Music News

Jimmy Page's new live band won't be "what people are expecting".
The Led Zeppelin legend says his new music will be nothing like the 'Stairway To Heaven' hitmakers and people can expect some "surprises" and songs from "different eras" when he goes on tour in 2016.
Talking about his upcoming new live setup, he said: "It's taken a long time to get to this point, but I want to do it properly. And there will be surprises - that's what I've done all the way through my career, really.
"There will be all sorts of material from different eras.
"Right across the board - that's the way I'm seeing it. But like I said, there will be surprises. It won't be entirely what people might be expecting."
The 71-year-old rocker explained the reason his solo LP and tour have taken so long is because of Led Zeppelin's reissue campaign.
But, when the live shows come around Jimmy will prepare in the same way he did for Zeppelin's show at London's O2 Arena in 2007, where they reunited for a one-off concert.
He told Classic Rock magazine: "The O2 was great and we worked hard on getting that right. I worked at home, with other musicians, before I got together with the other guys (in Led Zeppelin). And I'll do exactly the same thing next time, because the playing has got to be at least at that level as it was at the O2. I know how to go about it."

Noel Gallagher doesn't think he has to be "the best" any more.
The rock superstar sees the music industry differently to when he first started off in Oasis in 1991 and after making music doesn't feel he needs to "prove" himself to anyone.
Talking about what motivates him to make music now, he said : "With all of that (20 years in music) behind me, though, I've come to approach music like this: I write all the time. When I write something that I think is good, I record it. Once I've got 12 together, I've got an album. Once I've got the album, I go and play it to the people - and, quite frankly, try and sell them some f**king T-shirts.
Then, I shall count the money when I get home, go on holiday for six months and start the process over. I don't feel like I have to be the best any more. Everything I ever wanted to achieve from being in a band, I was able to achieve in about six weeks."
The 48-year-old rocker has admitted that when he and his brother Liam Gallagher signed their first record deal in 1993 to Creation Records, he did develop a competitive streak because he wanted Oasis to be the biggest band in the world.
But once they realised that dream in the 90s he then lost his edge.
He told website Music Feeds: "I was never an idealistic young man. I didn't really want to change the world. I just had a knack for songwriting. When I got a record deal, though, something twigged. I wanted to be the best. Once we became the biggest and the best, the motivation kind of went. I felt like we'd proven ourselves."

Lady Gaga was named Woman of the Year at Billboard's annual Women in Music event in New York on Friday (11.12.15).
The 29-year-old pop star was introduced to the stage by her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, who recalled how the chart-topping singer learned to walk by holding on to the leg of the family piano, "and in the process managed to reach the keys".
Upon collecting the coveted gong, Gaga said: "Women provide a wisdom to music that is very unique and special.
"It is a perspective no one else can have because we bear life. And because we go through things no one else goes through. And because it's right. Because we're all equal."
The 'Bad Romance' hitmaker ended her speech by sending a message to all the people who doubted her along the way.
She said: "I couldn't wait to prove you wrong. Because I may not be a lot of things, but I can write songs, and I can sing."
Elsewhere on the night, American band Fifth Harmony - comprised of Camila Cabello, Normani Hamilton, Lauren Jauregui, Allyson Hernandez and Dinah Hansen - collected the Group of the Year award, while Tori Kelly was named the Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Billboard Women in Music winners:

Selena Gomez: Chart Topper

Kelsea Ballerini: Rising Star

Fifth Harmony: Group of the Year

Loretta Lynn: Legend

Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard: Powerhouse

Missy Elliott: Innovator

Tori Kelly: Breakthrough Artist

Demi Lovayo: Rulebreaker

Lana Del Rey: Trailblazer

Lady Gaga: Woman of the Year

Blur's 'The Magic Whip' has been named the best album of 2015.
The rock band's first release in twelve years, following their successful 2003 LP 'Think Tank', has topped Amazon.co.uk's 'Best of 2015' album list, beating off competition from second placed Ibeyi's self-titled album and Kendrick Lamar's latest offering 'To Pimp a Butterfly'.
Other LPs making the top 10 included Jamie XX's 'In Colour' and Alabama Shakes' 'Sound and Colour'.
Blur have had a fantastic year including their fantastic return to the stage at the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park, London.
Meanwhile, the group previously insisted they never set out to become the "biggest band in the world".
Frontman Damon Albarn shared: "We never became so big and bloated that something weird happened.
"We've always maintained our relationship. I don't think we've ever really been motivated by being the biggest band in the world."
Bassist Alex James also teased about the possibility of the band heading back into the studio to work on a new album.
He said: "Oof give it a while. I'm up for it but ... That relationship we have of being able to make music together so easily, that's been there right since our first rehearsal that we wrote our first single at, is a really nice thing to be able to tap into."

Lana Del Rey says Courtney Love is a "born performer".
The 'Born To Die' hitmaker was joined by Courtney on the 'Endless Summer' tour earlier this year and Lana was impressed with Courtney's stage presence.
She told NME magazine: "Touring with Courtney was great - we have some things in common that might not be visible from the outside. I did spend some time with her, and I still see her now and then. I think the most important thing I learned was that some people just have it when it comes to performing. She's totally entrancing, a born performer."
Lana also admitted that she sometimes finds performing "overwhelming" and is unsure when her next album will be released.
She said: "Every show is different, I'm not always overwhelmed by my show, but sometimes I am. It's not dependent on the size of the crowd, it's just how I'm doing that day... Touring for six months out of the year is so different from doing anything else; it's freeing, but there's something strange about it in the way that it's such a transient experience.
"My label, Interscope, is pretty flexible and open to my records coming out at any time, so I don't have that pressure. I'm just happy to be able to keep on making music I can stand behind. That's enough for me."

Travis Barker says drugs ultimately "got the best" of Scott Weiland.
The former Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman - who battled addiction throughout his life - was found dead from cardiac arrest on his tour bus last week and Blink 182 drummer Travis called his death and addiction issues "sad".
He told Billboard magazine: "I think it's just ultimately what drugs do when they get the best of somebody. It's sad.
"Oh my gosh, his contributions to music were amazing. I saw a video of him recently, he sounded great and he looked fine. But you never know what demons anyone is fighting."
Travis also opened up about his own addictions, revealing it was only after surviving a plane crash in 2008 that he managed to get sober.
He said: "Myself, I was addicted to drugs for a long time and the only way I was able to stop doing drugs was being in a plane crash and having morphine for four months when I didn't want it. That's what it took for me to get sober.
"Whatever you're masking when you're doing drugs gets more severe the more you mask it. Everyday you're doing it more and more and you're never facing what you're running from -- whatever that is. The masking gets to be so dangerous. It is excessive. It's unfortunate.
"It's sad. For me, I'm a good example - I had to go through it and experience it and it's possible to still be a bona fide rock star and not be a drug addict. You can get through it. Find other things to get addicted to, like boxing or music, what got you in the business in the first place. Having children was a constant reminder for me to get my s**t together."

Nicki Minaj has promised to release a new mixtape.
The 'Anaconda' hitmaker's last freebie was 2009's 'Beam Me Up Scotty' and now, six years on, Nicki feels it's the right time to make songs that will set an "example for female rappers" who want to top the charts.
She revealed: "I'll definitely drop a mixtape. I have to. Well, I want to touch a couple of beats that I wasn't on.
"I could have bodied a lot of the records that came out in the last year. But the main thing is, I have to set an example for female rappers. I'm at the top of that food chain, and it's important to lead by example."
And the brunette beauty also thinks it's important young stars remember the importance of releasing mixtapes, because once a hit single is out of the charts you are "no longer hot".
She told Billboard: "And because I came into the game doing mixtapes, I want to make sure women do not forget the importance of that grind, that walk up to the top.
"You can't get there with a song. Because once that song is no longer hot, you're no longer hot. It's important that you are bigger than your music. Some fans are going to f**k with me for the rest of my life because they know where I came from. Fans know my struggle. How hungry I was. That I was not settling, I was not giving up. I was on everybody's beat. I was ruthless."

Status Quo have ditched alcohol and drugs for carrot sticks and coconut water.
The 'Rockin' All Over the World' hitmakers have partied hard - as true rock stars do - throughout their career which has spanned six decades, but now they are veterans in their 60s, frontman Francis Rossi and guitarist Rick Parfitt are totally sober and drug free.
Francis Rossi, 66, said: "I love Horlicks, though I try not to have it too much - anything that tastes that good can't be good for you.
"When I came off stage last night I had hummus and carrot sticks with celery and coconut water."
The iconic British rock group also admitted their drug-taking got to the stage where they would be taking illegal substances while performing.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Years ago it would have been tequila. Then we'd sit in the room drinking, playing cards and taking coke. It got to the point when we were doing drugs on stage too."
However, one thing that hasn't changed is the band's popularity and Rick is still amazed by their continuing chart success with last year's 'Acoustic: Stripped Bare' - their 31st LP release - charting at number five on the UK album chart.
Rick, 67, added: "After six decades it's amazing for the albums to still be going gold and getting into the top 20.
"It's quite a feat and one I'd never have believed if they had told me that all those years ago."

Ellie Goulding is writing songs with Niall Horan.
The 'On My Mind' hitmaker is close pals with the One Direction star and says there is nothing quite like working with a friend because her "best songs" are the ones produced with her mates.
On working with the 22-year-old pop heartthrob, she said: "He's a good friend of mine and it goes without saying that writing a song with someone you are friends with and someone you get on with, you can't really replace that with anything. I write the best songs with someone I feel truly comfortable with. So, definitely I think it will be a laugh."
And Niall is not the only male pop star Ellie is a fond of, the 'Love Me Like You Do' singer also revealed she is a big fan of Justin Bieber's new album 'Purpose' and respects him for reinventing himself after his past troubles.
She told The Daily Star newspaper: "I love it ['Purpose']. He's really excelled with this album.
"For me it 's really innovative new pop. It's different, It's just new and I salute him for that.
"I think it's a great thing to reinvent yourself and I know he went through some troubles. To come back with something as fresh as that, I think it's really cool."