Music Biz Headlines, Oct. 6, 2022

By Kerry Doole

‘Lost’ Cowboy Junkies album ‘Sharon’ is now out 

Recorded with a single mic in a “nightmare” session in a freezing cold Sharon Temple, the “Sharon” tapes got a relisten and were judged too good not to release. – Nick Krewen, The Star

Born Ruffians latest band to make the move to Hamilton

The Juno-nominated pop-rock band played on Oct. 1 at Bridgeworks. – Graham Rockingham, The Spectator

‘The less we say, the bigger we get’: Chad Kroeger on Nickelback’s enduring fame

As the Canadian rockers prepare for the release of a new album later this fall, their frontman said he’s noticed one trend emerge in the more recent ebbs and flows of their popularity. “It feels to me, the more we stay away — and the less we say — the bigger we get,” he said in a recent interview. – David Friend, CP

The Art of Time Ensemble’s tribute to a troubadour

Choosing what to include from Leonard Cohen’s songbook wasn’t as straightforward as one might think, Leonard Turnevicius writes. –The Spectator

Five things Rocket Norton wants you to know about the coming fight cancer rock 'n' roll fundraiser show

Canadian rock legend Rocket Norton has a terminal cancer diagnosis and plans a big fundraiser.  –Stuart Derdeyn, The Province

Steven Page on his new album Excelsior and dealing with grief and loss

Since leaving Barenaked Ladies in 2009, Steven Page has been nothing if not industrious. He’s recorded four solo albums, composed the music in a Stratford play, competed on the game show Bumper Stumpers, frequently collaborated with the Art of Time of Ensemble, and co-founded the Trans-Canada Highwaymen with Moe Berg, Chris Murphy of Sloan and Craig Northey of the Odds. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail

Toronto Symphony Orchestra launches their 100th anniversary season with an indelible mix of the old and the new

Credit to Gustavo Gimeno, the new conductor, whose talent for matchmaking freshly commissioned works with perennial favourites has breathed new life into an institution on the cusp of its centenary. – Michael Zarathus-Cook,  Globe and Mail

Acclaimed Canadian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson on her Met Opera debut  and helming the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra

Wilson makes her Met Opera conducting debut Thursday, in the company’s revival of “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” by Dmitri Shostakovich. – Joshua Chong, The Star

How ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Loretta Lynn got her big break in Vancouver chicken coop

British Columbia is a long way from the Appalachian coal fields, but the role that a south Vancouver chicken coop played in the rise of country music legend Loretta Lynn is being recalled after her death at the age of 90. – CP

Rare tape of Neil Young live at McMaster found in Hamilton vintage music shop

This week, a local vintage music and movie store went viral on TikTok after showing the cassette tape of the famous $5 concert.–  Beatriz Baleeiro, The Spectator

Tegan and Sara hit the red carpet to screen their series High School

Calgary-born pop stars Tegan and Sarah Quin took to the red carpet tonight at the Calgary International Film Festival. – Calgary Herald

TrailerHawk brings its primo Americana rock 'n' roll to the North Delta Centre for the Arts

One of Vancouver's top roots-rock bands is heading out to the suburbs for a weekend gig this month. TrailerHawk is set to perform at the North Delta Centre for the Arts on Saturday, October 15, as part of the City of Delta's Fall Music Series. – Steve Newton, Georgia Straight

“I don’t know if there’s going to be another Elton John record,” Elton John told me on Sept. 8. “I’ve made too many Elton John records, probably. The world doesn’t need one. It will have to be a different kind of concept." –  Johanna Schneller, Globe and Mail

Frankie Valli’s secret to keeping in vocal shape at 88: ‘I sing every day’

Frankie Valli, who appeared at Casino Rama last weekend, has lost none of his vocal ability. – Nick Krewen, Toronto Star

The Who rock on, 40 years since their legendary ‘final’ show at Maple Leaf Gardens

“This is it,” Pete Townshend said on stage at MLG, 40 years ago. “It really has to be.” On Dec. 17, 1982, guitarist Townshend and the legendary British rock band the Who finished what was supposed to be their final tour with a farewell concert at the Toronto hockey arena. The band ultimately returned to the road in 1989, but in 1982 it really did seem like the end. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

The Emerson String Quartet embarks on a final coda — and leaves behind an enduring legacy

Arguably America’s greatest string quartet, the ensemble played its final concert in Toronto on Sunday, part of a farewell tour concluding in New York City. – Joshua Chong, Toronto Star

International

Phil Collins, Genesis catalogs sell to Concord

The package of rights expanded to include all publishing and recording rights for Collins and Genesis, and some Mike + the Mechanics rights as well. – Ed Christman, Billboard

Warner Music Group and OpenSea Partner to support Web3 and NFT Artists

Global music and entertainment company Warner Music Group (WMG) announced on September 29 its new collaboration with OpenSea, a leading peer-to-peer marketplace for NFTs, to provide a platform for select WMG artists to build and extend their fanbase. – Pandaily

‘There’s endless choice, but you’re not listening’: fans quitting Spotify to save their love of music

Former streaming service subscribers on why they have ditched mod cons for MP3s, CDs and other DIY music formats. – Liz Pelly, The Guardian

Streamers use playlists to control the music industry

The recorded music market is regaining its former hourglass shape—this time with platforms like Spotify at the center. – Wired

The story behind Michael Jackson buying The Beatles’ catalog and angering friend Paul McCartney

The story has been part of popular music circle for decades: Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson were on a music video shoot and McCartney told Jackson about the idea to buy up song catalogs. But then Jackson bought up The Beatles catalog. And McCartney was pissed. But is this all true? Let’s investigate, shall we? – Jacob Uitti, American Songwriter

Triller secures $310M investment ahead of a planned Q4 IPO

In the music industry, the big money keeps on moving. In the past 48 hours, Triller – the oft-controversial TikTok rival– has confirmed that it’s secured a binding USD $310 million investment from GEM (Global Emerging Markets), a Luxembourg based alternative investment group. – Tim Ingham, MBW

Hipgnosis Songs Fund (HSF) has secured a new $700 million revolving credit facility

The new borrowing package, confirmed October 3)will run for five years until September 30, 2027 and will be used to fully refinance the company’s debts (currently $600M) and beef up its working capital. – Mandy Dalugdug, MBW 

The nostalgic turn in music writing

Are music magazines contributing to the stagnancy of the current scene? – Ted Gioia, Substack

Lynchian punk to Lady Gaga: the best music Guardian staff and writers discovered this year

Old or new, wildly popular or punishingly obscure: our critics share the best songs, albums and artists they found this year – and how they discovered them. – The Guardian

Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue clusters

The recordings that surround jazz’s most famous album. – Colin Fleming, JazzTimes

Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner: ‘I’m comfortable with the idea that things don’t have to be a pop song’

The most influential frontman of his generation is also the least at ease with it. He discusses abandoning rock norms, singing from the gut and treading the fine line between cryptic and gooey on new album The Car. – Jazz Monroe, The Guardian

This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: John Drury, professor of Social Psychology, University of Sussex.

John Drury is recognized as one of the leading authorities on the science and study of crowds and collective behavior. He is interested in all situations when people come together in a crowd, either to protest, go to a sports match or a festival, or if they get caught up in a mass emergency. –  Larry LeBlanc, Celebrity Access

Maren Morris doesn't aim to be the 'Hall Monitor' of country music, but other musicians are 'quiet'

"I don't really want to be known for my clap backs on Twitter. I would like to be known for my songs," Morris said in a recent interview with Apple Music's Proud Radio with Hunter Kelly. –  People

Alan Cross has seen the future of music and says it’s all about ‘Web3’ and the metaverse

Alan Cross says 'Web3' will bring with it a 'musicverse' that could be the future of the music industry. – Global News

Louis Cole: ‘Funk is fun but with jazz you can just go wild’

Stunning musicianship and irreverent lyrics have taken this LA jazz drummer from bedroom to stadium, gathering some superstar fans along the way. – The Guardian

‘Get Off Of My Cloud’: The story behind the Rolling Stones song

Tormented by the pressures of their newfound fame, “Get Off Of My Cloud” was The Rolling Stones’ compelling appeal to be left alone. But how did they get there? – Simon Harper, Yahoo

Roger Waters: I’m on a Ukrainian ‘Kill List’

In an explosive, wide-ranging interview, the Pink Floyd co-founder discusses his controversial views on Ukraine — and Russia, and Wikileaks, and Israel, and so much more. – James Ball, Rolling Stone

Will Roger Waters’ explosive comments about Israel and Ukraine sink a $500M Pink Floyd catalog sale?

Pink Floyd has been shopping its recorded-music catalog and other assets for several months, seeking as much as $500 million, according to the FT. But sources say an explosive new interview with founding member, main songwriter and stakeholder Roger Waters is giving at least one potential buyer cold feet and seems likely to lead others to rethink their positions.– JemAswad, Variety