Artist News Business News Deals Industry People Labels & Publishers Live Business Media One Liners Releases

One Liners: McFly, PPL, Royal Albert Hall, more

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 3 July 2020

DEALS

McFly have signed their first record deal for a decade. Joining BMG, they are set to release new music later this month. “The amount of times I’ve visited the loo has increased by 40% during lockdown”, the band’s Harry Judd tells the BBC. Which, now I think about it, might not be the most relevant quote in that interview.

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LABELS & PUBLISHERS

Crispin Hunt has announced that he will step down as a Performer Director of the UK’s record industry collecting society PPL at the end of his third term. Nadine Shah has already said that she will stand for the position.

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LIVE BUSINESS

Amid the ongoing disbelief that the UK government is apparently happy to let the entire cultural sector collapse as a result of COVID-19, Royal Albert Hall chief exec Craig Hassal has warned that the London venue is facing bankruptcy in an interview with the i newspaper. Saying that the venue needs to sell enough tickets to fill 80% of its seats to turn a profit, he adds: “Until venues can open without social distancing, the live music industry is finished”.

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MEDIA

Dotty has announced that she is stepping down from the BBC Radio 1Xtra breakfast show after four years. “With more listeners tuning in to the show than ever and this year’s Radio Academy Award for Best Breakfast Show sitting on my mantlepiece, it feels like the right time to end on a high note and say goodbye to the radio station that I love”, she says. She promises “very (very!) exciting news” about her next move soon. Also, her debut book ‘Outraged’ is out next week. Her final 1Xtra show will be on 30 Jul.

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RELEASES

AJ Tracey and Mabel have released new collaboration ‘West Ten’.

Christine And The Queens has released new track ‘The Eyes Of A Child’, taken from the soundtrack of the new series of Amazon Prime TV show ‘Hanna’.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has released new track ‘Flood My Wrist’, featuring Don Q and Lil Uzi Vert.

Saweetie has marked her birthday with new track ‘Pretty Bitch Freestyle’. Her new album, ‘Pretty Bitch Music’, is due for release this summer.

The Veronicas have released new single ‘Biting My Tongue’. “Writing this was like a confession pouring out”, they say. “Most people have that one moment that they either took the risk or lost the chance. Either way, everyone is changed by that moment”.

Soccer Mommy has released the final instalment of her ‘Soccer Mommy & Friends’ singles series. On it, she covers The Cars’ ‘Drive’, while Sasami offers a folk version of System Of A Down’s ‘Toxicity’.

Liturgy and Leya have released new collaborative track ‘Antigone’. The song was originally recorded for a now cancelled tour that the two bands were set to go on together in April. “It’s sort of a Leya song inside a Liturgy song”, say Liturgy. “We recorded it for our tour back right before the pandemic started, so much has changed since then”.

Susanna has announced that she will release new album ‘Baudelaire & Piano’ on 11 Sep. From it, this is ‘The Dancing Snake’.

Lady Ice has released new track ‘No Silence’, detailing her experiences of racism.

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GIGS & FESTIVALS

Nick Cave has announced a solo piano show at Alexandra Palace later this month. Sufficiently solo that there won’t be an audience in the room with him, what with COVID and all that. Titled ‘Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone At Alexandra Palace’, the show will be livestreamed globally on 23 Jul. Book tickets here.

Hedkandi will be hosting a virtual garden party this Sunday. Actually, at least some of it will be in a real garden. But you will watch it virtually, that’s the point. There will be DJ sets from Mark Doyle, John Jones, Mike Van Loon and more. Details here.

Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily – updated every Friday.