Mushroom Music Publishing

Jack White and Brendan Benson's new band changes its name for Australia

The Raconteurs, the new band fronted by Jack White from The White Stripes and singer/ songwriter Brendan Benson, will now be known as The Saboteurs in Australia, to avoid any confusion with an Australian band already operating under the name.

Jack and Brendan comment on the name change: "The Raconteurs name was already taken by a jazz band, to make things easier, and in the spirit of espionage and subversion, we have decided to become The Saboteurs in Australia only."

Jack and Brendan's band will continue to be called The Raconteurs in all other countries around the world.

The name change comes only weeks before their debut album Broken Boy Soldiers is released on May 13 and ensures that the Australian release of the album coincides with the rest of the world. The decision to mutate into The Saboteurs was made within days of the band becoming aware of the existence of the Australian group.

The Raconteurs', no make that The Saboteurs', single Steady, As She Goes is already added across the board at JJJ, Nova 919, K-ROCK, and regional radio networks across Australia.

Monday, 27 March, 2006 - The winners of the 2006 APRA Professional Development Awards (PDA) were announced at a reception hosted by Angela Catterns at The Mint in Sydney.

Six Professional Development Awards were presented on the night in the categories of Country, Jazz, Film & TV, Popular Contemporary (x2) and Classical Music as well as The Jessica Michalik Contemporary Music Endowment in conjunction with the producers of the Big Day Out.

Almost 500 applications were received for this year's awards, via 22 partner organisations. The short-listed entries were judged by 25 music industry professionals grouped into panels for each category of music.

The winner's in each category received a cash grant, travel as well as recognition in the early stages of their careers. The cash component is $10,000 plus a further $1,500 to assist with travel costs. Winners also received a Gibson Les Paul Faded DC Guitar valued at $2,000.00 as part of their prize package; plus 3 hours of recording time courtesy of Trackdown Scoring Stage and Recording Studio.

Jessica Michalik Music Endowment - Sarah Kelly

Sarah Kelly always knew she wanted to play music. As a child she sang in choirs and played the piano. At 14 Sarah discovered the guitar and instead of learning to play other people's songs she immediately began writing her own.

Influenced by prominent female musicians such as PJ Harvey, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Kim Deal (the Pixies), Adalita (Magic Dirt) and Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star). Sarah spent most of her late teens writing and demo-ing songs that would eventually make up the debut album for her three piece, theredsunband.

Recorded with the help of Magic Dirt's Dean Turner, theredsunband's Peapod, was released in 2004 to rave reviews. This critical success was backed up by two years of touring nationally with bands like Gersey, End of Fashion, Little Birdy, and Love Outside Andromeda, as well as a spot at the 2005 Sydney Big Day Out.

With the Jessica Michalik endowment, Sarah plans to write more material for theredsunband and to also develop and expand her skills through co-writing with other Australian songwriters such as Adalita, and the Brisbane folk collective The Gin Club - all of which will no doubt confirm her place as a creative force in the Australian music industry.

Punk rock/pop/disco veterans Blondie may have just been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, but that doesn't mean they are postponing the inevitable. The band have just announced their imminent break up, scheduled for May '06.

The split has to wait a while as Blondie have other commitments they need to take care of before they call it a day, including their upcoming tour with newly reformed The Cars. Initially, Deborah Harry announced in a statement that Blondie would be disbanding in December last year, but recently explained the set-backs. 'We were planning to end in December but then the induction into the Hall of Fame came up and the opportunity to tour with The New Cars,' she said. 'We haven't toured in the States for a while and there's no place like home.' The Blondie Farewell tour begins in May, after which the band will go their separate ways. Amongst the many projects the Blondie members intend to get started on include a book by Deborah Harry and a movie by Chris Stein. 'It's time to do some experimenting for me,' said Harry, according to a Contactmusic report.

Blondie formed in 1974 and experienced worldwide success thanks to songs such as 'Atomic,' 'Heart Of Glass' and 'Call Me'. They eventually split in 1982 but reformed again in 1999.

News item from http://www.undercover.com.au

The Australian Music Prize Ltd 2005 was awarded to The Drones last night for their album 'Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By'.

At the BigPond Music Winners event held at The Museum Of Contemporary Art in Sydney last night, Melbourne four piece The Drones were presented with the $25,000,00 cash prize (kindly provided by PPCA) in recognition of their music excellence. Their album 'Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By' took out the accolade after being judged by industry professionals and peers and is consequently considered to be the most outstanding album released in 2005.

On winning this lucrative and prestigious prize Gareth Liddiard (guitarist and vocalist) from The Drones said,

"We played in Sydney last week and both of our guitars totally died. The guts fell out of mine and Rui's neck snapped off. We've done over 100 shows in the last four months and we have some nasty debts. We have another world tour starting in May. That's after we do two tours of Australia. We can't get jobs because we tour so much. Food is a luxury item right now. We burn through money so it's safe to say that the 25G's will not go to waste."

The Drones are currently touring Australia as special guests to Dinosaur Jr, for more information and touring news on The Drones please visit their web site at www.thedrones.com.au

An Q and A style interview with The Drones can be obtained from The Amp website: please log on to: www.theamp2005.com.au

BigPond Music, as the principal sponsor of the winner's event, have also made a special winners page available at www.bigpondmusic.com/AMP_winner

The Australian Music Prize has been established to enable the winning artist or group of artists to gain increased and widespread exposure. As an independent band having coined their own way across the world, The Drones are already busy making waves in international markets. Now as the winners of The Amp 2005 the band are sure to continue on a successful road with the help of this prestigious prize.

The Australian Music Prize will return again this year - launching The Amp 2006.

Stephen Peach (Chief Executive Officer - ARIA), Tim Hegarty (The Drones' Management) and John O'Donnell (Managing Director, EMI; ARIA Board Member; Chairman of the Board of PPCA

IAN JENNINGS PHOTOGRAPHY

Since emerging with their accomplished sophomore album, Are You Involved?, Gyroscope have been the name on everybody's lips. Their single, Fast Girl, was instantly picked up by their loyal fanbase at alternative radio ( and continues to build at commercial radio) and a slew of tour dates around the country have seen the four-piece perform to thousands of fans, both young and old. And it seems it's paid off, with 'WAMI cake' awards for Most Popular Album, Most Popular Live Act, Best Rock Act and Best Punk Act all landing pride of place in their hot little hands.

Mushroom Music Publishing's Eskimo Joe also won Most Popular Act and Best Commercial Pop Act and Snowman's Andy Citawarman won Best Male Vocalist.

Sydney's favourite 2 piece The Mess Hall - after an extended courtship - have signed to Sydney independent publishing company Ivy League Music (administered by Mushroom Music).

Ivy League Music is the publisher to The Anyones, The City Lights, Josh Pyke, The Meek, Neon, Peabody, Red Riders, 78 Saab, Silvernightdrive, Sounds Like Sunset, Treetops, The Vines and Youth Group and prides itself on signing great bands with great songs. No trends. It is a publishing company (not a record label) and so works with the artists to bring out the best in their songs and get them heard around the world. (The Mess Hall's record label is Camen Island Mafia Records through Shock).

The Mess Hall have been a favourite with all at Ivy League Music for years and years for their passion and power and Ivy League Music can't wait to hear the demos for their follow up to their AMP award nominated album 'notes from a ceiling.'

Pictured Left-right - James Roden (Ivy League Music Publishing), Jed Kurzel (The Mess Hall), Cec Condon (The Mess Hall), Andy Kelly (Ivy League Music Publishing), Haydn Johnston (standing, Mess Hall management)

History Doesn't Repeat. It just gets better.

Split Enz, the group that helped define the course of music in Australia and New Zealand, are reuniting and hitting the road this June for an Australian tour that Frenz fans have only dreamed of.

This June the True Colours lineup (that produced smash hit I Got You) of Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Eddie Rayner, Noel Crombie, Nigel Griggs, and Malcolm Green will bring the inimitable style of Split Enz to arena stages in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

Audiences can expect to be treated to a typically extravagant - full of hits - Split Enz concert but The Frontier Touring Company's Michael Gudinski says fans should also be prepared for some surprises.

'I'm thrilled that Frontier are promoting Split Enz's upcoming tour. They were one of the greatest acts of all time on the Mushroom label.

'Split Enz have had so many hits throughout their career that they are icons here. I have every expectation that fans will be on their feet all night singing along - as I will be. Split Enz define the 70s and 80s for so many Australians so this is going to be the ultimate gig for these people.'

It has also been confirmed that Noel Crombie will once again take up the double mantle of band member and stylist/set designer. So be prepared for some classic Split Enz costumes with a bit of '06 flair and a return of the famous spoons!

Split Enz have defied critics repeatedly, surviving thirteen lineup changes throughout their twelve year career, while securing numerous number one albums and singles in Australia and New Zealand. Canadians embraced them with three number one album spots, while the UK, Holland, Belgium, Israel and Spain all saw the band chart into the Top Ten.

In Australia albums Dizrythmia, Frenzy, Conflicting Emotions and Spellbound all went Gold, while Time & Tide went 2 x Platinum, Corroboree 3 x Platinum and True Colours 5 x Platinum.

Their fans are amongst the most dedicated in the world, with the band's official fanclub, Frenz of the Enz, boasting 15,000 paying members from across the globe. In recent years, the membership has increased notably as younger and younger fans have discovered the timeless appeal of Split Enz's music.

The members of Split Enz frequently referred to Australia as their second home, and there is no doubt that Aussies embraced them in return, according the band a cult status that few other bands can rival. In 1975 the band performed at Ormond Hall as part of Reefer Cabaret. The gig was to be a turning point in the band's career and from there they went on to sell an impressive 1.2 million albums in Australia alone.

The last time Split Enz reunited was to perform at their induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame in 2005. Prior to that the band performed a one-off concert on New Year's Eve in New Zealand for the Millennium. The June tour of Australia will be their first concert tour of this magnitude since the farewell Enz With A Bang! Tour in 1984.

Confirmed as very special guests for the entire tour are the next generation of New Zealand brother singer-songwriters Evermore. Evermore shot to fame in Australia on the back of their hit platinum album Dreams (Warner). Their sophomore is due out early June.

With one date only per city, tickets to see Split Enz this June aren't expected to last long. Tickets are on-sale Wednesday 22nd February at 9:00am.

TOUR DATES - JUNE 2006

TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 9:00AM

Wednesday 7 June Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Ticketek Outlets & Phonecharge 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Friday 9 June Sydney Entertainment Centre
Ticketmaster 136 100 or www.ticketmaster.com.au

Sunday 11 June Melbourne Rod Laver Arena
Ticketek Outlets & Phonecharge 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Tuesday 13 June Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Ticketek Outlets & Phonecharge 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Friday 16 June Perth Burswood Dome
Ticketek Outlets & Phonecharge 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au