Music News

Tim Burgess quit drugs because he couldn't sing anymore.
The Charlatans frontman realised he needed to get sober during recording for the group's 2006 album 'Simpatico' because he was completely "incapacitated" by his habit.
He said: "I couldn't sing anymore. I stopped being able to sing.
"I really wanted [producer] Adrian Sherwood to do the album and there were other forces that got us to try and turn a dub-inspired album into a rock album and I couldn't fight the battle because I was incapacitated.
"So I couldn't sing and I couldn't fight any battles and the music wasn't as good, so that was when I made a conscious decision to change everything.
"How bad had it got? Slurring on records."
His bandmate Mark Collins added: "There were moments we just went, 'Tim, come back in the morning.' "
Tim booked into a hotel for a self-imposed detox but then need to go to the "soul gym" to build himself back up.
He said: "I felt a bit like an empty shell for a while and I had to start building the stuff that makes the soul again.
"Coke's a rubbish drug and it does take the soul out of you. So I started going to the soul gym."
Though Tim - who now practices transcendental meditation - doesn't miss drugs, he doesn't regret his wild ways.
He added to NME magazine: "I enjoyed the experimentation. I don't miss it and I don't recognise that person really, but I know that that person enjoyed it.
"I can't imagine ever going back there at all, but I enjoyed the ritual of going to try and find some drugs just to go out and DJ.
"I'd wake up in the morning and think about it, 'I'd better call early.' "

Noel Gallagher learnt good touring practise in Oasis.
The 47-year-old singer admitted his days touring with his former band have influenced his current gigging practise, as he knows he needs to behave to ensure his live show doesn't suffer.
Speaking to Absolute Radio's Pete Mitchell, he said: "So all the things that we should have avoided doing in Oasis, I can avoid those now and kind of keep all the good bits and try and somehow bring that into what I do.
"It's one of things where Oasis maybe suffered in that you've got to be on it from nine o'clock every night. That means you can't be still up shouting and singing Beatle songs off a balcony at five o'clock in the morning. You can't."
The Britpop musician made the comments shortly before taking to the stage with his band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, at intimate London venue the Rivoli Ballroom where he performed an hour-long secret set for lucky Absolute Radio competition winners on Friday (27.03.15).
Performing stellar hits from their eponymous 2011 debut release including 'Everybody's On the Run' and 'Dream On', the band were celebrated by the audience of superfans who sang along to the well known tracks, and chanted the music icon's name between tracks.
Interjecting songs with some hilarious foul-mouthed audience interaction, Noel and his band were on top form with set highlights including pacey new single 'Ballad of the Mighty I' and 2011 single 'If I Had a Gun...'.
Despite vowing not to perform any Oasis songs during the set because, "a) I've got a f***ing album to sell, and b) you got in for f**k all," the performance culminated in a mass sing-a-long to fan-favourite 1995 B-side 'The Masterplan', providing the perfect conclusion to a gig showcasing the talents of one of Britain's most respected musicians.
Fans can listen to the full radio broadcast of the gig and interview on Sunday April 12 from 6pm on Absolute Radio. For more information head to www.absoluteradio.co.uk.

Roger Daltrey says the prospect of death has brought him closer to Pete Townshend.
The iconic The Who members were shaken when fellow band member John Entwistle passed away at the age of 57 in 2002, and Roger explained the shock of his death made them appreciate each other and put their differences behind them.
He said: "After all the testosterone of youth, all of the problems and middle age and drugs and losing people we love, in the end you suddenly realize you deeply love each other. We are like brothers. Family is like that, aren't they? One minute you love them, the next minute you can't stand them. But as soon as it looks like they're not going to be around, they're knocking on the door."
The 71-year-old rocker - who is currently gearing up for several months of touring across North America and Europe - continued to say John's death made them consider the short amount of time they have left to live, which encouraged them to head out on the road.
Speaking about the impact of his death, Roger told Rolling Stone magazine: "It woke us up to our mortality. Of course, it's a different world now. The horrible shock of 9/11 shocked the world. And then John dying the next year did make us realize we're mortal. If we believed in anything, it was the power of music bringing people together. If we're touring for anything, that's a good enough reason for me."

Noel Gallagher lost a "few million" launching his solo career.
The 'Ballad of the Mighty I' singer established his Sour Mash Records label after leaving Oasis in 2009 and admits the costs were so high, he refused to tell wife Sara MacDonald the truth about his financial position for some time.
He admitted: "Everything I've done since I left Oasis has come from my own pocket.
"You've got to pay for the tour, got to pay for the wages and you don't really break even for about nine months.
"I don't mean I lost money. I mean I lost a f***ing s**t load of money. It was a few million, like.
"I had to lie to Sara at first, and when I eventually did tell her, she freaked out -- I mean freaked out.
"So I come out with, 'You know, a year ago, this happened... and she was like, 'What the f***ing hell did you do that for?'
"I said, 'I did it because I felt like I could and I didn't want to be signed to a record label, I wanted to do it myself'."
Despite putting himself in a precarious financial position for a while, Noel's gamble for artistic freedom paid off.
He added: "Luckily enough, it's worked out."
Noel insists he doesn't care about his chart positions or record sales because he knows music doesn't sell as much now as back in the hey day of Oasis.
He told Loaded magazine: "I don't worry about the music getting to number one or anything. I never have done really. Well, maybe I did between 1994 and '97, back when I wanted to rule the world.
"If it has got to the point where you're listening to it, it's got to the point where I'm happy with it.
"People aren't buying as many records as they were four years ago so sales are likely to decline, but it won't make it any less a record."

Zayn Malik will release new music through Syco record label.
The 22-year-old star quit One Direction this week but has already completed talks with music mogul Simon Cowell, agreeing to release his solo music through the same label.
An industry insider revealed: "Zayn is now the most in-demand solo artist in the world.
"There's huge excitement as he's the first member who will be able to release on their own.
"Simon was very understanding about him leaving the band but quickly made it clear he would stay a Syco artist for his future projects."
It is now believed the hunk - who is engaged to Little Mix member Perrie Edwards - is planning on releasing his debut solo album at the beginning of 2016 and not later this year, as Simon doesn't want the record to clash with One Direction's fifth studio LP.
The source continued: "He'll now be able to make sure any releases are timed so they don't clash with anything by One Direction.
"Obviously everyone at Syco would have preferred he had stayed part of the band but this result still works out for everyone."
The news comes just a day after it was revealed Zayn - who has previously been spotted in the studio with producer Naughty Boy - is working on music with a "sexual" vibe.
A source said: "The music he's making is completely different to anything One Direction have ever done before, it's very slowed down R&B and quite sexual. It's going to blow fans' minds."

Zayn Malik is making "sexual" and "slowed down" music.
The 22-year-old shockingly announced he was leaving One Direction earlier this week after five years with the chart-topping band, with a source now revealing he has his sights firmly set on a solo career, and will be releasing music completely different to the tunes he made with his former bandmates.
The source revealed: "The music he's making is completely different to anything One Direction have ever done before, it's very slowed down R&B and quite sexual. It's going to blow fans' minds."
The heartthrob - who is engaged to Little Mix star Perrie Edwards - was previously pictured with producer Naughty Boy who confirmed they had recorded a track together, while Zayn was also spotted heading into a studio shortly after he revealed he would be leaving the band on Wednesday (25.03.15), prompting fans to believe a solo release may be imminent.
The source told Now magazine: "Zayn has a clear vision for the music he wants to create, and the direction he wants to take his career in.
"He's been writing for a while now during his downtime on tour and has already recorded two tracks this week alone."
However, in a statement announcing his departure, Zayn insisted he is keen to take some time out of the spotlight to be "a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time".
Speaking to The Sun newspaper he added: "I'm just going to chill man, I'm just going to be me for a while."

Wretch 32, Sigma and The Charlatans have been added to the V Festival line-up.
The '6 Words' hitmaker is the latest in a long line of acts to have been confirmed to play at the dual-site British festival this summer, with the drum and bass duo Sigma and indie rockers The Charlatans also set to play.
Speaking about appearing at the festival for the eighth time, frontman Tim Burgess said: "Having been lucky enough to be part of the first ever V Festival line up in '96 we're thrilled to be playing its 20th anniversary year. (sic)"
The 30-year-old rapper and MC, Wretch - whose real name is Jermaine Scott Sinclair - has also performed at the event before, but is eager to return once again.
He added: "This will be my hat trick appearance and I can't wait to get out there and have some fun with my fans."
The 20th edition of the festival - sponsored by Virgin Media - will take place at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire on August 22 - 23, and will also feature performances from Echo & The Bunnymen, Lawson and Indiana, all announced today.
Other acts previously confirmed for the event - for which tickets are now on sale - include Sam Smith, Kasabian, Calvin Harris, Paloma Faith, Ellie Goulding, Ella Henderson and Stereophonics.

Ozzy Osbourne has pulled out of a gig to undergo an operation.
The 66-year-old star has been forced to cancel the Mexico leg of his annual 'Ozzfest' tour, which had been dubbed 'Ozzfiesta', scheduled for May 27 as he's set to have unspecified surgery and will need to take a month off to recover.
A statement on the Ozzfiesta website reads: "Cool Breeze Concerts regret to inform you that Ozzfiesta is cancelled.
"Like you, we were very excited about the event. However, Ozzy is having surgery, scheduled for May, following his South American tour. He requires at least four weeks of recovery time. We are very disappointed that we need to cancel."
The gig was scheduled to take place at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya hotel in Mexico and the promoters are now offering deals at the resort as well refunds to make up for the cancellation.
In addition to Ozzy's performance, the four-day festival was also set to feature an acoustic set by Zakk Wylde, a Q&A session with Osbourne and his band, a Black Label Society concert, a Jim Norton stand up comedy set and a charity golf tournament, according to Blabbermouth.net.
Ozzy will perform four Monsters of Rock festival gigs across South America in locations including Brazil and Argentina starting on April 25 before taking time off for the operation.
However, he also has two concerts pencilled in for the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Mexico City starting on August 18.
Meanwhile, the rocker is currently working with his Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, as well as producer Rick Rubin, on a follow-up to their 2013 reunion album '13', which they claim will be their last together.
They are also set to perform together for the last time at Ozzfest Japan on November 21 and 22.

Blur will headline Isle of Wight Festival.
The Britpop band have been confirmed as the headliners for the Saturday night of the festival, with the band promising the show will be "different" to their previous performances.
Guitarist Graham Coxon said: "These summer shows are going to be quite different to the gigs we did a few years back. We're excited to play the new record live and we'll have some surprises in store for the fans too."
The four-piece group previously announced their comeback by announcing a show at British Summer Time Hyde Park, but will now perform at Isle of Wight Festival in Seaclose Park a week before they arrive in London.
Commenting on their slot, bassist Alex James said: "The British summer is just not complete without a trip to a festival. We've never played Isle of Wight Festival before so we're really looking forward to this one. And we get to take our tour bus on a boat."
The 'Parklife' hitmakers - also featuring Damon Albarn and Dave Rowntree - will release their first album in 16 years as a four-piece, 'The Magic Whip', in April, six weeks before their scheduled slot at the 14th annual event.
Blur join previously announced acts including Fleetwood Mac, The Prodigy, Pharrell Williams, The Black Keys and Paolo Nutini on the line-up for the festival, which takes place from June 11-14.