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FYI

Music Biz Headlines, May 18, 2018

Alex Lifeson recalls a memorable early Rush gig, Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury, and Serge Fiori and Richard Seguin revisit a Quebec rock classic. Others in the headlines include Joan Armatrading, Nyssa, Bhad Bhabie, Deadpool, Vancouver Cantata Singers, U2, Doc Walker, and Brooks Kerr.

Music Biz Headlines, May 18, 2018

By Kerry Doole

The time Rush opened for The New York Dolls in Toronto

Alex Lifeson recalls the memorable gig at burlesque venue The Victory Theatre –  West End Phoenix


Serge Fiori, Richard Séguin revisit ‘end of an era’ for Quebec rock

The iconic rockers reissue their classic 1978 album Deux cents nuits à l'heure, recorded as the top Quebec acts of the ‘70s were disbanding –  Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette

'I was born to write'… Joan Armatrading on Dylan, songwriting and stage fright

The songwriter, whose new album is Not Too Far Away, weighs in on Post Malone, recording with Queen and learning to play on a £3 guitar in a webchat  – The Guardian

Rami Malek looks like he gets everything right in Bohemian Rhapsody, including Freddie's famous overbite

The problem with 90 percent of all music biopics is that it’s impossible to separate the actors from the legends they are portraying –  Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

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Classical music: Vancouver Cantata Singers celebrate 60 years

The Vancouver Cantata Singers' 60th birthday celebration pays respect to the past and sets the tone for future endeavours –  DG Duke, Vancouver Sun

Nyssa sings the untold stories of women in rock

The Toronto electro-glam musician has been in bands since she was a teenager and she's channelled her experiences into Champion Of Love –  Suzanne Andrew, NOW

Bhad Bhabie aimed to prove she's more than a viral gimmick at Mod Club

In front of a roaring crowd, the controversial Cash Me Outside girl showed she has some actual star power, but she was overshadowed by her dazzling opener –  Sumiko Wilson, NOW

Deadpool costume ‘felt like a nightmare,’ says dancer Yanis Marshall

Dancing in Céline Dion’s new “Ashes” music video for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack was anything but easy, he admits –  Victoria Ahearn, CP

At the Forum, U2 had the '90s on its mind

The Irish rockers show in LA reviewed –   Mikal Wood, LA Times

Ballet dancers find hope at the end of the world

This isn't the first time that contemporary dance has been served up by four-four rock grooves and electric guitar but it works –  Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

It's been an interesting journey for Doc Walker

Chris Thorsteinson is a little surprised when Doc Walker is referred to as a veteran band –  Jeff DeDekker, Regina Leader-Post

Piano prodigy Brooks Kerr stood in for Duke Ellington

Two years before Duke Ellington died at 75, he spent a week at the University of Wisconsin in Madison with his orchestra, teaching and performing in concert. Among the indispensable members of his entourage was a lean, legally blind 20-year-old pianist to whom Mr Ellington referred students in his master class  –  Sam Roberts, NYT news service

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Panos A. Panay
Raphaële Sohier

Panos A. Panay

Features

Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay on Canada, Diljit Dosanjh and the Grammys’ Global Future

The influential music executive returned to a place he has called home at NXNE for the Billboard Global Summit. Here's why it was particularly meaningful for him.

The music landscape is changing quickly, and Panos A. Panay, the President of the Recording Academy and the Grammys, is right in the middle of it.
This week (June 11), Panay interviewed Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh as part of the Billboard Summit at NXNE. For him, it represented a global shift in music where sounds carrying different cultures and languages are pushing against the "Anglo-American" mainstream. Celebrating the universality of music in the diverse city of Toronto holds special meaning for him.
Panay spent some formative years in Canada, and says in some ways he considers it as much like home as Cyprus, where he was born. It shaped how he sees the world and his career, and it's been important in his work at the Grammys, which is also going through changes. Since he started his job in 2021, along with CEO Harvey Mason Jr., Panay has been helping the Academy adapt to a new generation of artists, represent diversity and navigate the changing music scene.

Before he was at the Recording Academy, Panay founded the online platform Sonicbids, which brought him to NXNE many times. Again, it feels like coming home.

In this exclusive interview with Billboard Canada, Panos discusses Dosanjh, how the Grammys are changing and the future of Canadian music.

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