Music Biz Headlines, Feb. 28, 2018

By Kerry Doole

Amy Winehouse demo recorded at 17 to attract labels is released online

Singer’s demos mostly destroyed after her death in 2011, but Gil Cang had a copy of My Own Way – Patrick Greenfield, The Guardian

Handel’s Alexander’s Feast a marvellous musical meal in Tafelmusik’s hands

Piece first presented in 1737 runs gamut of emotion on Thursday night as music flows from a Toronto stage stuffed with talented musicians – John Terauds, Toronto Star

In spite of its heavy subject matter, Typhoon’s epic fourth LP, Offerings, still manages to be uplifting

Typhoon’s orchestral indie rock will resonate with anyone who loves the grandeur of Arcade Fire and Okkervil River  – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

How Ontario’s Saga found stardom and longevity in Europe

The prog-inflected band played its final Toronto show on Feb. 24. Oft overlooked at home, they were major stars across the Atlantic – Michael Barclay, The Globe and Mail

US roots music veterans Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin team up

The former Blaster and a Flatlander are set to make a splash together with a duo album and tour –  Randy Lewis, LA Times

Ex-bandmate’s defamation suit against former Crystal Castles singer Alice Glass dismissed

Claudio Palmieri’s response in court to singer’s accusations of abuse has reportedly been struck down in Los Angeles – Jaren Kerr, Toronto Star

5 things to know about disco queen France Joli

The Montreal singer was discovered at age 15 by producer Tony Green and is still performing four decades later – Stephen Daw, Billboard

Calgary's Miesha and the Spanks hit the road with a tribute to the Girls Girls Girls in their life

The title of her new album has real relevance for garage-rocker Miesha Louie – Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald

10cc: How we made I'm Not in Love

‘The drummer said it was crap and we were just about to scrap the whole thing. Then I heard the studio’s secretary singing it – and the window-cleaner whistling it’ –  Dave Simpson, The Guardian

Ronley Teper's Lipliners' live debut of The Game was anything but straightforward

In their second of four monthly shows at the Baby G, the long-running Toronto band brought costumes, accents and wild reinterpretations of just-released songs – Ian Gormley, NOW

The 50 Best Southern Rock albums of all time

The list goes from Elvis and Skynyrd to Alejandro Escovedo and Ryan Adams – Paste

Proms among music festivals pledging 50/50 gender split in lineups

Liverpool Sound City, Aldeburgh and Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide festival also promotes gender equality among acts by 2022  – Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian

Len Mizzoni’s music stretches across genres, generations

A former member of Frozen Ghost, he has just released a debut solo album, Waves of Indigo –  Mark Pavilons, King Weekly Sentinel

Yoko Ono's Gardiner Museum show asks you to look, and please touch

Forget the usual ‘hands off’ museum directive. At The Riverbed exhibit in Toronto, visitors can pick up rocks, reassemble broken crockery and nail pieces of twine to the walls  – Murray Whyte, Toronto Star

Big Wreck brought mix of old and new to Edmonton concerts

Currently, on tour, the reunited '90s faves recently picked up a Juno nomination for rock album of the year – Tom Murray, Edmonton Journal