Music News

Lily Allen claims the music industry today is "beige".
The 'Air Balloon' singer has admitted to being "f**king frustrated" at the direction her musical comeback has gone in, after a four-year hiatus, and says she feels creatively controlled by her record label Warners.
Speaking at the VOGUE Festival, she revealed: "I experience it at the moment re-entering the music industry. What you have heard on the radio station so far, the contribution of my album is very much the more beige, saccharine elements to what I have made.
"The reason for that is because the people in control of the radio stations, the people that are in control of the record companies, are too scared to put themselves on the line in case someone gets offended.
"If I said to my record company I really want to go with this song, they would say, 'Sure, here is £5 for the video'."
The no-nonsense star also discussed how her family life with her husband Sam Cooper and their daughters Ethel, two, and Marnie, 14 months, had transformed her into a more optimistic person.
She said: "My music has changed because I am happier. Beforehand on my last record I was a young woman who didn't know what the future held for her.
"Now I am very much in love, I'm married to a man that I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend the rest of her life with, I have two children who I love and adore so my writing comes from a more confident and settled and stable place. But I don't know if that makes it more tasteful."

The Cure's new album is a "sore point."
Frontman Robert Smith has revealed he is unsure about their upcoming record '4:14 Scream', the band's first LP in six years and follow-up to 2008's '4:13 Dream', and claims he is barely "convinced" that it is worthwhile releasing it.
He told radio station XFM: "[This is] the second half of what is an effectively an album that came out in 2008."
The record features Robert, along with bassist Simon Gallup, drummer Jason Cooper and guitarist Porl Thompson, who no longer plays with the band and has been replaced by Reeves Gabrels, along with keyboardist Roger O'Donnell, who joined them at the recent Royal Albert Hall gig in London.
Robert, 54, continued: "[4:14 Scream] is a bit of a sore point, really, to be honest, amongst this current line-up.
"We're in a weird predicament in that ... [it] was made by a band that no longer exists."
Initially, both parts of the record were meant to be two halves of a double album and Robert previously said he should have "stuck to his guns" but was influenced by "f***ing idiots around me at the time."
He revealed the new album was only completed 18 months ago, explaining: "I just never sang it because I couldn't be bothered. I just didn't think the words were good enough."
The 'Friday I'm In Love' hitmaker has since rewritten those lyrics and the band will "probably" release the record this year - "in that summer 'dead air' period for albums".
Meanwhile, the new line-up do plan to record their own new album and insist it will be something "that's really different to anything else we've done".
He added: "I'm very bad at planning long term. I'm at an age where I'm enjoying what I'm doing ... [and] I don't feel such a strong urge to beat people over the head with new stuff."

Gary Barlow says it's "too early" for One Direction to consider splitting up.
The 43-year-old singer - who was catapulted to the spotlight as part of boy band Take That - admits groups often have disagreements but insists Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne must "look after one another".
He told The Sun newspaper: "There will be rows in a band but you are brothers.
"They might be close sometimes and sometimes not, but it's part of the foundations -- the boys have to take care of one another and look after one another.
"You are having an amazing run and it's brilliant. You can't walk away from that -- why would you?
"Whenever I've met them they seem incredibly adult about the whole thing.
"I think it's brilliant there is such a group representing Britain. If there's any suggestion of trouble, they need to hang on in there. It's way too early to be thinking about splitting up."
Gary kicked off his 'Since I Saw You Last' tour in Belfast on Saturday night (29.03.14), and reminisced about performing in the city with Take That - which also includes Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams.
He added: "We started the 'Beautiful World' tour here with Take That and I'm a bit superstitious. It felt right and it felt like a good place to start. Two hours is a long time for me to be up there by myself, but we'll get there."

Kodaline find it difficult not to drink every night on tour.
The Irish rock band - made up of Steve Garrigan, Jason Boland, Vincent May and Mark Prendergrast - have just finished a UK tour and admit they found it hard to stay sober after the shows.
Guitarist Mark told BANG Showbiz: "It's tough not to drink every night on tour ... that sounds really Irish and alcoholic. Before you go on stage you warm up and have a stretch, but you also have a gin and tonic.
"I'll have one [before] to calm the nerves but then it's tough to go to bed early. You're on a bus with 15 lads and all they wanna do is stay up and party.
"You just get used to having a hangover and it turns into being drunk again."
Being Irish means they predictably like pints of Guinness and make sure there's plenty of the black stuff to go round backstage when they perform in Ireland.
Mark added: "On the rider there's usually a couple of beers but whenever we're playing in Ireland we have a keg of Guinness backstage and it's hard not to have one before you go on. "It's too much fun in Ireland, everyone is up for it all the time. I do miss it."

Damon Albarn claims heroin made him "incredibly creative and productive".
The Blur frontman - who has 14-year-old daughter Missy with partner Suzi Winstanley - battled an addiction to the deadly drug in the 1990s but claims the substance made him feel "free" and helped him become a better artist.
He said: "You know, I hate talking about this because of my daughter, my family, but for me, it was incredibly creative. It freed me up.
"If you're talking about odysseys, then that was definitely an odyssey.
"A combination of that and playing really simple, beautiful, repetitive s**t in Africa changed me completely as a musician. I found a sense of rhythm. I somehow managed to break out of something with my voice.
"I can only say heroin was incredibly productive for me. Hand on heart."
The 'Beetlebum' singer - who claims to have quit heroin with the aid of just two aspirin - also claimed the drug gave his life structure because he had a strict rule banning himself from using the substance at weekends.
He explained: "I wouldn't recommend that and I was incredibly lucky, but I did manage it. I mean, five days on and two days off is kind of mad isn't it? It was mad.
"I became regimented during that period funnily enough. [Did heroin give my life structure?] Yes. Ha. I don't know. It was such a long time ago now."
And despite claiming heroin helped his career, he admits there were other problems with it.
He said: "It does turn you into a very isolated person and ultimately anything you are truly dependent on is not good.
Damon first took heroin after returning from a Blur tour to the house he shared with then-girlfriend Justine Frischmann and never expected the habit to become a "problem".
He told Q magazine: "It was just what I found going on in the front room. The telly was on so I just thought, 'Why not?' I never imagined it would become a problem."
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Black Sabbath will headline Barclaycard British Summer Time at Hyde Park this summer.
The iconic hard rockers will perform at Hyde Park on July 7 as they take to the stage for the first time since six-date arena tour in December 2013.
Frontman Ozzy Osbourne - who will be joined by original members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler - has joked he hopes "that the Royals will enjoy it".
He said: "The first time I came to London I didn't have a pot to piss in. I spent the advance I got for our first album on a new pair of shoes and some Brut aftershave.
"We're doing a bit better for ourselves, so I may even splash out on some new aftershave before Hyde Park, the most beautiful park in London, which has opened its gates to so many legends in the past.
"We are beyond honoured to be allowed to put on a show and hope that the Royals will enjoy it."
To mark the announcement, the 'Paranoid' group's logo was marked out in Hyde Park and set on fire.
Other bands on the bill include Soundgarden, Faith No More, Motorhead and Soulfly.

Kylie Minogue claims it's a coincidence her new album references sex so much.
The 'Wow' singer's latest musical offering 'Kiss Me Once' might boast three kinkily titled tracks - 'Sexy Love', 'Sexercise' and 'Les Sex' - but she insists she has other hobbies and the naming was pure chance.
Teased that her new album made her seem sex-obsessed, she insisted on French TV show 'Le Grand Journal' on Canal Plus: "No, I also like sunsets, I like music, I like talking... but I also happen to have three titles with the word sex in them. It actually is a coincidence!"
A red-faced Kylie also apologised to the crowd and hung her head when she mentioned the incorrect grammar of one of the new songs' title.
She added: "I have to apologise to all French speaking people because the song ['Les Sex'] is incorrect, it's very bad French."
Last year, the 45-year-old star surprised the world by becoming Jay-Z's new musical protégée after singing to his label Roc Nation - which boasts artists like Rita Ora and Rihanna on its books - and she feels the move was a positive decision.
Kylie said: "I celebrated my 25 years in the music industry in 2012 and at the end of that year I had an epiphany that I needed some change and obviously I'm going to keep singing, but there was a new energy, a new dynamic, so I changed teams and it's been very interesting."
Although her raunchy new 'Sexercise' music video has caused controversy, with fans likening it to "soft porn", Kylie feels it's important to keep up with the times and continue reinventing herself.
She laughed: "My hair has definitely changed [since the start of my career]! I guess pop music is a reflection of what's happening at the time. I hope I've moved with the times but I've always kept a sense of who I am. There's a line and I try to stay close to it."

Haim have injections "in the ass" every day on tour.
The Californian trio - sisters Este, Alana and Danielle Haim - admit they struggle to perform well if they have been partying, so think the key to a successful tour is to stay healthy and watch what they eat.
Alana Haim explained: "I'd love to think we were the Rolling Stones back in the day, getting drunk and partying all the time, but we're not. We're too scared to get sick.
"So do your B12 shots. We've been on tour for two years and finally cracked the health code; take vitamins, eat greens, drink juices. If you're not healthy, you can't play a good show.
"B12 shots go in the ass, yes. Does it hurt? I have a cushion, it's not really a problem for me."
The 'Falling' hitmakers also find the time to work out on the road as it is easy to put on weight during a tour.
Alana said: "Every band gains 10 pounds on tour. After the show, everything is closed, you're fuelled by McDonalds so in hotels we run. Work out, keep fit. Shorts are my stage uniform and my favourite shorts are becoming too small. Este always says you gotta keep that ass tight."
While the sisters enjoy being on the road together, they always take time to stay in touch with their parents as they "miss" them.
Alana told Q magazine: "We owe our parents everything, they introduced us to music, gave us our first instruments and wanted us to become a band.
"So I always call my parents to let us know I'm still alive and OK on the road. I miss them lots, I do - it's so dorky to say it but I really do. There's times when you just miss your mom."

Wilko Johnson has no intention of dying on stage.
The Dr Feelgood guitarist has been gigging as much as he can since he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2012.
Although he realises many people would consider it to be the ultimate rock 'n' roll death to pass away whilst performing, Wilko intends to hang up his guitar when he feels too unwell to play to the best of his ability.
When quizzed on whether he would like to go out on stage, Wiko told BANG Showbiz: "My dear friend (The Deviants singer) Mick Farren did that last year; no I don't think I would like to do that. I've decided I'm going to carry on playing while I'm still fit to do it. Once I start getting sick, I'm not going to do anymore. I don't want people to see me like that."
Instead of worrying about his disease, Wilko's diagnosis has given his career a new chapter and he was overjoyed to get the chance to work with his friend and idol Roger Daltrey on their album 'Going Back Home' - which features re-recorded versions of Wilko's songs with The Who singer on vocals.
However, one side-effect of his tumour is that it is hindering his guitar playing on stage.
Wilko - who performed at 'An Evening with Suggs' last week to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK - explained: "Since I got diagnosed, it's certainly raised my profile. It's been a bit baffling for me I was supposed to be dead in October, I'm not dead, I'm still going and so far I haven't suffered any ill-effects. I've got this big lump which sticks out. When I'm on stage my guitar kind of rocks on it, and I've spent years with it resting on my hips. I've just got back from a tour of Japan with Roger, it's all sold out. I love Japan and it's just great to be doing gigs, especially when I think I shouldn't even be here at all."
'Going Back Hom' is out now.