Music News

Sinead O'Connor sounds "like she's 16" on her cover of 'I Would Die 4 U'.
The 47-year-old singer - who shot to international fame with her version of Prince's 'Nothing Compares 2 U' in 1990 - has rerecorded the track for 'Purple Reggae', a reggae tribute album to 'Purple Rain' compiled by Radio Riddler, and thrilled the remix outfit with her "beautiful" rendition of the track.
Frank Benbini, who makes up Radio Riddler with his Fun Lovin' Criminals band mate Brian 'Fast' Lesier, said: "She did such a beautiful job on it - she sounds like she's 16 when she sings it. It's so amazingly relaxed vocals and sweet, it's really something that song.
"I sat in the studio and she was quite nervous, which is I thought was quite funny because I sat there and I was nervous. And yet it was a beautiful sweet session that we did."
Sinead initially turned down the approach from Frank to be a part of the album - which also features vocals from the likes of UB40's Ali Campbell, Madness singer Suggs, and Beverley Knight - until he fully explained the concept.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I went to an event in Dublin and Sinead was there, I approached Sinead and said, 'Would you ever consider covering a Prince song?' and she said, 'No.'
"I explained we were doing it in a reggae style because she is a huge reggae fan. I played it to her and she was like, 'Oh that sounds interesting.' "
Radio Riddler release the single 'Purple Rain' featuring Ai Campbell on June 23 and play The Jazz Cafe on June 25. The album 'Purple Reggae' will be released in September through MITA.

The BBC has launched an annual music awards.
DJs Fearne Cotton and Chris Evans will host the first live show later this year, which is set to be the biggest music event after Glastonbury, bringing together BBC One, BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2.
A panel of BBC presenters and producers will decide the best British artist and international artist gongs, while TV viewers and radio listeners will select the year's best song.
The ceremony is set to rival the annual BRIT Awards on ITV and the show will feature a number of performances to review the year, as well as collaborations between well-known artists and the BBC Orchestra.
BBC Radios 1 and 2 and 'The One Show' will give fans a peek behind the scenes.
BBC director general Tony Hall said: "Today's the start of something very special for everyone who loves music.
"BBC Music is a celebration of the brilliant musical talent across our country. We'll be joining up music on television, radio, iPlayer and online like never before.
"There'll be new shows, new partnerships and whole new ways to enjoy music."
The awards are part of a new music strategy for the BBC, bringing together TV and radio programming, digital services and provisions to support emerging talent.
The event will be held on 11 December at London's Earls Court and acts set to perform are yet to be announced.

Kanye West is working with Rick Rubin on a new album.
The producer, who teamed up with the rapper on his recent LP 'Yeezus', has announced that he has been "looking at vocal ideas" for the 37-year-old star's follow-up collection.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe, which will broadcast today (16.06.14), Rick said: "Kanye West is coming in and we're starting looking at vocal ideas for things for the next album."
Rick, 51, then went on to talk about the time he spent with the 'Bound 2' hitmaker while they were putting together 'Yeezus' last year.
He explained: "He originally came over and said 'I wanna come play you my new album' and I thought we'd be listening to a finished album. Then we listened to about three hours of music, most of which didn't have vocals, and at the end I was like, 'Wow, so what's it gonna be?' I'm thinking it's a year away and he was like, 'Well, I'm putting it out in like 5-6 weeks.' "
He added: "It was just a funny conversation because it was completely normal to him, it's just the way he works."

Biffy Clyro's next album is "very danceable".
The 'Black Chandelier' hitmakers are using computers to make music for the first time and say their forthcoming seventh album marks a change in direction for the Scottish rockers.
Drummer Ben Johnston said: "It's early days, but a couple of new songs we're recording are sounding very danceable.
"We're thinking of shaking up the way we write - all of us coming up with ideas on our computers and swapping them around. It'll be the first time we've really used computers to write.
"While I'm sure we'll create a few more big rock songs, it'll be good to see what new sounds we conjure up too."
The group - whose last album 'Opposites' topped the UK charts - are ready to "start afresh" with their music and have promised to surprise fans with what they come up with.
Ben told the Daily Star newspaper: "We think of our albums as two different trilogies, and 'Opposites' was number six. It's time to start afresh, and some songs we've worked on are very different.
"Some songs are dark - they sound like black metal."
The 'Many of Horror' rockers headlined the Isle of Wight festival alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kings of Leon at the weekend but didn't think it was the right time to showcase any of their new songs.
Ben explained: "A festival wasn't the place to try out new songs on people who wanted to dance to old favourites."

Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno is having the "best month" of his life.
The band's guitarist is over the moon after the success of their latest album '48:13' - which has just topped the UK Albums Chart - as well as their upcoming homecoming gig in Leicester and a headline slot at Glastonbury at the end of the month.
Serge gushed: "This is the best month of my life. The album [going to number one], the Leicester gig, headlining Glastonbury, the World Cup is on ... it's a huge time.
"What we've made, we're really proud. It's our fifth record and to be number one at this stage, it's massive. People keep telling me rock music is dead but I won't believe it.
"I want us to try to help make kids pick up guitars and get out there."
Serge and his bandmates, Tom Meighan, Chris Edwards and Ian Matthews, are set to play to a sold-out crowd in their hometown of Leicester this weekend and have promised an exciting surprise for the 35,000-strong crowd which will include their friends and family.
The rocker told The Sun newspaper: "We are planning something huge - I would tell you but I don't want to ruin the surprise. We've got a massive entrance planned.
"The buzz around the city already is amazing. It's dawning on us what we've done in bringing a gig like that to a city that has never really seen anything quite like it."

Cher Lloyd has taken up knitting.
The 20-year-old singer, who has been on a two year hiatus after achieving success in America, has been spending her spare time creating knitted scarves.
Speaking to Heat radio after her set at the Isle of Wight Festival, she said: "I've recently taken up knitting. I knit scarves and blankets but that's as far as I'm at as the patterns are confusing me. I knit, I watch 'EastEnders' and do my knitting ... it's relaxing."
The 'I Wish' star admits she didn't initially plan to take so much time out of the industry but felt she had a lot of maturing to do after finding success on ITV talent show 'The X Factor' in 2010.
She said: "I've been away two years and I'm a new person. I packed my bag for two weeks but have come back two years later.
"I realised I had a lot of growing up to do, and it's the best thing I could have done. I needed to do a lot of growing up ... I was a brat when I was on 'The X Factor'. I was a teenager with all those hormones going on but I was doing it in front of millions."
She added: "Everyone had an opinion [about me], I've even annoyed myself. I'm back and I'm better now."
Cher is going head-to-head in a chart battle with 'X Factor' mentor Cheryl Cole with her new single 'Sirens' out on July 20, the same day as Cheryl releases 'Crazy Stupid Love'.
Cher said: "I didn't realise it was out on the same day. She was my 'X Factor' mentor! I cannot think of a better person to ask for advice now we are back.
"We're not in touch but I would like to speak to her. We had an amazing experience together, I hope she feels the same."
Cher is also glad to see Cheryl back on 'The X Factor' panel with Simon Cowell and admits she would like to meet up with her record label boss.
She added: "Not over dinner though, that's too formal. That's not me. Despite the rumours ... I'm still signed to Syco!"

Mr Hudson wanted Idris Elba's fictional character Luther on his new track.
The singer-songwriter - who is signed to Kanye West's record label GOOD Music - became determined to enlist the actor-and-DJ on his comeback song, 'Step Into the Shadows', after watching him in hit British detective drama 'Luther'.
He said: "I made a decision on this album. I said I'm not going to make that American-orientated record. I thought, 'Who is the most quintessentially London person?' And I just thought Luther!
"I didn't know Idris ... I thought, 'I want Luther on this record.' I'd got back to London, watching these DVDs, and I thought, 'I want that guy, he'd suit the record.'
"I hit him up and he came to the studio the next day."
Mr Hudson, who released his debut album 'Straight No Chaser' in 2009, also revealed his decision to make a grittier, British-sounding album was supported by his American label boss, Kanye.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I think he's always just wanted me to do what I do. A snail's got to leave its trail; you've to follow your heart. I think he's always liked it when I've scared myself creatively and when I do something he hasn't heard before - that's why he signed me.
"Hopefully, the next record, I'll still have the luxury of going to America with the GOOD Music guys, but right now, I wanted to make a London statement."
Mr Hudson has collaborated with drinks brand Smirnoff on their new #SMIRNOFFMIXIT campaign. Linking the ingredients, flavours and methods used to create cocktails to a series of sounds, drum patterns and melodies, Mr Hudson produced a musical interpretation of drinks including the Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary and Caipiroska.
Listen to the tracks by visiting http://bit.ly/1pOrDaQ.

Clean Bandit recorded their debut album in a church.
The 'Rather Be' hitmakers claim they "borrowed" the place of worship, located in Holborn, London, from a reverend for an hour in order to finish their studio collection 'New Eyes'.
Bass player Jack Patterson told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper: "We did it [recorded the debut album] in a church in Holborn, London. We asked the reverend if we could just borrow it for an hour before a service and just blasted it all out. The acoustics were amazing.
"'New Eyes' is our first album but in many ways it feels like our second, we just didn't record the first one."
The electronic group - also consisting of Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith - have collaborated with a number of artists on their new album, but recently admitted that they would love Craig David to come out of retirement and sing a track with them.
Speaking of the 'Re-Rewind' singer, whose last album 'Signed Sealed Delivered' was released nearly four years ago, Grace said previously: "Craig David is the singer we'd love to work with most. It's controversial, maybe, but he's got a great voice. We're big into that old UK garage sound and Craig was the best."

Arcade Fire covered a rare Smiths track on Saturday (07.06.14) night.
The 'Ready to Start' hitmakers sang 'London' - the b-side of the 12" release of the 1987 single 'Shoplifters of the World Unite' - during their second show at London's Earls Court, much to the delight of the assembled crowd.
The US group turned the vast venue - which was sold out on both nights - into a giant discotheque featuring spotlights and glitter balls, while their upbeat, career-spanning set was backed by a dazzling array of dancers, including skeletons, masked men and women and a dancing mirror man.
Ahead of the encore, the 'fake' Reflektors bobblehead band took to the second stage in the venue to play a cover of The Beatles' 'Helter Skelter' before being played off by the band with 'Normal Person'.
During the first show at the venue on Friday (06.06.14), the group were joined by Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch for a rendition of his band's hit 'The Cutter'.

Arcade Fire played:

'Reflektor'
'Flashbulb Eyes'
'Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)'
'Rebellion (Lies)'
'Joan of Arc'
'Month of May'
'We Exist'
'The Suburbs'
'Ready to Start'
'Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)'
'Intervention'
'No Cars Go'
'Haïti'
'Afterlife'
'It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus)'
'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'
'Helter Skelter'
'Normal Person'
'London'
'Here Comes the Night Time'
'Wake Up'

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/arcade-fire/77779#EAffKf33Mty2jVsF.99