The Scoop

August 2008

ABBA MANIA…AGAIN!

ABBA mania has gripped the nation once again following the box office success of the ‘Mamma Mia’ film. The film’s soundtrack is dominating the Motorola ARIA Album Chart at #1 while ‘ABBA Gold’ is sitting pretty in the Top 5. This is quite incredible for an album that has already been certified platinum 11 times! Despite not having released a studio album in more than a quarter of a century, ABBA also have two greatest hits compilations (‘Number Ones’ and ‘More ABBA Gold’) charting strongly in the Top 50.

OTHER ARIA CHART ACTIVITY

Mamma’s Mia’s success prevented The Living End from debuting at #1 with their ‘White Noise’ album which came in at #2 while Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ still sits in the Top 5. British India were also celebrating after their ‘Thieves’ album managed a #5 debut. On the singles front, Katy Perry’s ’I Kissed A Girl’ sits pretty at #1 while Sam Sparro has cracked the Top 5 with his ‘Black & Gold’ track. ARIA recently celebrated 25 years of the charts, with the first ever chart distributed on 10 July 1983. Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ came in at #1 on that singles chart while Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ topped the album chart.

TRIVIUM DOWNUNDER

Florida’s Trivium will be playing a very special one-off show in Sydney this month to promote their long awaited new album, ‘Shogun’, which is due for release on September 27th. The show, which will be taking place at the Enmore Theatre on Wednesday 13 August, will be their only Australian show this year and will showcase some of their new material. Of the material, vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy says, "We made a cohesive, epic metal album that combines all of the ingredients of everything we feel we have ever done 'right' musically, while adding a new direction that the music called for. We had so much fun creating this album and hope our fans feel that energy when they listen." Tickets for the one-off show are available now at www.ticketek.com.au or from the venue (Ph: 02 9550 3666).

SLIPKNOT RETURN

Those masked madmen from Iowa, Slipknot, make a long awaited return to the music scene with their brand new album (‘All Hope Is Gone’) due for release on August 23rd. The band recently premiered the video for the album’s first single, ‘Psychosocial’, at the Roadrunner Australia website (www.roadrunnerrecords.com.au). In other Slipknot news, the nine-piece recently became only the third band of all time to have a different cover for every band member in metal bible Kerrang. Metal is still well and truly alive!

DISCOVER NEW MUSIC

SonyBMG and iTunes have teamed up for a special campaign for fans to ‘Discover New Music’. Until August 26th, new album releases from international up & comers such as Empyr (France), Ours (US), Mugshot (Denmark), All Ends (Germany), Priestess (US), Neverstore (Sweden), and Scary Kids Scaring Kids (US), will be available exclusively on iTunes for the discovery price of just $10. So if you’re looking to explore some of the finest new rock at the moment at a bargain price, head over to iTunes!

NEW P!NK

P!nk has announced that the follow up to the 5 million plus selling ‘I’m Not Dead’ album will be unleashed this coming October. The star has reunited with several of her previous successful collaborators for the album including Dave Meyers and Max Martin who has produced the album’s first single, ‘So What’. P!nk’s ‘I’m Not Dead’ Australian tour in 2007 sold over 300,000 tickets and made P!nk the biggest-selling female touring artist in Australian history. Stay tuned for further details on the new album which is set for release on October 25th.

BOOM CRASH SLING

A track from Boom Crash Opera’s 1989 ‘These Here Are Crazy Times’ hit album has been revived and looks set to be one of the biggest hits of 2008. ‘The Best Thing’ has been reworked by Sydney-born DJ and producer Hook N Sling while vocalist Dale Ryder has also re-recorded the vocals. ‘The Best Thing (2008)’ hit the #1 spot on the ARIA Club Chart after only three weeks – the fastest rise to the top this year - and has been sitting there for over a month. The single will be available from August 16th.

MISERY SIGNALS NEWIE

Metalcore outfit Misery Signals are back with a brand new album - ‘Controller’. The band recently premiered the video for the first single from the album, A Certain Death, on MySpace Metal. About the video, vocalist Karl Schubach says, “We filmed our scenes in a burnt down hotel in an abandoned town in upstate New York. It was definitely condemned, I don’t know how they got us in there but it was dark, dirty with gutted wood beams, blackened walls and if you weren’t careful you could fall into the basement that was flooded with some kind of liquid.” The new album, which has already scored some rave reviews in the metal press, is out now through Ferret Music.

CDB REFORM

90s pop band CDB have announced that they have reunited and signed a new deal with Mercury Records Australia. Best remembered for their massive 1995 hit, ‘Let’s Groove’, the original members (Gary Pinto, Andrew De Silva, Brad Pinto and Danny Williams) have just finished recording their forthcoming album, ‘The Funk Sessions’, which is scheduled for release in October. The album will feature hits from classic artists such as Kool & The Gang, Michael Jackson, Prince, The Isley Brothers, Commodores and Stevie Wonder.

ROLLING STONES NEW DEAL

Showing no signs of slowing down are old rockers The Rolling Stones who have just signed an exclusive, long-term, worldwide recording agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG). This will see all new material by the Rolling Stones released by UMG’s Polydor label through UMG companies around the world. Full digital and physical rights are part of the agreement with UMG already planning an unprecedented, long-term campaign to reposition the Rolling Stones’ entire catalogue for the digital age.

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