitled Une chance qu’on s’a, a title inspired by a Jean-Pierre Ferland song. No details have yet been announced regarding who will appear on the TVA show.
– After 21 years with Distribution Select, Beggars Group (Canada) has switched to Iain Walker’s Montreal distro company F.A.B. Distribution. The deal became effective April 1 but the lockdown has meant that no LPs or CDs have shipped. F.A.B. expects to resume business May 5, according to its website.
Beggars Canada topper Robert Ansell explains that the deal technically kicked in April 1st “but with the current lockdown it’s put a spanner in the works to say the least,” adding that “we had been with Select 21 years resulting in some amazing results but we are very excited about aligning with Iain Walker who we’ve known for years.”
The first official release under the new agreement is Everything is Recorded’s Friday Forever (XL Recordings), the collaborative artist project helmed by British musician/producer and XL Recordings founder Richard Russell.
Forthcoming new releases currently scheduled include: Car Seat Headrest, Making a Door Less Open (Matador) - May 1st; Perfume Genius, Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador) - May 15; Jamie XX, IDONTKNOW (12”) (Young Turks) - May 15; Sleaford Mods, All That Glue (Rough Trade) - May 15; Muzz Muzz (Matador) _ June 5; The National, High Violet (Expanded 3LP Edition) (4AD) - June 19; Bing & Ruth, Species (4AD) - July 17; The Lemon Twigs, Songs for the General Public (4AD) - Aug. 21; Guided by Voices, Alien Lanes (25th Anniversary Edition) (Matador) - Aug. 21; Pavement, Sensitive Euro Man b/w Brink of the Clouds/Candyland” 7” single (Matador) - Aug. 21; and Jarvis Cocker, Beyond the Pale (Rough Trade) - Sept. 4.
Financial Relief
Canadian Musician has compiled a free e-book (PDF) called Pushing Through the Pandemic to help musicians navigate today’s troubles. The 12-page doc highlights sources of financial relief and resources for creators, as well as career-building tips.
– CIBC CEO Victor Dodig is reaching out to his customers in a no-nonsense message that is refreshingly free of bafflegab and impenetrable corporate cliques.
Infotainments
Steven Page releases Isolation music-video
Recorded in his New York basement shortly before the lockdown, the former BNL member whose voice can be heard on hits like One Week and Brian Wilson is self-isolating with his family and trying to get his career back on track after rehearsals for a Stratford Festival musical he co-authored were put on hold.
Hello (from the Inside) An Adele parody by Chris Mann
The LA-based American singer-songwriter has been honing his craft for 20 years and now finds himself a viral star by accident. “I feel for the first time that I’m being my true unedited self instead of trying to put out what I’m supposed to look, sound, act like as sort of a relatively known recording artist,” he tells NPR radio station WBUR. “I've been so careful this whole time trying to get people's attention. And the one time I was not careful, I got everyone’s attention.”
Broadway saluted Stephen Sondheim last night
A long list of celebrities including our own Victor Garber honoured the celebrated and prolific 90-year-old American theatrical composer and lyricist with "Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration" in a free online tribute Sunday evening.
And finally, Brad Pitt on SNL
Brad Pitt hosted the second stay-at-home edition of Saturday Night Live playing Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
