Music Biz Headlines, March 4, 2020
A profile of Juno nominee Celeigh Cardinal (pictured), coronavirus is damaging the music biz, and why older musicians are cancelling tours. Others in the headlines include David Mirvish, Rachel Mahon, Green Day, Toronto concerts, the annual RIAA numbers, Warner Music Group, Deborah Dugan, Stem Disintermedia, Rell Lafargue, and Cornershop.
By Kerry Doole
Grande Prairie-born Indigenous artist nominated for Juno award
Celeigh Cardinal is up for the Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year at the Juno Awards later this month in Saskatoon. The nomination comes for her work on her self-released album Stories from a Downtown Apartment. – Dylan Short,Calgary Herald
Beyond Harry Potter: Mirvish brings West End musical & Juliet and Broadway’s ‘radical’ rethink of Oklahoma! to Toronto
David Mirvish has more tricks up his sleeve for his 2020-21 season – notably the North American premiere of a new jukebox musical built around Swedish songwriter/producer Max Martin’s greatest hits, and a revolutionary re-imagining of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! – J.K. Nestruck, Globe and Mail
Organist’s debut solo album pays tribute to Canada — from a distance
Toronto organist Rachel Mahon, who turned 30 in December, is launching a Canadian music offensive from her organ bench at Coventry Cathedral in England. – JohnTerauds,Toronto Star
Thanks to Green Day and Billy Idol, the past 24 hours will be marked by punk rock taking two more steps to the grave
First off, comes the news that Green Day has decided to cancel its upcoming tour dates in Asia. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
Toronto concerts to catch in March 2020: Pearl Jam, Caribou and more
Plus: viral rapper Doja Cat, more farewell shows from Elton John, the Women From Space festival and other shows we're looking forward to. – NOW
Newt's Guitar-star Roundup: when and where to hear wicked pickers in Vancouver, March 2020
Axemen (and Women) include Colin James, Dave Alvin, and Bonnie Raitt. –Steve Newton, Georgia Straight
International
What the US record industry should fear about its future – and what it deserves to celebrate
The annual RIAA numbers regarding the health of the US record industry are out – and, as ever, there’s plenty of interesting data to get our teeth into. Here we drill into five key commercial patterns beginning to form in the USA, the world’s biggest music market. – Tim Ingham, MBW
List of cancelled concerts grows amid coronavirus concerns
Amid the increasing outbreaks, a handful of artists have begun to cancel tour dates. Over the weekend, the “Sk8er Boi” pop-punk star Avril Lavigne had to cancel her 12-date tour across Asia to support her latest record, Head Above Water.– Ticket News
Warner Music Group delays IPO, with stock market in grip of Coronavirus fears
Warner Music Group’s IPO was supposed to start kicking off this week – but the company has delayed its flotation in the US due to market turbulence caused by fears surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus. According to to CNBC, Warner’s IPO plans have been put on ice while it waits out the negative effects on the stock market caused by Coronavirus panic. – Tim Ingham, MBW
Rumor Mill: Near truths – initial offerings
How many big-time label players can you name who’ll be renegotiating their deals during this year? Could we see more changes on the top tier? And while we’re on the subject, how will the forthcoming IPOs impact executives’ deals at the label and group level? – I.B. Bad, Hits Daily Double
‘The road will kill you’: why older musicians are cancelling tours
Health concerns have caused a number of high-profile singers to quit the road but what will it all mean for the industry at large? – Jim Farber,The Guardian
Recording Academy terminates Deborah Dugan after “administrative leave”
The Grammys have terminated ousted CEO Deborah Dugan following her being placed “administrative leave” this winter. The org cites her "unwarranted and damaging media campaign” to destroy the Grammys." – Roger Friedman, Showbiz 411
Profile Rell Lafargue: on music publishing, his road to Reservoir and building a complete music company
President and Chief Operating Officer of Reservoir, Rell Lafargue, has come a long way from his days in the orchestra pit. Lafargue hails from Louisiana, where music enjoys a rich history and is deeply woven into the fabric of society, from sidewalks to front porches to performance halls. – CMRRA
Startup sets out to put money in artists’ hands without taking their music
Los Angeles-based startup Stem Disintermedia Inc. is offering musicians money they can use to go on tour, record new songs or market their work — without demanding ownership. – Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg
Cornershop's Tjinder Singh: 'My dad said, 'They’ll not always want you here'. That stuck'
Three decades since the band formed, Cornershop’s genre-defying political music is still making a stand. Ahead of a new album, we join them on a visit back home to the Black Country. – Jude Rogers, The Observer
Lovin’ Spoonful daydreams come true as John Sebastian goes all-in for tribute show
A reunion of three original members was just part of an epic L.A. show that also had Sebastian acting as a sideman to guest artists. – Chris Willman, Variety
