Music Biz Headlines, Aug 25, 2022

By Kerry Doole

Guitarist Gord Lewis co-founded the ill-fated Canadian punk band Teenage Head

Using a highly electrified 1956 Les Paul Special guitar, the lanky, fair-skinned Mr. Lewis was a melodic buzzsaw and the architect of the sound and look of a Hamilton-formed band that bopped, chugged and sneered with glam-rock esprit, fifties-pop tunefulness and punk-rock effrontery. – Brad Wheeler,  Globe & Mail

A look back on George Fox’s Hall of Fame career

Longtime Ancaster resident to be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. – Graham Rockingham, Hamilton Spectator

Elvis Presley died on the day B.C.-area punk-rock was born, on an outdoor stage in White Rock.

So claims author Jason Schneider, who’s written an authorized biography of musician Art Bergmann. – Surrey Now Leader

Grimes and The Weeknd's hotly-awaited collab imminent

Grimes has teased her collaboration with The Weeknd is arriving this summer. The 34-year-old experimental pop artist has claimed fans don't have long to wait for her new song and music video with her fellow Canadian to drop. – MusicNews

He’s a tall roots ’n’ roller, she’s a short pop auteur, but Tom Wilson and Iskwē pair perfectly on ‘Mother Love’

The two Hamilton residents had never sung together before. But a duet at the Indspire Awards turned enough heads that they were inspired to reunite for more. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star 

New Vision church needs $3.9M to transform auditorium into 1,000-seat live music venue

Hamilton's New Vision United Church is moving along with a project to transform its auditorium into a 1,000-seat live music venue. The idea for the Music Hall at the 1868 heritage-designated landmark, located at 24 Main St. W., was born during Juno Fest in 2015 when the city's music scene was looking for concert venues. – Desmond Brown, CBC News 

Joni Mitchell got an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music — and a matching beret

"Well, luckily I'm too old to get a swelled head," the singer-songwriter quipped at a small ceremony. – Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

In the Maritimes, the hip-hop scene is taking off

While the Maritime rap scene is making major gains, ‘there’s still lots of work to be done,’ says Dwayne ‘DJ$lim’ Marcial of Saint John, N.B. – Kyle Mullin, Globe and Mail

B.C. Grammy winner Alex Cuba to be celebrated in Smithers with mural and street party

The winner of this year's Grammy for best Latin pop album will also receive an honorary degree from Queen's University in the fall. – Martin Dunphy, Georgia Straight

Fanning the importance of Tegan and Sara

‘Tegan and Sara: Modern Heartthrobs’ is not a bio, but rather a carefully curated chronicle of talented twins and their journey to date. – David McPherson, Toronto Star

Here are all the musicians in the running for Music Nova Scotia's 2022 Artist-In-Residence

The grand winner will walk away with $20,000.–  Morgan Mullin, The Coast 

Blonde Diamond gives struggling kids a reason to be hopeful with the emotional "In the Dark"

The big shock in Blonde Diamond’s video for “In the Dark” comes halfway through, and it’s literally of the totally-didn’t-see-that-coming variety. SingerAlexis Young  describes the sweepingly atmospheric, dramatically lush “In the Dark” as the most important song she’s ever written. (Watch for the track on the band's debut album Magnetic Strangers, this fall). – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Remote First Nation welcomes Blue Rodeo musicians for festival

Jim Cuddy says he hopes his songs can make people aware of issues on remote First Nations. – Jonathan Migneault, CBC News 

Purple City looks to redraw Edmonton's music-festival map with 80 acts 

From DJs to folksingers to rappers to headbangers to indie-darling headliners including !!! and Shannon and the Clams, Purple City is a gigantic musical hydra with multiple heads. –  Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

Michael Bublé on the greatest record of his life

After four Grammy Awards and 11 studio albums, singer-songwriter Michael Bublé says he's finally "found the recipe" when it comes to making an album. The Canadian entertainer is on tour with his latest record "Higher," which he calls the greatest of his life. – Tori B. Powell, CBS News

From Hamilton to Kenya, Tune In Foundation helps at-risk youth one string at a time

The Tune In Foundation, founded by Dejehan Hamilton offers arts seminars in schools, forums and annual music camps. – Beatriz Baleeiro, Hamilton Spectator

Melanie Tellez appointed artistic director of Hamilton Children’s Choir

Tellez is a Nova Scotia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in voice from Dalhousie U and a master’s degree in choral conducting from the U of Alberta. – Leonard Turnevicius, Hamilton Spectator

International

After Astroworld catastrophe and Drakeo’s stabbing, Live Nation faces mounting questions over concert safety

Security arrangements vary depending on the concert, but at Once Upon a Time in L.A., Astroworld and other events, Live Nation has been repeatedly accused of failing to follow industry safety protocols for controlling large crowds and protecting concertgoers and performers from weapons and faulty stage construction. – August Brown, LA Times

Sony Music Japan is building 'the largest virtual talent development and management project in history'

The phenomenon of un-human (or part-human) artists gaining traction certainly isn't limited to the States. The trend is well known in Korea and China, with acts like Aespa and Ha Jiang. And over in Japan, things are moving to the next level: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) is working on two major virtual talent projects right now - one of which it calls "the largest virtual talent development and management project in history." – MBW

Martin Scorsese premiering documentary about New York Dolls’ David Johansen at NY Film Festival

Called Personality Crisis: One Night Only, the doc centers around one of Johansen's performances as Buster Poindexter. – NME

The remaking of Demi Lovato: ‘I am owning my dark side’

Beyoncé is your bully’s favourite target and I know why

Thirty-two years in the game and seven studio albums later and her haters just keep on coming.  –Annette Ejiofor, Toronto Star

LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow to host MTV Awards

The MTV Video Music Awards will have not one emcee but three, with rap stars LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow all set to anchor the ceremony. They’ll introduce and present  alongside performers including Lizzo, Anitta, BLACKPINK, J Balvin, Mneskin, Kane Brown, Marshmello with Khalid, and Panic! At The Disco on Aug. 28 at the Prudential Center in Newark.   –Mark Kennedy, AP

Algorithms can now mimic any artist. Some artists hate it

A new generation of AI image tools can reproduce an artist’s signature style. Some creatives fear for their livelihoods. – Wired

Rapper Fetty Wap faces at least 5 years in prison for drugs

The rapper pleaded guilty Monday to a conspiracy drug charge that carries a mandatory five-year prison sentence, admitting that he participated in a massive drug trafficking racket that moved drugs from the West Coast to Long Island. – AP

As ska’s conquering ruler, Derrick Morgan delivers freedom sounds to a new generation

Derrick Morgan is a legend — a rougher than rough, tougher than tough, onetime rude boy who helped shape the sound of ska in the 1960s. Singing braggadocious tunes and loving duets for more than 60 years, Morgan has cemented his title of the King of Ska. – LA Times

‘I’m a roads scholar!’: Marty Stuart’s five decades at the country university

Since joining his first band aged 12, Stuart has played with the likes of Johnny Cash and the Byrds and is now building a country music museum. He explains the roots of his lifelong passion. – Garth Cartwright, The Guardian

The Chats: Get Fucked

Like bassist and vocalist Eamon Sandwith’s already iconic bowl-cut/mullet combo, Get Fucked is militaristic severity up front, party in the back. – Stuart Berman, Pitchfork