Music News

Pete Tong has led tributes to legendary house DJ Frankie Knuckles, who died today (01.03.14), aged 59.
The BBC Radio 1 DJ posted a message about the Godfather of House on his Twitter account after he died "unexpectedly", reportedly due to complications from Type II diabetes, having developed the disease during the mid-2000s, according to The Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Pete wrote: "RIP gentleman genius, groundbreaker, inspiration. Blessed to have worked with you. (sic)"
House DJ Roger Sanchez added: "I can't begin to count the ways he influenced me but I will never forget."
Frankie remixed tracks by Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston during his career, as well as his own music, including songs 'Your Love' and 'The Whistle Song'.
His death was confirmed by fellow DJ David Morales on Twitter, who was left stunned by the news.
He wrote: "I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today," adding, "Can't write anymore than this at the moment. I'm sorry."
Frankie's longtime business partner, Frederick Dunson, also told The Chicago Tribune he "died unexpectedly this afternoon at home".
Producer Duke Dumont also tweeted: "RIP Frankie Knuckles ..had the honour of working with you last year. Eternally grateful for laying the blueprint, that is House. (sic)"
Frankie started his career as a disco DJ during the early 1970s, with garage pioneer Larry Levan, and it is thought the term 'House' music originated in the late 1970s, when Frankie began spinning tracks at The Warehouse in Chicago.

50 Cent thinks Puff Daddy is the "destination for anybody going nowhere".
The 38-year-old rapper has slammed the star, who recently changed his name back from P. Diddy, and admitted he doesn't understand why any artist would want to collaborate with him.
50 told radio station Power 105.1: "Puffy might be the destination for anybody going nowhere. Nobody surviving."
He also talked about his disapproval of rappers wearing tight clothing and hinted he didn't like Kanye West's fashion sense, after he wore a leather kilt last year at a Hurricane Sandy benefit gig.
50 explained: "I ain't with it. I asked it on a mix tape. N***as wear skinny jeans. I can't fit in.
"If you Google, 'rapper in a dress', do you know how many will pop? Young Thug is the one that actually said, 'This is a dress'. The other ones will call it a kilt. What about that culture is making you choose to wear it for the evening?"
Meanwhile, the 'Hold On' hitmaker will release his fifth record 'Animal Ambition' later this year, his first since 'Before I Self Destruct' in 2009 after his departure from Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope.
And despite parting ways with Shady Records, he praised rapper Eminem, who was instrumental in helping him become a success, while also giving credit to Jay Z.
He said: "I don't think our culture would've grown as fast as it did without Em. My being associated with him allowed the doors to open easy. I'm proud of him.
"Jay Z, Lloyd Banks, and Fabolous is the same guy. Take away the hits, take away the career, the music. I'm talking about who they actually are 'cause they're internal people. These are the guys that are laid back, quiet, fly. You might not feel them in the room, but they're important people."

Chris Martin has seemingly spoken about his split with Gwyneth Paltrow on Coldplay's upcoming 'Ghost Stories' album.
The frontman - who is renowned for writing confessional lyrics - has written about the "pain" of infidelity on 'Another's Arms' which is speculated to be the reason for his split with the 'Iron Man 3' actress after 11 years of marriage.
Chris, 37, sings: "Late night watching TV, used to be you here beside me, your body on my body. When the pain just rips through me. Another's arms, another's arms."
The song comes in the wake of Gwyneth's denial of two alleged affairs with lawyer Kevin Yorn and Jeffery Soffer, who is married to Elle MacPherson.
While the lyrics could be coincidental, Coldplay did perform the melancholic track for an audience of 800 guests at Sony's Studios in Culver City, California just days before Gwyneth, 41, and Chris announced their "conscious uncoupling" on her Goop website.
Chris also appears to bare his emotions on several other tracks on the album, including 'Ink' which hints at a reunion with his estranged wife.
He sings: "I don't want nobody else but you. Call it magic. Cut me in two. If you were to ask me, after all that we've been through, I'd still believe in magic."
Chris and his band mates - Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion - will release their new album on May 19 and their new atmospheric sound is a big departure from the band's usual melodies and catchy riffs.
Despite their split, Chris and Gwyenth - who have two children, Apple, nine, and Moses, seven - are still close friends and were seen enjoying a holiday in The Bahamas with pals over the weekend.

The Spice Girls could be set to sign a multi-million pound deal to play gigs as a foursome in Las Vegas.
Victoria Beckham has given her blessing to let band mates Mel C, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell perform without her as she continues to focus on her fashion career.
A Las Vegas source told the Daily Star newspaper: "Mel B has been working on her contacts for weeks now.
"Victoria has not budged on her stance to not join them, so they are planning to go out as a foursome.
"It will take them a good 18 months to get all the parts in place if they want to do a residency and possibly a tour to follow."
The band mates have been discussing a residency at Planet Hollywood, following in the footsteps of Britney Spears, and the shows are being planned for 2016, which marks the 20th anniversary of the band's hit 1996 song 'Wannabe'.
The concerts could earn the band up to £20 million but Victoria, 39, feels her days on stage are over and Mel B, 38, is taking the lead on the project, while promoters are said to have approached Backstreet Boys to perform as a support act.
Brian Littrell allegedly said: "We are actually in early talks about maybe doing a world tour together with the Spice Girls", before the band denied the claims.

Kanye West has postponed his tour of Australia to work on his new album.
The 36-year-old rapper was set to perform seven dates in the country in May, but they have now been delayed until September.
The news was announced by Live Nation Australia today (01.04.14), and promoters confirmed it wasn't an April Fool's joke.
A statement read: "Due to unexpected timing requirements to finish his highly anticipated new studio album, scheduled for a 2014 release, Kanye West regretfully announces the postponement of his upcoming tour dates in Australia."
Kanye, who has been spending time with his family, including fiancee Kim Kardashian and nine-month-old daughter North, will juggling his career, released 'Yeezus' last year and the current tour is to promote the chart-topping record.
His upcoming seventh studio album will be produced by Rick Rubin, who also produced 'Yeezus', along with MC Q-Tip and others.
During the upcoming concerts, Kanye is likely to play tracks from his previous record and the as-yet-unnamed new album.
Live Nation insist all tickets bought for the dates in May can be used for the rescheduled shows and anyone unable to attend on the new dates is asked to contact Ticketek before April 30 "to arrange a refund".

The new dates meanwhile are as follows:

Sept 5 - Perth, Perth Arena
Sept 7 - Adelaide, Entertainment Centre
Sept 9 - Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Sept 10 - Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Sept 12 - Sydney, Qantas Credit Union Arena
Sept 13 - Sydney, Qantas Credit Union Arena
Sept 15 - Brisbane, Entertainment Centre

Backstreet Boys' Howie Dorough says One Direction remind them of the "mania" in their heyday.
The boy band - who were catapulted to the spotlight in the 90s - warn Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne not to "burn out" and "pace" themselves since it's easy to get "lost" in the excess of the music industry.
Howie told the Daily Star newspaper: "One Direction remind me so much of us back in the day, all that mania.
"It's a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourselves so you don't burn out too quickly.
"They have credited us as their inspiration, which is very flattering, but I can see how people get lost in this business when it comes to excesses in fame, success and money."
Howie - who was catapulted to the spotlight alongside band mates A. J. McLean, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell - insists 1D should "keep their feet on the ground" if they want long-term success.
He added: "If we give 1D advice, would they even want to take it? I don't know if we would've at their age.
"But people who keep their feet on the ground don't go away, so they need a good support system around them.
"If they write great, timeless music and be good to their fans long career."

Adele will deliver her next album "at her own pace."
The 'Skyfall' singer, who is recording the follow-up to her chart-conquering album '21', has worked with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder on new tracks and he claims she is not rushing the release.
He told MSN Music: "I haven't heard everything she's done, but I've heard everything we've done and I'm as proud of it, or prouder of anything we did on the first album, and she is sounding even better than ever.
"She will deliver the album on her own timetable, at her own pace, and the only person that will ever declare it finished will be her, when she decides it's finished."
The 25-year-old singer had to cancel tour dates in 2011 to undergo throat surgery and later took time out after giving birth to her son Angelo in 2012, with boyfriend Simon Konecki.
Asked about rumours she's nervous to perform live again, Ryan replied: "I personally wouldn't use the word fear, from conversations I've had with her. I don't think she has a fear of it.
"She's a mother, she has a young kid. When you sell 30 million albums, on one album, she can do whatever the hell she wants to do until forever."
Talking about reports of a possible world tour, Ryan also said: "If she decided to tour I'm sure it will be the most incredible tour ever and if she decides not to, it will have no bearing on how amazing the album itself is because she's one in a million, one in a hundred million, one in a billion."

A new Michael Jackson album will be released in May.
The LP, titled 'Xscape', will include eight unheard tracks from the late singer's vaults and is in conjunction with his estate and Epic Records, who announced the news on his official website today (31.03.14).
Label boss L.A. Reid took the lead on the album, which will be out on May 13, and went about "contemporising" each of the recordings.
He said in a statement: "Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with," adding, "We are extremely proud and honoured to present this music to the world."
Timbaland is the lead producer for the record, while Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome 'Jroc' Harmon and John McClain have also worked on the surprise record.
L.A Reid added: "'Xscape' continues the tradition of naming Jackson's albums after one of its songs. The title track was written and produced by Jackson and Jerkins, who recorded the original with the singer."
Epic will release a deluxe edition of the record which will include all the sourced recordings in their original form.
Meanwhile, the singer's track 'Slave to the Rhythm' featured in an advert for Sony.

Rita Ora was "nervous" about working with Calvin Harris.
The 23-year-old singer, who has been dating the superstar DJ on/off for a year, chose him to produce her latest single 'I Will Never Let You Down', which she claims is a "love song you can dance to".
When asked if she can concentrate in the recording studio with Calvin, she told BBC Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw: "No, no I can't. Do you know, funny story, I was actually again a bit nervous, because he's never seen me in work mode. I was like, 'What if I riff a bit bad?'
"But literally just ten minutes in he was so blunt, I think it's the Scottish-ness in him, he was just like 'no' etc and it happened so quick. It was a very good experience.
"It's about having fun ... and cos I take everything so seriously, I'm always a bit like work, work. He's like, you really need to just enjoy it. And I agree, so I'm just enjoying it right now. And I'm happy we kinda did it together. (sic)"
She added: "It's a nice little feeling for me, it makes it personal."
The 'R.I.P' hitmaker, who also launched her single by releasing dozens of balloons in London's Leicester Square today (31.03.14), will perform at a number of festivals this summer is looking forward to sharing her new music with her fans.
She said: "Summertime is the time when people want soundtracks of summer. People just want to listen to music and feel good and have a barbecue, sit in the grass, rub their bottoms on the grass, and you know, just feel life. And that's what I think everybody needs.
"I love performing live really, it's my favourite thing. You see people, you can do what you want and get away with it on stage.
"The five seconds before you go on stage [is the best bit], and the five minutes after the comedown when you come off stage... For me that's the worst part."