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FYI

Music Biz Headlines, July 20, 2018

Radiohead feels betrayed by the Ontario justice system, Roger McGuinn reflects upon a seminal album, and Merck Mercuriadis wants to raise a billion dollars. Also in the headlines are Jonelle Monae, The Go-Go's, Cliff Richard, Cowboy Junkies, Joey Stylez, Judges, Cher, Lauryn Hill, London rock clubs, Chaka Khan, the Polaris shortlist, Psyche, Ryan Cook, and Element fest.

Music Biz Headlines, July 20, 2018

By Kerry Doole

Radiohead returns to Toronto after justice falters

Enjoy Radiohead this week, Toronto. But give a thought or raise a glass or tip a hat or some gesture, at least, to acknowledge the memory of Scott Johnson amidst that enjoyment. He deserved better than what Ontario has done for him  – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star


Pop Quiz: Roger McGuinn on how the Byrds’ commercial flop became a country-rock classic

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo has earned its place among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band’s most influential work. Having veritably started the alt-country genre, it provided the blueprint for countless acts that followed  – Aidin Vaziri, SF Chronicle

Janelle Monáe's Rebel concert was a celebration of freedom and self-love

With a joyous, ambitious performance, the newly out pop singer showed how comfortable she's settled into her free-ass motherf***ery  – Chris Rattan, NOW

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Merck Mercuriadis wants to raise a billion dollars

Then he wants to change the face of the music business – Tim Ingham, MBW

The Go-Go’s offer advice as their career hits new stage on Broadway

The pioneering all-female band reunited on a Broadway stage last week to welcome Head Over Heels, the musical based on the band’s infectious hits. They treated the audience to a two-song set at curtain call – John Carucci, AP

Cliff Richard: Singer wins BBC privacy case at High Court

Judge awards £210,000 in damages to the singer against the BBC over its coverage of a police raid on his home – BBC News

Lauryn Hill infuriates concertgoers during Toronto show

The singer showed up over an hour late and only played a 45-minute set –  Kyle Eustice, hiphopdx.com

Cowboy Junkies explore personal politics on All That Reckoning

When writing the band's first album in six years, Michael Timmins says, "I began to notice these nice parallels between what’s happening in the outside world and the inside world" – Jordan Zivitz, Montreal Gazette

Five things to know about Joey Stylez The Star Chief

Titled The Star Chief, Joey Stylez's new album is nine tracks of the street style, message-heavy music that Stylez excels at – Stuart Derdeyn, Star-Phoenix

Maple Ridge's punk-rock Judges are stupidly (theatrical) fun

Punks in Maple Ridge tend to know each other. From Jonny Bones to Johnny Mongoloid to Jay Raymond, it’s not a huge scene – Allan MacInnis, Georgia Straight

Smiley rules, and here’s proof

The Toronto rapper got a nod from Drake for his one-of-a-kind flow that’s ten toes down in the street – Jordan Darville, The Fader

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Cher to release album of Abba covers following Mamma Mia! role

Following her version of Fernando for the film sequel, the singer says she took on Abba classics “in a different way” for a covers album – Ben Beaumonth-Thomas, The Guardian

The 15 Best Rock Clubs in London

The list includes The Lexington, Dave Grohl's favourite, Crobar, and The Half Moon  – ­Foursquare.com

The making of Chaka Khan 

All kinds of Chicago music—AM radio pop, free-spirited R&B, bold Afrocentric jazz, soulful funk—came together to shape her incredible voice  –James Porter and Jake Austen, Pitchfork

Breaking down the 2018 Polaris Prize shortlist

This year’s 10 contenders include albums from Daniel Caesar, U.S. Girls, Pierre Kwenders, Jeremy Dutcher, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and more – Richard Trapunski, NOW

Psyche reunites with long-lost electronic friends and fans in 9910 concert

The Western Canadian electronic music pioneer is back in town after 30 years – Tom Murray, Edmonton Journal

Cook channels Hank at music festival

Few Nova Scotia artists are plugged into the continuity of country music like Ryan Cook. At this weekend’s Acoustic Maritime Music Festival on the Kempt Shore, he pays homage to Hank Williams – Stephen Cooke, Chronicle-Herald

Element Music Festival jams with scenic sonics

The Element crew is selling the experience as well as a concert weekend, betting that a crowd of 2,000 people in a beautiful setting will allow for a better holiday than the sweltering, urban confines of other multi-day events – Alexander Varty, Georgia Straight

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Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Mo Chara, DJ Provaí and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap performs on the West Holts Stage during during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, England.

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Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians

The Irish rap trio went after the Norwegian government over its investments, which are currently under scrutiny, at Øyafestivalen.

Irish rap group Kneecap – which has drawn a storm of criticism, support, attention and legal action over the past half-year – continued to speak out about the war in Gaza during an afternoon set at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Norway, on Friday (Aug. 8).

Right before the trio of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí took the stage, an English-language white-text-on-black-background message played on a video screen, accusing the Norwegian government of “enabling” the “genocide” against the Palestinian people via investments held in the county’s sovereign wealth fund (referenced as “oil pension fund” in the message). “Over 80,000 people have been murdered by Israel in 21 months,” the band’s message continued. “Free Palestine.” The message was greeted readily by a cheering audience. Most estimates (including those from health officials in the area) place the Palestinian death toll at more than 60,000. That number does not distinguish between civilians and Hamas militants. An estimated 18,500 of those killed were children.

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