Music News

Biffy Clyro's next album will feature beatboxing, "black metal pop" and "stoner-reggae".
The 'Mountains' rockers are excited about going into the recording studio to start work on the eclectic new record, and frontman Simon Neil says he loves to "surprise" himself and their fans.
He said: "I've written about 14 songs, we probably won't start recording properly until next year, but I'm really f***ing excited about it at the moment.
"I don't want people to think the whole album will sound like this, but I've written my first ever beatbox song, and I've written a black metal pop song which I can't wait for people to hear. There's also some cool stoner-reggae s**t going on, believe it or not.
"We're still looking to do new things and surprise ourselves. It's really exciting."
The group will headline T in the Park this year - their tenth appearance at the event - and are amazed at how far they've come since their first appearance, which saw them land a record deal afterwards.
Simon told NME magazine: "T in the Park is kind of like home for our band, and it's where we've cut our teeth at every level.
"It was the first place where we played a big stage, it was the first place we played to 10,000 people, throughout the life of this band it's been a marker for us.
"So it feels poetic we're going to be headlining it, in our 15th year."

Lily Allen understands the music industry's need to play it safe.
The 29-year-old singer has previously admitted her single choices - particularly 'Air Balloon' - to promote her new album 'Sheezus' haven't been the best, but she understands why record label bosses opt to release radio friendly pop tracks compared to her more risqué material.
She explained: "People fear for their jobs in this economy. No one wants to approve something that might offend. But the simple answer is, if people paid for music instead of stealing it, we'd be in a position where people would go with their gut instincts instead of being scared of losing their jobs. But I don't blame anybody. I write all my songs. I just feel sad that the record industry doesn't work like it used to."
The outspoken star claims she'd love to go against the grain and release the more daring songs on her album, like the title track - which talks about the rivalry among pop divas to be number one - but she ultimately has to answer to her record label.
Lily added in an interview with Britain's Glamour magazine: "I'd like to, but unfortunately I signed a record deal! I took a mortgage out on myself, that's how it works."

Ozzy Osbourne says rock won't ever die.
The Black Sabbath singer doesn't keep up with the new generation of musicians so although he doesn't know who'll carry their torch when they're gone, he insists there will always be fans of the genre who want to watch band's play live.
He said: "I was doing an interview the other day and someone asked me what the latest band I liked was, and I shouted 'I don't know any f**king new bands!' They said to me, 'So you guys are done?'
"To be honest, I don't know who's going to be the next big thing. I do know that rock won't die, though - and you'll never kill live music."
The 65-year-old star's band - which includes Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler - has sold over 70 million records worldwide since forming in 1968 and he doesn't think many bands can enjoy such long careers.
He explained: "When we first played in London, one of the first places we played was - what's its f***ing name, on Wardour Street ... The Marquee Club! People thought we were f***ing nuts, and we probably were back then.
"Now here I am 45 years later and still doing everywhere and getting ready to headline Hyde Park [at the Barclaycard British Summer Time festival in London this summer].
"I was saying to [wife] Sharon back the other day that there aren't many bands this far into their career that can still sell out shows ... let alone play Hyde Park. We've had an incredible time so far and we're not done yet! I still love it."
Ozzy is honoured to have the chance to headline at the festival and still has to pinch himself to remind him it's all real.
He added to Kerrang! magazine: "I'm really honoured and to be honest with you, it's all too much for me to take in. The last album we did was in 1979 - that's 35 years back down the road. I keep pinching myself about the opportunities that we have now."

Manic Street Preachers will keep performing until they are in "wheelchairs".
The Welsh trio - who formed in 1989 - don't think any younger bands have emerged who can "replace" them so they can't ever see themselves retiring.
Bassist Nicky Wire said: "I think the reason we're still around is because there's never been anyone to f***ing replace us - no one to make us extinct...
"I think it's full-on, blasting rock 'n' roll from now on, until we literally have wheelchairs."
The 'Motorcycle Emptiness' group - who release new album 'Futurology' on July 7 - also admitted they occasionally felt "awkward" when promoting last year's largely-acoustic 'Rewind the Film'.
Frontman James Dean Bradfield said: "It pushed us to be delicate and intimate and earnest and all those things we'd never really been.
"It didn't come naturally, it was really awkward at times."
The band - which also includes drummer Sean Moore - say that, with 'Let's Go To War', one of the tracks on 'Futurology', they wanted to create another "f***ing angry" song.
Nicky told NME magazine: "'Let's Go To War' has implications of the crisis of the working classes in it, but it's also referencing us as a band. Let's have one last f***ing angry song, like 'The Masses Against the Classes' or 'You Love Us' that references our own desire to lay waste."

Eminem has announced a second headline gig at London's Wembley Stadium.
The 'Rap God' hitmaker, who was banned from Hyde Park because his didn't get the royal seal of approval, is playing on both July 11 and 12, after tickets for the first show sold out in minutes this morning (09.05.14).
The rapper is returning to the UK for his first headline gig since 2001 and has chosen to perform at the massive venue.
Asked how he felt about being banned from Hyde Park, he told DJ Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1: "That's mean, man. It kinda hurt my feelings."
He added: "The easiest way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't do it. Thanks to the Royal Parks for making it all possible... for Wembley."
Eminem will be the first rapper ever to headline the venue and his next single 'Headlights' from his latest album, 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2', is going to be released to coincide with the show.
The star, who last performed in the UK at Leeds and Reading Festivals last year, is also doing a mini US stadium tour with Rihanna this summer, 'The Monster', which will take them to Los Angeles, New Jersey and Detroit.

Iggy Azalea has collaborated with Jennifer Lopez on a new song.
The 'Fancy' rapper has confirmed she has recorded a track with the 'Same Girl' hitmaker for Jennifer's new album 'A.K.A'.
Talking about working with the star during an interview with DJ Ryan Seacrest, she said: "She actually only asked me about two weeks ago, so I didn't have to keep the secret for too long.
"When I opened on tour for Beyoncé I had to keep that under wraps for months, which really killed me."
The Australian singer described keeping her mouth shut about the collaboration as a "breeze" because it wasn't long before she could spill the beans.
She went on: "I love her. I definitely used to sit in my bedroom as a young girl and lip-sync Jennifer Lopez songs, so it's very cool to have a song with her on her album."
Iggy has recently worked with Rita Ora, Ariana Grande and Charli XCX and recently released her debut album 'The New Classic'.
Jennifer's eighth studio album is due for release on June 17.

Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno admits it was easy to get caught up in the rock and roll lifestyle.
The guitarist, who is joined by Tom Meighan, Chris Edwards and Ian Matthews in the band, is now a settled family man and feels after years of partying.
He told the Guardian newspaper: "It's so easy to float into that drink and drugs world where you think you don't have any responsibilities and you don't give a sh*t. That stuff, it's incredible, but there's always a fine line. There are the dark places, when you find yourself thinking, 'What are you doing?' This is horrible'. They became too much, too often. So now I'm a steady roller. It's learning to pick your battles. I've got the intake and the bedtimes down to a fine art. Mate, I'm so pro!"
Serge, who wrote and produced the band's new album '48:13', has been close friends with singer Tom since the pair were at college but the two did have their disagreements on the road in the US.
He said: "I'd gone through a bit of a bad stage, and I'd been a selfish b****rd and after being together so many years, there's all that sh*t that was never supposed to happen. You want the truth? I'll tell you the truth."
But after Serge wrote the song S.P.S about Tom for the new album, he realised he'd been stupid to argue with him.
He said: "I saw that song, my missus said: 'Oh, you idiot, it's obvious, he loves you.'"

All Saints aren't sure if fans want them to produce new music.
The 'Pure Shores' hitmakers, who recently reformed and supported the Backstreets Boys on tour, were rumoured to be recording new material but band member Melanie Blatt doesn't know if it's what fans want.
Asked if she thinks people want the band to release a new album, she told BANG Showbiz: "I have no idea.
"We haven't really discussed new music at all yet, it's all hearsay. We're just really enjoying our time at the moment. We'd never sang all of those old songs in one concert, obviously it was a nostalgic thing.
"The reason why it worked so well was because it wasn't our idea and it turned out to be good."
Melanie, who took to the decks at the Future Factory launch party with Malibu Rum in east London last night (08.04.15), was still gushing about her time on tour with band mates Shaznay Lewis and sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton.
She said: "It was amazing, it was so much fun, it was unexpected how it happened.
"I was sh**ing myself, obviously, [before I got on stage]. I hadn't danced for years but it was fine, I forgot how natural it [performing] was and that it's actually my real job."
Melanie attended the Future Factory event, a new pop up shopping experience, with the likes of actress Jaime Winstone and fashion designer Pam Hogg.

Madonna claims producer Diplo is a "slave driver" in the studio.
The 'Hung Up' hitmaker is making music with Katy Perry's rumoured boyfriend and admits he pushed her to her limits when the pair teamed up together.
Madonna posted a photograph of her on a laptop on her Instagram account, with the caption: "Working with @Diplo got me like................WHAAaaat? (sic)"
She later added a photograph of herself looking tired after a long session working on new ideas and wrote: "Diplo is a slave driver! Got me working all hours of the night in the studio. Had to sneak into the bathroom! #clicclacclicclacbitchgetoffmyback (sic)"
Diplo, who has had success with his electronic music project Major Lazer, has previously worked with the likes of Beyonce, Rita Ora, Tinie Tempah and Justin Bieber and is known for his reggae-inspired music.
Meanwhile, Madonna has also been in the studio with dance music star Avicii, who produced Coldplay's new single 'A Sky Full Of Stars' and she's set to release new material in coming months.