Music Biz Headlines, Jan. 25, 2019

By Kerry Doole

At 56, Corey Hart surrendered and returned to the studio and the stage

The '80s star is back, after a long hiatus focusing on family life.  –  Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

Sincerely, Dan Mangan 

The Vancouver troubadour brings his new More or Less to town, an album that’s “something human and imperfect.” –  Allison Saunders, The Coast

A loving tribute to Toronto's hardcore punk scene of the 80s

Tomorrow Is Too Late combines visual and oral history to recount the influential-but-underlooked scene by the people were there – and they're doing metal next.  – Michael Rancic, NOW 

Chill Out winter arts guide: Festivals roll out everything from Tex-Mex opera to Mando-pop musicals

A bunch of winter festivals are gearing up to help you ward off the chill—not to mention the lure of your couch and Netflix on a cold night. – Janet Smith, Georgia Straight

Interview: Nile Rodgers dreams his ideal world

Ahead of his appearance on The Launch, the musical impresario talks about collaborating with legends, Executive Realness and his unassailable work ethic.  –  Kevin Ritchie, NOW

International Guitar Night puts innovation on display

Cenk Erdoğan testifies, with a broad grin creasing his face, that this week’s International Guitar Night concert is going to be “a two-hour freak show."  – Alex Varty, Georgia Straight 

Review: King Princess gave rock swagger a jolt of queer energy at Danforth Music Hall

The 20-year-old rising Brooklyn pop star invited the audience to get sad with her – and Toronto fans were eating it up.   –  Kevin Ritchie, NOW

International

Spotify rolls out a feature that allows users to mute artists they don't want to hear

There are a variety of reasons people might not like a certain musician. Perhaps they aren't fans of the sound of an artist's songs, or the artist has been involved in controversial activity. Whatever the reason may be, Spotify users will now be able to mute those artists.   –  Ben Tobin, USA Today

Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the Wind' accompanies Budweiser's next Super Bowl ad

The ad by the beer-making giant is promoting its use of wind as an alternative energy source.  – Paul Walsh, Star Tribune

"This is becoming the Fyre Fest of crowdfunding"

Anger grows as Pledge Music owns up. –  Murray Stassen, MBW

From Myspace to the streets of Lagos

Rock music has emerged from the digital underground in Nigeria.  –  Edwin Okolo, The Look

Azealia Banks: fearless truthteller or relentless troll?

She’s addicted to controversial, often bigoted outbursts – recently against the population of Ireland. Yet fans continue to root for the rapper – because she’s the opposite of safe.  – Sirin Kale, The Guardian

Roxy Music’s Andy Mackay talks Rock Hall reunion odds: ‘We’re quite optimistic’

There hasn’t been a single Roxy Music performance since the band dissolved in 2011, but the saxophonist thinks it’ll happen at the Hall of Fame.  –  Andy Greene, Rolling Stone

'I'm an apocalypse writer': Bradford Cox of Deerhunter, the asexual rock star for end times

He surrounds himself with beauty, has everything he’s ever wanted and really, really loves his dog. So why is the Atlantan indie rocker writing about the killing of Jo Cox and the end of the world? – Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian

A new vanguard of women in Cuban jazz

Plenty of Cuban women have made their marks on jazz music, including the Buena Vista Social Club’s Omara Portuondo and the salsa legend Celia Cruz. Now there's a new generation of female musicians, one that has a different sort of footing in the jazz world. – Lauren Du Graf, New Yorker

Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat 37 years ago, and, for some reason, now a toy commemorates it

It remains one of rock-and-roll’s most, well, rock-and-roll stories. Nothing better explains Ozzy’s legacy, and no incident better highlights why parents were terrified of heavy metal. –  Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post