Music Biz Headlines, Feb. 20, 2019

By Kerry Doole

Arkells smash it with their ‘going for it’ attitude

They sent 15,000 people home from Scotiabank Arena completely satisfied and not a little giddy. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

Review: Alexisonfire dropped a surprise single then played a surprise Toronto show

The constantly reuniting St. Catharines band played a pair of mini-concerts, at House of Stombo and with Chastity at the Rec Room. – Liisa Ladouceour, NOW 

Jessye Norman sweats the details with the next generation of singers in U of T master class

The art of singing is not just about the big picture. It’s the art of attending to the tiniest little details so that the audience can admire the results. That was the lesson Jessye Norman, the great American opera diva of the late 20th century, brought to a standing-room-only crowd at the University of Toronto’s Walter Hall on Friday afternoon. – John Terauds, Toronto Star

Drop the needle, vinyl record pressing returns to Vancouver

Clampdown Record Pressing Inc. set to begin production this spring, meanng local musicians, bands and record labels can do something they haven’t been able to in Vancouver for almost 30 years: press their own vinyl records. – Grant Lawrence, Vancouver Courier

Interview: How Bob Mould's music became sunshine and roses... mostly

On his new solo album Sunshine Rock, the Hüsker Dü and Sugar legend gets optimistic in a time of sociopolitical turmoil, while also reflecting on days gone by.  – Richard Trapunski, NOW

Year of saluting Leonard Bernstein paid off handsomely

In the People’s Republic of China 2018 was the year of the dog. In the world of music it was the year of Leonard Bernstein. Everyone, it seems, wanted to celebrate what would have been the native New Englander’s 100th birthday. – William Littler, Toronto Star

International

Chasing rainbows: inside the battle between Radiohead and EMI's Guy Hands

A new book details the saga of private equity company Terra Firma acquiring EMI in August 2007 for £4.2bn. This extract details the battle over Radiohead’s seventh album. – Eamonn Forde, The Guardian

Liam Gallagher claims brother Noel ‘will sue him’ over new music documentary

The Gallagher brothers' feud appears to be ongoing. The 46-year-old musician hit out at his estranged brother in a tweet, in which he appeared to allege that his older sibling will ‘sue’ him if clips featuring Oasis songs are used in the film. – Katie Rosseinsky, Evening Standard

Canadian rock band Nickelback to hold their first ever concert in Singapore

It is on 20 February 2019 at ZEPP@BIGBOX, as part of their Feed The Machine Tour. – Danamic

Bloodshot Records says it 'failed' Lydia Loveless amid harassment allegations

Lydia Loveless, an acclaimed singer and songwriter, became the latest musician to join the rising tide of #MeToo voices in the music business over the weekend when she took to social media to speak out against a surprising culprit: her Chicago-based record label, Bloodshot Records. – Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

The Chills: Snow Bound review – a rare, joyous equal to past triumphs

fter years lost to addiction and ill-health, the revival in Martin Phillipps’ musical fortunes over the past decade or so continues with what is, staggeringly, only the sixth studio album from the beloved New Zealand indie band who were the spearhead of the Flying Nun label in the 80s. – Michael Hann, The Guardian

OK, Google? Probably not! EU settles on wording for copyright reform legislation

The EU has finally settled on the wording of its Digital Single Market copyright reform package, a three-years-in-the-making effort, greeting the agreement with a sizzling rebuke of the "misinformation campaigns" around the measures. – Andrew Orlowski The Register

Hozier on Seamus Heaney, Maltesers and why Nina Simone turns his brain inside out

The singer of Take Me to Church answered questions on the Irish abortion referendum, reading 1984 – and cheese.  –The Guardian

Ian Hunter on glam rock’s heyday and Mott the Hoople’s return

Ahead of his band’s first U.S. tour since ’74, the singer-songwriter talks covering David Bowie, gigging with Mick Ronson and why he’ll never stop writing. – David Fricke, Rolling Stone

What happens when you create a fake music record label and upload bad music to Spotify

A scholarly experiment to figure out how Spotify works (and how to trick it).  –Salon

Deadmau5 officially apologises for homophobic slur on stream

With regards to saying the word “fag” in a heated moment during a live stream last week, deadmau5 has officially apologized. He calls his earlier non-apology on Reddit two days ago “hastily composed” and regrets trying to dismiss the use of the word as just a part of “gamer culture.” –  Matthew Meadow, YourEDM

21 Savage opens up about ICE arrest: ‘I didn't know what a visa was. I was 7’

After spending nine days in ICE custody, rapper 21 Savage told his side of the story on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The Atlanta musician who was born in England aimed to clear up misinformation about his case following his Feb. 3 arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. – Nardine Saad,  LA Times

Bob Marley's jamming pad in Chelsea is honoured

Reggae legend Bob Marley is being honoured with a blue plaque at the Chelsea house that became his “second home” at the height of his fame. – Evening Standard

What can music learn from the data-defined sports industry?

Using his 12 years in the sporting industry, Ben Mackriell, EVP Perform & Head of OptaPro, offered up lessons on how data can change culture at FastForward Amsterdam. – Poppy Reid, The industry Observer

Womxn are writing today's biggest hits. Meet 15 of them.

We asked veteran songwriter Sarah Hudson to curate a portfolio of the women hitmakers you should know. – Paper Magazine