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Larry Heath is an Australian publisher, events organiser, and entrepreneur. He is the founder-owner of Heath Media, which publishes online magazine The AU Review and hosts the National Live Music Awards. As of 2023 [update] Heath is associate producer at Sounds Australia, and is based in Toronto, Canada.
As a child, Larry Heath provided voice-overs for Radio Disney. He created a web and graphic design company while still in high school, then ran an online store and, briefly, an online publication. After completing high school, he attended Sydney University. [1] [ non-primary source needed ]
Heath founded The AU Review as a personal blog [2] in August 2008, but running it soon became his full-time occupation. [3] Heath Media was registered as a business name in June 2009. [4]
Heath attended the WAM Festival conference in Perth in 2010 and 2014. [3] He has been a judge for several music awards, including the ARIAs, Music Victoria Awards, Australian Music Prize (AMP), and AIR Awards. [5]
He has created opportunities at international trade events, and participated in trade delegations to India in 2012, and the East Coast Music Awards on Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2019. [6] [7]
Heath directed the AU Live Music Awards in 2014 and 2015 under the auspices of Heath Media – the first awards dedicated solely to contemporary live music in Australia. They were the precursor to the National Live Music Awards (NLMAs), [8] [ non-primary source needed ] which have been run each year since 2016 save 2021 and 2022 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. [9] In 2019 the NLMAs were held in Canberra as well as Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Launceston, Alice Springs, and Fremantle, and the categories were expanded to include jazz and classical music. [10]
In January 2016 Heath left the role as editor-in-chief of The AU Review, in order to focus on the expansion of its parent company, Heath Media, into international media and events, [2] including the NLMAs. [11] That same year, he released the music video for "Laura", a cover of the Bat For Lashes song by Amanda Palmer and Brendan Maclean, which he directed. [12]
In May 2017 Heath was appointed A&R Manager in Australia & New Zealand for Music Sales Creative. [5] While at the company, he signed a number of artists including Beks, Harts, Jack Carty, Donny Benet and more. He also was Creative Producer on the collaborative Chess Records tribute record "Everybody Knows I'm Here", which was released in June 2022. [13] He left this role in December 2022. [14]
In January 2020, Heath was appointed associate producer at Sounds Australia, at the same time as singer-songwriter Leah Flanagan joined the team. He had previously collaborated with the team at Sounds Australia, including co-presenting "Jet Lag Sessions" at the CMJ conference in New York City from 2011 to 2013. He began his work there by attending the Folk Alliance International in New Orleans. [6]
As of September 2023 [update] Heath was based in Toronto, Canada, [15] [ non-primary source needed ] and still associate producer at Sounds Australia. [11]
The AU Review online magazine was launched by founding editor and publisher Larry Heath in Sydney on 6 August 2008, and contained reviews of Vampire Weekend and Little Red at The Metro Theatre in Sydney. [16] At this time it covered only Sydney, then expanded to cover Melbourne soon afterwards. It initially focused only on live music and albums of local and international artists, [17] [ non-primary source needed ] including at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. It was first in to review acts such as Chet Faker, Flume, Vance Joy, Amy Shark, and Gang of Youths. [16]
The website was upgraded and expanded in September 2009, with content covering Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane. By May 2011, cities covered included Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Launceston, Wollongong, and Perth. [17] [ non-primary source needed ] Later, the focus expanded to include visual art, film, theatre, food, lifestyle, [18] [ non-primary source needed ] travel, and gaming. It is aimed at ages 18 to 25. [19] [ non-primary source needed ]
Sosefina Fuamoli was on the staff for over seven years, from about 2011 until 2018, taking up the position of editor-in-chief in January 2016. After her departure to a new role at triple j, the role was shared among team members. [16]
On its 5th anniversary in 2013, boasting a monthly readership of 70,000+, The AU Review launched a crowdfunding campaign on Pozible, for it "is a 100% volunteer-based organisation", with the aim of supporting emerging Australian writers and photographers as well as musicians and live gigs. At that time, the publication covered "the arts, film, food, lifestyle, fashion, travel, Asian music and culture, and was about to start covering video games. It planned to relaunch with a series of events in major capital cities. [20] In 2013 a sister publication, The Iris, launched to cover home entertainment, film, television, video games and tech content. [16]
January 2016 saw Heath stepping down from his role editor-in-chief of The AU Review, to focus on other initiatives. [2]
In August 2018, on the 10th anniversary of The AU Review, it was merged back into the single banner. Also in August 2018, the beta version of a new website was launched, which included all content of the previous website, and also promised 35% fewer ads, an enlarged travel, food, and lifestyle section, and easy-to-read reviews with a star rating out of five. To celebrate the anniversary, The AU Review held events at the Rocket Bar in Adelaide, and a stage party during BIGSOUND in Brisbane. [16]
In addition to ongoing projects The AU Review and the NLMAs, Heath Media, based in Sydney, has in the past also produced several print monographs, a project called Captured Australia, The Australian Music Week Film Festival (2018), and a website called Hello Asia! [19] [ non-primary source needed ]
Heath Media has also run the annual Courtyard Sessions at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. [5] [21] [22]
The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were Felix Riebl, Harry James Angus, Will Hull-Brown (drums), Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala, Ollie McGill and Ryan Monro. Monro retired from the band in March 2021, while Angus, Hull-Brown and Khadiwhala all left in April 2022. They are often supplemented by The Empire Horns, a brass duo composed of Ross Irwin (trumpet) and Kieran Conrau (trombone), among others. Their sound is a fusion of jazz, funk, ska, and rock with heavy Latin influences.
The Presets are an Australian electronic music duo of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes. Formed in 2003 and signed to Modular Records, The Presets released two EPs in advance of their debut album, Beams, released in 2005 to positive critical response. After two years of touring, including as the Australian support for Daft Punk, the band's 2008 release, Apocalypso, debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, and went on to win six awards at ARIA Awards 2008, including Album of the Year.
Adalita Srsen, known simply as Adalita, is an Australian rock musician who is a founding member of the rock band Magic Dirt and a solo artist. She released her first solo album, Adalita in 2011 and her second solo album, All Day Venus, in September 2013.
Gareth Liddiard is an Australian musician, best known as a founding member of both The Drones and Tropical Fuck Storm. Musically active since 1997, he also released a solo album titled Strange Tourist in 2010.
The St. Jerome's Laneway Festival, commonly referred to as Laneway, began in Caledonian Lane, Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday, February 27, 2005. Beginning as predominantly an indie music event, the festival grew in popularity and expanded to five Australian cities—Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle—as well as Auckland, New Zealand and Singapore.
Violent Soho were an Australian alternative rock band that was formed in 2004 in the Brisbane suburb of Mansfield, Queensland, originally under the name of "showroom". For the majority of the band's existence, the line-up was composed of Luke Boerdam, James Tidswell, Luke Henery and Michael Richards. Their sound has been compared to that of 1980s and 1990s alternative rock bands such as the Pixies, Mudhoney,Smashing Pumpkins, and Nirvana. Although being largely described as grunge, the band self described themselves as a "stoner pop" band. The band's third studio album, Hungry Ghost, was certified Gold in Australia in September 2014. Their fourth album, Waco, debuted at number 1 on the Australian ARIA Charts in 2016. The band's fifth album, Everything Is A-OK, was released on 3 April 2020 and also debuted at number 1 on the ARIA charts.
Daniel Leo Sultan is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, actor and author. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 he won Best Male Artist and Best Blues & Roots Album for his second album, Get Out While You Can. At the 2014 ceremony he won Best Rock Album for Blackbird, which had reached number four on the ARIA Albums Chart. In 2017, Sultan's record Killer was nominated for three ARIA awards: Best Male Artist, Best Rock Album, and Best Independent Release. Sultan's debut children's music album Nali & Friends was named Best Children's Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019.
Luke George Girgis, formerly known by his stage name, Coptic Soldier, is an Australian hip-hop artist, music manager, record label executive, and publisher. He often performed with stage partner, Phatchance and later became his manager.
The Seymour Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts centre within the University of Sydney in the Australian city of Sydney. It is located on the corner of City Road and Cleveland Street in Chippendale, south-west of the city centre, in the City of Sydney local government area.
Takudzwa Victoria Rosa "Tkay" Maidza is a Zimbabwean-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper.
The Kite String Tangle is the solo project of Brisbane-based alternative electronic artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Danny Harley. Harley launched the project in 2012 and released an EP titled Vessel in 2014. He has since issued four studio albums: The Kite String Tangle in 2017, The Kite String Tangle Presents: In a Desperate Moment in 2018, C D3X in 2020, and Lustre in 2023.
Gang of Youths are an Australian alternative rock band, which formed in 2012. Since 2020, the group consists of David Le'aupepe on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and piano, Max Dunn on bass guitar, Jung Kim on guitar and keyboards, Donnie Borzestowski on drums and Tom Hobden on violin, rhythm guitar and keyboards. They relocated to England in 2017. Founding member Joji Malani, on lead guitar and backing vocals, left them in 2019 to return to Australia. The band's debut studio album, The Positions (2015), received multiple ARIA Award nominations and peaked at number five on the Australian albums chart. It provided the single "Magnolia", which has been described as their breakthrough hit and was certified platinum in 2018.
DMA's are an Australian rock band formed in 2012 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band is composed of lead vocalist Tommy O'Dell, lead guitarist Matt Mason, and rhythm guitarist Johnny Took. They originally gained popularity for their debut single "Delete" and for their self-titled EP, which were both released in 2014. The band have since gone on to release four studio albums: Hills End (2016), For Now (2018), The Glow (2020) and How Many Dreams? (2023). All four albums have peaked within the top 10 of the ARIA Albums Chart, with the latter two also reaching the top five in the UK and Scotland.
Julia Jacklin is an Australian singer-songwriter from the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. Jacklin's musical style has been described as indie pop, indie folk, and alternative country. She has released three studio albums, Don't Let the Kids Win (2016), Crushing (2019) and Pre Pleasure (2022). Jacklin has also performed with the band Phantastic Ferniture, with whom she released the debut single "Fuckin 'n' Rollin" and a self-titled album in 2018, followed by subsequent singles.
Camp Cope were an Australian alternative rock band formed in 2015 in Melbourne, Victoria. The group's lineup consisted of lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Georgia "Georgia Maq" McDonald, bassist Kelly-Dawn "Kelso" Hellmrich, and drummer Sarah "Thomo" Thompson. The band were signed with independent Melbourne label Poison City Records, where Thompson also works, and independent Boston label Run for Cover Records distributed their releases in North America and Europe. In February 2023, Camp Cope announced their imminent disbandment with a series of final performances.
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are annual Australian music awards, established by Heath Media in 2016. They were preceded by the AU Live Music Awards in the previous two years. The awards are given in categories that recognise the best live music venues, performers, events, and festivals. The awards contain both national and state-focused categories, voted on by people in the live industry, with select public-voted categories.
Middle Kids are an Australian alternative indie rock band from Sydney. The group consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Hannah Joy, bass guitarist Tim Fitz, and drummer Harry Day. Since forming in 2016, the band has released their eponymous debut EP (2017), the album Lost Friends (2018), the New Songs for Old Problems EP (2019), and their second studio album, Today We're the Greatest (2021). In February 2024, they released their third album, Faith Crisis Pt 1.
Alexandra Lynn, known professionally as Alex the Astronaut, is an Australian folk-pop singer-songwriter.
Angie McMahon is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician from Melbourne, Victoria. She released her debut studio album Salt in 2019.
Amyl and the Sniffers are an Australian pub rock and punk rock band based in Melbourne, consisting of vocalist Amy Taylor, drummer Bryce Wilson, guitarist Declan Martens, and bassist Gus Romer. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, their self-titled debut record won the Best Rock Album category.