Music Biz Headlines, Aug. 24, 2018
A lost tape of a Carly Simon (pictured) and Mick Jagger duet has surfaced, Drake offers his hometown some love, and the VMAs are panned. Also in the headlines are ageing rock stars, queer artists, Latino feminists, Aerosmith, Manifesto, Jermaine Jackson, a PNE veteran, Azealia Banks, and the Rock the River and Wavelength fests.
By Kerry Doole
Lost Jagger-Simon duet from 1972 found
Carly Simon and Mick Jagger worked together in 1972 when the Rolling Stones frontman supposedly sang backup vocals on Simon’s hit “You’re So Vain.” A love ballad duet from that time termed "Fragile" has just surfaced. – Chris Lehourites, AP
Drake bigs up 'diverse' city of Toronto at homecoming show
Drake paid tribute to the diversity of Toronto at the first of two homecoming shows at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night. Speaking onstage at the arena, the 31-year-old took an indirect swipe at America's current unsettled and undivided climate. – musicnews.com
And the band played on: how to grow old gracefully in pop
Madonna may have hit a birthday milestone but, from Johnny Cash’s stark admission of age to Paul McCartney’s embrace of hip young things, there’s ways to keep your music fresh. – Alexis Petridis, The Guardian
Review: MTV VMAs was a shocking event, for the wrong reasons
With most of music industry’s top acts absent — from Beyonce to Bruno Mars — the MTV Video Music Awards lacked star power and felt flat, and some of the winners turned heads — for the wrong reasons. – Mesfin Fekadu, AP
The 20 best queer albums of the decade (so far)
This decade has introduced us to more out-and-proud queer artists than ever before. Here are our favourite queer albums of the decade, from the chart-topping electro bangers of Years & Years to the experimental sounds of Anohni, and the critically-acclaimed celebration of queerness from Janelle Monae. – Gaytimes
Steven Tyler demands Trump stop playing Aerosmith songs at rallies
By broadcasting the 1993 hit "Livin' on the Edge" at a West Virginia arena, the President infringed on the singer's copyright, says his attorney. – Shirley Halperin, Variety
Somos Ruidosas: Meet the Feminists Fighting for Gender Equality in the Latin American Music Industry
The feminist collective is earning its stripes by ringing the alarm about sexism in the Latinx music scene. – Mariela Santos, Ms
Review: Manifesto 2018 felt fresh as ever
The local hip-hop culture festival presented art, comedy, a well-curated Discovery Series and a stellar free outdoor show headlined by Charlotte Day Wilson. – Chaka V. Grier, NOW
After 55 years, Coliseum staffer is retiring, sort of
Vern Frick, who was born before rock 'n' roll and admits he didn’t care for it, has probably been to more rock concerts than you have, including the Beatles and The Rolling Stones shows. – Vancouver Sun
American judge Liam O’Grady just ruled that it’s OK for BMG to refer to copyright infringement as “stealing” in the upcoming re-run of its legal battle with US internet service provider Cox Communications. – Chris Cooke, cmu
Michael Jackson’s brother Jermaine, 63, getting married to woman, 23
The original lead singer of the legendary Jackson 5 musical group, Jermaine Jackson, was one of the country’s first teenage sex symbols back in the late 1960s. – Terry Shropshire, rollingout.com
Let rapper Azealia Banks’ blast remind Elon Musk he has no room for passengers
Elon Musk is now in the crosshairs of investors, stockholders, short-sellers, market regulators and, most terrifying of all, Azealia Banks. – Vinay Menon, Toronto Star
New Music 2018: Jody Upshaw & Shay Pitts
Two best friends, support systems and pop stars in waiting. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast
There's now a Drake version of Monopoly
Drake fans are, as you say, "shook" over the news that an OVO-themed version of the classic board game Monopoly exists. The rumours are true, as evidenced by a series of photos circulating right now — though it's not very likely that we the people will ever get a chance to play. – BlogTO
Classic trivia: Can you name the songs at Rock the River?
The StarPhoenix ran classic rock trivia quiz to coincide with the recent Rock the River Fest. See how you fare. – Cam Fuller, Star-Phoenix
The Australian Music Vault has welcomed its 500,000th visitor.
Since opening last December, music fans from all over Australia — and the world — have checked out the free exhibition at the Melbourne Arts Centre. One visitor has been local rock hero Ross Wilson, of Daddy Cool. – news.com
Camp Wavelength 2018 was an easy-going good time in an uneasy year
Acts like Tops, Maylee Todd and Zaki Ibrahim shone in the new venue, and the DIY festival maintained its identity after its artistic director's removal. – Michael Rancic, NOW