Music Industry (Trade)

Searching the Web’s haystack

GRAMMY Magazine – November 27, 2002   Searching The Web’s Haystack Is the Internet’s ability to help find and incubate talent coming of age?   Nick Krewen Grammy.com When talking about the music business, Grant Dexter isn’t above using a few hockey analogies. And when it comes to artist development, the puck stops here, at the spacious Toronto headquarters of his Internet-driven record label, MapleMusicRecordings.com (www.maplemusicrecordings.com).  Dexter says his record…


They’ve Got Game

Video Gaming and Music in the ’00s Nick Krewen GRAMMY.COM Nov 2002   When you hear the expression “He’s Got Game” in the future, it could mean more than just the competitive spirit. Veteran music stars such as Busta Rhymes, Barenaked Ladies and Bon Jovi — and their respective record labels — are tapping into multi-billion dollar interactive entertainment software companies to explore new promotional opportunities. By placing songs in…


Survival of the Fittest

Survival Of The Fittest Nick Krewen Grammy.com July 2002   It’s one thing if you’re an established artist like Prince, who sold 40 million records during his Warner years and wants to forego the major label route in favor of his own Internet venture www.npgmusicclub.com. It’s another, however, if you’re an artist that was perfectly happy to be nestled in the bosom of a major record company, only to have…


Rock ‘N Wrestling

A VERSION OF THIS APPEARED IN THE KW RECORD NOVEMBER 23, 1999     By Nick Krewen   Jim Johnston may not be a household name, but he’s ready to rumble. Last week, he bodyslammed Mariah Carey‘s Rainbow to the mat and placed Foo Fighters‘ There’s Nothing Left To Lose in a Tongan Death Grip. He drop-kicked Counting Crows‘ This Desert Life out of the ring and bulldogged Choclair‘s Ice Cold…


Trouble In Paradise

PUBLISHED IN THE TORONTO STAR, SUNDAY AUGUST 22, 1999 Impact of recording-industry merger has Canadian acts scrambling as new Universal Music super-label downsizes…and independent distributors beckon By Nick Krewen Special To The Star   Margo Timmins didn’t see it coming. The Toronto singer of Cowboy Junkies was busy laying down tracks of her cloudless voice for the band’s Miles From Our Home album when word came down that Jim Powers…