Music News

Zayn Malik "couldn't handle" being in One Direction.
The 22-year-old singer announced his decision to quit the band yesterday (25.03.15), with an insider revealing he grew tired of the pressures fame brought.
A source explained: "Zayn simply had enough and couldn't handle it. The lads respected his decision and although it was a tough call, Zayn feels it was the right one.
"He couldn't cope with the scrutiny of his private life."
Last week, Zayn left the band's On the Road Again Tour due to stress and is reportedly relieved to have told the remaining members - Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne - and their fans of his decision to quit for good.
The insider told The Sun newspaper: "Zayn's been struggling for months and the high level of intensity had taken its toll.
"The decision is still fresh but he can sense the weight will eventually lift off his shoulders. Although he acknowledges that he faces an incredible amount of scrutiny over the next few days."
In an official statement yesterday, Zayn said: "I feel like it's the right time. I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right."
He added: "I want to be a normal 22-year-old."

Labrinth, Basement Jaxx and Laura Mvula are among acts confirmed for Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF).
The musical stars will perform at the free entry LIMF Summer Jam, which is being held as part of the broader third annual festival aiming to celebrate the city's cultural diversities and music heritage.
As well as the dance music duo, 26-year-old producer Labrinth and 'Green Garden' hitmaker Laura, local talents Echo & the Bunnymen will perform at the event in Sefton Park, along with 'Lights On' singer Katy B, chart-topping DJ Naughty Boy and rising star Becky Hill.
Speaking about the event, Becky said: "I'm really excited to be announced as part of the Liverpool International Music Festival this year! Can't wait to play in Liverpool again alongside such brilliant acts."
Other artists set to perform include Bipolar Sunshine and Rae Morris, who released her debut album 'Unguarded' last month.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: "The 2015 LIMF line-up is testament to the success of this event after just two years. The number of high calibre, diverse acts is staggering and I'm positive the Summer Jam element in Sefton Park is unrivalled anywhere else in Europe - what other city stages household-name music acts and up and coming talent in the beautiful surroundings of a Grade I park and all for free?"
Further information about LIMF including the other events taking place can be found on the official website http://www.limfestival.com/

Blur's new album is an apology from Graham Coxon to Damon Albarn.
The guitarist worked with producer Stephen Street to transform shelved recording sessions the band undertook in Japan in 2013 into tracks for 'The Magic Whip' and says one of the reasons he undertook the project was to "make amends" with the singer for the problems they have had in their friendship.
Graham said: "Part of the reasons why I wanted to do it was to make amends.
"Damon and I have an increased respect for each other because of this record, and we're not ashamed to let each other know about that increased respect.
"But what we also have a lot of is history and our friendship - like any friendship between two people who are in a band together - has had to go through a lot.
"It's been put to the test and we've often let each other down. This record was a way of saying, 'Sorry for being such a pain in the a**e for the last 20 years.'"
Meanwhile, Damon addresses the pair's relationship in a track on the album, 'My Terracotta Heart', which surprised Graham when he heard it.
He told NME magazine: "I knew it was going to be an incredibly sad song, which is why I put the crying guitar on there.
"What I didn't know at the time was that the lyrics would turn out to be about Damon and I, our long friendship and the ups and downs we've had.
"It's a lovely song. The four of us have kind of met in the middle with this album - we've all been off on our own individual journeys, but when we come together and something like 'My Terracotta Heart' is the result, that's a good marriage of all our different tastes and outlooks."

Sir Paul McCartney, Metallica and Florence + the Machine will headline Lollapalooza. The Beatles star will perform on the opening night of the festival in Chicago's Grant Park, with the 'Enter Sandman' musicians headlining the Saturday evening before ...

Years & Years' songs are inspired by a string of "dysfunctional relationships".
The trio's frontman Olly Alexander has revealed he has been "addicted to rejection" in the past, with the failed relationships inspiring tracks including 'Memo' and 'Desire'.
He explained: "That comes from experience, you know. I just have had a lot of dysfunctional relationships.
"I've really gone from one to another to another. I've been stuck in a cycle of being addicted to rejection in some f***ed up way and always choosing someone who is going to reject me. But, I'm in a less dysfunctional relationship now. I'd say it's relatively functional."
Although the 24-year-old singer - who is in the band with pals Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Turkmen - is now settled, he admitted he does still draw on his previous dating experiences when writing music, which is something he was inspired to do after listening to other honest singer/songwriters.
He continued: "I'm definitely writing from that perspective. There's a choice when you write a song with how you talk about someone else. I watched Joni Mitchell do this interview where she said songwriting became easier when she started writing about 'you and me.'"
Despite opening up about his relationship issues in tracks such as their chart-topping single 'King' - which will feature on their debut album 'Communion', which will be released in June - he finds it strange people feel the need to find out whether he is gay.
When asked if he is planning to come out in a "big interview," he told The Downtowner newspaper: "This has only been a thing recently. I've done a few interviews and been like 'I'm gay and I'm singing about my boyfriends.' I guess for a lot of people you need to say something before they're really accepting of it."

Jake Roche wrote a love song for Jesy Nelson.
The Rixton frontman reduced his Little Mix star girlfriend to tears after serenading her with a romantic track he wrote for her over the festive season to make up for the fact he couldn't afford to buy her a present.
He shared: "No one knows this, but I wrote her a song for Christmas and made a video to go with it - simply because I have no money."
The 22-year-old star - who is the son of 'Loose Women' panellist Coleen Nolan and 'EastEnders' actor Shane Richie - revealed he looked to one of his favourite Christmas films for inspiration for the video.
He added to The Sun newspaper: "The video was like the film 'Love Actually', when that guy holds up all the cards, but I had the lyrics written on cards.
"I filmed it all over America, with me standing in front of iconic places like Times Square and the White House.
"She cried her eyes out when she saw it, bless her."
Jake and Jesy, 23, first got together last summer when they were spotted enjoying a number of romantic dates in London and Jake's mum Coleen has been giving him advice on how to keep his girlfriend happy.
Jake said previously: "My mum and Jesy are very close friends and Jesy loves to pop round to our house for a cup of tea. She says we're well suited.
"Mum has stressed how important it is to be faithful. She always told me to make a woman feel incredible."

Muse's new album is a "modern metaphor" for "lost empathy".
The 'Plug in Baby' group will release 'Drones' - the follow-up to 2012's 'The 2nd Law' - in June and frontman Matt Bellamy has explained the record is inspired by the "horrific" actions of warfare that technology has enabled.
He said: "[The record is] a modern metaphor for what it is to lose empathy.
"I think that through modern technology, and obviously through drone warfare in particular, it's possible to actually do quite horrific things by remote control, at a great distance, without actually feeling any of the consequences, or even feeling responsible in some way.
"The next step in drones is gonna be autonomous drones, which actually make 'kill' decisions themselves, where no humans are involved."
During their recent brief intimate UK tour, Matt found the crowds responded particularly well to new track 'Psycho' and he thinks that is because it is based around a "cheap riff".
Speaking to BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, he said: "It's just one of those cheap house riffs. Ours sounds like a cross between a donkey and a mule, whatever it is.
"It's just one of those cheap riffs that everybody gets straight away and it's really cool."

Emma Bunton has suggested the Spice Girls could be about to reunite.
The iconic girl group - which featured Mel B, Mel C, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell and Emma - will celebrate 20 years since the release of their breakthrough hit 'Wannabe' in 2016, and Emma says scheduling is the only thing stopping them from reuniting to mark the occasion.
The 39-year-old singer - who was known as Baby Spice - said: "I was with Geri and Mel B just recently, we love each other and we love performing together.
"It's just when the timing is right because we all have our own careers now and we have families, it's just about getting five schedules together and that's all it is."
Emma also admitted she was aware of suggestions that never-heard-before Spice Girls material would soon be made officially available.
She told the Daily Star newspaper: "I have heard about that, yes, but I can't really talk about those."
She did, however, confess that the popular girl group had recorded "lots" material that the public has yet to hear.
The Spice Girls last performed together at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Lady Gaga has hinted she is working on a follow-up to her 2010 single 'Telephone'.
The 28-year-old singer suggested the song's sequel in two posts on her Instagram account, in which she quoted lyrics to the chart-topping track before revealing she is writing new music.
Alongside a picture of a pair of shoes, she wrote: "These are my leave me alone heels. My Telephone heels. Stop callin', I don't wanna think anymore. (sic)."
In a second post, she added: "Love you monsters, writing songs. Miss u all the time (sic)."
The track - on which she collaborated with Beyonce - hit number one in the UK in 2010 and has since sold more than 7 million copies around the world.
When originally released, the star teased there would be a continuation of the track by writing, "To be continued..." at the end of the video, although no subsequent song has emerged.
Lady Gaga - who got engaged to long-term boyfriend Taylor Kinney last month - revealed in December she is working on music for her next album, with producers RedOne and Giorgio Moroder reportedly involved in the project.
She said: "I want the fans to be surprised, but I will just tell you that it's a wonderful, soul-searching experience.
"... and it's very unlike the last album in that way. I made that album on the road. 'ARTPOP' was, you know, the acid-making record. And this record is like -- my old self as a cadaver. And I'm just, I'm operating on my old self."