Music News

Scroobius Pip and Kindness are making a charity album.
The spoken word artist and much-hyped musician are just two of the artists featuring on 'The Long Road', which is a ground-breaking new project on which the stars will each collaborate with a refugee who has been forced to flee their home and come to the UK, to create songs based on their lives to raise funds and awareness for the British Red Cross.
The Sierra Leone All Stars will also feature on the LP, with the whole project being produced by Ethan Johns, who has previously worked with Sir Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon, The Vaccines, Ryan Adams and Laura Marling.
Speaking about the LP, Ethan said: "This is a very special opportunity to create an album with a narrative that helps more people understand the realities of being a refugee and the journeys people go through.
"Music is one of the oldest forms of storytelling, and these are important stories to be told."
Kindness , whose real name is Adam Bainbridge, is working with a man named Ayman Hirh who fled Syria when fighting broke out in 2012, and said working on the song has been "fantastic".
He explained: "Getting to know Ayman has been fantastic and I'm looking forward to telling his story in the studio."
The announcement comes at the beginning of the UK-wide Refugee Week (15 - 21.06.15), with the charity encouraging people to get involved in the project by sharing pictures of the people, places and things they feel celebrate the contribution of refugees in the UK by using the hashtag #TheLongRoadEP on social media, with the images eventually creating the album artwork.
For more information about the project and Refugee Week go to: www.redcross.org.uk/refugeeweek

Mick Fleetwood finds it "magical" having Christine McVie back in Fleetwood Mac.
The 71-year-old keyboardist returned to the band last year, 16 years after leaving, and now the drummer, Mick, has described having the band's most well-known line-up back together as being like a "lovely fairytale".
He said: "We're enjoying what we're doing and of course it's unbelievably great to have Chris back, you know. Well it felt like a full circle. It's brilliant, and the lovely fairytale is that she really came back and we don't really stop until December 2015. We get a little break after this tour.
"It's more magical and appropriate than you could ever think and imagine for us."
The 67-year-old musician was speaking at Isle of Wight Festival, which they flew into in a large helicopter after making a deal with the event's organiser John Giddings to secure the "biggest helicopter" in the festival's history, which made him remember how far they have come as a band.
Talking to Absolute Radio's Sarah Champion at the Isle of Wight Festival, he explained: "There was about 18 people in it and it freaked me out that so many people could be in a helicopter. It was actually like a reminder of when Fleetwood Mac first started to really get off the ground, so to speak, in a big way. We didn't really realise what had happened to us in the United States after the advent of 'Rumours' and we were helicoptering in which was our first time that we'd ever done that, to a festival in Texas. It was at that moment out of a helicopter, like the Isle of Wight that you look down and you think to yourself, 'Wow that's a lot of people'.
"So all these years later to be in a helicopter and coming in and seeing a cartload of people is super gratifying and inspiring."

Fleetwood Mac closed Isle of Wight Festival on Sunday (14.06.15) with a hit-packed headline performance.
The band, who recently reformed with their most well-known line-up for a string of concerts, closed the UK festival with a stand-out show after doubts the may pull-out of the slot following cancelled gigs in Manchester and Birmingham due to illness.
More than 50,000 people enjoyed hundreds of acts during the four-day event, with several stars including Spice Girls stars Geri Halliwell, Mel C and Emma Bunton all arriving at Seaclose Park on the island specifically to witness the 'Dreams' hitmakers' set.
The group - currently featuring Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks - kicked off their performance with a rendition of 'The Chain', widely known as the Formula One theme tune, much to the delight of racing stars David Coulthard and Christian Horner who were in attendance.
During the festival attendees were also treated to performances from the recently-reformed Blur, 'Happy' hitmaker Pharrell Williams, The Prodigy, First Aid Kit and James Bay.
Ella Eyre also performed a surprise set on Saturday afternoon (13.06.15) after Clean Bandit collaborator Jess Glynne who was forced to pull out due to illness.
The 21-year-old singer told the Metro newspaper: "My band are a solid crew, the set-up is fairly simple. The only difference was they were all on holiday, so we had to fly them back.
"To be fair, what an excused to fly them back for!"

Foxes' new album is inspired by heartbreak.
The 'Youth' singer has revealed her new album has been inspired by "bad stuff" she went through since the release of her debut LP 'Glorious' last year.
Speaking about new single 'Body Talk', she said: "Initially the track is about moving on from the past.
"I've had a lot to vent about and that allowed me to write very quickly. You have to go through bad stuff to come out OK on the other side."
Foxes - whose real name Louisa Rose Allen - admitted she put a "positive spin" on her split though, insisting it is empowering and optimistic.
She explained: "It is kind of a break up song but then it's got a positive spin of just coming out of something.
"Having strength in yourself and being like 'this is going to be fine. I'll get over this.'"
The 26-year-old star revealed she has no plans to write any more songs about her exes though, as she doesn't want to be like Taylor Swift who is renowned for openly addressing her failed relationships in her music.
She told the Daily Star newspaper: "I'd never do like Taylor Swift and write about my break-ups a lot but she does it b****y well doesn't she?
"I don't tend to write about break ups. This is kind of a one off."

Jessie Ware is not a fan of taking selfies because she prefers to play it "cool".
The 30-year-old singer revealed that when she sees other famous people she won't approach them for a picture however she likes to immediately get on the phone to her mum Helena and give her the low-down.
She said: "I usually play it quite cool I think. I don't go and get selfies. I just kind of text my mum. She always likes to know who I've seen. She'll always have an opinion. She'll ask 'What are they wearing? What's the colour of their lipstick?' She texts me back as if they're like old friends or something."
Speaking to KISS FM UK at the Isle of Wight Festival on Sunday (14.06.2015),
the 'Tough Love' hit-maker revealed just how down-to-earth she really is by revealing the contents of her rider when she performs.
The brunette beauty said: "We all love the gossip now a little bit. I have gossip magazines on my rider. I always like that little section when people get spotted. I don't think I even get spotted so it's fine.
She went on: "I get the tube. I look so rough when I go on the tube. I'm usually applying makeup and it looks half done. I don't think anyone recognises me. I think there's far more glamorous London commuters than me."
Jessie performed on day two of the festival before Pharrell Williams and Blur.
Whilst speaking backstage the singer reportedly spotted former England Goalkeeper David James mid interview and gushed: "Oh my god that's David James. Okay I'm gonna play it cool. That's you know... an England goalie!"

5 Seconds of Summer's Michael Clifford is feeling "much better" since being burned on stage.
The 19-year-old guitarist was left injured after being hit in the face by pyrotechnics, which set his hair on fire, towards the end of the group's show at London's SSE Wembley Arena on Saturday (13.06.15), prompting them to cut the performance short so he could receive treatment, but the musician had recovered enough to return to the stage at the venue last night (14.06.15).
He tweeted ahead of last night's gig: ""Feeling loads better and my face is fine 🙂 excited for the show tonight m/ (sic)"
Michael went on to thank fans for their well-wishes following his accident.
He added: "There's been a lot of love spread around lately, thank you all so much 🙂 All of us boys appreciate everything you do! And also thank you so much to all my friends for wishing me the best.(sic)"
As a result of the incident, the group's third and final night at the venue was a more scaled back production.
Their management said ahead of the show: "Michael and the band would like to thank all the fans, well wishers and particularly last night's audience for their support.
"There will be no pyrotechnic production for the show this evening."
However, the 'She Looks So Perfect' hitmakers still enjoyed the gig.
Michael tweeted afterwards: "Thank you for tonight Wembley!! you were amazing 🙂
"Last night of the UK/EU tour finished 🙂 thank you so damn much for all of the crew involved and all of the people who came.. love to all!!! (sic)"

Union J think One Direction are "due" a break.
The 'Carry You' hitmakers are astonished by the 'Steal My Girl' group's heavy workload and think that, after recording and performing constantly for five years, they must be "exhausted".
The group's J.J. Hamblett said: "They've been going for so long. What five years now? They've never had a day off. We've obviously been working and doing stuff on the road, but they go to every single country, every single day and it's exhausting for them.
"I think they are due a break.
The 27-year-old singer - who, like 'One Direction', shot to fame after competing on 'The X Factor' - also thinks the 'No Control' hitmakers haven't had "much" of a life when they were teenagers as they have had to grow up in the spotlight.
He told BANG Showbiz: "I suppose they haven't had so much of a childhood, from 17 some of them were in the band, well not a childhood but they were in their teens. "
Union J will be playing at Thorpe Park's Island Beats this summer. Island Beats runs from 11 July - 29 August and for more information and to book tickets go to www.thorpepark.com.

Tommy Lee has "mixed" emotions about Mötley Crüe's final tour.
The group are set to embark on their last-ever gigs and the 'Girls Girls Girls' hitmaker - who will be lifted 200ft out into the audience and about 60ft into the air - thinks it will hit him most when he plays their last song 'Home Sweet Home' because he will be able to look out at the crowd, while playing the piano.
Speaking at The Last Ever European Press Conference at The Law Society in London earlier this week, Tommy said: "It's funny because in a couple of places we officially won't be back. Japan and Australia, those two places we won't be coming back and it's all pretty much about the last song for me. I'm kind of busy throughout the rest of the show, for the last song I am sitting down playing piano and that's the only time I get to look out and see everybody.
"It hits you then, wow this is f***ing crazy. It's definitely mixed emotions because I am happy, we are all happy but I'm also really sad."
Meanwhile, singer Vince Neil reflected on the band's three-decade career and admitted he feels "bittersweet" and is bound to get "choked up" on stage.
He said: "We think about everything we shared together; it's something very few people get to experience. We got to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows together. We've been best friends, we've been at odds with each other, and we've done stuff we didn't even have any idea was possible.
"The tour is kind of bittersweet. Sometimes I will be on stage, looking out and singing, and I will get a little choked up."
Mötley Crüe's 'The Final Tour' - on which Alice Cooper will support on some dates - comes to Europe on November 2, kicking off at the Newcastle Metro Radio Arena in the UK, and tickets are on sale now.

Jenny Frost no longer speaks to her former Atomic Kitten bandmates.
The 37-year-old singer insists she wishes "all the best" for Liz McLarnon and Natasha Hamilton, but she is still unhappy that original singer Kerry Katona was brought back to the group because she was unable to take part in 'The Big Reunion' because she was pregnant with twins.
She said: "I'm not in contact with them any more which is a real shame.
"But I didn't like how things were handled with the reunion and Kerry replacing me. I won't say too much, but I think it could have been managed better. I wish them all the best though."
However, Jenny - who has daughters Blake and Nico, two, with husband Vicente Juan Spiteri and seven-year-old son Caspar from a previous relationship - has no regrets about not rejoining the band as she is very content with her family life.
She added to Closer magazine: "I always say everything happens for a reason and I feel me not returning to Atomic Kitten was absolutely the right choice.
"I love my life in Ibiza with my family. Going on a big tour with a girl band is just not for me anymore."