Music News

Steve Aoki thinks the secret to his success is being able to nap anywhere.
The 37-year-old DJ and electronic music producer is very proud of his ability to get some shut-eye, no matter what the circumstances, ensuring he is always fresh for his sets.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I take naps everywhere. I could sleep in that corner right there. I could sleep on your shoulder.
"I've slept in the club, I've slept under a table ... [Everyone was like] 'Oh my God, it's Steve Aoki. Oh s**t he's sleeping under a table!'
"I've been caught on the EasyJet sleeping, 'Yo, where's your Aoki jet, Steve Aoki?' I've been caught everywhere man, I don't really care. You have to not care, that's the thing."
The 'Delirious' hitmaker also admitted that despite playing at some of the biggest musical festivals in the world, one location he's desperate to visit is the region of Transylvania in Romania.
Steve told BANG Showbiz: "I was having a conversation with Dimitri Vegas and he was like, 'Oh, yo, we're playing Transylvania'. I didn't even know that was an actual real place. I thought that was where vampires and Dracula come from and they're not real so...
"I'd love to play there, just to say that I was there!"

Fatboy Slim's Smile High Club at London's Tobacco Dock on Saturday (02.01.15) celebrated acid house with a modern twist.
The English DJ - also known as Norman Cook - called for "random acts of smileyness" at the day-time event and the 5000 loyal house music lovers responded with a visual extravaganza, as they dressed in brightly coloured lycra and painted their faces yellow, in honour of the famous house raves of the '80s and '90s.
Fatboy dived into a career-spanning set and played familiar tracks like 'Eat Sleep Rave Repeat' and 'Renegrade Master' mixed with current electronic music samples and mash-ups, which created an immeasurable buzz in the main room.
And the 52-year-old DJ reminded fans how lucky they were to hear the Brit Award winner in action, when he played hits 'Praise You' and 'Right Here, Right Now'.
A set from Mancunian DJ Ben Pearce in the late afternoon was another treat on what was a brilliant line-up.
The tattooed deck spinner played his pop-leaning 2013 hit 'What I Might Do' and mixed it with more darkly-shaded dance tunes and a "few curve balls", including new tracks from his forthcoming EP - out in January on Moda Black.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz before the event, he revealed: "The art of the warm up DJ is kind of dying out a bit. That's what I used to be when I first started out so I got a bit of a passion, to show your artistry... you want to make sure people know what you're about not just playing what they want to hear and the songs they already know... Educate them a little bit. Make them hear new music."
However, walking into the car park to find Cyril Hahn spinning his remix of Destiny's Child's 'Say My Name' in the early evening - to a thunderous reception - was one of the highlights of the day.
The Swiss DJ performed to an impeccable light show that complimented his euphoric sound and treated his followers to another fan-favourite, 'Perfect Form'.
Elsewhere, people rushed through the iron vaults of Tobacco Dock to catch other brilliant acts, including Secondcity, 2ManyDJs, and Erol Alkan, while Jägermeister provided music goers with an alpine escape on the rooftop of the riverside venue.
Two large, heated teepees filled with comfy sofas, benches, Christmas lights and free popcorn gave revellers shelter from the wind and rain while they were also comforted by live music.
Fatboy Slim heads to Australia in the coming weeks to play four dates, before visiting Brazil in February and Snowbombing festival in Austria in April.

Delta Goodrem thinks touring with Ricky Martin was a "weird choice".
The 'Wings' singer and Latino heartthrob should have been fierce rivals as coaches on the Australian version of talent show 'The Voice' but their "chemistry" worked so well, they went on the road together.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, she said: "It was a weird choice for me because obviously I do my own shows but I wanted to do it because we have this amazing chemistry when we sing live together.
"And he's a kindred spirit in my life."
During the tour the 31-year-old beauty found that something "clicked" on stage and her life was "put back into shape" at a time when she was contemplating what she wanted to over the next 10 years.
Delta shared: "My set, not being my show, was 10,000 people, piano, a guitar, and a drum, and it had to fill the room in such a stripped back way. It just brought me back to a place that, I just went, 'I love this. Like I really, really love this.' The lights were off and it was a spotlight. But it was minus anything bigger, and there was something about it that just clicked my whole life back into shape.
"You know when you choose to do something and you don't know why you're doing it? I know for the love of reason, but it wasn't a strategic thing, it wasn't a thing for my brand, it wasn't anything, it was just me."
Meanwhile, Delta has found her "roots" again and after touring with Ricky, her track 'Wings' became the ninth number on the ARIA Singles Chart.
She added: "After I walked off that tour I walked straight into the studio, and I went, you know what type of song I need? I want something I'm currently listening to I want something that I feel is now. And I want to bring in what my roots are and I'm a classical piano player, like that's what I actually need to put into my pop songs. So that's what I did."

Redfoo believes LMFAO's 'Party Rock Anthem' video is as iconic as Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.
The 40-year-old rapper, who was one half of the duo along with Sky Blu before their hiatus in 2012, thinks the video is "something that must be seen as a human being," just like Michael's 13-minute clip, which is widely regarded as the most influential pop video of all time.
Speaking about its success, he exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It's just crazy. It's one of those things where a lot of young kids, their parents show them the video. It's still like three year olds and four year olds who are watching. It's one of those videos where the parents are like, introducing them to the world and they're playing them that video.
"I don't know what they're saying when they play it but it's kinda like 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson. I will show my kids 'Thriller' when I have kids.
"It's something that must be seen as a human being. And it seems like that video is having that same viral essence. So it's pretty phenomenal. I'm very grateful and humbled. And I just love it when young kids come up to me and shuffle."
However, the 'New Thang' hitmaker revealed he has no plans to reform LMFAO anytime soon because they are both busy with their own projects.
He explained: "We're both doing our solo stuff now. I'm pretty sure in the future we'll be doing some stuff. I just thing at the moment we're so occupied with what we're doing now and the goals we have and there's so many things we're doing. But we're most likely going to figure out some type of big master plan."

Natalie Cole has died aged 65.
The 'Miss You Like Crazy' singer - who is the son of Nat King Cole and Maria Cole - tragically passed away at a hospital in Los Angeles from complications from ongoing health issues on Thursday (31.12.15).
In a statement, her son Robert Yancy, and sisters Timolin and Casey, said: "It is with heavy hearts that we bring to you all the news of our Mother and sister's passing. Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever. (sic)"
Tributes have flooded in for the Grammy award-winning singer, led by fellow jazz singer Tony Bennett.
Sharing a picture of the pair, Tony wrote: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Natalie Cole, as I have cherished the long friendship with her, her father Nat and the family over the years.
"Natalie was an exceptional jazz singer and it was an honor to have recorded and performed with her on several occasions. She was a lovely and generous person who will be greatly missed. (sic)"
Whilst Lenny Kravitz shared: "As the new year was ushered in, an angelic instrument moved on. Natalie Cole's voice was perfection. And what a lady... You will be missed my dear. Love. (sic)"
Jordin Sparks paid tribute to the "kind [and] graceful" star. She wrote: "I am so sad to hear about Natalie Cole's passing. I feel she has always been apart of my life in many ways ...
"She was always so kind & exuded so much grace. Rest in everlasting love. I'm sure the heavens are absolutely loving you and your dad rejoicing together. 'Unforgettable in every way....' That you are, Natalie, that you are. (sic)"
Natalie is survived by her son Robert Yancy.

Fifth Harmony star Dinah Jane Hansen was taught how to play basketball by Snoop Dogg.
The 18-year-old singer has revealed she considers herself to be "pretty good friends" with the 44-year-old rapper after bonding with him during a recent celebrity basketball game where he taught her how to play the sport.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I've met Snoop Dogg a couple of times, I'd say we're pretty good friends. I went to this BET Awards thing and we were playing celebrity basketball, and Snoop Dogg was on my team. I was really, really shy because I've never really hung out with that many celebrities in one area but Snoop Dogg was the first one that approached me - and I don't play basketball - but he approached me and was like, 'What's up home girl?!' just trying to make me comfortable. He just started showing me how to play. And I was like, 'So how do you do a lay-up? How do you bounce the ball?' I was so confused."
However, the 'Worth It' hitmaker also took the time to get to know another of her favourite stars, Chris Brown, during the game, even though she had to keep her "fan girl" under control.
She explained: "And then Chris Brown was on my team too and I was crying, low-key, I really was dying, although I give myself some credit for controlling my fan girl, because if the fan girl came out, ooh I would have been on the side of the court the whole time."

Markus Feehily laughs at people who think he quit Westlife and started selling tea from the back of a van.
The 'Love is a Drug' singer has a sideline business in the hospitality industry but thinks it's funny that it's been portrayed as being his main career now the group are over.
He told BANG Showbiz: "The star of the show is the van. It's not a catering business really. It made me laugh when they made it look like I played to 90,000 people at the end of Westlife and got a job selling tea in the back of the van. We bought a 1950s vintage van and we had it refurbished and kitted out and sell cocktails, Prosecco and hot chocolates and crepes at Christmas. We just got this van and went round festivals."
Now a solo artist, he can't understand people who think once you are famous you can only be known for one thing.
He explained: "It's funny the way people think you can only be one thing, like you can't do two things at the same time. For me you can do many things at the same time. I'm a singer but at the same time I love other things.
"I had a bit of time over summer when there wasn't much happening and I wanted to do something that was a bit of fun and that's what the van was."

Stevie Nicks hated the title of Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' album.
The 67-year-old singer - who is one fifth of the rock band - "didn't understand" the saucy meaning behind the moniker as it only made her think of cruel animal hunting.
She explained: "I didn't understand the title. There was nothing beautiful or elegant about the word 'tusk.' All it really brought to mind was people stealing ivory. Even then in 1979 you just thought, the rhinos are being poached and the tusks are being stolen and the elephants are being slaughtered and ivory's being sold on the black market.
"I don't recall it being [Mick Fleetwood's slang term for the male member] that went right over my prudish little head, I wasn't told that until quite a while after the record was done, and when I did find out I liked the title even less!"
And it wasn't just the title of the collection she was concerned about, as Stevie was worried when her band mate Lindsey Buckingham announced he wanted to take 'Tusk' in a different direction from their massively successful 'Rumours.'
She told Mojo magazine: "'Rumours' was a perfect, off-the-top-of-our head thing that turned into a huge-selling amazing record. Nobody wanted to do exactly the same thing each time, that's just five people being creative. This was different though, this was Lindsey really making a stand...
"If you go down some different pathways, study and research some different genres of music and change it up, everybody was fine with that, but Lindsey was just so adamant about doing something that was the total opposite of the previous records.
"He announced it so viscerally, so demandingly that I think he scared all of us. We were like, 'what the f**k?' "

Rick Parfitt has had "talks" about a Status Quo musical.
The 67-year-old guitarist has admitted the band - currently made up of Francis Rossi, Andy Brown, John 'Rhino' Edwards and Leon Cave - have been approached to create a stage show based on their music but have put plans on hold until they decide to stop touring.
The rocker revealed exclusively to BANG Showbiz: "There have been talks about doing a Status Quo musical or show of some kind, but there's no point doing it while we're still all around. If there's a show on about us in London, where do we go to play when we're here? What would be the point?"
Nevertheless, the rocker hinted he only intends to spend "a few years" more with the band, with whom he has been playing for over 40 years, and plans for the show to go ahead when they no longer have the distractions of touring and recording.
He added: "We will do one in a few years, but we're going to wait until we've stopped doing shows until we arrange it properly."