Music News

The Vamps have completed "three quarters" of their new album.
The boyband - featuring Connor Ball, Tristan Evans, James McVey and Brad Simpson - released their debut album 'Meet the Vamps' last year and are already well on the way to finishing the record's follow-up, which they have promised will be released this year.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, they said: "The album is going OK, we are three quarters of the way through. It'll be out towards the end of the year and we have done a lot of writing for it already but we've still got a good three months left so you never know really."
The 'Can We Dance' and 'Last Night' hitmakers also revealed the inspirations behind their music, name-checking 28-year-old model Megan Fox and 'New Girl' actress Zooey Deschanel as they key women who motivate them to make music, adding the latter star's pregnancy with film producer Jacob Pechenik has been "emotionally traumatic" for the band.
Talking about their inspirations, they said: "Girls. Megan Fox. Zooey Deschanel. It seems like she's been pregnant for ages. I think that's because it's just so emotionally traumatic for us all. We're all devastated, everyone involved is upset."
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Mumford & Sons "always" wanted to be a rock band.
The 'I Will Wait' hitmakers have moved away from the folk sound of their first two albums on new record 'Wilder Mind' and say they are much more comfortable with their new material.
Bassist Ted Dwayne said: "We've always imagined ourselves as a rock band. We've always been a rock band playing the wrong instruments. Now we have the right instruments."
And Winston Marshall - who has switched from banjo to electric guitar - added: "We always saw ourselves this way. We didn't really think we were a folk band."
And the group admit they couldn't bear the thought of continuing to "churn out" any more folk albums.
Ted said: "We've been working within quite narrow parameters. As a band, we feel that over two records we've pretty thoroughly explored that sound.
"Nobody was that excited about playing a drum with a foot anymore. And there was no way we were just going to churn out another album for the sake of it pleasing fans."
Keyboard player Ben Lovett added: "We started doing this in 2007 and the worst thing we could have done would be to get trapped making the sort of music we'd been making.
"That would have put our lives on pause until the band ended."
In August, the band will headline the Reading and Leeds festivals and can't wait to top the bill.
Ben told NME magazine: "Reading and Leeds are rock festivals and that's exactly why we wanted to play them."

Iggy Azalea is "so excited" about her collaboration with Britney Spears, she has broken her self-imposed social media ban.
The 'Fancy' hitmaker - who has recorded a track named 'Pretty Girls' with the 33-year-old singer - has now decided she wants to have monthly catch-ups with fans so she can keep them up-to-date on her life and work plans, but won't be returning to Twitter for good.
Iggy - who quit Twitter in February because she found it "too negative and draining" - posted on the micro-blogging site last night: "Hi just wanted to come online and tell you all how extremely excited I am for Pretty Girls to be released & that we are going to perform it 2.
"I'm still off social media but I have decided that Im going to do a monthly chat with you guys so we can stay connected, mayb a video stream.
"I'm still working on my album and things are going good. "work" type vibes, earlier fans will be happy 2 hear. love you all. bye. xo.(sic)"
The 24-year-old rapper recently spoke about how well she and Britney got along when they worked on the track.
She said recently: "She's super nice. She came to my house and had lunch and I didn't know what to expect, and we actually really get along.
"I've been texting her, annoying her with all my ideas for the video and she's been a really good sport about it, so I'm really excited."

Bette Midler has paid tribute to the late Percy Sledge insisting the singer will "live forever" through his music.
The 69-year-old singer-and-actress is among a host of stars to publicly pay their respects to the soul legend - who passed away at his Louisiana home aged 74 on Tuesday (14.04.15).
Taking to Twitter to express her sadness, Bette wrote: "The great Percy Sledge died today. I am bereft. His song "When A Man Loves A Woman" ... will live forever. (sic)"
'Young Hearts Run Free' hitmaker Candi Staton also took to the social networking site to express her grief, tweeting: "So sad to learn of the passing of #percysledge. His voice and his songs will resonate with generations to come. (sic)"
Taking to his Twitter account, blues legend Taj Mahal ‏wrote: "Sad news today ... go in peace my friend. Sending our love to family and friends."
Funk singer Bootsy Collins logged into his Facebook account to pay tribute to Percy, posting: "Just lost another legend funkateers, Mr Percy Sledge (sic)"
Percy rose to fame when his song 'When A Man Loves A Woman' hit the top of the US Billboard charts in 1966.
The track became a hit twice in the UK, reaching number four in 1966 and, on reissue, peaked at number two in 1987 when it was featured in a Levi's Jeans commercial.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his career achievements in 2005.

Florence Welch broke her foot after "leaping off the stage" at Coachella.
The Florence + the Machine frontwoman suffered the injury when she jumped off the stage and into the crowd during her performance at the music festival in California on Sunday (12.04.15).
Despite suffering the break, Florence has vowed to continue with her tour - in support of the band's new album 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' - but the shows will have to be "somewhat stripped back".
In a post on her Facebook page, accompanied by an X-ray of a foot, she revealed: "I'm so sorry to say, that after what was one of my favourite shows ever at Coachella, I have discovered I have broken my foot from leaping off the stage. Unfortunately while this heals, my performances will have to be somewhat stripped back.
"I'm so sorry, I'm pretty devastated, but I still want to do the shows.
I understand this is not what you were expecting, but I hope it's just as enjoyable. I'm going to try and make it super special for you."
Florence hopes her foot will be completely healed by the time she is due to play the Glastonbury Festival which takes place over the weekend of June 24 to June 28.
Although she is frustrated with the injury, the 28-year-old singer is determined to make the best of the situation.
In her post, she continued: "By the time Glastonbury rolls around I should be back on my feet. This album was so much about making something from what was broken, so let's see what we can do with this. All my love, Florence."

Keane frontman Tom Chaplin is to launch a solo career.
The 36-year-old singer is reportedly preparing to release solo material after 18 years with his band following their decision to go on an extended hiatus in 2013.
A source shared: "Tom didn't want to rush his first record. He wanted it to be perfect.
"He's taken his time and now feels he has the makings of an album that can withstand the comparisons to Keane's amazing back catalogue."
The 'Somewhere Only We Know' hitmaker is said to be planning to release his debut album - which will reportedly draw on his personal experiences of drug addiction - through Island Records just in time for Christmas.
The source added to The Sun newspaper: "Tom isn't afraid to get personal on the album.
"His bandmate Tim Rice-Oxley wrote the majority of Keane's tracks so Tom didn't always get the chance to explore his inner demons. Now it's his project he feels a lot more liberated.
"There will be more lyrics about his own struggle than ever heard on the band's records."

Union J won't rush their new album.
The 'You Got It All' hitmakers released their second studio LP last year and whilst they believe they've found their "lane" now, they want to take their time with their latest release.
JJ Hamblett, 26, exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "We're in the studio now writing for our new album. Like the other album, we don't want to rush straight into it. We want to make it right. We want to make sure it's better than our last album.
"I think, especially on our last album, we found our lane now. We want to just stand there and sing. 'You Got It All' was released and it charted really well and I think we've found our lane."
And the band - which also includes Josh Cuthbert, George Shelley and Jaymi Hensley - are itching to get out on the road so they can continue writing.
Jaymi said: "We've started writing (but) we're on tour next week. The best time to write is when you're on the road. It's the experience; you see new people."
The band also take inspiration from the likes of Ed Sheeran and Sia.
George added: "It's going really well. We're just jamming and writing some material ourselves.
"Sia, she's incredible. Ed Sheeran, too. Good talented songwriters are our inspirations."
Meanwhile, Union J recently celebrated the launch of The Sims 4 Get to Work by making milkshakes for fans. The new Sims 4 expansion pack lets gamers join their Sim in the world of work. Head to sims.com/store and see how Union J got on at facebook.com/TheSims3Uk.

Florence and the Machine, Patti Smith, Alt-J and Rudimental have joined the 2015 Glastonbury Festival line-up.
Organiser Emily Eavis announced a list of 75 artists set to take to the stage at this year's event on Twitter tonight (14.04.15), including 'Happy' hitmaker Pharrell Williams and R&B star Mary J Blige.
Other confirmed performers include Motorhead, Mavis Staples, Jungle, Deadmau5, FKA twigs, Franz Ferdinand, Sparks, the Moody Blues, Azealia Banks, Alabama Shakes, Paloma Faith, The Chemical Brothers, Clean Bandit and Lionel Richie, whose set will be introduced by the Dalai Lama.
Mercury prize-winners Young Fathers are also set to return after making their debut last year.
The 'Shame' hitmakers told The Guardian newspaper: "We hope the sun shines on our arrival and the moon shines on the audience so we can see their loving faces and so it can guide us when we depart, to the airport and another festival, somewhere else."
Foo Fighters and Kanye West will headline the festival near Pilton, Somerset, England on the Friday and Saturday nights, but it seems fans will have to wait a little longer to find out who will top the bill on the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday.
The event is set to take place from June 24 to June 28, 2015.

Julian Casablancas is "planning on recording" new material with The Strokes.
Following his recent album 'Tryranny' with The Voidz, the frontman has revealed that he wants to shift his focus back to his original band, which hasn't released anything since 'Comedown Machine' in 2013.
Julian told Noisey: "It's the first time we've been exclusively writing since 'Comedown Machine'. We're planning on recording stuff. I still think we could do cool things and I'll do that. I'd like to do both [bands] really if I could."
The 36-year-old singer also revealed plans of working with Savages singer Jehnny Beth on a new track.
Julian became friends with the band after they played alongside The Voidz at a number of South American festivals early in 2014.
Meanwhile, The Strokes recently announced they'll be headlining the 'British Summer Time Festival' in London's Hyde Park on June 18, which will be their first UK gig in five years.
However, the musician has distanced himself and both bands from the possibility of appearing at the iconic Glastonbury music festival this summer.
Julian wrote online: "For those kindly asking, nopes, no Glasto this year!"