Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Peter Garrett Supports Rock The Schools Program

Federal Minister for the Arts and former Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett has been named the patron for the Boost Mobile Rock the School program. The initiative will bring live music and career advice to 70 high schools across Australia.

The Take, Claire Clark, and Stone Parade will give students a first-hand look at all facets of the music industry.

“Rock the Schools is exciting, loud and a great training ground not only for up and coming artists but also all those integral support roles that are so important to be successful in the rock industry- sound, lighting, management and the like,” Peter Garrett explained.

“It is my great pleasure to be supporting a program that nurtures, inspires and educates young people about the diversity of opportunities within the music industry.”

Peter will attend the first event of the program, to be held at Brunswick Secondary College in Melbourne on May 6.

Image source: Peter Garrett website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

You Am I Join The JD Set

You Am I are tagging along on round one of The JD Set tour, giving fans a chance to see them for nix. The local legends will join up-and-comers The Glass Ceiling and The Shiny Brights for the tour.

“We discussed getting involved and decided to do it because if we didn’t, someone else would anyway, and it’s great to see the corporate sector being involved in the music scene in a positive way,” Rusty Hopkinson said.

“We liked all the bands that went up for voting and hope that this little road show will be a great introduction to some cool new groups. We’re just along for the ride, doing what we love to do and hoping to provide a positive influence to the supports.”

Check out You Am I on The JD Set at the following dates.

22 May 2009 – The Zoo, Brisbane
23 May 2009 – The Gaelic, Sydney
29 May 2009 – The Prince Bandroom, Melbourne
30 May 2009 – Westland Hotel, Whyalla

Image source: Live Guide

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ricki-Lee’s a New Woman

Ricki-Lee Coulter has returned from a three-month trip to the United States with a “NEW sound, NEW look, NEW woman to set loose on you all.”

The pop star wrote about her “marathon of studio sessions” on her MySpace page. She called the trip “exhausting,” but adds that the experience “was an amazing adventure.”

But the good news for fans is that all the hard work wasn’t in vain. A new single “isn’t too far away at all,” with the album to follow.

Image source: Pierre Pouliquin @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

MySummerMusic.com and Jetstar Make Summer Festival Travelling Easy

Despite the economic downturn, more Aussie music fans are travelling interstate to catch the big festivals. Jetstar and MySummerMusic.com are making it even easier to catch the action.

The trend seems to be influenced by those cheap cheap interstate flights and the rise of fantastic local festivals.

“There are also local festivals like Southbound in Perth, Meredith and Falls Festival in Victoria that attract a huge number of fans from outside their state,” explained Leigh Treweek, the national marketing director of Street Press Australia.

“With Jetstar, people can grab low fares, travel interstate, stay with friends, all within their means. Australians don’t just see their own city as a place to party – they will jump on a plane at the drop of a hat to see their favourite DJ or band outside their home state.”

MySummerMusic.com provides a one-stop shop for music fans hoping to catch a festival interstate.

“We have a large number of subscribers logging on each week to check out their favourite acts, and then clicking through to Jetstar to book their ‘Festival Travel’,” said the site’s director, Marc Mancini.

I can’t think of a better way to spend those K-Rudd dollars, can you?

Image source: Deep Schismic @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rockin’ Relief Raises Nearly $40, 000 For RSPCA’s Bushfire Fund

Michael Gudinski and the team from Frontier Touring Company has helped add almost $40, 000 to the Bushfire Appeal with the Rockin’ Relief charity auction.

The top item, a Gibson guitar signed by the artists who played Sound Relief, raised $3000. Another big seller was an autographed harmonica from Billy Joel which fetched $1230. I’ll bet it’s just perfect for playing the intro from “Piano Man”! All up 99 items were auctioned off, raising $39, 661.

What I like most about this auction is that it benefits one of those oft forgotten bushfire charities, the RSPCA. The funds will help provide vet expenses, livestock feed, wildlife carers, animal equipment, and shelter. It’s estimated that around 1 million animals were killed or injured in the Victorian bushfires.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Local Guitarist Khan Manuel Endorsed by Ibanez

Regular readers of my blog may remember me raving about Sydney guitarist Khan Manuel and his debut album The Knight. The future’s looking a lot brighter for this local virtuoso – he’s just signed a two-year endorsement deal with global guitar giant Ibanez. He is currently the only Australian guitarist to be endorsed by the iconic brand.

The deal with the international instrument manufacturer promises to secure many opportunities for the local lad. It paves the way for Khan to conduct clinics with Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big) and perform with other world-class Ibanez guitarists, including Joe Satriani, George Benson, and Steve Vai.

“I have played Ibanez guitars for as long as I can remember and have always used them as my main guitar,” Khan said.

“This endorsement is probably one of the best things that can push an instrumental guitarist’s career forward. It really is a dream come true for me and it will open up so many doors.”

Khan credits Kurt Schramm, Adam Goglis, and the rest of the team from Australis Music Group, Australia’s largest independent musical instrument distributors, for their assistance in securing this historic deal.

Congratulations to him on this latest success! It sounds like the sky’s the limit!

Image supplied by Khan Manuel

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Axle Whitehead Named Cleo Bachelor of the Year

It’s official: Axle Whitehead isn’t just the sexiest man in Aussie music, but the sexiest bachelor in Oz.

Was it those baby blues, the velvety voice, or Axle’s dazzling wit that saw Cleo readers everywhere swooning? My money’s on all three.

Axle said it was “wonderful” to win, but he’s already planning to lose his bachelor crown!

“One of my brothers is about to have a kid and the other had a kid the other day,” he said. “I’m a little off kids yet, but I’d love to find love.”

Any takers girls?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussie Songwriters Pen Greece Eurovision Song

I have a confession to make: I am a massive Eurovision fan. The more flamboyant the dress and the cheesier the lyrics, the more I applaud. Ordinarily I latch onto whatever country uses more pyrotechnics, but this year is going to be different. This year Australia has a country to get behind.

Aussie songwriters Craig Porteils and Cameron Giles-Webb have penned “This is Our Night” for Greece. Cameron is the president of Gusto Music, while Craig has written tracks for Cher, Billy Idol, Human Nature, and Wendy Matthews. Their up-tempo dance track will be performed by pretty boy Sakis Rouvas in the second semi-final, held on May 14 in Moscow. And hopefully we’ll see him do it all again in the final on May 16!

Aussies can cheer on Sakis from their lounge rooms with full coverage from SBS.

Image source: PR Photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Veronicas Rumoured for Big Screen Leap

The Veronicas heading to the silver screen? That’s the buzz out of the US after the Brisbane twins met with Academy Award-winning director Sofia Coppola.

The pop princesses have confirmed the meeting, but are staying mum on the details.

“[Sofia Coppola] contacted us to come in for a meeting,” Jess Origliasso said.

“But we can’t reveal what it was for. She is so cool and is actually a fan of our music, which is a huge compliment to us.”

The girls are currently in the America for their 40-show Revenge is Sweeter tour. They also filmed an episode of teen drama 90210 and performed at last night’s Miss USA Pageant, where they sang an “epic” eight-minute version of “Untouched.” How they stretched that song out to eight minutes I’ll never know!

Image source: PR Photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kylie Minogue’s Tattooed Toy Boy

I’m not exactly sure when’s the appropriate time in a relationship to tattoo your lover’s name on your body, but something tells me Andres Velenscosco Segura’s moving too fast.

Kylie Minogue’s Spanish beau is so besotted that he’s been branded with her name. It seems like a pretty big leap to take for someone you’ve only dated since last October.

“Andres knows how insecure the ten-year age gap makes her feel and this gesture has really boosted her happiness,” a source told The Sun newspaper.

Apparently the tattoo is especially meaningful for Kylie because Andres’ only other is his mother’s name Lucia.

Call me a cynic, but something tells me Andres’ is going to regret that grandiose gesture of love in a couple of years!

Image source: Newscom