Music Biz Headlines, Aug. 2, 2019

By Kerry Doole

How did hip hop producer Murda Beatz connect with Migos, Cardi B and Drake? Lots and lots of networking

Raw talent is one thing, but how does a budding producer from the Canadian border town of Fort Erie become a top dog in hip hop and work with the likes of Migos, Cardi B, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Chance the Rapper and 2Chainz? – Nick Krewen, Toronto Star

Edmonton Folk Music Festival performers talk about songs they wish they’d written

In recognition of what amounts to an all-star songsmith convention, we asked some of the festival’s performers to talk about the songs they wish they had written. Mary Gauther singles out Fred Eaglesmith. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Def Leppard remains the Rock of Ages in a packed and roaring Rogers Place

As we twist our frantic jetboats through another foaming archipelago of summer festivals with dozens of acts each, a concert like Monday night’s Def Leppard experience feels so exceptionally crisp and focused. – Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

Neil Young postpones Crazy Horse tour to work on 15 new film projects, promises a return to the road in 2020

Fans looking forward to seeing Neil Young reunite onstage with his longtime backing band Crazy Horse will have to keep waiting, as he has postponed his upcoming tour in order to complete work on more than a dozen different film projects. – Brent Furdyk, ET Canada

Graham Rockingham: Catch these music acts during the Festival of Friends

Fast Romantics, the Trews, Ben & Noel Haggard, Tanya Tucker and Loverboy are must-sees this weekend at the free Hamilton fest.  – Hamilton Spectator

On Our Radar: Little Destroyer leaves us wondering where the Pabst Blue Ribbon-powered party is at in video for "21"

Here's the weird thing about partying: it's the most fun thing in the world until it isn't.  In the video for "21", the members of Vancouver electropop trio Little Destroyer leaves things more or less up to the viewer to decide how they feel about things. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Seven things to do in Metro Vancouver, Aug. 2-8: Vancouver Pride Parade, Pride at the VAG, and more

The annual Vancouver Pride Parade and Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson lead off this week's events. – Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Sun

International

Elton John celebrates 29 years of sobriety in touching post: 'I was a broken man'

“My sobriety has brought me everything that I could possibly wish for,” Elton John previously said. – Dave Quinn, People

Woodstock 50, the obituary: RIP after a Fyre-y death

Woodstock 50 passed away yesterday at the age of 7 months, following a brave and very, very long battle with cancel. The canceled gathering was preceded in death by Curveball, the three-day Phish festival that was canceled by the authorities in Watkins Glen in 2018 on similar grounds, and by Fyre Fest, although Woodstock 50’s parents refused to acknowledge any family resemblance. –  Chris Willman, Variety

Netflix and YouTube could be forced to produce more Australian content

Government may impose local content rules on streaming companies following ACCC’s digital platforms report. – Josh Taylor, The Guardian

As ASAP Rocky stands trial, his famous supporters could be hurting his case

The assault trial of ASAP Rocky is slated to reconvene in Sweden today, with both prosecution and defense set to interrogate the rapper as well as witnesses to a videotaped street fight that happened at the end of June. – Christie D'Zurilla,  LA Times

Quentin Tarantino is as proud of his soundtracks as he is of his films

While Tarantino might be best known for his filmography, his discography is crafted with equal intention and precision. He’s a music fan, and it shows. – Anna Bullbrook , Discogs

Lady Gaga’s man, Dan Horton, is helping her make brand-new music

Brace yourselves, Little Monsters—LG6 is coming. Lady Gaga and her new man, audio engineer Dan Horton, have been dating for a while, it seems. This is brand-new information. During their partnership, Dan has been helping Gaga with some new music. – Starr Bowenbank, Cosmopolitan

Petula Clark: ‘Elvis angled for a threesome – he was raring to go’

The King fancied Petula and Karen Carpenter, two queens of pop, but didn't get his wish. –  Elle Hunt,  The Guardian

Sleater-Kinney: ‘Music has always been the playground of men’s sexuality’

The feminist punks’ new album, produced by St Vincent and inspired in part by a Rihanna song, is their most expansive yet. So why did their drummer just quit the band?  – Laura Snapes The Observer

Sony/ATV to pay songwriters faster, introduce cash withdrawal service, in new royalty system upgrade

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has announced that it will launch what the firm calls “major upgrades” to its royalty systems over the next 12 months. These improvements, it says, will speed up how quickly songwriter earnings are processed and allow songwriters to “get paid faster than ever before”. – Tim Ingham, MBW

Rammstein share same-sex kiss on stage in Russia to protest homophobia

Two members of the German heavy metal band, guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe, shared a kiss on stage during a performance in Russia’s capital city Moscow to protest the country’s anti-LGBTQ attitudes and laws.  – Daniel Megarry, Gay Times

Hunters & Collectors to reform to headline Red Hot Summer

The legendary Oz rockers will reform in 2020 to celebrate 10 years of the Red Hot Summer tour that also wll feature James Reyne, The Living End, The Angels, and Baby Animals. – Paul Cashmere, Noise11

Musicians' trade group accuses big tech companies of 'creative destruction'

The Artist Rights Alliance accused Google and other major tech companies of prizing "clicks" on their platforms over encouraging creativity among musical artists. – Danielle Haynes, UPI

The harmony and heartbreak of Wilco’s ‘Summerteeth,’ 20 years later

Wilco’s 1999 album, released in between the breakthrough of ‘Being There’ and the zeitgeist-capturing ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,’ is often overlooked, but its mixture of classic rock with a modern sensibility stands the test of time. –  Elizabeth Nelson, The Ringer