Music News

Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman drove his first car in Turkey while he was writing the band's latest album.
The group's LP 'So Long, See You Tomorrow' has been nominated for the prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize and Jack has revealed while he was writing the songs for the record in Turkey he was made to have an impromptu driving lesson by his friend who was shocked he couldn't drive a car.
Speaking at the nominations announcement at The Hospital Club in London on Wednesday night (10.09.14), he told BANG Showbiz: "I had so many first experiences making the record, it was the first time I ever drove a car.
"The guy that I was staying with in Turkey - I was writing it [the album] in his house - he was so angry that I didn't know how to drive that he screeched the car to a halt, got out, insisted that I switch places with him, and demanded that I drove him home, and I'd never driven a car in my life."
Although the strange circumstances related to Jack's first driving experience were not typical of most people's driving lessons, he joked that it was a fun, if not slightly scary, experience.
He added: "It was exhilarating. It was manual so it was fine, but it was a steep hill with lots of bends! I think there was a lot of adrenaline in my body, and I was terrified of him, he wasn't taking no for an answer so I had to drive him home."
Despite the experience, Jack admitted that it hasn't inspired him to learn to drive legally back home in England.
When asked if he has driven since, he confessed: "No, it's still the only time I've ever driven a car!"
Other nominees for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize - which recognises the best album from the UK or Ireland of the last 12 months - include Royal Blood's self-titled debut, Damon Albarn's 'Everyday Robots' and East India Youth for 'Total Strife Forever'.

Gwen Stefani has started work on a new album.
The 44-year-old singer is penning songs for the follow-up to 2006's 'The Sweet Escape' and admits she's been in-and-out of the studio with Pharrell Williams.
She told MTV News US: "I'm going into the studio tonight with Pharrell, I'm going to be writing and also just seeing what comes along my way. I've been recording a few things..."
Pharrell, who teamed up with Gwen on her 2004 hit 'Hollaback Girl', believes the work the blonde beauty has done so far on her new LP is "on another level."
He explained: "You'll never believe that she does not look her age, she doesn't look like she's had three children -- but that's the cool part, she is her age and she's had three children and she's killing it.
"When I tell you she's killing it, it's another level. Gwen is somewhere else."
The 41-year-old producer insists people should believe him when he spots something good in another artist because he said the same thing about Miley Cyrus - who shot to fame as the title character in Disney's 'Hannah Montana' - before her stormed into the charts with hits 'We Can't Stop' and 'Wrecking Ball' last year.
He said: "The last time I said this about Miley everyone was like, 'What? That's Hannah Montana,' and I'm like, 'What? I'm trying to tell you.'
"I mean, only because I've heard it not because I have those ears or I know -- I don't know anything."

Kate Bush's record sales have increased by 2813 percent. The 56-year-old singer - who has returned to the music scene for the first time in 35 years with a 22 night stint at London's Hammersmith Apollo - has seen a significant rise in her previous al...

McBusted will release a concert movie.
The pop-rock band - a hybrid of McFly and Busted's James Bourne and Matt Willis - will release the film 'TOURPLAY' in Vue cinemas across the UK in the near future.
The 'Love Is On The Radio' singers made the announcement last night (09.09.14), unveiling a trailer for the film which documents their 34-date sold out tour of the UK earlier this year.
In the trailer, 30-year-old James says of the tour: "I don't really remember it being as good as this. I remember it being a really amazing time but I'm enjoying it more now."
The supergroup - also made-up of Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and Harry Judd - will follow the lead of other bands and musicians such as One Direction and Katy Perry who have previously released successful concert movies.
Other scenes in the promotional clip include appearances on chat shows and reports from when the band first announced they were forming.
Fans are also treated to backstage footage which includes 28-year-old Harry Judd running around in the nude.
Ellie Goulding's beau, Dougie Poynter, 26, even compares the decision to embark on a tour with Matt Willis and James Bourne of Busted, to losing his virginity.
He said: "This just felt like how you know when it's time to lose your virginity.
"Everything literally falls into place, hormones are running wild. It just feels right and it just feels safe."

Britney Spears wants to collaborate with Katy Perry.
The 'Toxic' hitmaker has started working on her currently untitled ninth studio album - a follow up to 2013's 'Britney Jean' which spawned the singles 'Alien' and 'Work B***h' - and is hoping to get the 'Roar' singer to duet with her on the record along with Aussie popstar Iggy Azalea.
When asked if she was working on a new album, she told Extra TV: "Very slowly, but progressively, yeah. It's in the works, yes, definitely."
She added: "I would love [to work with] Katy Perry, I would love to do something with her. And Iggy."
The blonde beauty - who recently launched her new range of lingerie and sleepwear named 'Intimate Britney Spears' - also revealed that fans should expect a change of direction with the new record, steering away from her trademark pop sound.
Britney, 32, explained: "I want to do something very artsy fartsy, something I've never done before.
"Even if it's just take a left lane and go for a little bit of rock or rock-pop. Just do something that's kind of out there and different."

Spandau Ballet have been honoured with a Heritage Award in London.
A plaque was unveiled today (10.09.14) at the site of The Blitz Club on Great Queen Street in London's West End - the venue in which the iconic new wave band first performed live in December 1979.
The show turned out to be a landmark moment for the group as legendary founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell, was in the crowd and instantly offered them a record deal.
Guitarist Gary Kemp said: "We are honoured to have received this award from PRS for Music. The Blitz was an incredible melting pot of music, fashion and creativity.
"It's not just Spandau Ballet that owe our career to that place at that moment in time. Musical icons such as Chris Blackwell and David Bowie all came to The Blitz to check out what was going on, the place was that important."
Formed in the 1970s, the five-piece band debuted their album 'Journeys to Glory' in 1981 and went on to sell 25 million albums worldwide, releasing a string of hits including 'Gold', 'True', 'Chant No. 1' and 'Only When You Leave'.
Guy Fletcher OBE, PRS Chair, added: "It is an honour to present Spandau Ballet with the PRS for Music heritage award today, at what was truly their birthplace.
"The Blitz Club was the beating heart of the New Romantics movement that propelled some of British music's most successful artists to stardom."
The PRS for Music Heritage Award aims to recognise live venues which were significant in launching the careers of influential artists, with other recipients including Elton John, Blur and Queen.

Professor Green treated fans to a performance of his new single at an intimate gig last night (09.09.14).
The 30-year-old rapper put in a scintillating performance of his brand new song 'Can't Dance Without You' with singer Whinnie Williams at the Samsung Galaxy Alpha launch in central London ahead of his rescheduled tour later this year.
Pro - whose real name is Stephen Manderson - got the crowd going as he played several hits at the gig including a superb version of his number one single 'Read All About It', and he was clearly pumped up by his performance as he took to Twitter afterwards to rave about the show.
He wrote: "#GalaxyAlpha @SamsungMobileUK Launch - just sang a few songs including the brand new 'Can't Dance Without You' ft. @WhinnieWilliams (sic)"
The 'Remedy' rapper was supported by his wife Millie Mackintosh at the event, and she looked on proudly as he strutted his stuff on the stage.
Before the gig, the former 'Made In Chelsea' star took to her Twitter account to reveal she was looking forward to seeing Whinnie on stage with her husband.
She wrote: "On way way to #GalaxyAlpha @SamsungUK can't wait to see @whinniewilliams perform with my hubby @professorgreen (sic)"
Several other stars also attended the Samsung Galaxy Alpha launch including singers Pixie Lott and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Pro's performance comes after he had to postpone his tour in April and reschedule for later this year due to a "stressful" 18 months.
In a post on his website, he wrote: "Dear all. The last 18 months have been mental, turbulent, up and down, round and round, amazing, horrible, happy, sad, frustrating, testing, trying and above all incredibly f*****g stressful."

Paolo Nutini wanted his stage name to be 'Frankie Vaseline'.
The half-Scottish, half-Italian singer has admitted that he often despairs when confused fans think he is using an alias on stage.
The 'These Streets' hitmaker - whose birth name is Paolo Nutini - told GQ magazine: "A lot of people say, 'Come on, what's your real name?' But if I had a stage name it would be 'Johnny Moped' or 'Frankie Vaseline'. Not Paolo Nutini."
The 27-year-old musician recently came back to the scene with his hugely successful album, 'Casutic Love' following a four-year hiatus after releasing his second album, 'Sunny Side Up' in 2009.
Regarding the break, he explained: "[It] was really for the music, in that I wasn't too sure what I was writing about. I really needed to experience things to write."
Meanwhile, Paolo recently admitted he is keen to collaborate with Pharrell Williams in the future and believes the 'Happy' singer has the "Midas touch" - meaning he can do no wrong in the industry.
He said: "He's the man with the Midas touch. I don't think it is as easy as just saying, 'Hey Pharrell, let's do this!'
"But I think he seems to be making more and more music. He seems a busy man just now but who knows maybe I'll bump into him. You never know."

Demi Lovato has started to work on a new album.
The 'Heart Attack' hitmaker is beginning to pen tracks for her next LP but she admits the record probably won't be ready for a release for a "while" because she's busy with her world tour at the moment.
Speaking to MTV News US, she said: "I am working on a new album. I think that I'll be so extremely busy with the world tour it won't come out for a while but I have started and have worked on some stuff that is really amazing and I can't wait for people to hear it."
The 22-year-old singer is determined to have a more "organic" sound on her next album but admits she probably won't decide on the genre of the record until all of the tracks have been put together.
She explained: "That's one of the most exciting parts about my entire life is creating music and listening to it over and over and over again and getting excited and thinking, 'What are people going to think when they hear this?' "
She added: "I'll say I want to make a more country album or I want to make a more rock album or I want to make an R&B album and it's like, I will never know until all the songs are on the actual album because what happens is I love all different types of music, I'm influenced by every single type of music there is.
"I'll never know until I decide which songs are on the album and it may be a compilation of different types and it may all just be pop or it may take on a life of its own."