Music News

Visage's Steve Strange has died aged 55.
The frontman of the 1980s pop band tragically passed away today (12.02.15) in hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt after he suffered a heart attack in his sleep, his record label has confirmed.
August Day Recordings manager, Marc Green, said in a statement: "We are extremely saddened to announce that Steve Strange died at 11.15 local time on Thursday, February 12 in Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital, Egypt. Steve died in his sleep of heart failure.
"Steve's family, band members and friends are all distraught at this sudden news of his untimely death.Steve's family request privacy at this extremely difficult time."
Steve's agent, Pete Bassett, described the singer as a "hard-working, very amusing and lovable individual who always was at the forefront of fashion trends".
He added: "Up until last year he was putting together a book of fashion styles based on the New Romantic movement and it comes as a great shock. We understood that he had certain health problems but nothing we knew was life-threatening."
After the heartbreaking news broke this evening, a number of music icons took to Twitter to share their anguish over the death of Steve, whose real name is Steven Harrington.
Duran Duran frontman, Simon Le Bon, tweeted: "I'm very sad to announce that our friend Steve Strange has died in Egypt today. He was the leading edge of New Romantic. God Bless him."
Billy Idol added: "Very sad to hear of my friend Steve Strange @Stevevisstrange passing, RIP mate.....(sic)."
Steve's band Visage formed in 1979 and became prominent after they released their record 'Fade to Grey' a year later.

The Chemical Brothers, The Jacksons and Duran Duran are among acts confirmed for Bestival.
The annual music festival which takes place on the Isle of Wight, just off the coast of southern England, will also host performances from Tame Impala, Flying Lotus, Gorgon City and Future Islands.
Chemical Brothers will headline the Saturday night of the event, while Underworld will perform a UK festival exclusive when they headline the Big Top on Thursday night.
Duran Duran have also been confirmed as a UK festival exclusive and will be bringing their new stage show to the festival, playing tracks from their new album which is set to feature Mr. Hudson, Mark Ronson and Nile Rodgers.
Speaking about the announcement, frontman Simon Le Bon said: "This year sees the beginning of a new Duran Duran live show. I couldn't imagine starting it with more of a bang than an appearance at Bestival."
Elsewhere, The Jacksons - featuring Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon - will play their only UK festival performance of 2015 at the event which runs from September 10-13 2015 at Robin Hill Country Park on the island.
Other confirmed artists include Annie Mac, Jurrasic 5, Little Dragon, Roisin Murphy, Duke Dumont, Jamie XX, Kate Tempest, Hannah Wants, Todd Terje and Four Tet, amongst others.
Tickets to the 'Summer of Love' themed festival - which is celebrating its 12th year - are on sale now, available from: www.ticketline.co.uk/bestival-tickets

Will Smith is considering a return to music.
The 46-year-old actor entered the studio with 'Bound 2' rapper Kanye West in 2013 and is now contemplating ending his 10-year hiatus after seeing his children Jaden, 16, and Willow, 14, forge music careers of their own.
Speaking at a London screening of his new film 'Focus' last night (11.02.15), he said: "I went into the studio with Kanye. I'm thinking about it. I'm exploring."
The father-of-three released his fourth solo studio record 'Lost and Found' in 2005 and although he has been apprehensive about returning to the industry, the famous actor said he is "exploring" the possibility.
He explained: "I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet but I'm exploring."
However, the 'Gettin' Jiggy Wit It' hitmaker - who also had hits with 'Summertime', 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air', and 'Men in Black' - revealed his time away from music has been due to a creative block, which Jaden has advised him to "write out".
He said: "I'm in a creative ceiling. My son tells me I have to write out the things I don't like. I can't write and stop, I have to keep going and going and write them out. I've never worked like that before but I think I might give that a shot."

Adele is working with Emile Haynie.
The 26-year-old chart-topper has added another name to the list of people she has enlisted to work on her third studio album, with Bruno Mars' 'Locked Out of Heaven' producer confirming he worked with the "super cool" 'Rolling in the Deep' hitmaker.
He said: "She's super cool. You can tell the second somebody walks in, no matter how massive a star they are, if they're just chill and cool you get that energy right away."
The 34-year-old musician has previously produced for Kanye West, Eminem, Tinie Tempah, Emeli Sande and Lana Del Rey, and also counts Charli XCX, Grimes and Lily Allen among his fans.
Adele's long-awaited third studio album was rumoured to be released last year after she posted a cryptic message on her Twitter account on the eve of her 26th birthday, although sources have since revealed it may still be a while before the follow-up to 2011's '21' is released.
The mother-of-one's frequent producer Paul Epworth previously said the album "will come when it's ready," while a source "close to" the singer's team reportedly told Music Business Worldwide, "The album will be released when it's ready - [we] hope that will be at some stage in 2015. That's all I can tell you right now".
As well as Emile, Adele is also rumoured to have worked with producers Ryan Tedder and Greg Kurstin, British musicians Damon Albarn and Phil Collins, and US rapper Wiz Khalifa on the LP.

Google Play has been announced as the official download and music streaming partner for the BRIT Awards.
Music fans will be able to stream live and download performances from Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Madonna and other stars exclusively through the platform as part of the partnership with the ceremony, which will take place on February 25 at London's O2 Arena.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI and BRIT Awards Limited said: "We're delighted that the BRIT Awards are partnering with Google Play to offer fans the chance to download or stream unique BRITs performances while raising money for War Child and our music education charity The BRIT Trust. We want music fans to be able to experience the BRITs across every digital channel, and this partnership is an important pillar of that strategy."
As part of the collaboration, the platform will also share the official media partner status for the British Single award with Capital FM, with Calvin Harris' 'Summer', Ella Henderson's 'Ghost', Clean Bandit's 'Rather Be' and Mark Ronson's 'Uptown Funk' being among the nominees.
MasterCard is also offering cardholders a chance to instantly win a ticket package to the BRITs or enjoy Google Play Music free for three months. For more information visit www.pricelessurprises.co.uk

Kanye West is up for working with Beck.
The outspoken rapper unleashed a rant against the singer backstage at the Grammy Awards on Sunday (08.02.15) after he picked up the Album of the Year Award for his 12th LP 'Morning Phase', but admitted he would be prepared to work with the 44-year-old musician despite stating he "needs to respect artistry".
He said: "If I can be involved in giving people any type of energy, advice in the studio, whether you're Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Jay Z, Beck, whoever, and they can be reciprocal with that, I'd like to be involved with that."
In the surprising conversation, the 'Bound 2' rapper also confessed he is planning on working with 'Blank Space' hitmaker Taylor Swift, even though the 37-year-old musician stormed the stage at the same awards in 2009 to slam the singer for being awarded the Album of the Year prize because he believed it should have been won by Beyonce.
After reconciling at the ceremony on Sunday, six years after the embarrassing incident, Kanye - who has 19-month-old daughter North with his wife Kim Kardashian West - added he doesn't "discriminate" when it comes to deciding who to work with, as he just wants to make music with people who have "an amazing point of view".
He told On Air with Ryan Seacrest: "Yeah, she wants to get in the studio and we're definitely gonna go in.
"Any artist with an amazing point of view, perspective, fan base, I'm down to get into the studio and work. I don't discriminate."

Ed Sheeran and Rudimental have collaborated on new single 'Bloodstream'.
The six-time Grammy Award nominee teamed up with the drum and bass foursome - made up of DJ Locksmith, Piers Agget, Amir Amor and Kesi Dryden - last year for the track and said it's one of his "favourites" to perform because it is such an energetic tune.
He explained: "'Bloodstream' is one of my favourites to play live as it always gets the crowd going. Rudimental and I wrote the track in June last year. It was brilliant to get back in the studio with them - they're such a laugh and I'm sure their new album is going to be huge."
The single - which will be released on March 29 - was co-written by Ed and the Hackney collective as well as Johnny McDaid and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, with a version of the track featuring on the 23-year-old singer-songwriter's six-time platinum selling second album 'x'.
'Bloodstream' is the first new track to come from Rudimental since the release of their chart-topping debut 'Home' in 2013, and DJ Locksmith - whose real name is Leon Role - recently revealed fans can expect to hear lots more new music from them this year as they gear up to release their second record.
He said: "The album's in its finishing process. It should be out in April, just in time for the festivals. The plan is to debut the stuff. Ella Eyre and John Newman are back on this album too."

Missy Elliott is working on new music with Timbaland.
The 'Get Ur Freak On' hitmaker is believed to be planning to build on the success of her recent performance alongside Katy Perry at the Super Bowl by making a musical comeback.
The 43-year-old star took to her Twitter account yesterday (11.02.15) to reveal she and legendary music producer Timbaland are working on some "dirty beats".
Alongside a snap of herself and the 'Carry Out' hitmaker, she wrote: "Me & @Timbaland bk 2 the drawing board studio dirty beats! (sic)"
Timbaland, 42, first hinted Missy was to release a new album when he revealed he'd been working with her last year.
He said at the time: "It's on her. She got the first single, it's just a matter of when she wants to do it. We got the hollow-tip bullet in the gun. We have the game-changer right there."
Asked about the sound of the record, he added: "It's something you ain't ever heard Missy do. It sounds today, but the future."
The pair previously worked together when Timbaland produced her two 2012 singles '9th Inning' and 'Triple Threat', but the 'Lose Control' rapper hasn't released an album since 2005's 'The Cookbook'.
Meanwhile, Missy recently poked fun at Kanye West fans who praised the rapper for supporting "unknown artist" Paul McCartney when viewers didn't recognise her at the Super Bowl.
She wrote on Twitter: "The new kids think I'm a new artist &I'm bout 2blow up like Paul McCartney Lord ha mercy chile I love me sum y'all (sic)."

The UK album chart is to include streaming sales for the first time this month.
The Official Charts Company are changing the way in which they compile the weekly tables by adding the number of listens on services such as Spotify, Google Play and Deezer to sales figures, but they don't think it will make a big difference at first.
Official Charts Company chief Martin Talbot said: "The Official Charts Company's mission is to compile the most accurate, reliable and up-to-date charts, and in 2015 that means reflecting the popularity of streaming. Indications are that impact on chart positions will be modest to begin with, but we expect this to grow."
To make the changes fair, the Official Charts Company plan to "protect the album as a body of work" by ensuring hugely popular singles don't skew the data or lengthy albums don't have an unfair advantage.
Martin explained to the BBC: "Effectively the chart could become a reflection of artists who have one big hit single.
"So our methodology protects the album as a body of work. We take the 12 most-streamed tracks on an album, and we down-weight the two most popular tracks to make sure the hit singles don't skew the overall performance.
"Then we tot all those streams up and use a conversion rate of 1,000-to-1 to reflect the difference in value between an album and a stream, and that's it.
"We didn't want an album to get an unfair advantage by having 40 tracks on it. So we wanted to reflect consumption and enjoyment of the main body of the album.
"There are peripheral cases where an album that only has eight tracks might be slightly under-represented. But, proportionally, once you divide everything by a thousand, we're not talking about a huge impact. And we'll continue to monitor these things and make sure they're working properly."
In the last year, streaming has seen an increase from 25 million song plays per day up to 50 million, leading to a total of 15 billion listens in the UK over the last 12 months.
The new charts will be published for the first time the week after The Brit Awards, which take place on February 26.
Singles charts have included streaming data since last July.
Ed Sheeran's 'x' was the most streamed album of 2014.