Music News

Rod Stewart's voice is an octave lower since he was treated for thyroid cancer.
The 70-year-old received treatment on his thyroid gland in 2001 during a cancer scare and revealed while he was relieved he could still sing following the operation, it did result in him having a deeper voice.
Speaking about the health scare, he said: "It was benign but it was still a scary period. I couldn't sing for about three weeks - some people think that's a good thing. But the voice came back, albeit an octave lower, so I sing a little lower now than I used to."
However, his changing vocal ability hasn't affected his talent to entertain crowds, admitting they still "absolutely love it" when he sings his 1978 hit 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' despite the fact it was criticised when it was first released.
He explained: "There was a period where I got tired of singing 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' because it was critically slammed in 1979 and 1980 when it came out so I dropped it for a while. But I do it now and people absolutely love it because it sums up an era in their lives and an era in music - the disco era."
Meanwhile, Rod - whose new album 'Another Country' will be released on October 23 - said he is a fan of modern acts including Taylor Swift, who he commended for recently standing up against Apple's policy not to pay artists during a three-month trial period of their new streaming service.
He said: "I was knocked out with what Taylor Swift did you know about streaming, she spoke up and [was] very brave. She should sort out Fifa and the Greek situation, I think, she can sort out anything. She's brilliant."
Despite his fondness for the 'Bad Blood' hitmaker, he insisted he is "too old" to collaborate with her.
Speaking on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain' he added: "I don't think she'd want to sing with the likes of me, I'm far too old for her."

Jay Z's Tidal streaming service has lost its Chief Executive after just three months in the job.
The 45-year-old music mogul acquired the music streaming service in March for $56 million, but despite receiving backing from a host of big-name artists, including Kanye West and Rihanna, the venture has failed to take off thus far.
On Tuesday (23.06.15), a spokesperson for Tidal confirmed Peter Tonstad "is no longer with the company" and said it "will be transitioning to a permanent CEO as part of our strategic plan to create a leading platform".
News of Peter's departure comes shortly after Jay Z defended the service during an intimate gig in New York City.
Before beginning his rap, Jay told the crowd: "So I'm the bad guy now I hear, because I don't go with the flow ... I'm never gonna go with the flow, I'm never gonna let nobody take over our music ... This Tidal thing is all about the music. We gonna preserve the music, we ain't gonna let nobody take our music. We ain't gonna let nobody offer our music up and do what the f**k they want to do."
He then launched into a freestyle rap attack, spitting the lyrics: "I don't need no middle man to talk to my n****s .... I don't take no cheques. I take my respect. Pharrell even told me go with the safest bet. Jimmy Iovine offered a safety net. Google dangled around a crazy cheque.
"I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit. Them n-gas pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get. You know n****s die for equal pay, right? You know when I work I ain't your slave, right? (sic)"

Alex James is "up for" making more music with Blur.
The bassist has teased the band could continue to work on more material together after they recently reformed to release their first studio album in 12 years, 'The Magic Whip'.
Discussing the possibility of another record, 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."
The 46-year-old musician, along with bandmates Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree, topped the British album charts when their eighth studio LP was released in April, but he insisted they are in no rush to get back into the studio because each band member is "doing their own thing" outside of the group.
He continued: "But I think everybody likes doing their own thing as well, I think we all needed to. But yeah as long as it doesn't become grotesque and as long as people still give a s**t then I guess we'll keep plugging away, hopefully."
Meanwhile, Alex - who lives in Oxfordshire with his wife Claire Neate and their five children, Geronimo, Artemis, Galileo, Sable and Beatrix - confessed the band could easily have flopped when they started out though because they were so "arrogant", but praised the founder of Food record label, Dave Balfe, as he "mentored" them.
He told Digital Spy entertainment website: "I was thinking about that yesterday because we got an email from Dave Balfe, who was the guy who signed us to Food saying that he's selling the very big house in the country. I was just thinking what a brilliant guy. He really mentored us. We were just a bunch of drunk, arrogant, snotty f**kers and I don't think that would be tolerated today."

Kanye West will reportedly be joined by Chris Martin and 2 Chainz at Glastonbury.
The 38-year-old rapper is set to headline the iconic British festival on Saturday evening (27.06.15), and is set to be joined by some special guests during his set, including the Coldplay frontman who sang on his 2007 hit 'Homecoming'.
A source told the Daily Star newspaper: "Chris loves Glastonbury and is part of the family there.
"With this being Kanye's first time he's asked Chris for advice and wants to make sure it's a special performance."
Meanwhile, producer Mike Will Made It revealed fans can expect an exciting track from Kanye and fellow hip hop star 2 Chainz, sparking speculation he could be a surprise act during the rapper's much-anticipated performance.
Alongside a photo of himself with Kanye and 2 Chainz, he wrote: "On Saturday, Expect something new. (sic)"
The news comes days after the festival's organiser Emily Eavis revealed fans can expect the 'Gold Digger' hitmaker - who has two-year-old daughter with wife Kim Kardashian West - to "take it big" when he appears at the event, which runs from June 24 - 28.
She said: "I think he'll create an incredible show. What he's talking about at the moment is very exciting. I think he's going to take it big. I can't say anything - I can't give anything away!"

Nathan Sykes wrote 'Kiss Me Quick' to help him "flirt".
The former The Wanted star has revealed his debut single was inspired by his bad game when talking to potential love interests, with the track being penned in an attempt to boost his love life.
He told Schön magazine: "It just came around, when we were out just outside of London in the country side, I was working with LDN Noise and we were just chatting about nonsense and I just said, 'I'm really bad at flirting', honestly. So we wrote a song that can flirt for me. It's as simple as that."
The 22-year-old star - who was photographed by John Cubillan, styled by Nicole Freeman and groomed by Crystabel Riley for his latest interview with Schön magazine - also teased the material which will feature on his debut solo LP, which is due later this year, is "a lot deeper" than his first tune, which is out on July 5.
He explained: "Obviously with the album there are songs that are a lot deeper lyrically and a lot are very personal to me about relationships and things that I've gone through and this was just as simple. We were just laughing and joking about the fact that I can't flirt. So that's what we wrote 'Kiss Me Quick' about and it ended up being my debut single."
However, Nathan - who previously dated 'Break Free' hitmaker Ariana Grande - recently confessed the song has not yet scored him a date, despite the fact he is eager to have a relationship.
He told BANG Showbiz: "You know what they say, like, if you look for a relationship you won't find one, and as soon as you stop looking, you'll find someone. So I'm just going to stop looking and just hope that maybe I might find someone eventually. But with a face like this, I have no hope."
The full interview with Schön Magazine is available to read here: http://www.schonmagazine.com/nathan-sykes/
'Kiss Me Quick' is available to preorder here: http://nathansyk.es/KMQiTunes1

New Order have announced a new album. The English rockers have revealed their 10th studio album, 'Music Complete', will be released on September 25, two years after they put out 'Lost Sirens'. The LP will be their first collection of original materia...

David Bowie is releasing a box-set featuring an unreleased version of 'All the Madmen'. Released in 1970, the track originally appeared on 'The Man Who Sold the World', but an edit of the track which was made for the US release but was ultimately unus...

Noel Gallagher is reportedly working with Jamie xx on his next album.
The 47-year-old musician recently revealed he has started working on the follow-up to his second LP, 'Chasing Yesterday' - which was released in March - and has hinted he may be working with The xx DJ.
After saying he's collaborating with a "mystery producer", he was questioned on whether it was the 26-year-old musician, to which he replied: "Did you just say Jamie xx? Yeah, well, no comment.
"I can tell you it's not f**king Timbaland, or Jay Z."
A spokesperson for Noel declined to comment on suggestions the pair are working together, although the news comes just a week after the former Oasis star confessed his third studio album as Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is already well under way.
He said: "I'm already a bit of the way into my next record. As for what it will eventually say on the cover though remains to be seen."
Speculation over the working relationship was heightened when the rocker admitted he is pleased to be reaching a new "generation" with his music.
He added:"I'm not sure why or how it's happened but I'm glad it has, and if this tour is anything to go by then there seems to be yet another generation coming through who are discovering whatever it is I do, two decades after the fact. God bless them."

Brian Wilson "can't write a song" to save his life.
The Beach Boys founder has revealed although he released the solo album 'No Pier Pressure' earlier this year, he struggles to come up with new material these days as he constantly wants to revisit his old music.
He explained: "I can't write a song to save my life. I sit at the piano and try, but all want to do is rewrite 'California Girls'. How am I gonna do something better than that? It's a f**ked-up trip."
The 73-year-old star confessed he had to walk out of a screening of 'The Wrecking Crew' - a documentary about the Los Angeles session musicians who played on a number of records in the 60s including Beach Boys' classics - because seeing clips of himself in his 20s made him nostalgic.
He told Rolling Stone magazine: "That was a real ball-puncher. A heavy nostalgia thing.
"I had so much energy, I had it so together. I'd like to have some of that back."
Wilson also admitted although he may be forced to retire in the near future, he'd like to keep making music for as long as possible.
He added: "I've carried a lot of weight on my shoulders - a heavy load. For me, music is about love. Love is the message I want to share. I hope people feel the love in my music. That makes the hard work worth it."