Music Biz Headlines, Nov. 2, 2018
Dan Mangan (pictured) gets back to basics, Sass Jordan offers sage advice, and Tegan and Sara talk LGBTQ rights with Justin. Also in the headlines are Neil Young, Jess Knights, Tash Sultana, Paul Reddick, Freddie Mercury, Beastie Boys, Spotify, Live Nation, Bat Out Of Hell, Kanye West, Cat Power. Massive Attack, Post Malone, and Steve Reich.
By Kerry Doole
Then and now: Sass Jordan on the 30th anniversary of Tell Somebody
'Don’t get so sidetracked by stupid men, you turkey!' — Sass Jordan's life advice to her younger self. – Andrea Warner, CBC Music
Dan Mangan looks back to move forward with More Or Less
To make his latest album, the BC songsmith went back to basics and beyond. Along the way, he found new ways to use his emotional, gravelly instrument by singing more softly. – Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Sun
Cutting-edge arts hub opens on Toronto waterfront
With stunning views of the lake, state-of-the-art textile, jewelry and fabrication studios, as well as a full digital media lab still to come, Artscape Daniels Launchpad aims to be a one-stop, all-you-can-create space for artists by the lake. – Raju Mudhar, Toronto Star
Neil Young says he's married to Daryl Hannah in website post
The Toronto-born musician addressed the rumours Wednesday in a message on his website, the Neil Young Archives. Young refers to Hannah as "my wife" in an introduction to "Ohio." – CP
Digging deep into the blues, classically trained Calgary singer Jess Knights releases debut EP
A blues singer exploring dark topics isn’t all that unusual. It is called the blues, after all. But the five songs found on Knights’ debut offer not only various shades of the genre, but they also tackle a wide variety of topics. – Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald
Tash Sultana teaches patience on new album Flow State
"Looping is a performance that you need to have patience for. Unlike most songs, it doesn’t kick in straight away; you’ve got to build every aspect and every layer of the songs. I feel like in our generation, people have the shortest fucking attention spans," says the Aussie star. – Kate Wilson, Georgia Straight
Reddick's poetic blues back at the Arden
"I've always felt an obligation as an artist to express myself in my own way. I'm not being that experimental in what I do but it moves the dial a little bit..." - Paul Reddick. – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal
Tegan and Sara meet Trudeau to lobby for LGBTQ rights
The 38-year-old pair, who were born in Calgary, set up the Tegan and Sara Foundation in recent years to fight for health, economic justice and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. – CTV News
Mercury rising
Asked and answered: music fans pick the greatest rock frontperson of all time. The results were never in doubt. – Gilles Leblanc, Toronto Star
Review: Beastie Boys book provides example of how to contend with one’s legacy
Among the surprisingly plentiful going-concern white rappers in 2018, an allegation of making "frat rap" has become an insult-du-jour. It tidily sums up the accusation of lifestyle over substance. – Josh O'Kane, The Globe and Mail
International
Spotify subscriber growth slows as paying customer base hits 87M
The streaming giant has revealed its latest paying subscriber numbers as part of its Q3 2018 earnings announcement. – Music Business Worldwide
With ‘A Star Is Born,’ Live Nation gains Hollywood clout
After contributing $10 million and tapping Ticketmaster to market the hit movie, the concert promoter pushes further into film and TV. – Anne Steele, WSJ
Bat Out of Hell: The Musical to play New York City Center in summer 2019
Following runs in England and Toronto, the New York premiere of Bat Out of Hell: The Musical will play an eight-week limited engagement from July 30 through to Sept. 22, 2019. Producers of the hit include Michael Cohl and Randy Lennox. – Tom Milward, NY Theater Guide
Memorabilia rejected by the Hard Rock Café
Michael Jackson’s original eyebrows, a complete petri dish of all of the sexual diseases communicated at Woodstock, and the toilet that Eminem threw up into in “8 Mile" make this very funny fictional list. – Colin Stokes, New Yorker
Talent and touring
'Stop coming for me': how pop stars are fighting burnout
Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are among the stars using social media to counter industry pressures. – Rebecca Liu, The Guardian
Kanye West renounces politics: ‘I’ve been used to spread messages I don't believe in’
In a cryptic Twitter storm Tuesday, West said that he’s “distancing” himself from politics. His support of Donald Trump has made the rapper a target. – Itay Hod, The Wrap
Draw the blinds and let Wanderer wash over you
“I don’t need to pull the album apart and put it back together again to know how it makes me feel.” - Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo on the new Cat Power album. – talkhouse
Massive Attack to embark on Mezzanine tour with Cocteau Twins' Liz Fraser
The ground-breaking Bristol group will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic album with shows alongside the Teardrop vocalist. – Laura Snapes, The Guardian
Post Malone is the perfect pop star for this American moment. That’s not a compliment.
His music — one of the shallowest bastardizations of rap to date, and I don’t say that lightly — has the creative tension of associates at a downtown law firm complaining that $150,000 a year just doesn’t cut it. – Jeff Weis Washington Post
Composer Steve Reich reflects on 30 years of Minimalism and his new LA Phil world premiere
Steve Reich played a big part in setting off the Minimalism revolution in music that toppled the 12-tone authorities from power over classical composition. He also helped bring elements of tonality and groove back into the mainstream. At 82, he continues to astonish his fans with new music. – Richard Ginell, LA Times
