Music News

Damon Albarn has compared Blur's new album to an accidental pregnancy.
The 47-year-old singer-songwriter admitted the band - which also features Graham Coxon, Dave Rowntree and Alex James - had no plans to make a new LP, so felt surprised when 'The Magic Whip' came to fruition.
He confessed: "The story of this record can be compared to a middle-aged couple, out of the blue, receiving the news that there was going to be a new baby, after the original children had grown up.
"We had no intention of having another kid and then suddenly, almost miraculously, one appeared."
However, Damon said it felt refreshing to work on the record - which is their first since 2003's 'Think Tank' - because he didn't have to push for it to happen as "responsibilities were being shared".
He continued: "Graham is very much instrumental in this.
"In a way, it's his baby, although I suppose I am part of its miraculous conception. The reason why I'm so excited about it and happy about it is that the responsibilities were being shared for the first time in maybe 20 years and that's really important."
And although they do not currently have plans to create another album, 46-year-old guitarist Graham said it has helped them realise how they can work together more effectively.
He told Billboard: "It's weird that we're between 45 and 50 and we're only just realizing the potential of our relationship musically.
"This process has shown us a lot more than I ever thought it would, what we like about each other and what we both enjoy about the music that we make together ... If we had done this 20 years ago, it would have been a lot easier."

Stereophonics are releasing a new album. The band have announced that their ninth LP 'Keep The Village Alive' will come out on September 11, 2015, through their own Stylus Records label through Ignition Records. Frontman Kelly Jones has penned all th...

Gwen Stefani says Charli XCX and Sia gave her a "gift".
The 45-year-old singer - who is expected to release her third solo LP later this year - said enlisting the help of the solo stars has reignited her passion for music.
She told British Cosmopolitan magazine: "Charli XCX, Calvin Harris, Miguel - they gave me a gift. And Sia she's a f***ing genius."
Despite not meeting the 22-year-old 'Break The Rules' hitmaker, Charli, the 'Voice US' coach has nothing but praise for her.
In a previous interview with Spin.com, she gushed: "Yeah, the way that Charli and I worked together was that we really didn't work together. She wrote with Benny [Blanco] and then I wrote with Benny separately. I wrote her an email and was like, 'This is so weird that I haven't ever met you and now we have this song.'
"I think out of all the writers out there, male and female, I really like her style the most. I think that she comes up with really good melodies.
"I feel really lucky to work with her in the weird way that we did. It'd be interesting to actually be in the studio with her. I'd be intimidated. It's always awkward for me to be vulnerable when I'm in the studio with people, but sometimes really great stuff comes out of that. You just have to be brave enough to do it."

Sam Smith's plans for a second album are on hold.
The 22-year-old singer recently cancelled a series of tour dates in order to undergo emergency surgery on his vocal cords, and his next LP - the follow-up to 2014's 'In the Lonely Hour' - has also been delayed by the health scare.
A source revealed: "Sam hopes to be back in eight weeks to finish his promotional commitments for his debut album.
"After that the doctors have told him to give his vocal cords some time out before coming back with his second album."
The 'Lay Me Down' hitmaker is expected to have made a full recovery after eight weeks, although health experts have warned him he could cause "serious damage" if he dives back into singing by making his sophomore record.
The source told the Daily Star newspaper: "The prognosis for surgery is good but Sam has been told to see this as a huge warning.
"He has not stopped working and performing since his album was released a year ago and he is risking serious damage to his voice. He has been a victim of his own success."
Meanwhile, Sam's songwriting partner Jimmy Napes recently revealed the pair have already written plenty of material for the collection, although are yet to record any of the tracks.
He said: "We have never stopped writing but haven't had time to go in the studio to put anything down."

Ed Sheeran thinks musicians put too much pressure on themselves to look perfect.
The 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker, who previously revealed he used to wear a girdle to make himself look slimmer on stage, insists he doesn't let critics who keep close tabs on his weight get to him.
He said: "I've never tried to look a certain way, and at the beginning the media was not nice, but I never really cared. Taylor [Swift] is the same way. I think the pressure on artists - both male and female - to look good in the media actually comes from the artists themselves. In reality you need to live your life."
The 24-year-old star struggled to make a name for himself when he was first starting out, but claims giving up on his dreams wasn't an option.
He said: "It was hard, but throwing in the towel never made any sense to me. Simply, I didn't have a plan B.
"When I started, I wasn't that good, but I knew if I just kept playing, I'd get better."
Despite his success, Ed says he is still adjusting to fame.
He added to America's Glamour magazine: "It's a weird adjustment, but I found that I shouldn't question it. I try not to think, 'Oh, I'm here with Elton John - this is weird!' Just roll with it."

Brandon Flowers is "sick" of artists "stealing" other people's music.
The Killers frontman backs the recent court ruling that Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke should pay royalties from 'Blurred Lines' to Marvin Gaye's estate because he thinks plagiarism is rife in the music industry and more people should be punished.
He said: "I agree 150 per cent [on the ruling]. There are so many bands who should get sued.
"I'm so sick of hearing people steal. I hate it.
"I hear it all the time but I'm not gonna tell you which bands. I won't, because I don't wanna start a whole thing."
The 'Human' hitmaker worries people don't think he is cool enough to be a rock star.
He said: "You want your rock star to be messed up? I got nothing for you. Even the greatest storytellers have something.
"Johnny Cash picked cotton, his brother died, his dad was cruel to him. He was legit. I check none of those boxes."
And Brandon despises that people "worship" celebrities that are "not nice".
He told NME magazine: "I know a person immediately. I see it in people's faces. The celebrities people worship aren't nice. They're fake.
"Even when I was little, I would have known that.
"It blows my mind that people don't know their heroes are bad... I'm afraid to say anybody's name."

Howard Donald thinks One Direction need to find "time for themselves".
The Take That singer feels it is important for the quartet to discuss what the future holds following Zayn Malik's departure because he and his bandmates never got chance to examine themselves when Robbie WIlliams quit in 1995.
He said: "I think they need time for themselves. I think they're moving that fast and they're doing so much.
"They do need to sit in a room together, the four of them, discuss what's gone on and why it could have been.
"I think what happened with us is we were going so fast from one thing to another, we never even got round to discussing the whole thing [when Robbie left].
"Don't wait 10 years, boys. Don't wait 10 years."
While Gary Barlow recently agreed to sing at a number of fans' weddings, Howard and Mark Owen joked they would offer more practical services to reward their supporters.
Mark said: "I quite like gardening. I could do a bit of that."
Howard added to heat magazine: "I could go around and do a tidying service of their bedrooms. Throw out the stuff they don't need. 'Nah they don't need that.' 'Throw those shoes away.' "

Ronnie Wood "always knew" he'd be in the Rolling Stones.
The 67-year-old rocker joined the group in 1975 after stints performing with The Birds, The Faces and the Jeff Beck Group and sees the fulfilment of his ambition as proof anyone can achieve their dreams if they work hard.
He said: "I always knew, even when I was in The Birds, that I was going to be in the Rolling Stones.
"I was going to be in that band one way or another and I would broadcast the fact.
"I thought it looked like a good job and it turned out that it is.
"It goes to show you can set your sights on something and get it, if you think big and put in the work."
Ronnie "feels sorry" for modern musicians who aspire to instant success because he feels the "grind" of performing hundreds of small shows is a great experience.
He told NME magazine: "There's a lot to be said for the grind - going up and down the country in a van, playing gig after gig after gig.
"I feel sorry for bands now that aren't exposed to that way of life.
"For so many, they think it's either straight on in front of millions of people or they're destined to be forgotten but there is another way; it involves cutting your teeth the hard way and it can be a slog, but it can be done.
"Rehearsing in a garage, getting in the gig wagon and playing hundreds of shows, that's what it's all about. More young bands should try it."

S Club 7 have admitted their reunion has been "emotional".
The 'Reach' hitmakers - comprised of Tina Barrett, Rachel Stevens, Bradley McIntosh, Paul Cattermole, Hannah Spearritt, Jon Lee and Jo O'Meara - have reunited for a UK tour for the first time since their split in 2003, and confessed getting back together has led to some teary moments.
Jon, 33, told BANG Showbiz: "There have been emotional days. When people are tired, and there are some days when you take in the information really well and there are some days when we all forget it, and everyone's crying. Literally, it's like, we're on stage in two weeks in front of 12,000 people, we don't know what we're doing."
As well as getting emotional as a result of their exhaustion and fears about being ready to perform, they revealed looking back at old clips of themselves in the band - which are used as background clips during their live show - brought back lots of memories.
Jo said: "It's been absolutely brilliant. Yesterday in our dress runs, we hadn't seen the video wall behind us and we had a bit of a moment. I looked at Hannah and she'd gone, and then I looked at Rach, she'd gone, and I thought, sod you! Then I've gone."
But Bradley insisted they cried out of happiness, because they have such fond memories of their time in the band, during which they released four studio albums.
He added: "When we saw the video featuring old footage, you can't help but just look at yourself back in the day and think, 'Aww! We were so young and innocent.'"