Last Gang/ole's Kinnie Starr Marches to the Beat of A Different Drummer, A Different Day

Singer/songwriter/social activist Kinnie Starr's current album A Different Day, which finds her back in the Last Gang/ole publishing fold for administration, will be a revelation for those who recall the "hip hop aggro groove" (L.A. Weekly) and the trademark spoken-word poetry of her earlier records. The Chin Injeti-produced album finds Starr confidently showcasing her songwriting talents as she drops the rapping for a more measured and intimate approach to her vocals on tracks that explore the many aspects of love. In looking back at Starr's decade-and-a-half career to this point, Philadelphia's The Record had it about right when they referred to her as a "sensual, spiritual, self-possessed original... blazing her own influential trail." From her earliest days in the music business, Starr has proven to be a fountain of creativity as a writer of poetry and songs, visual artist, actress and performer who was pursued from the outset, in the mid-'90s, by no less an authority on talent than legendary record biz executive, Clive Davis. She resisted his advances and took a more independent tack with her music which over the years has seen her release five albums, one of which (Sun Again) earned her a Juno nomination as New Artist of the Year.

Last Gang/ole signing Let's Go to War, Toronto's electro-hop/DJ production duo, have just returned from the U.K. where they played a number of dates in London and made appearances at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton, on the south coast of England, billed as Europe's Leading Festival for New Music. The duo of Peter-John and Sonny G, who have worked as writers, producers or remixers with artists like Fefe Dobson, Jully Black, Fritz Helder & the Phantoms, Hilary Duff and Britney Spears, for whom they produced and co-wrote the track "Mmm Papi" on Spears' latest album Circus, had their own album, Karmageddon, released internationally in March. Their P.O.W. EP, released in January, is available exclusively in Europe and the U.K.

Peterborough, Ontario's The Burning Hell, a recent Last Gang/ole signing, are currently on a seemingly endless tour as they make their way through Europe and Scandinavia with stops along the way in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Spain and Norway. The group, whose latest album is This Charmed Life, return to Canada for a hometown gig on July 7th before heading out on a summer-long excursion across the country which will include appearances at the Dawson City Music Festival and the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

May 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of ole's joint venture relationship with Last Gang Publishing.

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