Category Archives: Rock
The band will appear at Malawi’s annual music event.
Foals
Foals will headline this year’s Lake Of Stars festival in Malawi, southern Africa. The festival will include many African bands and artists including reggae band Black Missionaries and African pop star, Lucius Banda.
The four-day festival will take place from September 30th to October 2nd on the shores of Lake Malawi.
Previous British artists that have played the festival include The Noisettes – who appeared last year – The Macaabees, Seth Lakeman and Radio 1’s Annie Mac. The festival has grown in both the diversity of music and audience attendance since it started in 2004 with over $1,000,000 generated for the Malawian economy and is exclusively run by volunteers. Proceeds from the festival are donated to charity projects across the Malawi area of Africa.
Founder of the festival Will Jameson said: “This year’s [festival] will be justly global, truly Malawian, showcasing a diverse mix of traditional and new African music, art, poetry, fashion, markets, food and more. I encourage you to come and experience first-hand what is being talked about from London to Cape Town.”
More info on the festival can be found at the www.lakeofstars.org
Rappers and personalities come together to celebrate Tupac's 40th birthday.
Tupac Shakur
On June 16th 2011, rappers and celebrities will join Afeni Shakur in celebrating Tupac Shakur’s 40th birthday.
AllHipHop reports that Bun B., 8 Ball, MJG, DJ Drama, Erykah Badu and comedian Mike Epps will celebrate the now official “Tupac Shakur Day” in Atlanta’s Symphony Hall.
Speaking about the event, Erykah Badu said: “I am greatly honoured to have been invited by Afeni Shakur to celebrate her son’s 40th birthday. I do not take this honor for granted.”
The third annual celebration will be hosted by Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur. Proceeds go to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation for the Arts.
Doherty could be released as early as August.
Pete Doherty
Rocker Pete Doherty could be released from prison before the Reading and Leeds Festivals, reports NME.
The Libertines star was sentenced last week (20.05.2011) to six months behind bars after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.
According to official court documents, he has been given a likely release date of August 21 meaning he may still be able to make his scheduled headline performance at Leeds Festival on August 26 and at Reading Festival on August 28.
A Reading And Leeds Festivals spokesperson told NME that they had no comment to make.
Album has since spread across torrent sites.
Bon Iver
iTunes accidentally leaked Bon Iver’s new album last week.
The digital music retailer mistakenly put the Wisconsin musician’s anticipated second album, ‘Bon Iver’, up for download in full last Tuesday (May 17th), despite not being due for release until June 20th.
While Apple are yet to comment on the mishap, it is believed the album was accidentally placed online following the official release of ‘Calgary’ – the first single to be unveiled from ‘Bon Iver’.
While the error was fixed shortly after it occurred, a number of customers still managed to buy the LP, with some going on to leak the album in full to torrents and other file sharing services.
Bon Iver’s record label Jagjaguwar and front man Justin Vernon’s attorney both declined to comment on the leak.
This isn’t the first time iTunes have placed albums online too early.
Back in 2009, the Norwegian iTunes store accidentally placed Kelly Clarkson’s album ‘All I Ever Wanted’ on sale a month before it’s release date, while in 2008, the store did the same thing with the Raconteurs’ ‘Consolers of the Lonely’.
Biffy Clyro are set to be named Royal Albert Hall Best British Band at the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards in July.
Biffy Clyro
The Scottish trio, who were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize last year, revealed they are delighted to receive the prestigious award and follow in the footsteps of previous winners ‘Take That’, Elton John and Paul McCartney.
They said: “We follow in the footsteps of some great bands who’ve received this award and we couldn’t be happier with this honour. Music has been a massive part of our lives – just like it is for all the people Nordoff Robbins help”.
The Nordoff Robbins charity, which has been holding the annual ceremony for over 35 years, said the band were an “easy choice” for the top award.
David Munns, chairman of the charity, said; “As one of the biggest British rock bands to emerge in the last 10 years, Biffy Clyro are already renowned for their explosive live performances, making them a very easy choice in the Best British Band category”.
Other winners for the 2011 awards held to be held at the London Hilton, Park Lane on Friday 1 July include Annie Lennox, Tinie Tempah, Status Quo and classical singer Alfie Boe.
The group are in need of some personal time.
Black Eyed Peas
Fergie has revealed that the Black Eyed Peas will be taking a break to concentrate on getting more “personal time”.
The singer has welcomed the break as she has been able to “spend a lot more time” with her actor husband Josh Duhamel.
“We’re taking a break…getting more of that personal time, but, you know, Josh and I have gotten to spend a lot more time together this year than other years, which is great.”
Talking to Hollyscoop, the 36-year-old also admitted the pair are keen to have a baby in the near future.
“Oh yeah, of course. Not right this second. Not pregnant, for the record. But, yeah.”
While Fergie enjoys her time with Josh, Will.i.am is is planning to release his fourth solo album but is not giving anything away, not even to his own band mates.
Fergie added: “I believe Will is coming out with a solo album, I’ve heard it, it’s called ‘Black Einstein’, and it’s amazing. I’ve been waiting for him to come out with this for so long, because I want it. He won’t give it to me. I want it for the gym. He’s so amazing. Such a genius lyricist and I’m really excited for his project.”
Liam Gallagher admits his band are eager to get to work on LP number 2.
Beady Eye
Liam Gallagher has promised Beady Eye fans that the band’s second LP will be out next year.
Speaking to MTV, the former Oasis man said the follow up to 2010′s ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ will be out “next summer”: “‘We’ve started and it’s sounding good – we’re not messing about. We’ll have bits of time off but we won’t be sitting around watching Jeremy Kyle, we’ll be in the studio.”
”It won’t be out this year, but we’ll record about February and I reckon it’ll be out next summer.”
Meanwhile, Liam Gallagher was busy launching his fourth Pretty Green store in London this weekend (May 20th).
The singer celebrated the opening of the Covent Garden boutique – which will house items from Gallagher’s Pretty Green fashion label – by bringing along the FA Cup trophy his beloved Manchester City picked up last Saturday (May 14th) at Wembley Stadium after they won 1-0 against Stoke.
Florence Welch reveals she has took inspiration from “imaginary things”
Florence and The Machine
Florence Welch has revealed the new Florence and the Machine album is going to be “dark”.
Talking to NYLON Magazine, Welch said the band’s follow-up to 2009′s ‘Lungs’ has took inspiration from her dead grandmother: “A lot of the songs on the new album are about imaginary things, things that you can’t touch – ghosts and rumours, my dead grandmother, things visiting you in a dream.”
Florence went on to admit the album’s material sees her questioning herself: “It still feels like I’m very much drawn to dark metaphors in the new songs. It always feels like as if with each song you write, you’re trying to understand something about yourself: Why am I this way? What’s wrong with me?”
“It feels as if there’s still a lot of questioning left to do. Just because I’m happy in my relationship, I’ve still got issues to deal with. I’m going to be 25 and I feel like, well, I’ve got to be a grown-up now. I feel like your life is sort of always a battle between safety and freedom.”
Welch – who started working on her second album late last year – previously described the new material as “intense” and “stripped back”.
Rihanna has congratulated Beyonc Knowles on her Billboard Music Awards win.
Rihanna
The 29-year-old singer was honoured at last night’s event. The American songstress received the Billboard Millennium gong after performing her new hit, Run the World (Girls). Musical veterans including Barbra Streisand, Bono and Stevie Wonder, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama, paid tribute to Beyoncй in a video montage.
Rihanna, who was named Radio Artist of the Year and Female Artist of the Year at the event, showed her appreciation for her fellow artist on her Twitter page.
“Congrats to Beyonce on a #MAJAH award and tribute #1LOVE (sic),” she wrote on her personal Twitter page.
Rihanna opened the prestigious music event opposite Britney Spears. The pair performed a sexy rendition of Rihanna’s hit song S&M. The version went down a storm and the 23-year-old thanked her fans for their unwavering support on the social networking website. The Barbadian singer has so many fans online they are now called the Rihanna Navy.
“#RihannaNavy yall da SH*T!!!! U #MURDERED tonight at the Billboard Awards! I’m cute, but I aint nun on yall!!! Can’t thank u enough #TILiDIE (sic),” she wrote.
Snoop Dogg would appear on a TV talent show as long as the “money was right”.
Snoop Dogg
The rapper has admitted he enjoys programme such as The X Factor, which is making the move Stateside this year. Talent shows often feature well-known stars that mentor the contestants and it’s a role Snoop thinks he’d be perfect for.
“I’d love to, especially if they got their pounds together,” he replied, when asked if he’d like to appear on Britain’s The X Factor. “Get your money right and come and see me. That’d be one of the reasons to do it.”
Snoop has been thinking about the UK a lot lately, thanks to the recent wedding of Britain’s Prince William to Catherine Middleton. He didn’t attend the nuptials or watch them on television, but he did think about the happy couple a lot during their big day.
“I had a BBQ that I had to attend so I couldn’t break away from that. But I sent a lovely gift, and I left an email for the queen to bless her and her grandbaby,” he told Newsbeat. “[I got them] something special, I’d rather not say, they know what they got.”
Snoop is currently promoting his new album Doggumentary. He thoroughly enjoyed making the record as he was able to lay down tracks he liked without worrying about how they would be perceived by others. He’s sure the LP will be a hit with fans and hopes to continue recording for a long time.
“I’m at the point in my career where it’s not about nothing but just making the music that feels good to me and the people who love me,” he said. “So I’m in the state of mind where it’s not so much work anymore, it’s fun. It’s not about record sales, it’s not about trying to accomplish anything but giving the people who down with me some great music.”
