Muscles cancels NeverEverLand

In news set to shock many people, Modular recording artist Muscles has been dumped from the NeverEverLand festival. Also, unconfirmed reports suggest that he has perhaps been dropped by the label itoo.

According to a post on his website today, the outspoken artist hits out at both his record label and its two current heads of the table, Cut Copy and The Presets. He also reports that NeverEverLand is not selling well and compares it to the poorly attended Global Gathering Festival held last week at the same Melbourne venue:

"Muscles Nevereverland 2008 - CANCELLED! For all you Muscles fans out there, I will make it up to you. People who know me personally know that I'm honest and keep my promises.

My record label calls my mobile phone last week and says, "We're downsizing and can't afford to have 'Muscles' on our Nevereverland 2008 lineup anymore".

For everyone who bought tickets to come and see Muscles, call up Ticketmaster/Ticketek to receive a refund. They apparently are not selling many tickets, I feel sorry for them. Like I feel sorry for a blind three-legged conjoined-twin kitten. There will be lots of room to dance, and probably be less attendance than Global Gathering last week (with Mark Ronson and Kraftwerk).

And two of my favourite artists are playing, Hercules and Love Affair and The Whitest Boy Alive. So if you're not sick of seeing Cut Copy and The Presets play every festival the past 2 years, just go, It's only $99!"

It appears this might be the nail in the coffin for the relationship between Muscles and Modular records, the label that put him on the scene. Though perhaps there were signs: in a full page Nevereverland street press ad last week Muscles is nowhere to be seen.

But if things have soured, they've soured quickly. In the same street press magazine, Muscles is quoted as saying:

"I previewed my album to my record label last Friday" he beams excitedly, "and they were like, 'If this doesn't go gold within the first week...' and that just took a whole load off my brain.

In stark contrast, a new entry on the Muscles Wikipedia page under the timeline heading "Parting ways with Modular plus Second Album" states:

"Muscles cancelled his 2008 UK/Europe tour and festival dates to workon a follow up album in Melbourne. Currently there is a worldwide majorlabel bidding war on who will be releasing the follow-up, after Modularamicably parted ways with Muscles in November 2008."

Crickey. But seriously who knows exactly what's going on. No official report has been made yet by either labels involved in this "major label bidding war" or even Modular for that reason.

In the meantime, Nevereverland soldiers on without him, on the following dates:

NEVEREVERLAND 2009 - MODULAR RECORDS 10th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Saturday, December 13 - Hordern and surrounds, Sydney, NSW
Sunday, December 14 - Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday, December 20 - Brisbane Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
Sunday, December 21 - Members Equity Stadium, Perth, WA

http://www.blogger.com/www.musclesmusic.net
http://www.blogger.com/www.nevereverland.com.au

NeverEverLand 10th anniversary Festival

Modular have done it again. Without a doubt, this is the best indie-electro festival lineup of the summer.

In celebration of their momentous 10th anniversary, Modular have quite possibly topped last year's lineup which included Daft Punk for their first ever Australian showing. They must be smiling.

Tell me you're not excited for this announcement...........well here we go..........direct from the mouths of Modular themselves....“So how do you even begin to attempt to follow up and surpass such an event? [Daft Punk]” the NeverEverLand press release reads. “Well, you don’t. But in 1998 Modular Recordings was born, a label that in the time since has gone on to become arguably the most influential Australian independent record label of the last 5000 years, one described by the NME as the “coolest label on the planet”. To celebrate 10 years of stayin alive, this years NeverEverLand festival is the official birthday party, with a swathe of the labels biggest and best acts of the last decade on show.”

With the tour marking such a significant milestone in the label’s existence it should come as no surprise that it features all of their biggest, best and brightest stars. Standing atop the tree you’ll find The Presets, fresh from scooping the pool at the ARIA Awards. They’ll be ably supported by nu-rave icons Klaxons and Melbourne’s masters of indie dance, Cut Copy. Not to be outdone, Modular have also invited along several acts that share a similar musical vision, including disco revivalists Hercules & Love Affair of the DFA label and Erland Oye’s new project Whitest Boy Alive. My god this is going to be a spectacle.

You want more? Ok, how about Ladyhawke, The Bumblebeez, Muscles, Van She, Tame Impala, Bang Gang DJs, Ajax, Lost Valentinos, Mission Control, Temper Trap, Canyons, Pepperoni, Andee Van Damage and the Bag Raiders. We ran out of kleenex tissues this morning for some of the staff members of Music Universe.

NeverEverLand tour dates:

Sat Dec 13 – Hordern Pavilion & Surrounds, Sydney
Sun Dec 14 – Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Sat Dec 20 – Riverstage, Brisbane
Sun Dec 21 – Members Equity Stadium, Perth

Tickets for NeverEverLand go onsale Friday November 7th.

www.nevereverland.com.au
www.modularpeople.com.au