Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 5, 2018
Ahmet Ertegun (pictured) and Atlantic Records exposed, Country Music Week comes to Hamilton, and Aretha dies without a will. Also making headlines are Bono, Eminem, Pauls-McCartney and Simon, Glimmerglass fest, Ryley Walker, Tim Baker, Anna Calvi, Shirley Manson, Jon Wort Hannam, John Orpheus, and AC/DC.
By Kerry Doole
Porn, sex toys, cocaine, hookers: life inside 80s Atlantic Records
Watching porn in the office, using dildos as decor, and executives bragging about the size of their manhood: This was the record industry before the age of MeToo. Dorothy Carvello, the first female A&R executive for Atlantic Records - has written a tell-all memoir. – Daniel Bates, Daily Mail
Your guide to Country Music Week in Hamilton | #CCMAawards
For five days, Hamilton will be Nashville North. The city will play host to more than 10,000 fans and some 510 CCMA delegates during the week. There will even be bands greeting arrivals at the airport. – Graham Rockingham, Hamilton Spectator
Aretha Franklin’s lack of a will could make things rocky for heirs
Aretha Franklin was so hard-nosed in her business dealings that she demanded to be paid in cash before performing. Her heirs won’t have it so simple. Though she lived to 76, the Queen of Soul died without a will. – Andrew Dalton, AP
U2's Bono suffers 'complete loss of voice' at Berlin gig
Irish rock band U2 cut short a performance in Berlin on Saturday night, later saying that Bono had "suffered a complete loss of voice." "We don't know what has happened and we're taking medical advice," said a statement signed by band members. – CNN
Eminem addresses Trump rap in surprise album Kamikaze
With no advance fanfare, Eminem released a surprise album last week, using the opening track to address the aftermath of last year’s freestyle rap aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters. – Daniel Victor, New York Times
The best Toronto concerts happening in September 2018
British producer Sophie brings the hype, Aqua and Prozzäk nostalgia overload, plus the last few outdoor festivals and more coming your way this month. – NOW
Paul McCartney and Paul Simon are rethinking the idea of the 76-year-old pop star
Paul McCartney and Paul Simon have new albums that suggest these pop veterans are intent on pushing ahead. – Mikael Wood, LA Times
A Christmas truce inspires Cooperstown
There were other reasons besides Silent Night for visiting this summer’s Glimmerglass Festival, that unlikely operatic mecca for northern New York state and southern Quebec and Ontario, nestled in a country field outside “a drinking town with a baseball problem,” as T-shirts in a local restaurant proclaimed. – William Littler, Toronto Star
Ryley Walker listens to Leonard Cohen for the first time: "Fuck this guy"
Leonard Cohen is one of the most universally admired songwriters ever, and his 1971 third album is a fan and critic favourite. We played it for Ryley Walker. – Noisey
10 upcoming Vancouver gigs to get you rockin', rollin', or both
If you're in the mood to scout out potential Vancouver-area concerts in the coming months, here are 10 quick picks, with some video incentive to help you decide. – Steve Newton, Georgia Straight
Tim Baker’s elemental thing
Hey Rosetta’s leader returns solo with a slate of new songs he hopes fans can continue to connect to. – Tara Thorne, The Coast
Anna Calvi: Hunter review – gutsy and resonant
Anna Calvi is a dramatic performer, armed with a fearsome guitar sound and a voice that can pivot from languorous to carnivorous in a heartbeat. – Kitty Empire, The Observer
Roots column: Seasoned songwriter is still learning new tricks
“I feel like I've gotten a little bit smarter as I've gotten older, I don't need a lot in my life, and I'm really happiest when I'm sitting playing my guitar.” — John Wort Hannam. – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal
Garbage's Shirley Manson: 'I want to feel love, lust and everything in between'
Twenty years on from their seminal album, Version 2.0, the band’s singer is still as driven by anxiety and anger as ever. She talks about her history of self-harm, the pressures of fame – and why she has become so vocal in the #MeToo movement. – Eve Barlow, The Guardian
Toronto's John Orpheus bring Afro-diasporic music downtown
The band debut their dreamy new Lost video and talk about Haus Orpheus, their DIY collective creating space for their community in the city. – Sumiko Wilso, NOW
"It's never too early for a little AC/DC": two media guys talk AC/DC in Vancouver
I was on the receiving end of questions recently, when Stephen Quinn of CBC’s Early Edition wanted the scoop on the rumours flying around about AC/DC possibly recording a new album in Vancouver. – Steve Newton, Georgia Straight
