Music News
Music News
Tony Banks would "love" a Genesis reunion.
The keyboard player insists he will "never say never" to getting back together with his bandmates, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and potentially original singer Peter Gabriel, but the only thing stopping them is Phil is "not quite able" to play the drums like "he did in the past".
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz on Thursday night (03.09.15) at the Progressive Music Awards 2015 at the Underglobe below Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, Tony said: "I'd love to say that we are, but I know nothing of it.
"It's never a problem for me really. Mike and I see each other a lot and we are always up for anything really. The problem really is Phil is not quite able to do what he did in the past, but we never say never."
The 65-year-old musician - who was honoured at the ceremony with the Prog God title - thinks it would be great to play the same set they did in 2007 on the 'Turn It On Again' tour.
Tony is adamant just because they are "getting a bit older" a reunion is still a possibility because they "all get on" still.
He explained: "Despite what you might read sometimes we all get on. I'd love to do the tour we did before in 2007 with Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson. We are all getting a bit older, but we are all still alive."
Tony Banks wants a Genesis reunion
Tony Banks would "love" a Genesis reunion.
The keyboard player insists he will "never say never" to getting back together with his bandmates, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and potentially original singer Peter Gabriel, but the only thing stopping them is Phil is "not quite able" to play the drums like "he did in the past".
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz on Thursday night (03.09.15) at the Progressive Music Awards 2015 at the Underglobe below Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, Tony said: "I'd love to say that we are, but I know nothing of it.
"It's never a problem for me really. Mike and I see each other a lot and we are always up for anything really. The problem really is Phil is not quite able to do what he did in the past, but we never say never."
The 65-year-old musician - who was honoured at the ceremony with the Prog God title - thinks it would be great to play the same set they did in 2007 on the 'Turn It On Again' tour.
Tony is adamant just because they are "getting a bit older" a reunion is still a possibility because they "all get on" still.
He explained: "Despite what you might read sometimes we all get on. I'd love to do the tour we did before in 2007 with Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson. We are all getting a bit older, but we are all still alive."
Music News
Disclosure write songs the "old fashioned" way.
The electronic duo - made up of brothers Guy 24, and Howard, 21 - rose to prominence with electronic hits such as 'White Noise' and 'Latch', which featured with Sam Smith, from their debut LP 'Settle' but confessed they are actually prefer the traditional approach to making music and always start their songs on a piano.
Guy explained: "We write in a very old-fashioned way with Howard and Jimmy (Napes, their songwriting partner) around a piano, which is a relatively quick process. It's the post-production that takes longer. That's the bit where I really concentrate and take a long time on the detail."
And the pair have taken even more of an instrumental approach to their second studio album 'Caracal'.
Guy added in an interview with The Sun newspaper: "We've approached this album like a band - writing the songs and using vocalists, not samples."
Since the success of 'Settle' the brothers have got to meet a host of music legends and superstar pop peers but they never get star-struck.
Howard said: "After the Grammys we had a party in the Hollywood Hills and Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran were there and it was fine.
"Once you meet them, you realize they are just normal people. "Before I met Sting, I was like, 'Oh my God, it's Sting!' And then I met him and it was like, 'Oh, he's just a nice guy.' "
‘Old fashioned’ songwriters Disclosure
Disclosure write songs the "old fashioned" way.
The electronic duo - made up of brothers Guy 24, and Howard, 21 - rose to prominence with electronic hits such as 'White Noise' and 'Latch', which featured with Sam Smith, from their debut LP 'Settle' but confessed they are actually prefer the traditional approach to making music and always start their songs on a piano.
Guy explained: "We write in a very old-fashioned way with Howard and Jimmy (Napes, their songwriting partner) around a piano, which is a relatively quick process. It's the post-production that takes longer. That's the bit where I really concentrate and take a long time on the detail."
And the pair have taken even more of an instrumental approach to their second studio album 'Caracal'.
Guy added in an interview with The Sun newspaper: "We've approached this album like a band - writing the songs and using vocalists, not samples."
Since the success of 'Settle' the brothers have got to meet a host of music legends and superstar pop peers but they never get star-struck.
Howard said: "After the Grammys we had a party in the Hollywood Hills and Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran were there and it was fine.
"Once you meet them, you realize they are just normal people. "Before I met Sting, I was like, 'Oh my God, it's Sting!' And then I met him and it was like, 'Oh, he's just a nice guy.' "
Music News
Keith Richards has slammed Metallica, Black Sabbath and rap music.
The Rolling Stones rocker branded heavy metal bands Metallica and Black Sabbath "jokes" and quipped that rap music only appeals to "tone-deaf people".
Speaking to the New York Daily News, he said: "Millions are in love with Metallica and Black Sabbath. I just thought they were great jokes.
"And rap - so many words, so little said. What rap did that was impressive was to show there are so many tone-deaf people out there.
"All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they're happy. There's an enormous market for people who can't tell one note from another."
Keith also hit out at Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, expanding on comments he made in his autobiography 'Life' where he called him a "snob".
He said: "I'll reinforce that. His daughter, Georgia Mae, was sitting around in my room and she said, 'oh, you know what dad's like. He's such a snob.' He can come off that way even to me and the rest of the band. He comes on the plane and doesn't say, 'Hey mate.'
"He's preoccupied with something really boring. He's a control freak. He likes to know everything that's going on. He lost himself a bit in the details.
"But he's a hell of a frontman and I still love him dearly. Your friends don't have to be perfect."
Keith Richards slams Metallica, Black Sabbath and rap
Keith Richards has slammed Metallica, Black Sabbath and rap music.
The Rolling Stones rocker branded heavy metal bands Metallica and Black Sabbath "jokes" and quipped that rap music only appeals to "tone-deaf people".
Speaking to the New York Daily News, he said: "Millions are in love with Metallica and Black Sabbath. I just thought they were great jokes.
"And rap - so many words, so little said. What rap did that was impressive was to show there are so many tone-deaf people out there.
"All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they're happy. There's an enormous market for people who can't tell one note from another."
Keith also hit out at Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, expanding on comments he made in his autobiography 'Life' where he called him a "snob".
He said: "I'll reinforce that. His daughter, Georgia Mae, was sitting around in my room and she said, 'oh, you know what dad's like. He's such a snob.' He can come off that way even to me and the rest of the band. He comes on the plane and doesn't say, 'Hey mate.'
"He's preoccupied with something really boring. He's a control freak. He likes to know everything that's going on. He lost himself a bit in the details.
"But he's a hell of a frontman and I still love him dearly. Your friends don't have to be perfect."
Music News
Iggy Azalea recorded her collaboration with Demi Lovato without listening to the song.
The 25-year-old rap star appears with Demi on the track 'Kingdom' - which features on the singer's upcoming album 'Confident' - and Demi has revealed the unusual backstory to their collaboration.
Demi explained: "When we finally made the decision of which songs were making the album I said 'OK I want her on this one.' So I called her and was like, 'Hey will you do a song?'
"And she's like, 'Yeah sure I'll go into the studio tonight.'"
Demi admitted to being surprised by Iggy's unusual approach, which helped to solidify her respect for the Australian artist.
Demi told MTV: "I was like, 'Do you want to hear it first?' She's like 'No it's cool.'"
"I'm like you're an amazing friend and I love you."
She also claimed Iggy's rap was the perfect fit for the song.
Demi shared: "I was a fan of her before we were friends, so I feel like I knew what it would sound like.
"And I was just excited to hear it back, it was so much more than I even expected."
Iggy Azalea ‘recorded rap without listening to song’
Iggy Azalea recorded her collaboration with Demi Lovato without listening to the song.
The 25-year-old rap star appears with Demi on the track 'Kingdom' - which features on the singer's upcoming album 'Confident' - and Demi has revealed the unusual backstory to their collaboration.
Demi explained: "When we finally made the decision of which songs were making the album I said 'OK I want her on this one.' So I called her and was like, 'Hey will you do a song?'
"And she's like, 'Yeah sure I'll go into the studio tonight.'"
Demi admitted to being surprised by Iggy's unusual approach, which helped to solidify her respect for the Australian artist.
Demi told MTV: "I was like, 'Do you want to hear it first?' She's like 'No it's cool.'"
"I'm like you're an amazing friend and I love you."
She also claimed Iggy's rap was the perfect fit for the song.
Demi shared: "I was a fan of her before we were friends, so I feel like I knew what it would sound like.
"And I was just excited to hear it back, it was so much more than I even expected."
Music News
Black Sabbath have announced their final tour will take place next year.
The rockers will kick off 'The End' concert series in January in Omaha, Nebraska, and have promised the shows - which will run through North America until February - will "surpass all previous tours with the most mesmerizing production ever."
The group will say farewell to their fans in Australia and New Zealand in April, and further dates around the world will be announced next month.
A video announcement for the tour stated: "It's the beginning of the end.
"It started nearly five decades ago with a crack of thunder, a distant bell ringing and then that monstrous riff that shook the earth. The heaviest rock sound ever heard. In that moment heavy metal was born, created by a young band from Birmingham, England barely out of their teens.
"Now it ends, the final tour by the greatest metal band of all time, Black Sabbath. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler close the final chapter in the final volume of the incredible Black Sabbath story. Black Sabbath's farewell tour, 'The End,' begins on January 20, 2016 and it promises to surpass all previous tours with their most mesmerizing production ever. "When this tour concludes, it will truly be the end, the end of one of the most legendary bands in Rock 'n Roll history... Black Sabbath."
It is not yet clear who will be playing drums.
Tommy Clueftos, who plays with Ozzy's solo group, played on the band's reunion album '13' and subsequent tours, as original drummer Bill Ward had a falling out with his bandmates ahead of making the record.
Though the tour announcement didn't mention plans for a new record, Ozzy, 66, previously admitted he is keen to make another album.
He said last September: "If we're going to do [it], I want to do it before I'm 70.
"Time isn't on our side. So [Sharon Osbourne] made the call and came back and said, 'Yeah, the record company wants another album.' I believe Rick Rubin is going to do it with us again."
Black Sabbath announce final tour
Black Sabbath have announced their final tour will take place next year.
The rockers will kick off 'The End' concert series in January in Omaha, Nebraska, and have promised the shows - which will run through North America until February - will "surpass all previous tours with the most mesmerizing production ever."
The group will say farewell to their fans in Australia and New Zealand in April, and further dates around the world will be announced next month.
A video announcement for the tour stated: "It's the beginning of the end.
"It started nearly five decades ago with a crack of thunder, a distant bell ringing and then that monstrous riff that shook the earth. The heaviest rock sound ever heard. In that moment heavy metal was born, created by a young band from Birmingham, England barely out of their teens.
"Now it ends, the final tour by the greatest metal band of all time, Black Sabbath. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler close the final chapter in the final volume of the incredible Black Sabbath story. Black Sabbath's farewell tour, 'The End,' begins on January 20, 2016 and it promises to surpass all previous tours with their most mesmerizing production ever. "When this tour concludes, it will truly be the end, the end of one of the most legendary bands in Rock 'n Roll history... Black Sabbath."
It is not yet clear who will be playing drums.
Tommy Clueftos, who plays with Ozzy's solo group, played on the band's reunion album '13' and subsequent tours, as original drummer Bill Ward had a falling out with his bandmates ahead of making the record.
Though the tour announcement didn't mention plans for a new record, Ozzy, 66, previously admitted he is keen to make another album.
He said last September: "If we're going to do [it], I want to do it before I'm 70.
"Time isn't on our side. So [Sharon Osbourne] made the call and came back and said, 'Yeah, the record company wants another album.' I believe Rick Rubin is going to do it with us again."
Music News
Muse have been named the biggest selling progressive act of the millennium so far.
The band beat Pink Floyd to the top spot in a list compiled by the Official Charts Company and Prog Magazine to celebrate their new monthly Official Progressive Albums Chart.
From September 9, Prog Magazine will publish the Official Progressive Albums Chart - a Top 30 of the biggest progressive albums over the previous month - in each of its monthly issues. The chart will also be published on OfficialCharts.com.
Jerry Ewing, editor of Prog Magazine, said: "Prog artists have always pushed the boundaries of musical convention, and by doing so, many have gone on to be some of the best-selling and most influential artists of all time, but prog didn't stop in the 1970s, there are many people out there who are into prog artists and just don't seem to know it!
"We're delighted to be working with the Official Charts Company and that the voice of the UK's best-selling music have given prog the platform it so deserves."
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, added: "We are delighted to be working with the progressive music experts at Prog Magazine to create this exciting new chart - and look forward to giving the most inventive artists working today a new showcase of their own, every month."
Prog music is commonly defined as a rock music subgenre and includes artists such as Muse, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Radiohead.
Orange Amplification presents Progressive Music Awards in association with currencies.co.uk, take place on Thursday (03.09.15) at the Underglobe at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
Official Progressive Artists of the 21st Century - Top 10
Muse (biggest album: Black Holes & Revelations)
Pink Floyd (The Dark Side Of the Moon)
Radiohead (OK Computer)
Kate Bush (Aerial)
Jeff Wayne (The War Of The Worlds)
Air (Moon Safari)
Sigur Ros (Takk)
Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells)
Genesis (Selling England By The Pound)
Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots)
Muse named biggest selling progressive act
Muse have been named the biggest selling progressive act of the millennium so far.
The band beat Pink Floyd to the top spot in a list compiled by the Official Charts Company and Prog Magazine to celebrate their new monthly Official Progressive Albums Chart.
From September 9, Prog Magazine will publish the Official Progressive Albums Chart - a Top 30 of the biggest progressive albums over the previous month - in each of its monthly issues. The chart will also be published on OfficialCharts.com.
Jerry Ewing, editor of Prog Magazine, said: "Prog artists have always pushed the boundaries of musical convention, and by doing so, many have gone on to be some of the best-selling and most influential artists of all time, but prog didn't stop in the 1970s, there are many people out there who are into prog artists and just don't seem to know it!
"We're delighted to be working with the Official Charts Company and that the voice of the UK's best-selling music have given prog the platform it so deserves."
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, added: "We are delighted to be working with the progressive music experts at Prog Magazine to create this exciting new chart - and look forward to giving the most inventive artists working today a new showcase of their own, every month."
Prog music is commonly defined as a rock music subgenre and includes artists such as Muse, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Radiohead.
Orange Amplification presents Progressive Music Awards in association with currencies.co.uk, take place on Thursday (03.09.15) at the Underglobe at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
Official Progressive Artists of the 21st Century - Top 10
Muse (biggest album: Black Holes & Revelations)
Pink Floyd (The Dark Side Of the Moon)
Radiohead (OK Computer)
Kate Bush (Aerial)
Jeff Wayne (The War Of The Worlds)
Air (Moon Safari)
Sigur Ros (Takk)
Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells)
Genesis (Selling England By The Pound)
Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots)
Music News
Take That will be among the headline acts at the Apple Music Festival at London's Roundhouse.
The group - comprised of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald - will be one of the star attractions at the event formerly known as the iTunes Festival, which is set to take place from September 19th until September 28th.
They said: "We're really excited to be playing our first ever Apple Music Festival alongside an amazing line-up. We had a great time on tour in the UK and are looking forward to playing the Roundhouse in September before we head out to Europe."
The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers, James Bay and Leon Bridges have also been added to the line-up.
Previously announced headliners include One Direction, supported by Little Mix, and singer Niall Horan said: "It'll be great to be back in London and we can't wait to perform for our fans in the Roundhouse and around the world on Apple Music!"
Florence + The Machine, Disclosure and Pharrell Williams were announced last month.
Previous performers at the eight-year-old old event - which has been renamed the Apple Music Festival to support the launch of the new Apple Music app - have included Adele, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake.
Take That to headline Apple Music Festival
Take That will be among the headline acts at the Apple Music Festival at London's Roundhouse.
The group - comprised of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald - will be one of the star attractions at the event formerly known as the iTunes Festival, which is set to take place from September 19th until September 28th.
They said: "We're really excited to be playing our first ever Apple Music Festival alongside an amazing line-up. We had a great time on tour in the UK and are looking forward to playing the Roundhouse in September before we head out to Europe."
The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers, James Bay and Leon Bridges have also been added to the line-up.
Previously announced headliners include One Direction, supported by Little Mix, and singer Niall Horan said: "It'll be great to be back in London and we can't wait to perform for our fans in the Roundhouse and around the world on Apple Music!"
Florence + The Machine, Disclosure and Pharrell Williams were announced last month.
Previous performers at the eight-year-old old event - which has been renamed the Apple Music Festival to support the launch of the new Apple Music app - have included Adele, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake.
Music News
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson believes his cancer may have been caused by the sexually transmitted HPV virus.
The 56-year-old rocker was given the all-clear from the disease, which was attacking the back of his tongue, in May following several weeks of chemotherapy.
Bruce has now claimed the cancer could be the result of HPV (human papillomavirus) which is passed on through cunnilingus - oral sex performed on a women - and he insists more should be done to try and understand the link between the two illnesses.
In an interview with Jim Norton on Opie Radio, he said: "The thing about the HPV virus is people don't know a great deal about it. I don't mean to be flippant or anything, but you would expect lesbians to have a higher incidence of it. But no, there's is 25 percent less than in men. It seems to be something that affects men. There are 150 or so strains of HPV virus, but only a couple you're interested in, 80 percent of us have been exposed to it, and you can't get rid of it. It comes and it goes. For some reason, and nobody knows why, in guys over 40 it can persist. The virus leaves behind a little genetic code, that starts off the cancer."
Now he is cancer-free, Bruce - who was busy recording the new Iron Maiden album 'The Book of Souls' before he was diagnosed with cancer - has made a vow not to let people "waste" his time and he also has new found respect for all the people battling cancer across the world.
He added: "I've learnt to have less time for people who waste my time. If I want to waste my time, I'll waste my own time. They also had me on morphine for the last couple of weeks for pain. It was very disappointing ... There are hundreds of thousands of people dealing with this every day. It's astonishing there aren't more people jumping off bridges, you know?"
Hollywood star Michael Douglas also overcame tongue cancer and previously mused that his illness could have been caused by the HPV virus transmitted by oral sex.
Bruce Dickinson believes his cancer caused by the HPV virus
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson believes his cancer may have been caused by the sexually transmitted HPV virus.
The 56-year-old rocker was given the all-clear from the disease, which was attacking the back of his tongue, in May following several weeks of chemotherapy.
Bruce has now claimed the cancer could be the result of HPV (human papillomavirus) which is passed on through cunnilingus - oral sex performed on a women - and he insists more should be done to try and understand the link between the two illnesses.
In an interview with Jim Norton on Opie Radio, he said: "The thing about the HPV virus is people don't know a great deal about it. I don't mean to be flippant or anything, but you would expect lesbians to have a higher incidence of it. But no, there's is 25 percent less than in men. It seems to be something that affects men. There are 150 or so strains of HPV virus, but only a couple you're interested in, 80 percent of us have been exposed to it, and you can't get rid of it. It comes and it goes. For some reason, and nobody knows why, in guys over 40 it can persist. The virus leaves behind a little genetic code, that starts off the cancer."
Now he is cancer-free, Bruce - who was busy recording the new Iron Maiden album 'The Book of Souls' before he was diagnosed with cancer - has made a vow not to let people "waste" his time and he also has new found respect for all the people battling cancer across the world.
He added: "I've learnt to have less time for people who waste my time. If I want to waste my time, I'll waste my own time. They also had me on morphine for the last couple of weeks for pain. It was very disappointing ... There are hundreds of thousands of people dealing with this every day. It's astonishing there aren't more people jumping off bridges, you know?"
Hollywood star Michael Douglas also overcame tongue cancer and previously mused that his illness could have been caused by the HPV virus transmitted by oral sex.