Music News

Damon Albarn will play two intimate London shows to launch his debut solo album.
The Blur frontman, whose record 'Everyday Robots' is set for release on April 28, will perform at the Rivioli Ballroom in Crofton Park on April 30, followed by a show at The People's Palace at The Great Hall at Queen Mary University in London on May 1.
His band will include guitarist Seye, drummer Pauli The PSM, bassist Jeff Wootton and Mike Smith on keyboards.
The singer's new record is co-produced by XL Records boss Richard Russell and features contributions from Brian Eno and Bat For Lashes singer Natasha Khan.
Damon said: "Richard Russell was a fantastic editor and did a lot of the atmospheric stuff, so in a sense it's not entirely my record. It is my narrative, and my voice and my songs."
The singer will also play a number of festivals this year in Belgium and Denmark, along with headlining Latitude in the UK in July.
Meanwhile, Damon will also be honoured with the NME Award For Innovation at this year's NME Awards with Austin, Texas.
He picks up the prize, which recognises him as one of the UK's most influential musicians, on Wednesday, February 26 at the O2 Academy in Brixton.

Damon Albarn's live dates..

April 30 - The Rivoli Ballroom, London
May 1 - The Great Hall at Queen Mary University of London
May 3 - SOS 4.8 Festival, Spain
May 5 - Alhambra, Paris
June 27 - Down The Rabbit Hole Festival, NL
July 3 - Werchter Festival, Belgium
July 4 - Roskilde Festival, Denmark
July 19 - Latitude Festival, UK

Taylor Swift is planning to scrap a year's worth of songs.
The country pop starlet is planning the follow-up to her highly successful album 'Red' but wants to ditch a lot of the material she has written since the release of her fourth studio album in 2012.
According to the Daily Star, she said: "I basically like to write for about two years before I finish with an album.
"I know whatever I write about at this point is going to get thrown away.
"I'm probably going to like it but it's going to sound a little too much like the last project that I had.
"It's only by the second year in that it ends up sounding like the next project."
"I know whatever I write about at this point is going to get thrown away"
The 24-year-old star has just completed the UK leg of her 'Red' Tour and was joined by Emeli Sandé for a version of 'Next To Me' at London's O2 Arena this week.
The blonde beauty has also sung on stage with Ed Sheeran, BRITs Critics' Choice winner Sam Smith and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue while she's been performing in the city.
Talking about writing her next album, she admits she is suffering from "anxiety", but explained: "You need to challenge yourself and trust your influences. I need to be inspired by different things.
"At this point I feel like staying the same would be the easy way to go but it's not the way that I want to go creatively.
"It's harder to call up people you don't know and work with them for the first time.
"And it's harder to think of topics you haven't covered and think of new ways to say old emotions that everyone feels - but that's the goal."

Nina Nesbitt says her ex-boyfriends should expect to have songs written about them.
The 'Selfies' singer writes her music based on her own life experiences and says her lyrics are often inspired by failed romances.
Nina always tells her exes about the tracks and plays them the songs, and she claims it's just part of the package if you date a songwriter.
When asked if she pens songs about guys she has dated, she said: "Yeah there's a couple. I've played the songs to the people they're about and they're cool with it, so I think that's fine. I think if you're friends with a singer/songwriter or you're going out with one it's kind of expected. But it's not too bad!"
Nina releases her debut album 'Peroxide' on February 17 and admits the majority of the tracks on the LP are about her former boyfriends.
Although she is proud of the whole record, 'The Hardest Part' is the song the 19-year-old Scottish songstress is most proud of.
Nina - whose latest single 'Selfies' is out now - told BANG Showbiz: "There's a quite a few songs about boyfriends, basically the majority of them! I like to write about my own experiences. Most of the songs on the album, about 90 percent of them are straight up my experiences. Other ones are half-and-half, where it's somebody's else's experience I've written about and then included mine as well.
"'The Hardest Part' is definitely my favourite, it's the last track on the album and it's a very personal one to me. I like 'Tough Luck' as well.
"I think 'The Hardest Part' sums up the album really. It's quite a sad one, it's about timing in a relationship where you want to be with this person but it's just not the right time and then you don't know if it ever will be. It's pretty depressing, but it's my most honest song and it seems to get the best reaction live."

Skrillex is reportedly being sued after he landed on a fan on while stage diving at a gig in 2012.
The 26-year-old musician - real name Sonny Moore - could be forced to pay out after Jennifer Fraissl allegedly filed a lawsuit against him, claiming she suffered a stroke as a result of the trauma.
The female supporter claims Skrillex asked the crowd at the Belasco theatre in Los Angeles to move forward so that he could leap from the stage and crowd surf.
However, Jennifer was stood at the front, so it was impossible for her to get out of the tight spot among the other fans, which resulted in her allegedly being injured by the star.
Jennifer is reportedly claiming for unspecified damages, medical expenses and loss of income.
According to TMZ.com, both Skrillex and the nightclub have been named in the lawsuit as she believes the event organisers failed to step in and stop the star from behaving recklessly on their premises.
Skrillex and The Belasco have yet to comment on the claims.
Meanwhile, Skrillex announced last year he was planning on releasing his debut album in the near future.
Asked if he had new music to release, he told Radio 1: "For sure - sooner rather than later, I'd say sooner."

Nick Jonas joined Demi Lovato on stage on Sunday (09.02.14).
The 'Heart Attack' hitmaker surprised fans on the opening night of her 'Neon Lights' tour in Vancouver when she performed with the former Jonas Brothers singer.
The duo belted out three tracks, 'Stop The World', 'Catch Me' and 'Here We Go Again' together, while Nick, 21, played the guitar.
The 21-year-old beauty - who has famously dated Nick's brother Joe Jonas in the past - had originally hired the hunky star as the musical and creative director of her tour a few months ago.
Nick said previously: "I'm overseeing video content, wardrobe, lighting and staging. And then I'm extending into the musical side of things, which includes creating the arrangements for the songs.
"I'm building what Demi wanted, which is a show without stops and starts."
The performer - who was previously in a band with his brothers Kevin, 26, and Joe, 24 - has been close friends with Demi for a number of years and wanted to make sure he did her proud.
He continued: "I was immediately excited when I was offered the position. The relationship that Demi and I had over eight years really gives me the insight into how to best communicate with her and her team."

Damon Albarn is to receive the NME Award For Innovation.
The Blur frontman - who is also a songwriter, producer and composer - has been honoured the accolade after being recognised as one of the UK's most influential artists.
NME magazine editor said: "Damon's enduring popularity is a testament to his unrivalled talent. He is somebody who is always pushing things forward, always operating in his own sphere and forever innovating via experimentation and collaboration.
"Britain rarely produces songwriters of Damon's calibre, which is why he's been so popular with NME's readers for the past two decades. I don't see that popularity waning any time soon, just as I don't see his ability to write life-affirming, jaw-dropping songs disappearing either. "We're lucky to have him, and it's an absolute honour for us to be giving Damon the NME Award For Innovation."
The 45-year-old star will pick up his award - which celebrates artists who push boundaries, surprise and shock fans - at the NME awards on February 26, 2014, at the O2 Academy in Brixton, London.
Fans have been casting votes across 20 categories for this year's awards, and the Arctic Monkeys currently stand in the lead with eight nominations, Haim follow closely with six, while Queens of The Stone Age, Lily Allen and Arcade Fire all have three nods.
The event is being sponsored by the city of Austin in Texas.

Taylor Swift was joined on stage by Emeli Sande at London's O2 Arena last night (10.02.14).
The country starlet surprised fans on her 'Red' tour as the pair launched into a rendition of Emeili's hit 'Next To Me' and Taylor described the singer as "heavenly."
She told the crowd: "I was thinking about playing the O2 and the last time I played it. Do you remember the BRIT Awards last year? I had a great time and I got to meet one of my favourite artists and I watched her clean up at the BRIT Awards. Then I got this idea she could come out and play for you. So what do you think about Emeli Sande coming out to play a song for you tonight?"
The 23-year-old beauty looked emotional as she took to the piano to play 'All Too Well' and tore through a number of other hits before performing 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together'.
After the gig, Taylor took to Twitter to thank her fans and Emeli, she wrote: 'Tonight @emelisande surprised our London crowd with 'Next to Me'!! SHE IS SO HEAVENLY. I've had the best time here. Last show tomorrow....'
Taylor is currently performing the UK leg of her 'Red' Tour and her last gig will be tonight held again at the O2 Arena in London.
To coincide with her residency at the venue, the British Music Experience - which is situated inside the O2 - are showcasing select items from Taylor's wardrobe alongside photographs by Christie Goodwin in a pop-up exhibition.
Admission to 'Taylor Swift: A Photo Experience' is included within the price of a museum ticket, and costs just £4 to ticket holders for her O2 shows during the duration of her residency.
The exhibition runs until 23 March.

Liam Gallagher is set to hold castings in Los Angeles for a new Beatles film.
The Beady Eye frontman wants Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke to star in the movie and has convinced Michael Winterbottom to direct the film about The Beatles' company Apple Corps and the break-up of the group.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Liam is going to hold castings in the US in April. A lot of the lead roles are American, so he's keen to find the right names.
"He knows he's not going to manage to entice someone like Brad Pitt but he wants high-calibre people who are more on the indie scene of Hollywood. He thinks actors such as Jared and Ethan would be perfect."
The former Oasis lead singer, who split from his own band in 2009 after a huge bust-up with brother and bandmate Noel, is the executive producer of The Longest Cocktail Party and is currently looking for someone to fund his movie.
The source said the 41-year-old star aims to follow in the footsteps of late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, whose company HandMade Films produced hit movies 'Monty Python's Life Of Brian' and 'The Long Good Friday'.
The Beatles - also made up of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the late John Lennon - made their first debut on US TV 50 years ago and stars gathered for a special tribute show last month at The Los Angeles Convention Centre.
The group formed in Liverpool in 1960 and split in 1970 after Paul said he was quitting the band.

Sir Elton John wants to make electronic music.
The 66-year-old singer and musician admits he's still a novice when it comes to recording but wants to collaborate with Pharrell Williams as he explores different musical genres.
He told Clash Magazine: "I adore electronic music. I get up in the morning and put on electronic music.
"I did a track with Timbaland. I hope to do something with Pharrell. I've done a track with Bright Light Bright Light, a guy called Rod Thomas, and it's brilliant. I like exploring other avenues."
But the 'Your Song' hitmaker admits he has a lot to learn and has been asking for advice from younger artists.
He said: "As a piano player I tend to overdo things, and electronic music is about simplicity. I had lunch with James Blake the other day, and listening to his album is so simple and beautiful.
"I would be tempted to do so much more, and he has the ability to be so minimalistic and I love it. They're like paintings, not songs."
The legendary star releases a reissue of his classic album 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' on March 24 but is waiting to decide what his next musical move will be and praised artists he's collaborated with in the past, including Kanye West.
Elton said: "I did things with Queens Of The Stone Age, and that was a completely different experience.
"Playing on the Kanye West record, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', which is genius from start to finish, was a f***ing honour. It was like: 'Wow, I'm on this f***ing record!' And it was different. You can always learn.
"By pooh-poohing dance music, rap or anything, you just lose so much, because if you get into the studio with these guys you realise they're onto something completely different to what you do.
"By you saying it's rubbish it's completely wrong, because what they do is something you don't understand but it's completely relevant and it's very exciting."