Music Biz Headlines, April 25, 2018

By Kerry Doole

As vinyl surges, a boutique pressing plant helps smaller indies get an in

“The availability of pressing plants for these small bands, for whom it’s critical, was next to none,” plant owner Kelleher says. Gold Rush uses Canadian-made presses – Chris Morris, Variety

Madonna loses legal fight to stop the sale of hair, underwear and Tupac breakup letter

A judge overturned the singer’s injunction against the sale of her items, citing misdirection – Laura Snapes, The Guardian

Exploring new areas of music with Slow Leaves

Four years ago Grant Davidson decided he needed a change, a fresh start to his music career. That received a major boost via the Allan Slaight Juno Master Class  – Josh Aldrich,  Camrose Canadian

Shania Twain on abuse, betrayal and finding her voice: ‘I wanted a break – but not for 15 years’

She recorded the bestselling album ever made by a woman but later disappeared from the limelight. As she begins her first album tour since 2002, she talks about the violent childhood and devastating divorce that make her pop’s great survivor – Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian

Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr on their iconic hit, David Bowie and touring Canada

The Scottish band has released its first studio album in four years, Walk Between Worlds, and just announced four Canadian fall dates including Sept. 30 at Toronto’s Sony Centre – Jane Stevenson, Toronto Sun

Kontravoid's Undone resonates beyond the dance floor

The long-awaited follow-up to Cameron Findlay's 2012 debut, the new EP pushes the Toronto electronic musician deeper into darkness – Michelle de Silva, NOW

Girl Talk! How queer pop came out

It has been 10 years since Katy Perry released I Kissed a Girl, a global hit that fetishised lesbians. Now with mainstream stars from St Vincent and Princess Nokia to Halsey and Marika Hackman singing about their myriad sexual identities, it’s time to put sapphic stereotypes to bed –  Amelia Abraham, The Guardian

Guitar Center faces imminent bankruptcy after 59 years in business

As guitar sales plummet, some of the biggest guitar brands and retailers are facing bankruptcy. The latest is Guitar Center, which narrowly averted default and just got downgraded by S&P  –Paul Resnikoff, Digital Music News

Fusion maestro Harry Manx brings multi-talents to live stage

“M” is for mysticssippi. And mohan veena. And Manx. That would be Harry Manx, inventor of folk-blues-Hindustani fusion. He performs Thursday, April 26 at the Broadway Theatre – Saskatoon Star-Phoenix 

Camila Cabello forges her path at The Riviera

From pacing to choreography, friendly banter to her of-the-moment material, her polished set scarcely missed the mark during her first headlining solo appearance in Chicago – Chicago Tribune

What's In Your Fridge: Adrian Glynn

What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz Ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6 cubic-foot refrigerators. Today it is The Fugitives' frontman's turn – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Tronical to sue Gibson for $50 million

The company behind guitar auto-tuning systems, marketed as G-Force, is taking legal action claiming the guitar giant breached a contract – Michael Astley-Brown, MusicRadar

Canadian singer Billy Raffoul on recording with electronic dance producer Avicii

A week before they met early last year, Raffoul began writing guitar riffs to impress the electronic producer. He gathered his favourite instruments to bring along as a sign that he wasn't taking this opportunity for granted - Canadian Press

5 things to know about Delta Jackson's debut EP

The artist hails from Vancouver, but recorded her album at Peter Gabriel’s famed RealWorld Studios in Bath, England, in September 2017 - Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Sun