Updated at 9:15 p.m.
Broadcasting: After what is it, 30 years? Barry Stewart has left his post as MD at CHUM-FM to explore new frontiers. No official notice sof far but my guess is the acquisition of The Flow 93.5 by CHUM corporate means fewer people doing more work. Barry, you weren’t the most popular dude on the block, but you were always honest, sometimes accessible and, whenever we met at social events, gave the impression that you cared about the music, gave me cause to smile and, occasionally, even made me laugh. Barry can be reached at barry_stewart@sympatico.ca
Live — Watch for annoucements coming shortly that will up-end the negative publicity surrounding the budget-busting Broadway musical extravaganza, Spiderman: Turn Off the Light. The $50m show features original lyrics written by Bono and The Edge and an A-list all star cast. With Marvel and Disney both stakeholders in the Dec. 21 show opener, lead producer and stakeholder Michael Cohl is tipped to have brought in a yet-to-be anounced “major” new investor, securing the stability of the show and adding blue-chip cred as well. Our source suggests the newfound direction for Spiderman is cutting-edge, unique and a trend-setter for theatrical presentations, cryptically describing it as ” Cirque du Soleil meets James Cameron”
Digitial Media — A new Web-based service that enables free local and long distance calls in Canada may also open up new media distribution channels, according to the developer. Fibernetics, a Cambridge, ON-based company, is distributing a personal computer application that delivers a kind of VoIP telephony service. The catch is minor: one needs to have Fibernetics as one’s ISP. Details here
Biz — Unidisc Music and DEP Distribution Exclusive Ltée (DEP) have announced an integrated strategic partnership along with Universal Music Canada (UMC), The partnership sees Unidisc acquire significant equity in DEP. The announcement was made jointly by George Cucuzzella, President of Unidisc Music, Maurice Courtois, President and Founder of DEP Distribution Exclusive Ltée and Randy Lennox, President & CEO, Universal Music Canada – more here
Canada
Broadcast – The CRTC has approved Rawlco’s request to amend the broadcasting licence for CHMC-FM Edmonton from Smooth Jazz to Adult MOR. The licence holder stated the format has been a money loser and the regulator rubber-stamped the change as there were no interventions filed…
Wendy Wolfe moves from CJXY-FM in Hamilton to Astral Toronto’s HTZ and EZ-Rock as swing announcer with weekend shifts at both FMs as of Sept. 11, HTZ PD Mike Tyler reports…
Taylor Kaye joins Rogers-owned Kiss-FM from Virgin Radio Toronto, hosting the mid-days…
Brad Moore joins Wingham, ON’s 101.7 FM mid-days, replacing Meredeth Geddes who now hosts The Afteroon Show…
CRTC — The federal regulator seems to have got its mojo back, firing policy from the hip; industry titans and politicians be damned [G&M]
A new Maritimes streaming online radio station recently announced it will open two new channels exclusively for East Coast music. Radioatlantic.ca, the brainchild of PEI.’s Mac Day, currently has a database of about 9,000 songs, with options to stream two channels offering local content only…
Biz – Veteran director William D. MacGillivray’s The Man of a Thousand Songs, an intimate portrait of east coast songwriting legend Ron Hynes, will have its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) with screenings on Sept. 13, 14 and 18. Hynes’ life has been more shambolic than most in the world of the arts and, in this documentary, Hynes attempts to make sense of the troubled times. He is also seen in performance at various venues, offering up those musical moments that have provided the silver linings to any black clouds that may have darkened his path along the way…
There’s $5000 up for grabs for the writer(s) of the winning song as part of SOCAN’s 5th annual ECHO Songwriting Prize, which will honour “what’s next and what’s best in current independent music.â€. You can listen and vote for your favourite song until Sept. 30. One voter will win an Epiphone Ultra II Les Paul electric guitar…
Canadian TV personality, executive producer of E! Entertainment Network and founder of music consultancy firm Invisible Republic Inc, Kim Clarke Champniss is the latest to sign on with Mediazoic’s custom-branded music streaming service.  The social networking adjunct offers a unique online radio-styled streaming service to companies, marketers and individuals seeking to create a hip image in the digital space. Due to licensing restrictions for now we are unable to provide a link to Champniss’s KCC Shuffle…
One-time Warner Music Canada national promo director and co-founder of Attic Records with Al Mair, Tom Williams has had a colourful career. Heck, this is the man that signed Anvil and Killer Dwarfs to the Toronto-based indie label where he also penned a regular newsletter hyping the label’s acts. Remember Under the Eaves? Tom has moved about since leaving Attic and now resides in Laguna Beach, CA where he operates a business franchise. He sent this picture when famed CFNY radio personality Earl Jive dropped in to the store. Jive now lives in Beverly Hills. L-R: Tom & Jive
International
Digital Media – The National Music Publishers Assoc. has informed Apple that it will need to negotiate a licence to extend audio samples on iTunes from 30 to 90 seconds, scratching a roll-out the tech gadget firm announced Wednesday. Separately, Apple TV’s pitch to offer 99-cent content is under siege with several networks declining involvement, and some analysts suggesting the service is more about selling gadgets than enhancing bottom lines for content providers [Reuters]…
Google Inc., which is developing a digital music service, is finding a warm welcome at record companies that are hoping the technology company can loosen Apple Inc.’s grip on the digital music market with its iTunes music store. The LA Times reports the talks centre on securing a sweeping set of licenses that would give Google the latitude to offer an array of products and services through its iPhone crushing Android operating system for mobile phones as well as through computer browsers…
The internet and video store closures are stripping the porn biz of its sizzle, but celebrity porn could be the Viagra needed to reinvigorate the bottom line of an industry that’s long been Hollywood’s dirty little secret [Reuters]…
Under the guise of “fighting the war on terrorism,†the head of the UN telecommunications agency is urging the Canadian maker of the BlackBerry, Research in Motion, to allow law enforcement agencies access to scrutinize customer data the world over…
Though Google does not report YouTube’s earnings, it has hinted that it is hovering near profitability. Analysts say YouTube will bring in around $45m  in revenue this year and earn a profit. Revenue at YouTube has more than doubled each year for the last three years, according to the company [NYT]
Biz – Jac Holzman, who founded Elektra Records 60 years ago with $600 — half from his bar mitzvah money — should by all rights be sipping mai tais on a tropical island at this point in his career. Instead, the 79-year-old is exactly where he likes to be: in the thick of a technological tidal wave that’s crashed over the very industry he helped to build [LA Times]
Talent – Elvis opened for them. The Everly Brothers were inspired by their harmonies. The Byrds, Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello recorded their songs. The Louvin Brothers, Ira and Charlie, are considered among the all-time great vocal harmony duos in country music. Their songwriting and tight harmonies inspired countless country acts, as well as musicians who straddle the country-rock line. Now 83, surviving brother Charlie has a CD coming out in November titled The Battles Rage On [NPR]…
Japanese electronics firm Sony shelled out $3m earlier this year, through its music division to composer Lang Lang to detach himself from his long-standing connection to Universal Music. And is now in a position to call the shots. Sony has developed its own handbook Reader, a rival to Apple’s game-changing i-Pad and the Chinese star now finds himself in the awkward and uncomfortable situation where he can’t be seen with the competitor’s products [ArtsJournal]
MTV Video Music Awards host Chelsea Handler might be twice moptop Justin Bieber’s age but she’s miffed he’s used his “flirty card†with her and then pranced off in the sand dunes with reality star Kim Kardashian. Handler amusingly tells she’s used to having her fanny slapped by boy rappers. but getting dissed by Canada’s teen dish is hitting below the belt. Separately, the Dallas News reports the Beeb might be today’s teen dream but before him there was Fabian, Ricky and Donny…
Voices of the Ghanaian Canadian Music Association support Pentecostal singing mama Maame Lucy Crentsil on her 2nd album release, titled Jesus the Living Waters… Rock Band 3 is light on Canadians but Tegan & Sara cut the mustard in the 2000 set-list…40 Canadians of Tibetan extraction are in NYC this weekend for a musical celebration aimed at raising funds for a religious centre in Toronto that will be inaugurated by the Dali Lama in Oct…
‘60s Canadian folksinger Bonnie Dobson is best known for her song Morning Dew that’s been covered by a hit parade of acts, including Jeff Beck, Clannad, Nazareth, Tim Hardin and the Grateful Dead. Now a collection of her songs and recordings has been collated and expensively packaged by Germany’s prestigious archival Bear Family label…
Following rehab treatment for painkillers, Mad Child is back with band mates’ Prevail and
Rob theViking in Swollen Members. The rappin’ Vancouver innovators hit the boards this month in advance of the release of the new album, Dagger Mouth. The tour rolls over into the US in Nov. with Battleaxe Warriors in tow…
Fences, the moniker for self-proclaimed fuck up Christopher Manfield, release a self-titled debut album on Sept. 28 through Onto Entertainment/ADA. The album, recorded in 10 day, is produced by Sara Quin…
Amy Winehouse watch out! Running the classic soul of Billie Holiday and Etta James through a kaleidoscopic-carnival filter, British singer Paloma Faith’s debut album asks, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?
Mariah Carey stretches the limits of her imagination for a title for her 2nd Christmas album: Merry Christmas 2 is due in stores everywhere on Nov. 2… Following a cancer scare, it’s good to see Ray Griff back on stage performing. He joins a guitar-pull at the CCMA jamboree weekend at the Shaw Centre in Edmonton, Sept. 12…
Celine Dion’s much publicized pregnancy spills over into the pages of celebrity mag 7 Jours, including a cover shot of the very pregnant mother now carrying twin boys…
Mr. Humility, David Clayton-Thomas is tipped to be going in to the studio to cut another album. The 69year-old lionized for his soulful voice, swagger and crack band during the heyday of Toronto’s R&B scene, went on to have worldwide success when he replaced Al Kooper in BS&T. The new album is said to be a return to his soul-steeped roots…
And, finally, Nick Franglen
is using London Bridge and its human traffic to create a 24-hour piece of music – armed only with a theremin and an espresso machine. Franglen is one half of the electronic duo Human Jelly, has done sessions with Bjork,  Pulp and Blur–and he’s even done a record with William Shatner. But, we won’t hold that against him [BBC]
Obit — Long time CBC Television Vancouver audio department staff member Larry Watson, aged 79
