Music News

Ed Sheeran wanted to impress Pharrell Williams with his vocals.
The 'Sing' hitmaker has revealed he sang unnaturally high notes while recording his recent hit single as he was so eager to wow the song's producer.
He said: "I was trying to show off in the studio in front of Pharrell. He gets amazing singers all the time, so I was like, 'I'm going to show him I can do this.' But now I have to play it live every day."
The 23-year-old crooner recently topped the charts with his second studio album 'x', and he is next set to work on music for another act - One Direction.
He revealed in an interview with We Love Pop magazine: "I'm seeing [their record label boss] Simon Cowell soon. I'm going to his house and playing him some songs. I like that they've moved into a more acoustic zone and I have an idea that I think would work for them, so we'll see."

The Prodigy claim their new album will be "more violent".
The band - made up of Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, Leo Crabtree, Rob Holliday and Maxim Reality - are set to release their new record later this year and insist it will be wilder than previous offerings.
Frontman Liam said: "I've got a new title but you can't have it. It's too early! I've written everything and I'm basically going through each track and making sure they're firing.
"It's more violent-sounding, it feels wilder."
Their sixth record is the follow-up to the band's last release, 'Invaders Must Die' in 2009, and Liam claims they have gone in a new direction.
He said: "It's not so much old-school. It's neither guitar-based nor synth-based, it's kind of a mixture. It doesn't feel like it's so radio-friendly to me, it feels like it's got a lot of edge."
Meanwhile, the band headlined Sonisphere a few days ago and they will also appear at Global Gathering later this month, but insist the shows are not the right time for debuting new material.
Liam told NME magazine: "These two shows are a big deal, for sure. We're thinking about what tunes we're going to perform and how to get the balance right. We've got loads of new stuff, but at these big shows people don

Jimmy Page agrees that Led Zeppelin should headline Glastonbury.
The rock band have been named in several polls and by bookies as the band people want to see top the bill at the world famous music festival and while the guitarist knows why, he has no idea if the band will ever reform to do it.
Speaking at the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards yesterday (04.07.14), he said: "I agree with them, it's good music isn't it."
He cheekily added: "Maybe I could just go out on my own then and call myself Led Zeppelin."
Meanwhile, he suggested the group's longevity and enduring popularity is one of the mean reasons fans want to see them at the iconic music festival.
He added to BANG Showbiz: "I think the reason people want it is the fact Led Zeppelin's music has touched people all the way through and every year seems to bring new young musicians and a new audience.
"I've just been out promoting the first three releases of Led Zeppelin's album and it's young people that are there and young journalists - it's not the old school.
"So, I know what it means to people and it's a really nice thing. Music has always been my passion as a kid."

Black Sabbath turned London's Hyde Park into a giant mosh pit last night (04.07.14).
The legendary heavy metal band performed a career-spanning set featuring old favourites including 'War Pigs' and 'Iron Man' and material from their new album '13' to the delight of the hoardes gathered for the second night of Barclaycard's British Summer Time.
Ahead of the show, frontman Ozzy Osbourne had celebrated his wedding anniversary with wife Sharon and daughter Kelly with a party backstage, and he appeared to want to continue the celebrations on stage.
The 65-year-old rocker shouted: "Do you know what day it is today? It's my f***ing wedding anniversary. Sharon! Get out here!"
As the band closed their set with classic hit 'Paranoid', rain fell on the crowd - which included actor Johnny Depp - but none of the revellers seemed to mind as they continued singing along until the very end.
Elsewhere on the bill, Soundgarden marked the 20th anniversary of their album 'Superunknown' by playing it in full, with 'Black Hole Sun' a particular highlight.
Barclaycard British Summer Time continues in Hyde Park today (05.07.14) with performances from Reverend and the Makers, The View, Graham Coxon and headliners The Libertines.

Jack White is a "workaholic".
The 38-year-old singer, who has released his second solo album 'Lazeretto' and runs Third Man Records in Nashville, Tennessee, claims he can't deal with being "idle" and he gets up at 6am every morning.
Jack - who has kids Scarlet, eight, and Henry, six, with ex-wife Karen Elson - said: "Some days I'll take the kids to school, and when I'm not on tour I'll be here. There's always a lot to do. A friend said recently, 'You're like me, a workaholic'. It's hard for me to talk about it because I might accidentally sound like I'm trying to fulfil some childhood guilt trip my father gave me, but it's not so much about work as a constant need to create something. If I'm idle, I don't think I deserve the right to be called an artist or a musician."
The former White Stripes star insists it's still "insanely hard" to be an artist these days and the trick is to get to the point where it looks easy.
And Jack admitted he can obsess over detail and has to make sure everything is perfect when it comes to releasing new music.
He told MOJO magazine: "It's just how I am. You really have to pay attention, all the time, to get the details right."

Jimmy Page was honoured with the Silver Clef Award today (04.07.14).
The legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist was presented with the prestigious accolade at the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards this afternoon and admitted he had a good "vibe" about his prize when arrived at the London Hilton hotel.
Speaking at the event, Jimmy told BANG Showbiz: "I'm thrilled about winning this award, I'm actually getting more of a vibe about it since I walked through the door and got more of an understanding of just how weighty the whole occasion is."
Nordoff Robbins is a charity that provides therapy for thousands of people across the UK, helping adults and children who suffer from autism and dementia and who have had strokes open up and connect to their surroundings with music.
Jimmy, 70, was pleased to discover the original Silver Clef concert he played with Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant in 1976 was the start of the awards and the charity's work.
He said: "I played on the original Silver Clef show that was way back at Knebworth which had Cliff Richard and Pink Floyd and I played with Robert Plant there.
"I went to the Nordoff Robbins centre the other day and they told me that the centre was established from that charity concert so that was really nice to find out. When I was at the centre I met someone who was a recipient of the work the charity is doing and it was quite a moving experience I have to say. When you see the results that they get you can see it's what you always believed music could do. Music is a great communicator and something that really elates the spirit or it can take you another way, but it's something that communicates with you. Music has a power."
Other winners at the event included Giorgio Moroder, who was presented with the American Express Innovation Award, Black Sabbath - who won the AEG Live Ambassadors of Rock Award - and Pharrell Williams, who took home the Raymond Weil International Award.

Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clefs Awards winners:

Pharrell Williams - Raymond Weil International Award
Paloma Faith - Royal Albert Hall Best British Act Award
Giorgio Moroder - American Express Innovation Award
Gareth Malone - PPL Classical Award
Laura Mvula - Jack Daniel's Best Newcomer Award
Sir Tom Jones - Sony Mobile Lifetime Achievement Award
Chas & Dave - Investec Icon Award
Black Sabbath - AEG Live Ambassadors of Rock Award
Jimmy Page - Silver Clef Award

Pharrell Williams is "thankful" to his English fans for supporting him at the beginning of his career.
The 'Happy' hitmaker is in the UK this weekend to accept an accolade at the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clefs Awards and perform at the Wireless Festival and he admits he has a "soft spot" in his heart for the country because of the way people got behind his hip-hop band N.E.R.D in the late 90s.
Speaking before accepting the Raymond Weil International Award at the ceremony at the London Hilton hotel today (04.07.14), he told BANG Showbiz: "I have to bring the energy when I'm dealing with the English, you guys are some of the most real fans. The people in England were among the first supporters when it comes to N.E.R.D so I have a really soft spot in my heart when it comes to England. N.E.R.D worked in the UK before we worked in the States so I'm very thankful to England."
Pharrell walked the special blue carpet at the event with his new artist Maxine Ashley and he claims Maxine has the power to touch people with her voice, something he claims proves the therapeutic work Nordoff Robbins does with people works.
He said: "What these awards represent is the more medicinal side of music, the more therapeutic side of music, which is the way I see it.
"This is Maxine Ashley my artist, she's an incredible and phenomenal talent - I know everyone says that about their artists but she really is something different and something special and I've personally witnessed her singing and watched her change the mood of a crowd and bring people together and that is special - it embodies what the perfect artist is to me and it also parallels with today's awards which are all about reaching people through the means of music."
Nordoff Robbins provides music therapy for thousands of people across the UK, helping sufferers of autism, strokes and dementia open up and connect to their surroundings, increase communication skills, self-esteem and confidence.
Other stars at the awards included Jimmy Page, Sir Tom Jones, Mica Paris, Laura Mvula and Giorgio Moroder.

Tinie Tempah claims his third album will be his last.
The 'Trampoline' rapper insists he's not retiring but he's bored of putting out albums and thinks there are better ways to let fans hear his music using digital platforms and streaming services.
According to The Sun newspaper, he said: "This is a Spotify/iTunes/shuffle generation.
"I don't think people really listen to albums completely from track one to 12.
"People now curate their own playlists so I think it's clever to beat them to it and say, 'Here it is, done for you.'
"A third album will emerge some time but I think another after that is uncertain."
The artist, who last released 'Demonstration' in 2013, wants to release a series of EPs for fans and claims the rise of celebrity producers and DJs is killing the careers of singers.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "Producers are the new rock stars but they aren't the artists. It's killing the opportunity for any real solid artists to have well-rounded careers.
"The charts are so producer-driven these days. Even though there's a vocal on the song, it's all about the beat and who made it."
The 26-year-old star, who is performing at Wireless Festival in London and Birmingham this weekend, thinks there isn't many "album level artists emerging" because it's all about tracks.
He said: "For example, Jess Glynne is an amazing new singer and I hope people don't ignore her solo stuff just because it's not with Clean Bandit."

5 Seconds of Summer think it's "disrespectful" to trash hotel rooms on tour.
The pop-punk band - made up of Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford and Calum Hood - insist they are very un-rock'n'roll and are often napping or out go-karting when they're not on stage.
Guitarist Michael told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "What's the point of throwing a TV out the window if SpongeBob Squarepants could be on and we could be watching it? Or Geordie Shore? What a waste.
"I think it's disrespectful to trash hotel rooms. The most rock and roll thing about us is how we sound."
The band's self-titled debut album hit number one on iTunes in 69 different countries after its release and is set to reach the top spot in the UK Albums Chart this week.
Michael, 18, insist their pre-show rituals don't involve drinking or anything outrageous and the lads just enjoy chilling out before their concerts.
He explained: "We brush our teeth, listen to some music - either heavy metal or some savage R 'n' B. We like to jump around to get all pumped up. We don't really have after-parties either. We're so busy, we barely get time to sleep. We nap whenever we can - we're always tired. We like go-karting a lot too."
Although he's not yet legal to drink, singer Luke, 17, thinks artists shouldn't enjoy a tipple before they go on stage because it gives people a bad impression.
He said: "You should never drink before you go on stage. That's a very bad idea if you want to give your all to your fans. Maybe when we're 50, on the reunion tour."