Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 18, 2019
Carly Rae Jepsen (pictured) charms in Toronto, Tegan and Sara return to their teen years, and Arcade Fre's Funeral turns 15. Also in the headlines are Mobina Galore, Sinzere, country music, Global Citizen, Ric Ocasek, Sony Walkman, Whitney Houston, Bob Lefsetz, and Lewis Capaldi
By FYI Staff
.Carly Rae Jepsen’s Dedicated fans still revel in her teenage dreams
In Toronto, Jepsen’s upbeat constituency of poptimists and LGBTQ people celebrated in her effervescent presence, bopping to the teenage-dream euphoria of Run Away With Me as they submitted (at least in spirit) to the song’s tempting, giddy offer. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
Q&A: Tegan and Sara rewrite their history with High School
In a memoir about their teen years, the Calgary pop duo takes control of the narrative on getting high, secret girlfriends and battling trolls on comment boards. – Samantha Edwards, NOW
Arcade Fire’s Funeral at 15: 'It was pretty obvious something was going on'
Even if Arcade Fire’s influence doesn’t loom as large as when Funeral rocked the Montreal scene, many of the institutions remain that allowed bands like them to flourish. – Erik Leijon, Montreal Gazette
Ten questions with Mobina Galore
The dairy-and-Timberlake-obsessed Winnipeg punk duo is pleased to meet you—and rips your ears off. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast
Calgary rapper Sinzere fueled by her family’s resilience on Ghetto Gabby
Calgary rapper Sinzere has channeled a lifetime of music and the resiliency of her family into a career that’s landed her on the same stage as artists like Elephant Man, Obie Trice, and Mavado. Her mother’s resiliency and triumph are now the central themes of Sinzere’s forthcoming album, Ghetto Gabby, a narrative hip-hopera. – Jonathan Crane, Beat Route
Windsor musician's publicity stunt on Ambassador Bridge criticized as dangerous, selfish
A Windsor rock musician wanted everybody to know about his new single — and he was willing to endanger himself, endanger others, and tie up emergency resources to do it. "A very selfish act," say Windsor police. – Dalson Chen, Windsor Star
Cuts to TDSB enriched music programs leave parents bereft
Toronto District School Board parents knew in the spring that a $1.4-million cut was coming to the $5-million itinerant music instructor program — which includes instruction on steel pan, band and string instruments for students in Grades 5 to 8 — but the specifics weren’t made known until late last week. – Donovan Vincent Toronto Star
Scheer would restore Harper's child fitness and arts tax credits Liberals axed
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer wants to revive two more of Stephen Harper’s boutique tax credits that were later axed by the Trudeau Liberals.The two will allow Canadian families to claim credits for expenses related to their families’ fitness- or sports-related activities and for arts and educational expenses. – CP
International
Ten hits in which country music brags about its identity crisis
From Loretta Lynn and John Denver to The Dixie Chicks, – Randy Lewis, LA Times
Guild of Music Supervisors President: ‘The economics of the job don’t work anymore’
Variety talked to outgoing GMS President Thomas Golubic about the wins and challenges he’s faced as a for-hire supervisor and leader (Joel C. High takes over the top spot this month) to scores of professionals. – JP Herman
How Ric Ocasek met Paulina Porizkova, and helped define the ’80s, with The Cars’ weird music videos
With his gawky frame and indeterminate age, the late singer-songwriter was the unlikeliest video star of the decade—and the first to land in the Museum of Modern Art. – Rob Tannenbaum, Vanity Fair
Global Citizen announces massive live concert planned in the spirit of Live Aid
The nonprofit known for its efforts to end extreme poverty, has announced “Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream,” a 10-hour performance, spanning five continents to raise funds to support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. – Celebrity Access
Ric Ocasek obituary
Singer, songwriter and frontman of the Cars, the US rock group that enjoyed success with hits such as Drive and My Best Friend’s Girl. – Garth Cartwright Guardian
Sony releases a Walkman for its 40th anniversary
The Sony Walkman is back. The electronics maker will release a new version of its revolutionary portable music player, it announced at IFA 2019, a leading annual consumer electronics trade show in Berlin. First released in 1979, the Sony TPS-L2 Walkman was the first truly portable personal cassette player and changed the way we listen to music. – CNN
Whitney Houston Hologram tour plots first 2020 dates
BASE Hologram previews “An Evening With Whitney” with first image of singer from production. – Ryan Reed, Rolling Stone
How Lewis Capaldi became a billion stream superstar
Music industry-wise, as he leaves all other UK-born new artist projects in his commercial wake, and as Grammy chatter really begins to swirl around the singer/songwriter, where did Lewis Capaldi come from? – Tim Ingham, MBW
Pixies review – still thrillingly raw and vital
The alt-rock veterans focus on their new album, but you’re never far from classics that haven’t dated at all. – Alexis Petridis, The Guardian
Bob Lefsetz to deliver Keynote at Australian Music Week conference
The popular American music industry analyst, broadcaster, podcaster and blogger will be featured at the 2019 Australian Music Week conference in Sydney in November. – Paul Cashmere, Noise 11
Happy to give folks a place to escape to, Bristol's Elder Island evokes far-flung places with The Omnitone Collection
Bristol dream-pop trio Elder Island has been pigeonholed as a band with a sound that’s impossible to pigeonhole. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight