Music News

Carl Barat "had a rule" never to take heroin or cocaine.
The Libertines' co-frontman admitted he struggled with drugs when he was younger but revealed his rule meant he has never suffered the same levels of addiction as bandmate Pete Doherty.
Speaking about his debauched life when the band rose to fame in 2002, he said: "I embraced it as much as Peter did, no doubt about it. And that made it hard, of course it did. But I had a rule that said you can't do heroin and crack, because they seemed to be in a different area. Now that rule would maybe have been broken if I had been interested in crack and heroin. But to me crack is just panic and heroin is inactivity ... but hopefully that's all behind us."
Despite his decision to avoid the illegal substances, the 36-year-old musician - who has started writing tracks for a third album with his bandmates now Pete has successfully completed a stint in rehab - said when he did try heroin, he didn't become hooked because he wanted to have sex and not fall curse to the drug's side effect of sexual inactivity.
He told The Guardian newspaper: "It made me feel nauseous for a start, and that's never a pleasant experience. Also, my drugs have always been uppers because I like to be in control of my faculties - I've got so much to expel and express that I feel like heroin's slowing me down. It also makes you sexually inactive, and I didn't want to be sexually inactive as a 23-year-old. And also, it's just a drag - it's smelly with all the paraphernalia and burned fingers. It's not romantic opium, it's skanky heroin."

Ed Sheeran is "not too fussed" about the Grammy Awards.
The 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker has been nominated in the Best Pop Vocal Album, Album of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media categories, but isn't getting his hopes up when it comes to winning any of the coveted titles at the ceremony on Sunday February 8.
He said: "Just being nominated for a Grammy - all the artists say this I know - but honestly I'm not too fussed about winning, just because I probably won't! I never win anything."
The 23-year-old musician - who has picked up two BRIT Awards, an Ivor Novello Award, an MTV VMA, and a BBC Music Award amongst others - went on to play down his previous wins saying he was presented with them because of a dearth of talent.
He continued: "I won the year of the Brits because I was a male and not Adele - she won everything else! And I got the VMA because Pharrell didn't turn up [and] I did. They said, 'He's not here, do you want it?'"
Although the multi-million selling act is feeling pessimistic about his chances at the Los Angeles ceremony, he feels more confident his pal Sam Smith will pick up multiple prizes for his debut album, 'In the Lonely Hour' which was released last year, as he has been shortlisted for six awards.
He told Capital FM: "I think Sam will win a large amount of them. I don't think he's gonna walk away with nothing."
On Wednesday (04.02.15) it was revealed the singer-songwriter will perform at the awards with John Mayer, Herbie Hancock and Questlove, as well as Jeff Lynne's ELO.
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast exclusively on 4Music in the UK at 9pm on Monday February 9.

Ella Eyre has had her car broken into.
The 'Comeback' singer unleashed a furious rant on Twitter following the incident on Thursday afternoon (05.02.15), branding the thief a "desperate ****" for stealing her satellite navigation system despite it only being worth £20.
She wrote: "the prick that broke into my car: I hope you choke on the £20 you get from selling the sat nav you stole from my car you desperate **** (sic)."
The crime comes just two days after the 20-year-old pop star - who features on DJ Fresh's new single 'Gravity' - moaned about her vehicle on the social media site, admitting she wanted to get rid of her current ride.
On Tuesday (03.02.15) she wrote: "i need a new car (sic)."
It's not the first time the rising star has headed online to air her grievances, as she berated men last month who send her pictures of their genitals on photo messaging app Snapchat.
She shared: "PLEASE STOP SENDING ME D**K PICS ON SNAPCHAT
"No matter how attractive you think your genitals are, I can assure you, they do nothing for me.
"There is no filter in the world that will satisfy me enough to be ok with your indecency."

Jimmy Page insists he is "not holding anything back" from the reissued Led Zeppelin albums.
The 71-year-old guitarist has been busy over the past couple of years remastering the legendary rock band's back catalogue and searching through archives for unheard material for companion discs for each LP.
Page has promised fans there is more to come on the final releases in the series and they should expect a few surprises, especially on final LP 'Coda' which was made after the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980.
Speaking at the launch of the latest remastered album, 'Physical Graffiti', this week, he said: "I'm not holding anything back, we've got three more albums to come anyway so let's see what comes out. We've got 'Presence' coming, 'In Through the Out Door' coming and 'Coda' and 'Coda' at the time was the result of things that were pulled in from the past because we didn't have John Bonham at that time."
Smiling, Page added: "I'll just let you think about what's coming and I won't confirm it until it's done."
The rock star is very excited about the release of 'Physical Graffiti', which comes with an extra disc containing seven previously unreleased tracks, including rough mixes of 'In My Time of Dying' and 'Houses of the Holy' and a very early recording of 'Trampled Under Foot' entitled 'Brandy & Coke'.
The musician insists he and his bandmates - sticksman John, singer Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones - wanted to blow people away with the LP when the first released it and he thinks it's just as powerful now.
He said: "We wanted to make an album that was going to knock everyone's socks off with both how it sounded and how it looked, all of it. It approaches all different areas, it has acoustic as well, the whole of the album is a tour de force. We were also really keen to make sure that the packaging and the artwork were great. Everyone was paying so much attention to the artwork right across the world, and not just to Led Zeppelin. We wanted artwork that would compliment everything on the album. It's attention to detail in every respect."
'Physical Graffiti' is available from February 23, almost 40 years to the day after the LP's original February 24, 1975, release.

Sam Smith won't let his mum near his Grammy Awards.
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter is nominated in six categories at the ceremony - which will take place on Sunday February 8 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles - and is eager to protect the trophies if he does win, so would only let his mother "touch it once".
He said: "People would say, 'Are you going to give them [the trophies] to your mom?' and I would be like, 'No.' It doesn't have her name on it. She can touch it once."
Along with nods in the Best New Artist and Best Pop Performance categories, the 'Stay With Me' hitmaker is up for the coveted Album of the Year award for his debut record 'In the Lonely Hour' and although he is hoping to win, he admitted he would be "weirded out" if Beyonce didn't win the prize for her self-titled fifth record.
He explained: "If I was to win [Album of the Year], I would be very weirded out. I just think Beyonce is going to get it. Her album is incredible."
The star - who will perform with nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige at the event - added he feels "honoured" to be tied with Pharrell Williams and Beyonce for the most nominations of any artists this year, branding the accomplishment, "crazy".
He told ET Canada: "It's a little odd for me," Smith admits. "They have been around for a long, long time and for me to get the same amount of nominations as them for my first record is crazy. I am just honoured."
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast exclusively on 4Music in the UK at 9pm on Monday February 9.

Noel Gallagher has offered to write songs for Liam Gallagher.
The High Flying Birds star admitted he would be happy to pen solo tracks for his brother and former Oasis bandmate following the split of his group Beady Eye in October last year.
The 47-year-old singer said: "I'd write him a few songs, I've got a few songs lying around that he'd be good at singing. But I'm not sure what he plans to do or if plans to do anything."
When asked what kind of tracks he would write for Liam, 42, he told NME: "Some f**king good ones, better than the lot he was singing last time for sure."
Noel recently confessed he doesn't think Liam will be out of the "music game" for long.
He said of his sibling - whom he often bumps into at Manchester City matches: "I see him at the football and we talk.
"Liam won't be out of the music game for long, and he shouldn't be, because there aren't many people like that still left."
Noel also revealed the brothers still wind each other up, branding Liam "a cheeky little ****" after he said he could have sung the High Flying Birds track 'Everybody's On The Run' better than him.
He joked: "He said, 'I'd have smashed it.'
"I was like, 'Yeah, whatever'."

Olly Murs dreams of landing a Las Vegas residency for his nan.
The 'Wrapped Up' singer has performed across the world but still admits he is desperate to secure a deal in the gambling capital in Nevada before his grandmother passes away because he wants to make her proud.
He said: "My big dream is to do Vegas one day, I really would.
"My nan is a huge [Frank] Sinatra and Elvis [Presley] fan and if I could do one thing before she dies is do a show in Vegas, have my name in lights in Vegas, I think she would probably die then. I think she would probably have a heart attack seeing it.
"She just always said to me, 'One day you'll do it'. And I was like, 'Hopefully'."
Explaining the reasoning behind his desire to play in the US city, the 30-year-old singer said he wants to follow in the footsteps of "legends" such as Sir Elton John, who currently has a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Hotel.
Speaking to Billboard, he continued: "You know if you've made it big in America when you get a slot in Vegas. If you look at the stars that do it, Elton John, Celine Dion and Boyz II Men, they're real legends."
The former 'The X Factor' contestant was previously tipped by respected songwriter Claude Kelly to land a string of dates in the city because of his great talent as a performer.
He said: "I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but Olly is probably one of my favourite artists to work with.
"He is going to be around and be a world class entertainer, he is still very young and has a long way to go.
"I see Olly doing Vegas at some point, he's a great guy."

Iggy Azalea and Sam Smith lead the iHeartRadio Music Award nominations.
The 24-year-old rapper has received four nominations in the Artist of the Year, Best New Artist and Renegade categories, while also getting a nod in the Best Collaboration category for 'Fancy' featuring Charli XCX.
British singer-songwriter Sam also racked up four nominations, with 'Stay With Me' being shortlisted in the Song of the Year and Best Lyrics categories, while he is also up for Artist of the Year and Best New Artist.
As well as their own nominations, both Sam and Iggy have been acknowledged for their featuring spots, with 'Problem' by Ariana Grande which Iggy raps on being nominated for Best Collaboration, and the 22-year-old singer's vocal contribution to Naughty Boy's hit 'La La La' being praised in the Best Dance Song category.
'Shake It Off' hitmaker Taylor Swift - whose fifth album '1989' was one of the world's best selling albums in 2014 - accrued four nods including Artist of the Year, Best Fan Army, Song of the Year for 'Shake It Off' and Best Lyrics for 'Blank Space'.
Elsewhere, Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor follow with three nominations each, while 'I See You' singer Luke Bryan has been shortlisted for Artist of the Year and Country Song of the Year for 'Play It Again'.
The ceremony which will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday March 29 follows the inaugural event last year which saw Rihanna crowned as Artist of the Year and Lorde win Best New Artist.

The full list of nominations for the iHeartRadio Music Awards:

Artist of the Year:
Ariana Grande
Iggy Azalea
Luke Bryan
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year:
Meghan Trainor - 'All About That Bass'
John Legend - 'All of Me'
Pharrell Williams - 'Happy'
Taylor Swift - 'Shake It Off'
Sam Smith - 'Stay With Me'

Best Collaboration:
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj - 'Bang Bang'
Katy Perry featuring Juicy J - 'Dark Horse'
Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX - 'Fancy'
Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea - 'Problem'
Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz - 'Talk Dirty'

Best New Artist:
Bastille
Cole Swindell
Iggy Azalea
Meghan Trainor
Sam Smith

Country Song of the Year:
Lady Antebellum - 'Bartender'
Jason Aldean - 'Burnin' It Down'
Florida Georgia Line - 'Dirt'
Eric Church - 'Give Me Back My Hometown'
Luke Bryan - 'Play It Again'

Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year:
Jeremih featuring YG - 'Don't Tell 'Em'
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z - 'Drunk in Love'
Beyoncé - 'Flawless'
Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga - 'Loyal'
Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross - 'New Flame'

Dance Song of the Year:
Martin Garrix - 'Animals'
Calvin Harris featuring John Newman - 'Blame'
Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith - 'La La La'
Calvin Harris - 'Summer'
Mr. Probz - 'Waves'

Alternative Rock Song of the Year:
KONGOS - 'Come With Me Now'
Arctic Monkeys - 'Do I Wanna Know?'
The Black Keys - 'Fever'
Foo Fighters - 'Something From Nothing'
Hozier - 'Take Me to Church'

Best Lyrics:
John Legend - 'All of Me'
Taylor Swift - 'Blank Space'
OneRepublic - 'Counting Stars'
Tove Lo - 'Habits (Stay High)'
Sam Smith - 'Stay With Me'
Ed Sheeran - 'Thinking Out Loud'

Best Fan Army:
5SOSFAM - 5 Seconds of Summer
Arianators - Ariana Grande
Bey Hive - Beyoncé
Team Breezy - Chris Brown
Sheerios - Ed Sheeran
Church Choir - Eric Church
Directioners - One Direction
Selenators - Selena Gomez
Mendes Army - Shawn Mendes
Swifties - Taylor Swift

Renegade:
Brantley Gilbert
Charli XCX
Hozier
Iggy Azalea
Meghan Trainor

Ed Sheeran will perform with Jeff Lynne's ELO at the Grammy Awards. The star-studded performance at the 57th annual music ceremony on Sunday (08.02.15) will also feature 'Your Body Is a Wonderland' hitmaker and seven-time Grammy winner John Mayer, 44-...