Music News

Timbaland wants to make music that will "break through the garbage".
The 43-year-old record producer is working with a number of young up-and-coming artists both on their own records and his own upcoming album 'Opera Noir'.
He said: "What I'm trying to find are these young people who have the same hunger and passion I once had and still have, and pass it on to the future. I feel I can be a mentor and help make new music that will break through some of the garbage.
"When music starts to fall off the path, with dumbness and flashiness, well, it's my job to set a tone, a foundation. If you want quality music, come up on the Timbaland side of the street."
The 'Carry Out' hitmaker - who has worked with stars including Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Jay Z throughout his successful career - has also hinted at the influences of some of the new artists he's working with.
He explained to Vanity Fair magazine: "I've got a label partnership now with L.A. Reid. I'm producing a 19-year-old girl named Tink, who's going to change things back to the days of Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott - girls who gave you substance the way Biggie Smalls and Tupac did.
"And a singer named V. Bozeman - and while I don't like comparing people to other people, she's going to give you that feeling that Whitney Houston gave you."

Westlife don't see each other anymore.
The 'Flying Without Wings' hitmakers went their separate ways in 2012 and Kian Egan says it was important for himself and bandmates Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan to give each other space.
Asked if he still meets up with the rest of the group, Kian said: "Not really. I saw Mark briefly just after Christmas.
"I'm sure the time will come when we'll sit down for a beer together, but right now we need to go off and live our own lives."
It had been speculated that the group will reunite next year, but Kian is "baffled" as to what sparked the rumour because it isn't true.
He told Britain's OK! magazine: "It's completely untrue. It baffles me as to why people make these things up.
"If Westlife ever reunite, we'll tell people, but it's not on the cards."
Despite Kian's comments, his ex-bandmate Brian McFadden - who quit the band in 2004 - has suggested a reunion involving himself could be on the cards.
Asked about rejoining the band in a separate interview with the same publication, he said: "Never say never, but right now it's just a rumour. Rumours like that will be around for a long time."

Chic's new single was inspired by the death of co-founding member Bernard Edwards.
Iconic guitarist Nile Rodgers has revealed the band's brand new single 'I'll Be There' - which is their first new track in 23 years - came from the comments he said to the singer-songwriter's dead body in April 1996.
Speaking on stage at the Roundhouse in London during the first night of the group's 'I'll Be There Tour' on Friday (20.03.15), he said: "When I did my last show with my former partner Bernard Edwards it was the last night of his life basically and then he didn't wake up for the call the next morning.
"I could tell he was dead straight away and the rigor mortis had set in.
"I said, 'Now I'll be there for you in death in the way you were for me in life.'"
The track - which was premiered alongside the official video featuring Victoria's Secret model Karlie Kloss - also came about through the 62-year-old star's beating of cancer, which made him realise he needed to live life to the full.
Speaking at the concert, he explained: "Today is a very special day. Today we released the very first Chic single in twenty something years.
"About four years ago I was stricken with very aggressive cancer.
"My doctor told me I had to make very special decisions.
"I said the most important decision I can make is to make as much music as possible in the time that I have left."
Chic + Nile Rodgers - whose new single is available to download now - will continue their UK tour during the rest of March.

Nile Rodgers felt like he was listening to ghosts when he heard old tapes of him and his Chic bandmates.
The 'Le Freak' hitmaker has revealed he was inspired to make Chic's first album for 23 years after he was sent old recordings of him working in the studio with original band members such as Bernard Edwards, who passed away in 1996, and Tony Thompson, who died in 2003.
He said: "The thing that motivated me was listening to the banter in-between the tracks, and there's nothing that sounds like that because we're talking through a talkback mic which was in the centre of the studio.
"So I felt like I was listening to ghosts because all of the guys in my band have passed away. It was amazing, and it was scary, because there's nothing that sounds like that with the talkback mic in the middle of the studio. It was like a time capsule."
The 62-year-old star - who returned to the spotlight in 2013 after collaborating with Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams on hit single 'Get Lucky' - went on to admit that hearing the tapes made him want to release more material before it was too late.
Speaking on 'The Chris Evans Breakfast Show' on BBC Radio 2, he explained: "I realised that I didn't have much time on this earth, especially after listening to the tapes and hearing all my mates had died.
"So I just thought I would play as much music and do as much as I can, and do as many concerts as I could, and then I went on this four year tour which was absurd. That's when I co-wrote 'Get Lucky' with Daft Punk and Pharrell and those guys, and then [worked with] Avicii."

Jennifer Lopez would "absolutely" duet with Rihanna.
The 45-year-old singer has revealed she would love to sing with the 'We Found Love' hitmaker, having recently starred in the animated movie 'Home' with her.
When asked if she would work with her co-star, she said: "Absolutely! Who wouldn't?!"
The chart-topping mother-of-two went on to explain she is such a fan of the Bajan beauty because she is both edgy and feminine.
She told E! News: "I'm a huge Rihanna fan ... and I feel like she's such a girl's girl, which I love, because I'm a girl's girl and she seems very sweet.
"And I love the edginess about her and I think she did a really great job in this film."
The comments come just days after 27-year-old star also expressed her wish to work with the 'Booty' singer, but confessed she would have to add padding to her derriere if they shot a video together so she could compete with Jennifer's round butt.
She said: "I would need some butt pads for that video though."
Continuing to praise the star - who released her debut single 'If You Had My Love' in 1999 - she gushed over how successful she continues to be, despite being older than most pop stars.
She added: "I mean, really? She's shutting down 20-year-olds at forty-something. It's unheard of."

Prince wrote a song about a postman stealing his girlfriend.
The 56-year-old singer-songwriter - who released albums 'Plectrumelectrum' and 'Art Official Age' last year - is known for having hours of unreleased material, and one of his long-term collaborators, Cat Glover, has revealed one of the unheard songs tells the tale of his lover's affair with a delivery man.
She explained: "One of the lyrics in his song said, 'I went out of town for 40 days, she made love to the mail man when I was away. I bet she thought I wouldn't catch her. She had a 15 cent postage stamp on her ass.'"
And while the subject matter is slightly odd, the singer - who worked with the 'Purple Rain' hitmaker on his 1987 album 'Sign o' the Times' and 1988's 'Lovesexy' - insisted it is one of her favourite tracks from the star, despite the fact it has never been heard by his fans.
Speaking in the BBC Radio 4 documentary 'Hunting for Prince's Vault', Cat said: "That's the one I really like.
"That song has never, ever, ever been performed live.
"That is a bad song, and by that I mean awesome."

Pharrell Williams is turning the Empire State Building yellow for the International Day of Happiness.
The 41-year-old will illuminate the iconic New York skyscraper in the bright colour today (20.03.15) to celebrate the occasion, led by the United Nations and Live Earth, in a bid to engage young people with the topic of climate change.
He explained: "In a year where there is so much turmoil in the world, from social conflict to climate change, we need moments to stop and celebrate happiness.
"Protecting our planet is fundamental to the pursuit of human happiness and that is why we have chosen to support Live Earth's movement to raise a billion voices for climate action. We believe that happiness can change the world."
The lights of the building will be changed at 2pm EST (6pm GMT), after which the 'Happy' hitmaker will speak to middle school students, alongside UN officials and climate experts, about the importance of taking action to curb climate change.
As part of the celebration, the chart-topper is also hosting a 'Happy Party'; encouraging people around the world to upload images of themselves to www.globalhappyparty.com which will then be transformed into dancing animated images to raise awareness for the cause.

Nile Rodgers sleeps with his guitar.
The 62-year-old producer and guitarist revealed he still has to practise every day to be on top form, and enjoys playing the instrument in bed which means he ends up snoozing next to it.
He admitted: "It's funny, he said he tried sleeping with it, I still sleep with my guitar. I do most of my practising in bed in night before I go to sleep."
The star - who kicks off his tour of the UK at London's Roundhouse this evening (20.03.15) - made the comments after fellow guest on BBC Radio 2, iconic guitarist Mark Knopfler spoke about how he had attempted to kip with his guitar as a youngster.
He said: "I think when I got my first guitar I tried to sleep with it on the very first [night] but it doesn't work. Electric guitars get very uncomfortable."
However, the Chic musician - who premiered the group's first single in 23 years, 'I'll Be There' on BBC Radio 2 this morning - insisted if he didn't practise every day, his live show would suffer.
He told radio host Chris Evans: "I have to. I always say that if I don't go one day without practise, I know it. If I go two days without practising, you know it."

Queens Of The Stone Age are currently "taking a break" but have not split, bassist Michael Shuman has revealed.
The musician insists the rock band - fronted by Josh Homme - are taking a much needed rest after two years on the road but has assured fans they are planning to reunite for a new album.
In an interview with Gigwise, Shuman said: "There will be future stuff with Queens, we're just taking a break since we had a long, long two years of touring. We'll take a break to do other stuff."
After completing their tour, the band did intend to head straight into the studio to record the follow-up to their 2013 album '...Like Clockwork'.
But after discussions between the five members - Homme, Shuman, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore - they made a collective decision to take some time for themselves.
Shuman added: "We were eager because we were in a good spot, having fun and the record had done really well. But we decided to take a break because we had been going so hard for so long, and we really worked on that record for a long time. It's not like we're sick of each other and don't want to do it - it's just better to step back for a second and come back once the world has had a little bit of a break from you."
Shuman is spending his time away from Queens of the Stone Age concentrating on his Mini Mansions side project.
The group - compromised of Shuman, Zach Dawes and Tyler Parkford - release their second album, 'The Great Pretenders', on March 23, and the LP features Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson.