Music News

Blur's Graham Coxon admits prior to making their new album 'The Magic Whip' they were in "sleep mode".
The Britpop band reunited in 2008 after a five-year hiatus for a series of concerts but the 'Song #2' riff maker believes the group needed to make an LP together so they wouldn't become just a nostalgia act.
Graham thinks the reason they went into autopilot was because they don't talk "too much" about the future.
The 46-year-old guitarist told the Metro newspaper: "Well Blur sort of went into sleep mode and I suppose there is still confusion as to why that happened. We don't really talk too much about the future, we like to deal in the present.
"After the sort of 'therapy' of playing loads of gigs for a few years, the next question was - do we still think we have the creative spark? And I wanted the responsibility of playing a big part in that."
But now the album is out, he thinks it's their best record to date and that they learnt a lot from making it.
The indie rocker said: "It just feels like a really good Blur album. You can still learn some great stuff, even if you're getting on a bit like us ... It felt really great to know that it (our creativity) was still there, because we didn't have a clue that it was still possible."

John Lydon has blasted Green Day branding them an insignificant "two-bob" band.
The 'God Save The Queen' hitmaker has lashed out at the American pop-rock group and has accused them of watering down the rock genre he created with his band The Sex Pistols in the 1970s.
Lydon - who is also known as Johnny Rotten - declared his dislike for the band in Rolling Stone magazine, saying: "No, I've never been a fan of them, I just don't understand it. I think it's kind of a tinny, two-bob version of something that was far deeper and carried more significance. And, uh, that for me, as a band, they're not very significant."
Lydon - who is known for his outright politically-lead anthems - inspired a generation, but he just doesn't get Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.
He added: "They're a mélange. They're closer to Billy Idol than myself."
The Sex Pistols have been a huge influence on modern punk and rock bands with many choosing to cover their most famous track 'Anarchy In The UK'.
But Lydon doesn't think any group has improved on the 1976 original.
He bragged: "I don't think they did it any better than the original, and I don't think that's me being too precious about it either."

Adele's album has been delayed until September.
The 'Skyfall' singer had been expected to bring out her third LP - the long-awaited follow-up to 2011's '21' - this spring but the release has been pushed back again following a number of delays.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "The album is currently scheduled for release in September.
"The most recent plan was for it to hit shops before the summer but that's now been scrapped. Adele's taking her time to make sure the album is perfect and doesn't want to compromise."
Adele - who took a break from music after having son Angelo, two, with partner Simon Konecki - sparked speculation her album would be released late last year with a tweet on her 26th birthday.
The star, who named her previous albums '19' and '21' after her ages when she recorded them, posted: "Bye bye 25. See you again later in the year."
In October 2014, her record label was forced to confirm she would not be releasing new material that year.
Adele has worked with a number of artists on the record, including Damon Albarn, Ryan Tedder and Phil Collins, but it was recently claimed she still hasn't selected a producer for the album.
Producer Emile Haynie - who met up with Adele in February to discuss the possibility of working together on the record - said: "Adele was awesome, but I don't know if we'll be working together.
"We got along well as friends when we met in February and I hope we can cut some songs, but Adele is taking her time.
"I'd push for it to happen, but we'll have to wait and see."

Alexandra Burke is "rebelling" against the music industry with her new EP.
The 26-year-old singer insists her motivation to record and self-release 'Renegade' was to go "against what people think they know" about her, having self-funded it "completely independently".
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Alexandra said: "'Renegade' means being rebellious, and I'm at a point where I'm quite rebellious, simply because it's all independent, it's all me.
"I wanted to go against what people think they know about me, and I wanted to put out there what my personality is and who I am through my music, so this EP as a whole shows that, and shows who I am."
'Renegade' sounds very different to any of the former 'X Factor' winner's previous hits, like 'Broken Heels' and 'Bad Boys', but Alexandra has said that this new rockier sound is more "true" to who she is as an artist.
She said: "I wanted to be completely independent, and self-funded, and wanted it to be a gift for my fans, but wanted it to be true to who I am. So I went away and made some mood boards, visually and musically, and then literally that's how it came about.
"It was a conscious (effort to be different) in that respect, because I was like, 'this is how I want it to roll and this is how I want it to go', but then at the same time it came out naturally, it all just flowed."
You can go to www.alexandraburkeofficial.com to download Alexandra's EP 'Renegade' for free now.

Charli XCX won't stand in for Sam Smith at the Australian Logie Awards if it's on her day off.
The 'Boom Clap' singer is in Australia performing concerts on the East Coast and is considered to be the ideal replacement for the 'Stay With Me' singer, who can't attend the 57th TV awards show on Sunday. (3.05.15) due to an illness.
Although Charli would "happily" step in for Sam, she won't do it on her day off.
In an interview on the 'Kyle And Jackie O Show' on Australian station KIIS 106.5 FM, , she said: "If it's on my day off then maybe not."
Asked whether her days off are important, she said: "Yes because I never get them."
Sam was forced to cancel his Australian tour and his appearance at the award show, because he had a blood clot on his vocal chords.
The 'Lay Me Down' hitmaker posted a statement online that read: "I have been vocally exhausted for a while now, however, last night in Sydney I had a small hemorrhage on my vocal chords."
Sam, 22, added: 'The doctors have told me I need to fully rest until my vocal cords have healed, otherwise this could become a huge long-term issue. I am so sorry to all who have bought tickets, I truly am. This kills me."

Sir Paul McCartney treated Japanese fans to the first ever performance of The Beatles' song 'Another Girl' on Tuesday night (28.04.15).
The legendary musician performed at Japan's Nippon Budokan 49 years after The Fab Four played the historic venue.
Bringing his 'Out There' tour to the venue he made history in front of 10,000 fans to witness his version of the song that Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon had never played live before.
Before playing 'Another Girl' - from 1965 album Help! - he told the crowd: "We hope we get it right."
Speaking before the gig, he said: "It's very exciting to be returning to the Budokan because it is a very special place and was the first place we played in Japan. There was a lot of controversy at the time but I now know that it is a regular venue for a lot of people. But for me it has a very special place in my memory."
Sir Paul described the concert as "thrilling", he said: "It was sensational and quite emotional remembering the first time and then experiencing this fantastic audience tonight. It was thrilling for us and we think it was probably the best show we did in Japan and it was great to be doing the Budokan 49 years later. It was crazy. We loved it."
The 'Four Five Seconds' guitarist played a set of 28 songs, comprised of Beatles tracks, from his solo career, Wings - who he formed with his former wife Linda.
Meanwhile, the 72-year-old star had another surprise up his sleeve, every person in the audience was given a light up wristband, that transformed the gig-goers into a massive Union Jack flag.
The European leg of the 'Out There' tour starts in London at The O2 on the May 23. It will be Paul's 50th solo concert in London. He's also playing The O2 on the May 24.

Ozzy Osbourne says Black Sabbath's final LP and tour will happen in 2016.
The 66-year-old rocker has confirmed the legendary heavy metal group will bring their career - spanning over 40 years - to an end next year after giving fans one more chance to see them play live.
Speaking at the Monsters of Rock press conference in São Paulo, Brazil, he said: "The plan is that next year (is the) final Black Sabbath tour and album. It could change."
Although Sabbath - also comprised of Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler - are going to stop, Ozzy is going to continue with his solo career because being a musician keeps him feeling "really young".
Ozzy - who is married to Sharon Osbourne - said: "Being in the music business keeps me really young. When you hit 60, people ask, 'Are you gonna retire?' F**k no, man."
The singer also explained the reason why the band have taken so long to make their latest record - the follow-up to 2013's comeback LP '13'.
He explained:"We all live in different countries and some of them want to work and some of them don't want to, I believe."

Mariah Carey's new single is for "whoever's gone through any relationship".
The 45-year-old singer insisted 'Infinity' is not about her estranged husband Nick Cannon but hopes it strikes a chord with anyone who has experienced similar romantic problems.
She said: "I don't feel like it's my personal life. It's written for all the women, or men, or whoever's gone through any type of relationship.
"I'm looking at it as the mantra of 'Infinity' is love yourself... loving yourself first to infinity.
"Then you can love anybody or anything else - your career, your kids, your life.
"It's like someone emancipating themselves. It's like my re-emancipation of Mimi. I wanted everybody to be able to sing along with [me]. It's a big chorus."
However, even if the song was about Nick - the father of her three-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe - she wouldn't admit it.
She added to 'Access Hollywood': "I tend to be more private about my personal life anyway, so even if the song were about someone in particular, I would never say that, because that would be like my own private thought
"We had a bunch of collaborators on that song too."
The 'Hero' hitmaker's 'Mariah #1 to Infinity' Las Vegas residency begins next week, but she won't be doing much partying in the city as she'd rather be at home with her twins.
She said: "I'm not really like a let go and party [person] out here. It's too smoky. The cigarette smoking is like... everybody's smoking here.
"I can't handle it with the cigarette smoke 'cause of the smoke.
"So my idea of fun is like to go home and watch a movie with the kids - like, whatever they feel like watching."

Morrissey has branded crowdfunding a "desperate measure".
The former Smiths frontman has slammed artists who use the platform to raise money to release music, describing it as "insulting" to fans who have already spent cash on albums, merchandise and concert tickets.
He said: "[Crowdfunding] is a desperate measure, and insulting to your audience.
"We have already provided sufficient amounts of money. What is the next thing you're going to ask? Brush our teeth?"
The 55-year-old musician made the comments amid his struggle to find a record label, after he revealed last August he had been dropped by Harvest Records, and admitted he has not had any luck with finding a new company to release his music through.
He explained: "I recently contacted some labels and all have rejected me.
"Pop music lives in the era of marketing which just leads to people with very low levels of competition, it is much easier to get rid of them once six months of fame have evaporated."
The star - who released his 11th solo record 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' last year - added he isn't bothered about people who criticise him or his views, saying they should continue to do so if it brings them joy.
He told El Pais newspaper: "Many people enjoy writing negative things about me. Which is fine with me. Let them if it makes them happy."