Music Biz Headlines, June 7, 2019

By Kerry Doole

Bruce Springsteen’s cinematic fascination extends to his new album Western Stars

Western Stars, an album written by a songwriter aging gracefully, begins young and ends in broken heroes – their last-chance power drives a lot more unpromising than they once were. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

SOCAN's Michael McCarty: We're entering the 'most prosperous' era in the history of recorded music

The former president of EMI Music Publishing Canada sees a bright future ahead for the industry. McCarty was recently inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.  – Karen Bliss​​​​​​Billboard 

How four teenagers from Hamilton came to be Teenage Head

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Teenage Head's self-titled debut album, which has just been reissued on vinyl. To celebrate the re-release of their first album, bass player Steve Mahon takes us through the story of the band.  – CBC Radio

NXNE 2019: 10 acts to catch at this year's festival

From underrated local rappers to a band from Taiwan, here are the acts you can discover at the nine-day event. – Richard Trapunski, NOW

Ottawa festivals scramble after last-minute loss of provincial funding

The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival and Glowfair are among several Ottawa festivals forced to make last-minute cuts after being passed over for a major source of provincial funding. The situation has Mayor Jim Watson worrying about the future of some of Ottawa’s marquee events. – Lynn Saxberg and Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen 

Enigmatic entertainer Leon Redbone specialized in the music of bygone days

Although he would go on to achieve musical success and a degree of celebrity status in his long career, the air of mystery surrounding Mr. Redbone never evaporated. He was a man of dandy demeanour, natty wardrobe and a repertoire of whistleable antique music. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Echo In The Canyon is a nostalgic tribute to the bohemian melting-pot that launched folk-rock

Echo In the Canyon is an affectionate look at the pop music that came out of the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles in the mid-‘60s, a period that the film argues quite effectively, was hugely influential. Part concert film, part conventional documentary, it looks only at the years from 1965 to 1967. when Laurel Canyon became a creative hot spot. –  Karen Gordon, Original Cin

Review: Higher Brothers raise questions of cultural appropriation at Rebel

The Chinese rap group brought unwavering energy and undeniable bangers, but their immersion into western hip-hop culture opens up a larger conversation. –  Sumiko Wilson, NOW

Amanda Palmer gets personal and political on There Will Be No Intermission

A lot has happened since the last time Amanda Palmer put out an LP, both in her own life and in the world. –  Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

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U.S. adds social media to 'heightened' visa requirements for touring musicians

The US now requires visa seekers to provide personal details about their last years of social media activity. The changes went into effect on June 1. –  CelebrityAccess

Brian Wilson postpones tour saying he feels ‘mentally nsecure’

“[Lately] I’ve been struggling with stuff in my head and saying things I don’t mean, and I don’t know why,” says singer who has long battled mental illness. –Kory Grow, Rolling Stone

Punk icon Peter Perrett: 'I feel like a cockroach that survived a nuclear war'

Many would not have imagined Peter Perrett, the member of 1970s post-punk band The Only Ones, making it past 27, but in his mid-60s the artist still retains his tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. The punk poet discusses Humanworld - the follow up to his successful 2017 comeback album - and touring with his sons, as well as feeling like the dystopian nightmares of yesterday have become today's reality. – Marjorie Hache, France24.com

Sebastian Bach to perform first Skid Row album in its entirety on 2019 US tour

"This concert is 100% live in every way! All real! All the time! No tapes! No fakes!" –  Spencer Kaufman, CoS

Universal Music Group partners with AI tech company Super Hi-Fi

Universal Music Group and the artificial intelligence-based programming company Super Hi-Fi have entered a strategic partnership that will provide UMG artists with AI-enabled tools to engage with their fans, the companies announced June 5.  – Chris Eggertsen, Billboard

Herbie Hancock live at the Wellington Jazz Festival

Herbie Hancock opened the Wellington Jazz Festival last night with a demonstration of just about all the things jazz can be: traditional, experimental, cerebral, emotional, physical, intellectual - and sometimes ridiculous. – Nick Bollinger, Radio NZ

Music-related travel to Cuba could take a 'major hit' after new Trump restrictions

The new rules, which reverse those put in place by Obama, could have wide-ranging impact on U.S-Cuba music travel operators and their Cuban colleagues. – Judy Cantor-Navas,  Billboard

Spotify and the death of discovery

The service’s algorithms have shaped a generation of listeners who are defined by attention deficit disorder and a fear of complexity and difficulty. – Will Lloyd, The Spectator

Bob Dylan’s glam hootenanny: Returning to Rolling Thunder

Dylan brought together mentors and peers for a bizarre trek through off-the-beaten-path performances spaces across the U.S. and Canada. –  Jon Pareles,  NY Times

Chrissie Hynde reinterprets Mingus on jazzy new album

Hynde’s rock chops are undeniable, but the singer says she has a “soft spot” for jazz.  – JazzTimes