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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Dev Hynes to give money raised by fans after house fire to charity

December 19, 2013 17:29

The Blood Orange man will split the $24,000 fans donated to three charities

Dev Hynes has said he will give the money raised by fans after his apartment burned down earlier this week (December 16) to charity.

The Blood Orange man and producer lost all his property in the fire, which also killed his pet dog. His girlfriend's mother set up a crowdfunding site to raise money to replace his belongings, which raised over $24,000 in a few days.

In a post on his Tumblr page, Hynes writes: "If I am honest, the fundraiser makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. This isn’t me saying I don’t need the money, to reiterate, I have lost everything."

He then goes on to thank fans for all their support, adding: "This isn’t me being unappreciative…It’s overwhelming in the most extremely nicest way that people would care about this but as I stated before, so many people have nothing they can do to rebuild their life from scratch."

The money, he says, will be split between different charities. But he hasn't yet decided if he will give all the money away and has asked fans to contact him to tell him what they want him to do. " I want to give all the money to charity, 3 charities to be precise which I will explain further at a future point, that’s how I feel. I'm being spoken to by people who are close and understand my situation and are trying to advise me. As I probably am still in shock, and may not have a choice but to accept some of the money, and then think about charities, I don’t know… I don’t know where my head is at right now…"

Hynes released his second album as Blood Orange, 'Cupid Deluxe', in November. The album includes a number of guest appearances including David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Samantha Urbani (Friends), Clams Casino, Despot, Kindness and Skepta. Caroline Polachek from Chairlift appears on the single 'Chamakay'.

Hynes has produced music for Solange, Sky Ferreira and MKS, as well as being a former member of Test Icicles and creating music under the Lightspeed Champion name.

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Monday, December 30, 2013

Pusha T to work with Pharrell Williams on new album 'King Push'

December 19, 2013 9:59

Rapper confirms he will enter studio with The Neptunes in January

Pusha T has confirmed that he will begin work on his new album with The Neptunes in January.

The rapper, who earlier this year released the Kanye West produced 'My Name Is My Name', will reunite with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo in 2014, a duo he worked with extensively while a member of rap duo Clipse alongside his brother, Malice.

Speaking to Miss Info about the new album, Pusha T confirmed that he plans to name the album 'King Push', also a track title on 'My Name Is My Name'. "I don't know when I'm dropping the next one, but I can tell everybody January 2, me, Chad [Hugo] and Pharrell are going in the studio for 20 days. That's what's going to start off the King Push album....The title is definitely King Push."

'My Name Is My Name' was released in October and features guest appearances from Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar. The album was featured in NME's 50 Best Albums of 2013. Find out NME's 50 top albums of 2013 here.

Meanwhile, it was recently confirmed that Pharrell Williams will next year release his first solo album in eight years. Williams has signed to Columbia Records for the release, which will follow his 2006 LP 'In My Mind'. The album will feature Williams' track 'Happy', for which he recently created the world's first 24 hour-long music video.

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Daft Punk to perform at Grammy Awards 2014

December 19, 2013 13:05

Organiser promises "a collaborative and celebratory stage performance" from French duo

Daft Punk will perform at the Grammy Awards next year.

The French duo will perform material from their album 'Random Access Memories' live for the first time at the January 26 ceremony, which takes place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Daft Punk are nominated for five awards on the night, including the highly coveted Record Of The Year.

Speaking about what will be Daft Punk's first televised performance since 2008, Grammys Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich tells Rolling Stone that fans can expect "a collaborative and celebratory stage performance that honors their multi-nominated music." Daft Punk's last TV performance came at the Grammys in 2008, when they played alongside Kanye West on his song 'Stronger'.

"We learned that because they had such a good experience with us when they appeared with Kanye in 2008, they were happy to discuss a performance on this year's show," Ehrlich adds. "Conversations took place over a period of a couple of months, and finally they agreed to be a part of this year's telecast."

Lorde, James Blake, Tame Impala, Disclosure and The National are amongst the artists to receive nominations for the 56th annual Grammy Awards. Click hereto see the full list of nominees.


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Saturday, December 28, 2013

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen discuss working on 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past'

December 19, 2013 13:24

Film opens in May 2014

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen discuss working on 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past' Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have opened up about their experiences working on X-Men: Days Of Future Past.

Stewart and McKellen star as older versions of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively, with younger incarnations of the roles to be portrayed by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal about sharing characters with the younger actors, McKellen said: "I think [Fassbender] made it clear he wanted to be his own Magneto and that suits the nature of the story and his part in it. And [director] Bryan Singer doesn't mind that we don't look much like each other.

"Although, they have put out a poster where our faces are blended and you do a double take and think, 'Ooh, my goodness, I didn't know I was that good looking,' and then realize the bit that's good looking is not me, but Fassbender."

Meanwhile, referring to the scene he shares with McAvoy in the film's trailer, which you can see below, Stewart said: "There was a certain happy charm about it, in that, when we shot that scene, it was James' first day of work and it was my last day.

"He is illustrating a time in Charles Xavier's life which was very different from the time that I've been inhabiting in the previous three movies, and we just let that play out. I think we've both been looking forward to doing that scene immensely."

X-Men: Days Of Future Past boasts a massive cast featuring nearly every familiar face from the previous five X-Men movies. Fassbender, McAvoy, McKellen and Stewart will all appear, and will also be joined by Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult, Peter Dinklage, Ellen Page and Anna Paquin.

An official synopsis for the film was previously released, stating: "The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days Of Future Past. The beloved characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class in an epic battle that must change the past - to save our future."

X-Men: Days Of Future Past opens in UK cinemas on May 22, 2014 and a day later on May 23, 2014 in the US.

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Friday, December 27, 2013

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks to release their own 'Cinnamon and Lesbians' flavour ice cream

December 19, 2013 17:00

The special scoop marks the release of the band's new album

Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks will release a special ice cream named after their track 'Cinnamon and Lesbians'.

The band are churning the frozen treat to mark the release of their new album 'Wig Out At Jagbags' on January 7. It will be served at Momofuku Milk Bar in one of their New York City locations for a limited time, according to Consequence of Sound.

'Wig Out At Jagbags' is the follow-up to 2011's 'Mirror Traffic' and will be released on January 6, 2014. The band will play four UK dates next year (2014), starting at Leeds Brudenell on January 13, followed by Glasgow Oran Mor on January 14, Manchester Gorilla on January 15 and London Forum on January 16.

Speaking about the album previously, Malkmus commented: "'Wig Out At Jagbags' is inspired by Cologne, Germany, Mark Von Schlegel, Rosemarie Trockel, Von Sparr and Jan Lankisch, Can and Gas; Stephen Malkums imagined Weezer/Chili Peppers, Sic Alps, UVA in the late 80s, NYRB, Aroma Charlottenburg, inactivity, jamming, indie guys trying to sound Memphis, Flipper, Pete Townshend, Pavement, The Joggers, the NBA and home life in the 2010s."

The 'Wig Out At Jagbags' tracklisting is:

'Planetary Motion'
'The Janitor Revealed'
'Lariat'
'Houston Heels'
'Shibboleth'
'J Smoov'
'Rumble At The Rainbo'
'Chartjunk'
'Independence Street'
'Scattegories'
'Cinnamon & Lesbians'
'Surreal Teenagers'

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Tulisa denies Class A drugs supply charge in court

December 19, 2013 21:02

The pop singer will appear in front of judges again on January 9, 2014

Pop singer and former X Factor judge Tulisa has denied playing a part in the supply of Class A drugs.

Tulisa Contostavlos was arrested following tabloid newspaper reports that claimed she was involved in an £860 cocaine deal. She appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today (December 19) to deny charges of being involved in the supply of class A drugs, reports BBC News.

Michael Coombs also pleaded not guilty to the same charge of being "concerned with the supply of 13.9 grams of cocaine" to an undercover reporter following a police investigation in June. Both Contostavlos and Coombs were granted unconditional bail. The case has now been sent to Southwark Crown Court and the pair will appear before judges there on January 9, 2014.

During her appearance in court today Contostavlos was made to disclose her London address, though her solicitor had applied for it to be withheld. "Just to let you know, after it being read out, in the next month or so I might have to move to a new address," Contostavlos said after her address was revealed, with her solicitor citing the "unwanted visitors" it might attract.

In June an undercover reporter working for The Sun On Sunday recorded what is believed to be Tulisa saying that "half her phone book" had access to drugs and that she would introduce their reporter to a drug dealer. This introduction was allegedly then made, with the undercover journalist filming himself paying £860 for half an ounce of cocaine.

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Ozzy Osbourne criticises politicians in the wake of Nelson Mandela's death

December 19, 2013 12:46

Black Sabbath frontman calls for leaders to take more responsibility for their manifestos.

Ozzy Osbourne has criticised politicians using the recent death of Nelson Mandela to improve their own image.

Giving his only solo interview this year, Osbourne appears on the cover of the new issue of NME, which is on newsstands now or available digitally. In it, the Black Sabbath frontman reveals his thoughts on why politics and music should not mix.

Hitting out at politicians, Osbourne says: "I don't touch politics. I leave that to Bono. He won't be happy, now that his best mate Mandela has gone. But I'm not politically motivated. I sang songs about political situations, wars and that, but they're all fucking liars if you ask me."

He continues: "It's sad that he's gone because he was such a good hope guy for so many people. But it became the clique thing to be photographed with Mandela, you know? He seemed like a good guy but he was fucking 95, at the end of the day. I bet he was tired! I think entertainers should stay entertainers and politicians should stay liars. If you say you'll do something and you can't do it, you should get fired, because you got your job under false pretences, I think so anyway."

Earlier this week, Osbourne, opened up about his recent drug and alcohol relapse which led to him temporarily separating from his wife Sharon Osbourne.

NME

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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Lana Del Rey victim of Academy Awards smear campaign?

December 19, 2013 19:31

A fake article saying her 'Great Gatsby' song had been disqualified from the Oscars Best Original Song category was circulated

Lana Del Rey has reportedly found herself the victim of Academy Awards smear campaign.

The singer has been nominated in the Best Original Song category for 'Young and Beautiful', which featured on the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. However, it has been reported that an anonymous party has been sending out fake letters to members of the Academy Awards voting board, incorrectly stating that the song is ineligible for the prize, writes Deadline.

Deadline says that a printout of an online article, with the Variety title attached to it, was sent out, stating that the song was disqualified from the category because of the film's changed release date. Warner Brothers subsequently checked the piece and found it had never been published on the Variety site.

In addition to Del Rey, M83, Jay-Z and The xx have all gained spots on the longlist for Best Original Song at next year's Academy Awards. The round-up of 75 songs celebrates the the top music written for films this year. The Great Gatsby has the most nominated tracks, with five songs from the Baz Luhrmann film on the list. The xx's 'Together' made the cut, as did Jay-Z's '100$ Bill', along with Florence And The Machine's 'Over The Love'.

Elsewhere, Karen O made it on to the list for the second year in a row for 'The Moon Song' from Her, M83 bagged a spot for their work on Oblivion and Pharrell Williams had success with Despicable Me 2's 'Happy'. The tracks will be whittled down to a shortlist, announced on January 16 2014, before the 86th annual awards ceremony on March 2 in Los Angeles.


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Monday, December 23, 2013

Cheryl Cole wades into Dev Hynes house fire blog dispute

December 20, 2013 9:16

The Blood Orange man has said that he will never work with The Guardian again following an 'insensitive' article

Cheryl Cole has offered her support to Dev Hynes after his apartment burned down earlier this week.

The Blood Orange singer and producer lost all his property in the fire, which also killed his pet dog. Subsequently The Guardian posted a blog in their Comment Is Free section, deemed 'insensitive' by many, including Cole, who tweeted: "What an appalling article! How insensitive and heartless !!". Cole and Hynes have previously worked together.

The piece, originally titled 'Dev Hynes's puppy sob story has left me burnt out' has now been re-named 'Why celebrity crowdfunding has little appeal'. Hynes tweeted a link to the article, writing: "if... this is journalism then i'm done with the world". He also wrote on Facebook that he would never speak to The Guardian again, writing: "This is disgusting. I'm so hurt. I want to go on the record and say i will never talk to the guardian ever again, i want nothing i ever make to be on their website, or in their magazine. Please pull the interview i did recently. I don't want it to come out."

The Guardian blog post discussed the nature of crowdfunding, after Hynes' girlfriend's mother set up a crowdfunding site to raise money to replace his belongings, which raised over $24,000 in a few days. Hynes has now closed the fundraising appeal.

In a post on his Tumblr page, Hynes wrote of the appeal: "If I am honest, the fundraiser makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. This isn’t me saying I don’t need the money, to reiterate, I have lost everything."

He then goes on to thank fans for all their support, adding: "This isn’t me being unappreciative…It’s overwhelming in the most extremely nicest way that people would care about this but as I stated before, so many people have nothing they can do to rebuild their life from scratch."

The money, he says, will be split between different charities. But he hasn't yet decided if he will give all the money away and has asked fans to contact him to tell him what they want him to do. "I want to give all the money to charity, 3 charities to be precise which I will explain further at a future point, that’s how I feel. I'm being spoken to by people who are close and understand my situation and are trying to advise me. As I probably am still in shock, and may not have a choice but to accept some of the money, and then think about charities, I don’t know… I don’t know where my head is at right now…"

Hynes released his second album as Blood Orange, 'Cupid Deluxe', in November. The album includes a number of guest appearances including David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Samantha Urbani (Friends), Clams Casino, Despot, Kindness and Skepta. Caroline Polachek from Chairlift appears on the single 'Chamakay'.

Hynes has produced music for Solange, Sky Ferreira and MKS, as well as being a former member of Test Icicles and creating music under the Lightspeed Champion name.


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Sunday, December 22, 2013

Season three of 'Girls' gets UK air date on Sky Atlantic

December 19, 2013 12:29

Show will kick off on January 20

Season three of Girls has received a UK air date on Sky Atlantic.

The new series of the HBO show will premiere in the UK on January 20 at 10pm with a double bill of episodes, a week after it begins in the US. Scroll down and click to watch the new trailer for Lena Dunham's award-winning comedy, which feature the return of Jemima Kirke's Jessa as well as seeing Dunham joined by Allison Williams' Marnie and Zozia Mamet's Shoshanna. Adam Driver as Adam, Andrew Rannells as Elijah and Alex Karpovsky as Ray also feature in the 1:26 long promo for the show.

The new season will feature 12 half-hour episodes - two more than in previous seasons. Dunham confirmed on September 6 that production had wrapped on the new batch of episodes. Over the summer HBO released an Instagram-style video teaser for the new season - watch it here.

Created, directed and written by Dunham, the show has been a major hit since it debuted last year (2012) and took home two prizes at this January's Golden Globe Awards: 'Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical' and 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series' - Comedy or Musical' for Dunham.

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Saturday, December 21, 2013

Ian Watkins' stepfather says family are 'utterly devastated'

December 19, 2013 12:23

Watkins was given a 29-year jail sentence in Cardiff Crown Court yesterday (December 18)

Ian Watkins' stepfather has said that he hopes the former Lostprophets frontman can be rehabilitated during his jail sentence on child sex charges.

Watkins was sentenced yesterday (December 18) in Cardiff Crown Court and was given a 29-year jail sentence, as well as an extended licence for six years after pleading guilty to 13 sexual offences.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Watkins' stepfather John Davies, a baptist minister, admitted he was angry at his family member, saying: "I could cheerfully spend an hour knocking him around a cell. There are things I may well want to say to him. These offences are so horrific. They are the most heinous crimes. Every one of us is completely and utterly devastated."

Explaining why he and his wife, Watkins' mother, did not attend court for the sentencing. "We chose not to come to court. It is far too distressing for Elaine and for me. Ian had a very strong relationship with his mother. It is a very deep bond. My heart aches for any individual who has been drawn into this and been affected by it. And only time will tell who those victims are."

Discussing his hopes for Watkins' future, Davies went on to say: "The police said he wouldn't think twice about hanging you or anyone else out to dry, why are you bothering, why would you want to stand by him? I said, 'Because he is my stepson. Because it gives me an opportunity to seek some healing in a very broken family'."

During sentencing, Judge Justice Royce said that Watkins posed a "significant risk" to women and children and that he and the co-defendants had plumbed "new depths of depravity" and that the case was so extreme it "breaks new ground". He told them: "Any decent person looking at or listening to material here would experience shock, revulsion, anger and incredulity." Read the full story from the trial here.


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Friday, December 20, 2013

Robbie Williams tops Official Record Store Chart

December 19, 2013 16:17

'Swings Both Ways' rises to Number One spot in independent record shop sales

Robbie Williams' 'Swings Both Ways' has topped this week's Official Record Store Chart.

The album beat off competition from One Direction and Gary Barlow to land the top spot. Launched as part of last year's Record Store Day, the Official Record Store Chart reflects sales in the UK's independent record shops.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' is at Nine, while former Number One Jake Bugg's 'Shangri La' lands at 10. The only new entry in this week's chart come from Toy at Number Five with their second album 'Join The Dots'.

The chart is made up of sales of albums from around 100 independent record retailers who participate in Record Store Day UK. The full Top 40 features every week in the new-look NME.

Official Record Store Chart (November 24)

1. Robbie Williams - 'Swings Both Ways'
2. Gary Barlow – 'Since I Saw You'
3. One Direction – 'Midnight Memories'
4. Arctic Monkeys - 'AM'
5. Toy – 'Join The Dots'
6. London Grammar - 'If You Wait'
7. Olly Murs – 'Right Place, Right Time'
8. Rod Stewart – 'Time'
9. Mumford and Sons – 'Babel'
10. Jake Bugg – 'Shangri La'

NME

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Foo Fighters debut Erik Estrada-starring advert for comeback gig in Mexico – watch

November 1, 2013 17:08

Band return to action on December 13

Foo Fighters have unveiled a send-up video to advertise their live comeback in Mexico this December – click at the bottom of the page and click to watch.

The clip – which hypes up the band's scheduled headline show at Mexico City's 55,000-capacity Foro Sol stadium on December 13 – features the actor Erik Estrada, most famous for his role on US TV show CHiPS in the '70s and '80s. It follows his quest to interrupt the band from a series of 'mature' chores such as washing the car and mowing the grass, in order to persuade them to reform.

Foo Fighters' last gig was in New York in September 2012 at the Global Festival event. Earlier this year, Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett revealed that the band are planning to begin recording their new album early next year (2014). Dave Grohl also recently confirmed that the album, the band's follow-up to 2011's 'Wasting Light', has now been written and hinted at a 2014 release date.

"It's a little way off," Grohl explained, talking to XFM in August. "It's not ready to happen right now, but I think next year is going to be a really big year for the Foo Fighters without question." Going on to tease that the album will "not be a conventional record" he added: "We are going to make this album in a way that no-one's ever done before, and we're pretty excited about it."

Shiflett subsequently echoed Grohl's comments by telling Rolling Stone: "We actually just started making a new Foo Fighters record within the last few weeks. We've started rehearsing." However, he went further than his bandmate by adding: "It was a very short hiatus. We're going to start recording the new Foo Fighters record at the beginning of next year."

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Monday, November 25, 2013

Arctic Monkeys postpone Saturday's Sheffield concert

November 1, 2013 17:57

Announcement follows postponed shows in Birmingham and Glasgow

Arctic Monkeys have postponed their scheduled show in Sheffield on Saturday. It will now take place on November 18.

A statement from the band reads: "We regret to advise that Arctic Monkeys must postpone their show at Sheffield Arena on Saturday November 2nd. Regrettably Alex Turner is suffering with laryngitis and is not well enough to perform. The show at Sheffield Arena will now take place on Monday November 18 2013. All tickets will remain valid for this show."

"We wish to apologise to all ticket holders for any inconvenience this has caused. Please contact the customer services at the box office you purchased your tickets for any further assistance."

Arctic Monkeys already postponed their Glasgow Hydro show, which was set for tonight (Friday November 1), and their show in Birmingham, which was supposed to take place on the evening of October 31. The Birmingham LG Arena gig will now take place on November 20 and the Glasgow Hydro show on November 21.

Arctic Monkeys will play:

Sheffield Motorpoint Arena (November 18)
Birmingham LG Arena (20)
Glasgow Hydro Arena (21)

To check the availability of Arctic Monkeys tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765.

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds perform new song 'Give Us A Kiss' - watch

November 2, 2013 16:52

Band unveiled the song on the opening night of their just-finished UK tour

Fan footage of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds performing a new song called 'Give Us A Kiss' has been uploaded to YouTube. Watch it above.

The band unveiled 'Give Us A Kiss' on the opening night of their just-finished UK tour in Brighton on October 24. They then played the song again at gigs in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The recording above comes from their London show on October 26.

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds released their 15th studio album, 'Push The Sky Away', in February of this year (2013). Their next release will be a live album, the fourth of their career, due next month.

Titled 'Live from KCRW', it was recorded at a KCRW radio session at Apogee Studio in Los Angeles and will be released on December 2. The tracklisting is a mix of songs from 'Push The Sky Away' and classics from the band's three-decade recording career.

'Live from KCRW' will be released on CD, download and double vinyl format. The vinyl edition features two extra un-broadcasted recordings from the session, 'Into my Arms' and 'God Is In The House'.

The tracklisting in full:

'Higgs Boson Blues'
'Far From Me'
'Stranger Than Kindness'
'The Mercy Seat'
'And No More Shall We Part'
'Wide Lovely Eyes'
'Mermaids'
'People Ain't No Good'
'Into My Arms (limited vinyl only)'
'God Is In The House (limited vinyl only)'
'Push The Sky Away'
'Jack The Ripper'

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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Tim Wheeler and Emmy The Great to play Club NME Christmas party

November 1, 2013 21:27

The duo will play This Is Christmas at London's KOKO on December 13

Tim Wheeler and Emmy The Great are set to play Club NME's This Is Christmas party at London's KOKO on December 13.

The duo will be playing tracks from their festive album 'This Is Christmas' as well as a host of seasonal cover versions. Doors for the event are at 9.30pm and you can buy tickets online by clicking here.

Emmy The Great and Ash frontman Wheeler released their joint album in 2011. Speaking about the album, Wheeler said: "I'm a sucker for all kinds of Christmas songs from carols to Nat King Cole to ’70's glam rock classics and ’80's guilty pleasures, and it felt like a good time to contribute something new to the genre."

The album, which Wheeler and Emmy The Great began recording after they were stranded in Sussex after missing several scheduled flights due to heavy snowfall, features 'Mrs Christmas', 'Home For The Holidays' and 'Sleigh Me'. Scroll down to watch the video for 'Home For The Holidays'.

To check the availability of Tim Wheeler tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765

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Friday, November 22, 2013

A$AP Rocky causes chaos in New York in 'Angels' video - watch

November 2, 2013 18:12

'Angels' is the latest video from rapper's debut album 'Long.L Live. A$AP.'

A$AP Rocky has unveiled a video for his track 'Angels'. Watch it above.

The promo clips shows the rapper and his crew getting up to all kinds of trouble in his native New York City. It was co-directed by A$AP Rocky with British video director Luke Monaghan, who has previously helmed promo clips for Disclosure and Fenech-Soler.

'Angels' is a bonus track on the deluxe edition of the rapper's debut album 'Long. Live. A$AP.', which was released in January and debuted at Number One on the US Billboard 200 albums chart. In the UK, it has peaked at Number Seven on the Official Albums Chart.

A$AP Rocky's previous video, 'Fashion Killa', starred Rihanna and was released in September (2013). The same month, he made a guest appearance in Drake's Miami Vice-themed video for 'Hold On We're Going Home'.

Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky recently apologised for behaviour that he says "came off homophobic" at this year's MTV VMAs. At the awards ceremony in August, the Harlem-based rapper appeared on stage to introduce a Macklemore performance alongside basketball player Jason Collins, who is gay, and seemd to pull a face in discomfort when Collins began speaking about his homosexuality.


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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Alex Turner hints at big Arctic Monkeys 'outdoor shows' next summer

November 1, 2013 15:08

Frontman says band would like to do 'something of their own' in 2014

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner has hinted that the band could play a series of big 'outdoor' shows next summer.

Speaking to Gigwise, the singer said that after the band's headlining performance at this year's Glastonbury festival, they would like to play some similarly large-scale gigs in 2014.

"I wanna do some big shows next summer as well, you know we're not going to do Glastonbury again," he said. "But it'd be nice to something of our own perhaps next summer. Maybe an outdoor show, maybe an underwater show."

Yesterday (October 31), Arctic Monkeys were forced to cancel a show scheduled for the same evening in Birmingham, in addition to a gig at Glasgow Hydro, which was set to take place on November 1. The gigs were scrapped due to Turner being diagnosed with laryngitis.

The band are still set to play their homecoming show at Sheffield Motorpoint Arena on November 2.

Arctic Monkeys will play:

Sheffield Motorpoint Arena (November 2)
Birmingham LG Arena (20)
Glasgow Hydro Arena (21)

To check the availability of Arctic Monkeys tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765.

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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Tinie Tempah reveals Adele has recorded a 'filthy' rap

November 2, 2013 13:23

However, Adele has threatened to sue if he ever plays it to anyone

Tinie Tempah has revealed that Adele recorded a "filthy" rap while he was working in the studio with Labrinth a couple of years ago.

The singer apparently showed off her flow while Tempah and Labrinth were recording 'Earthquake', their Number Two hit single from 2011.

"She was with me and Labrinth in the studio when he recorded 'Earthquake'," Tempah recalled during an interview on Alan Carr: Chatty Man last night (November 1). "Nobody really knows this. She recorded a rap and she told us that if we ever played it to anyone she would sue us. So when you talk to her next, ask her about the rap. It is really filthy as well."

Tempah also revealed that Adele "helped me pick some of the songs" for new album 'Demonstration', which is released this Monday (November 4). The album, Tempah's follow-up to his 2010 debut 'Disc-Overy', features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Labrinth, Laura Mvula and Emeli Sandé.

The rapper will support the album with an 11-date UK arena tour this December (2013), culminating in a massive show at London's O2 Arena on December 18.

Tinie Tempah will play:

Aberdeen AECC (December 2)
Manchester Phones 4u Arena (5)
Leeds First Direct Arena (6)
Nottingham Capital FM Arena (8)
Glasgow Hydro (9)
Newcastle Arena (11)
Liverpool Echo Arena (12)
Cardiff Motorpoint Arena (13)
Bournemouth BIC (15)
Birmingham LG Arena (16)
London 02 Arena (18)

To check the availability of Tinie Tempah tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765 .

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Sales of James Blake's 'Overgrown' increase by 2,500 percent following Mercury Prize win

November 1, 2013 16:06

Fellow nominees David Bowie, Savages and Villagers also album boost sales

James Blake has seen sales of his album 'Overgrown' rise by more than 2,500 percent following his Mercury Prize win on Wednesday night (October 30).

The album, Blake's second, was picked above competition from Arctic Monkeys, Disclosure, Villagers, Rudimental, David Bowie and the bookies' favourite Laura Mvula at the London ceremony. Upon winning the award, the 22nd Mercury Prize, delivered a short speech on the night, and said: "Thank you to my parents for showing me the importance of being independent."

Sales of 'Overgrown' on Amazon have jumped 2,538 per cent on Amazon.co.uk following Blake's victory. Meanwhile, other artists nominated for the annual prize have also seen sales boosts with Savages earning the next biggest uplift with sales of their album 'Silence Yourself' increasing by 278 per cent. Elsewhere, David Bowie (229 per cent) and Villager (215 per cent) and Laura Mvula (165 per cent) were also beneficiaries of the award and its high media coverage.

Other nominated albums including Disclosure’s 'Settle', Jon Hopkins' 'Immunity' and Laura Marling's 'Once I Was an Eagle' all sold over 100 per cent more copies following Wednesday night's ceremony.

James Blake follows in the footsteps of Primal Scream, PJ Harvey, Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow, Ms Dynamite, Roni Size, Antony & The Johnsons, Speech Debelle and Alt-J, who have all won the prize. The ceremony, presented by BBC 6 Music's Lauren Laverne, was held at London's Roundhouse.

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Monday, November 18, 2013

David Bowie to star in Louis Vuitton advert and short film – watch

November 1, 2013 16:21

See short preview clip of singer's fashion house commercial

David Bowie will star in an advertising campaign for French fashion company Louis Vuitton – scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to watch.

A series of images of the singer taken from the campaign are currently being shown on Vogue, and he will also take part in a silent film for the fashion company set to be broadcast in full on November 7.

According to Women's Wear Daily, the short movie is directed by Romain Gavras, who was behind the camera for MIA's 'Born Free' and 'Bad Girls' videos, and is titled L'Invitation Au Voyage. American model Arizona Muse visits the Louvre in Paris before journeying to Venice via a hot-air balloon where she meets Bowie, who performs a harpsichord version of 'I'd Rather Be High' from his album 'The Next Day'.

Bowie recently debuted the video for the James Murphy remix of his his song 'Love Is Lost'. The clip, which cost just £8 to make and features a pair of puppets from Bowie's archive, was shot on a home camera with the help of assistant Jimmy King and best friend Coco Schwab and has been described by those close to singer as a "strangely moving gothic inflected story line perfect for Halloween".

The only cost incurred in the whole process was the $12.99 (£8.08) needed for a USB stick to download the finished video onto.

Earlier this week (October 30), four new Bowie songs were premiered online. 'Atomica', 'The Informer', 'Like A Rocket Man' and 'Born In A UFO' will all feature on the three-disc edition of his latest album, 'The Next Day'. 'The Next Day Extra' includes the original 14-track album, a 10-track CD of bonus songs and a DVD featuring the four videos made for the album: 'Where Are We Now?', 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)', 'The Next Day' and 'Valentine's Day'. The new release will also contain the James Murphy remix of 'Love Is Lost'.

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Sunday, November 17, 2013

MIA streams new album 'Matangi' in full – listen

November 1, 2013 16:33

Singer's latest LP uploaded to YouTube

MIA is streaming her new album 'Matangi' in full – scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to listen.

The long-awaited LP will be officially released next week (November 4), but the singer has uploaded it to YouTube. The record includes the singles 'Bad Girls', 'Come Walk With Me' and 'Bring The Noize' and is the follow-up to her 2010 effort 'Maya'.

In a recent NME interview, MIA said she had been determined that the album wouldn't jump on the dubstep bandwagon. "In the last two years it's been cool to do dark shit," she said. "Everyone's been slowing your shit down and making you slur. That's not 'Matangi'."

She also revealed that producer Dave 'Switch' Taylor nearly died while working on the record after he attempted a daredevil stunt which went badly wrong. "He fell off a cliff and nearly died when he came into the studio," MIA said. "There was a 100ft cliff and [Switch] tried to do a dive into the sea but he slipped before he jumped and he fell. He was unconscious and all his ribs were broken and he had to go to hospital. Then when he came out we made 'Come Walk With Me'."

The 'Matangi' tracklisting in full is as follows:

'Karmageddon'
'MATANGI'
'Only 1 U'
'Warriors'
'Come Walk With Me'
'aTENTion'
'Sexodus' (feat. The Weeknd)
'Bad Girls'
'Boom Skit'
'Double Bubble Trouble'
'Y.A.L.A.'
'Bring The Noize'
'Lights'
'Know It Ain't Right'

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Morrissey released from hospital after suffering concussion and whiplash?

November 3, 2013 12:56

True To You webzine reporting the former Smiths man released from LA clinic yesterday (November 2)

Morrissey has been released from hospital, it has been reported.

According to True-To-You.net, the former Smiths man was discharged from the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California yesterday (November 2) after receiving treatment for concussion, whiplash and an arm injury. However, there are currently no details as to how he received the injuries.

The post read: "Morrissey has now been discharged from Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles following treatment for concussion, whiplash and an arm injury. Morrissey would like to thank the medical staff at Cedars-Sinai for their 'outstanding level of care and attention'."

Meanwhile, Morrissey's Autobiography has landed a Stateside publisher. The book was previously only available in the UK and Europe, through Penguin Classics, but now the New York Times explains that it will be released in North America through GP Putnam's Sons, which is an imprint of Penguin Random House.

No US release date has been announced though, and the New York Times reports that fans in North America have been buying the book at 'inflated prices' through online retailers based in the UK. Meanwhile, in the UK, the long awaited memoir beat the new Bridget Jones novel to top the best sellers chart in its first week of sale last month.

Autobiography sold just under 35,000 copies according to sales figures in trade magazine The Bookseller, while Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones novel Mad About The Boy sold 32,000 copies.


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Friday, November 15, 2013

Jay Z to release his own men's fragrance 'Gold Jay Z'

November 2, 2013 15:14

Rapper's debut scent contains a 'a layered blend of yellow ginger, white cardamom and grapefruit with a hint of blueberry'

Jay-Z is to release his own men's fragrance later this month (November).

Titled 'Gold Jay Z', the rapper's debut scent is a collaboration with Ilias Ermenidis of Firmenich, the world's second-largest perfume company. It will be available in leading US department stores from November 29.

"I was impressed with Jay Z's style and confidence and was drawn to the ease with which he carries himself and all of his success," Ermenidis said in a press release. "He has a natural cool that people want a piece of. In developing 'Gold Jay Z', I wanted to capture both the vibrant ambitious part of Jay Z's charismatic persona and his effortless style that he naturally embodies through a fusion of notes chosen by Jay Z."

'Gold Jay Z', which will cost between $39 (£24) and $79 (£49) depending on size of bottle, is described as follows: "Inspired by an icon, the white fougere fragrance is perfected through a layered blend of yellow ginger, white cardamom, and grapefruit with a hint of blueberry. At the heart, a refined infusion of violet leaf, cypress, lavender, and luxurious vetiver with a thread of pink pepper gives a tailored, modern signature. A rich note crafted with golden amber, patchouli, teak, and bourbon vanilla give a final shot of gilded sensuality."

Meanwhile, Jay Z has recently released a statement defending another of his business ventures, a collaboration with US department store Barneys, which is currently embroiled in a race row. Barneys is one of several US retailers accused of profiling black shoppers who say they were detained by police after buying luxury items.

This Christmas, the store is due to sell items by designers inspired by Jay Z with the proceeds going to his charity. He is also working with the store to create its holiday window display. His statement says he is "not making a dime" from the collaboration.


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Thursday, November 14, 2013

MIA opens New York gig with Skype message from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

November 2, 2013 10:37

Assange was beamed in from London's Ecuadorian embassy, where he is living under political asylum

MIA's New York show last night (November 1) opened with a Skype message from controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, according to gig-goers on Twitter and Instagram.

Several attendees shared pictures of Assange as he spoke from a giant video screen on stage, and MIA later posted her own slightly out-of-focus shot on Instagram.


Assange was beamed in from London's Ecuadorian embassy, where he has been living under political asylum for over a year. If Assange steps out of the embassy, he will immediately be extradited to Sweden, where he faces allegations of sexual assault.

During a recent interview with the BBC, MIA revealed that Assange helped her to write the track 'aTENTion' from her new album 'Matangi'. "I was struggling with this song, trying to write lyrics that contained the word 'tent'. There were only so many on my list - I had about 30," MIA recalled.

"Julian Assange came into the studio and took my computer and basically decrypted the whole of the internet, and downloaded every word in the whole of the language that contained the word 'tent' within it. He gave me, like, 4,000. And I finished the song. He doesn't get a writing credit, but he gets a thank you."

'Matangi' is released officially on Monday (November 4) and is streaming now on YouTube. The album includes the singles 'Bad Girls', 'Come Walk With Me' and 'Bring The Noize' and is the follow-up to MIA's 2010 effort 'Maya'.


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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Lady Gaga to host 'Saturday Night Live' this month

November 1, 2013 15:50

Haim will also appear on US TV show the following week (November 23)

Lady Gaga will host US TV show Saturday Night Live later this month (November).

The singer will make her third appearance on the programme on November 16, according to Rolling Stone, and will also perform as a musical guest in addition to her hosting duties. Pitchfork, meanwhile, are reporting that LA band Haim will perform on the show the following week (November 23).

A recent performance by Gaga on UK talent show The X Factor proved controversial after broadcasting watchdog Ofcom received 200 complaints because of the flesh coloured underwear worn by the popstar and her backing dancers.

Lady Gaga recently just previewed new song 'Mary Jane Holland', taken from her forthcoming album 'ARTPOP'. Lyrics in the song include the line, "I think we'd have a good time if you meet me and Mary Jane in Holland tonight".

Gaga's new single 'Venus' was revealed on October 27 ahead of her live performance on The X Factor. On Saturday (October 26) Gaga made a surprise appearance at G-A-Y in London, where she stripped naked on stage. Gaga also performed another new song from the album, 'Gypsy', live in Berlin on Thursday (October 24). The singer was in the German capital for an exclusive invite-only playback of 'ARTPOP' at the city's Berghain club, famous for its hedonistic parties and strict door policy.

'ARTPOP' is set for release on November 11.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova reportedly 'missing'

November 1, 2013 20:12

Her family haven't known of the jailed activist's whereabouts for 10 days

Jailed Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has reportedly gone missing.

Tolokonnikova's family have said that she has disappeared following her move to another jail 10 days ago. Buzzfeed reports that her father and husband last knew of her location on October 21. Andrei Tolokonnikov, her father, commented: "No one knows anything. There's no proof she's alive, we don't know the state of her health. Is she sick? Has she been beaten?"

Her husband Petya Verzilov added: "We think they moved her to a big city to hide her. It seems they got sick of these protests… This is basically the only way they have to punish Nadya — 'let's cut her off from the outside world'." Tolokonnikova has apparently been moved to a prison in Alatyr in the Volga region of Chuvashiya "for her personal safety."

Tolokonnikova recently had to suspend her nine-day hunger strike, which she began to campaign against the alleged inhumane working conditions she says she had been forced to endure at Russia's Penal Colony No 14. In a statement released to NME, she said: "I am not calling off my hunger strike, I am temporarily suspending it because of my physical condition is now very bad and there are the beginnings of health complications."

Russian authorities then refused to investigate the alleged threat made against jailed Pussy Riot member Tolokonnikova by the deputy head of the prison she was incarcerated in until recently. The local Mordovia division of country's Investigative Committee said they had discovered no evidence of any wrong-doing.

In an open letter, Tolokonnikova wrote that she asked Lieutenant Colonel Kupriyanov to let her and her fellow prisoners have eight hours of sleep. She said he then threatened her after making the request. She commented: "We were discussing decreasing the workday from 16 to 12 hours. "Fine, starting Monday, the brigade will only work for eight hours at a time," he replied. I knew this was another trap because it is physically impossible to fulfill the increased quota in 8 hours. Thus, the brigade will not have time and subsequently face punishment. "If anyone finds out that you're the one behind this, you'll never complain again," the Lieutenant Colonel continued. "After all, there's nothing to complain about in the afterlife."

Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina are both serving two-year sentences for breach of public order motivated by religious hatred. The sentences were handed to them in August 2012 after the band performed their now infamous 'punk prayer' protest against President Vladimir Putin at the Cathedral of Christ The Savior in Moscow in February 2012.

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Monday, November 11, 2013

MGMT unveil surreal 'Alien Days' video - watch

November 1, 2013 20:53

The song comes from their recently released third album 'MGMT'

MGMT have unveiled the video for their track 'Alien Days'.

Click above to watch the extraterrestrial-featuring promo for the song from their eponymous third album, which was released in September. Read NME's verdict on the Brooklyn duo's efforts here.

The band recently said that they do not think it is healthy for bands to share too much information on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Speaking to Digital Spy, both Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden said that they felt uncomfortable with feeling like they are expected to update fans constantly with information and revealed that they held off starting an MGMT Twitter account until earlier this year.

"People have come to expect that from the artist, that they should be sharing every aspect of their lives," says Goldwasser. He adds: "It dilutes the whole thing in a way, and I don't know if it'll ever be the same again where there were people like David Bowie. Who really knew anything about David Bowie? He was able to craft this mysterious image that wasn't really him but this character [Ziggy Stardust] he created. You don't know how much of it was him or the character. That's something that is getting lost."

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Sunday, November 10, 2013

Dolly Parton on goddaughter Miley Cyrus: 'I know she's thought this all through'

November 2, 2013 10:58

Former 'Hannah Montana' star Cyrus has become a provocative and controversial figure in recent months

Dolly Parton has shared her views on her famous goddaughter Miley Cyrus, insisting the young singer has "thought this all through".

Cyrus has courted controversy in recent months, first by twerking onstage with Robin Thicke at September's MTV Video Music Awards, and then by unveiling a video for her single 'Wrecking Ball' in which she appears naked and is seen licking a sledgehammer provocatively.

However, in an interview with the Evening Standard, country legend Parton spoke out in defence of her 20-year-old goddaughter. "I've loved her through the years and watched her grow up, and I've seen how smart she is and how talented she is," Parton said. "I don't think people really realise yet what a great singer and writer she really is."

Parton also insisted she feels no need to step in and offer Cyrus career advice, saying: "She's just trying to find her own place and wings and learn to fly. If she needs my opinion on something I will surely give it and there have been times we've talked. But I would never dream of calling her and saying, 'Well why are you doing this?' or, 'You shouldn't do this or that'."

Parton later added: "I know that she has thought this all through. We'll let her go and do her own thing."

Last month (October), Parton referenced her famous goddaughter while performing a rap on a US talk show. "Hey Miley, I've got your wrecking balls right here!" Parton rapped while gesturing towards her famously ample chest.


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Saturday, November 9, 2013

Lady Gaga 'sued by Teddy Riley over 'The Fame Monster' track'

November 2, 2013 16:22

Riley is said to be seeking songwriting royalties from the track 'Teeth'

Lady Gaga is reportedly being sued by R&B singer/producer Teddy Riley.

Riley co-produced 'Teeth', a track from Gaga's 2009 EP 'The Fame Monster', and is now claiming he was promised 25% of the songwriting royalties, TMZ reports.

Riley, a member of US R&B group Blackstreet ('No Diggity') as a well a songwriter-producer, is said to be seeking $500,000 in owed royalties plus punitive damages from Lady Gaga.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga has recently released a preview of 'Mary Jane Holland', a song from her forthcoming album 'ARTPOP' which appears to be a celebration of marijuana.

'ARTPOP' is set for release on November 11 and will include the singles 'Applause' and 'Venus', Gaga's R Kelly collaboration 'Do What U Want', released last week, as well as appearances by rappers TI, Twista and Too $hort on a track called 'Jewels N' Drugs'. Other song titles on the album include 'Sexxx Dreams', 'Donatella', 'Swine' and 'Fashion!'.

The 'ARTPOP' tracklisting is as follows:

'Aura'
'Venus'
'GUY (Girl Under You)'
'Sexxx Dreams'
'Jewels N’ Drugs' (feat. TI, Too $hort, and Twista)
'Manicure'
'Do What U Want' (feat. R Kelly)
'Artpop'
'Swine'
'Donatella'
'Fashion!'
'Mary Jane Holland'
'Dope (Formerly I Wanna Be With You)'
'Gypsy'
'Applause'

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Friday, November 8, 2013

Albert Hammond Jr premieres 'Carnal Cruise' video - watch

November 1, 2013 22:19

The Strokes guitarist ventures into the woods for the promo

Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes has unveiled the video for his track 'Carnal Cruise'.

The guitarist turned solo singer-songwriter premiered the promo via Complex, and you can watch it below.

Hammond Jr will play five UK shows this winter, including gigs in Brighton, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds and London. Starting in Brighton on December 5, the tour will conclude in London at XOYO on December 10. Scroll down for the full details and ticket information.

Albert Hammond Jr released a new EP, titled 'AHJ', last month on his bandmate Julian Casablancas' Cult Records label. Of the follow-up to his 2006 debut LP 'Yours To Keep' and 2008 record '¿Cómo Te Llama?', Hammond Jr said: "It’s a combination of both previous recordings, which in turn makes it feel like it’s the best material that I’ve made so far."

The guitarist recently denied that The Strokes are back in the studio following a cryptic statement in a fan mailout that the band are preparing a "return to the scene".

Albert Hammond Jr will play:

Brighton The Haunt (December 5)
Glasgow Broadcast (7)
Manchester Night & Day Café (8)
Leeds Brudenell Social Club (9)
London XOYO (10)

To check the availability of Albert Hammond Jr tickets and get all the latest listings, head to NME.COM/tickets.

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Thursday, November 7, 2013

The 1975 frontman Matt Healy calls Razorlight's Johnny Borrell a 'wanker'

November 2, 2013 10:05

Healy says Borrell would have become a 'wanker' whether Razorlight had been successful or not

The 1975 frontman Matt Healy has branded Johnny Borrell a "wanker".

The 1975 are one of the breakthrough bands of 2013, having supported The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park over the summer and then scored a Number One album with their self-titled debut in September.

Asked by The Guardian whether he worries about success turning him into a "complete wanker", Healy replied: "No, I don't. We're not worried about becoming a bunch of wankers because the people who become wankers were always gonna become wankers. Johnny Borrell is a wanker because he's a wanker, not because Razorlight got massive."

Healy also insisted that having famous parents - his father is Auf Wiedersehen, Pet actor Tim Healy and his mother Denise Welch is a well-known Loose Women panellist - has done nothing to boost the band's career. "Who's going to care about some jumped-up kid? Listen, my parents' connections couldn't have got me anywhere," he said.

Johnny Borrell released his debut solo album, 'Borrell 1', in July and saw it sell just 594 copies in its first week on sale. The album features song titles including 'Erotic Letter', 'Ladder To Your Bed' and 'Pan-European Supermodel Song (Oh! Gina)'.

The 1975, currently on tour in the US, will return to the UK for a homecoming gig at Manchester Apollo on December 10 and a set at Blackpool Rocks on December 21. They will then play six UK dates - three in Manchester, three in London - in January 2014.

The 1975 will play:

Manchester Apollo (December 20)
Blackpool Rocks (21)
Manchester Academy (January 6, 7, 8)
London Brixton Academy (9, 10, 11)

To check the availability of The 1975 tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765 .


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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Jarvis Cocker, Ryan Adams to join Beck for 'Song Reader' show

November 1, 2013 19:33

Jenny Lewis, Childish Gambino, Jack Black and Van Dyke Parks will also appear at the Los Angeles event

Jarvis Cocker and Ryan Adams are amongst the artists set to join Beck for a live rendition of his 'Song Reader' sheet music release.

The show will take place on November 24 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Jenny Lewis, Childish Gambino, Jack Black, Van Dyke Parks and John C. Reilly will also perform, whilst the show will be conducted by Beck's father, David Campbell, reports Rolling Stone.

Beck hosted a similar event event in London over the summer, where he was again joined by Cocker as well as Franz Ferdinand, Beth Orton, Charlotte Gainsbourg and The Mighty Boosh to perform songs from the 2012 release.

Beck recently announced plans to release his new album 'Morning Phase' in February 2014. The US singer-songwriter has signed a new deal with Capitol Records and will release his 12th album with the label early next year. 'Morning Phase' is Beck's first album in six years, coming after 'Modern Guilt' in 2008. The album is described as being a "companion piece" to the largely acoustic 'Sea Change', released in 2002, and will include a number of guest stars.

Confirmed names set to appear on 'Morning Phase' include Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Smokey Hormel, Roger Joseph Manning Jr, and Jason Falkner. A press release comparing the album to 'Sea Change' discusses how it "harkens back to the stunning harmonies, songcraft and staggering emotional impact of that record, while surging forward with infectious optimism".


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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Arcade Fire cover Devo's 'Uncontrollable Urge' – watch

November 1, 2013 16:57

Win Butler and co pay tribute to US New Wave band

Arcade Fire paid tribute to DEVO by covering their track 'Uncontrollable Urge' during a show in Los Angeles last night (October 31) – scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to watch.

The Canadian group covered the song, which appeared on the US band's 1978 classic record 'Are We Not Men? We Are Devo', as part of their LA gig. Playing under the name The Reflektors, the performance also saw frontman Win Butler don one of the oversized masks that he and his bandmates have been using in recent weeks.

Arcade Fire released their fourth studio album 'Reflektor' earlier this week (October 28). Speaking to NME in new interview in this week's issue, available digitally and on newsstands now, Butler said that the band saw themselves as the "black sheep" of the music industry.

He said: "In a weird way, our band feels in a similar position to a band like The Cure before alternative music really happened. We're the weird band in this more mainstream context, a little bit of the black sheep, you know?"

It was reported earlier this week that the LP is set to top this weekend's Official UK album chart – they are currently outselling Katy Perry's LP 'Prism', which is currently sitting at the summit, by three copies to one, according to the Official Charts Company.

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Monday, November 4, 2013

Tinie Tempah given marriage advice by Lionel Richie

November 3, 2013 13:26

Rapper also revealed that U2's Bono invited him for dinner

Tinie Tempah has revealed that he was given marriage advice by Lionel Richie.

Quizzed by GQ about his best 'guy tip', the 'Pass Out' rapper said he was told by Richie to "never get married" after his own two failed marriages, to Brenda Harvey and, most recently, Diana Alexander.

Tempah also touched on some of the craziest celebrity moments he's encountered since his debut album 'Disc-Overy' made it to Number One in the Official UK Albums Chart in 2011, including being invited over to dinner with U2's Bono.

He said: "Bono called me one time about a dinner he was having that he wanted me to attend, we spoke for about 20 minutes and he said he was really impressed that I was already doing venues like the O2 in London. I was so nervous!"

Meanwhile, Tinie Tempah has also recently revealed that Adele recorded a "filthy" rap while he was working in the studio with Labrinth a couple of years ago. The singer apparently showed off her flow while Tempah and Labrinth were recording 'Earthquake', their Number Two hit single from 2011.

"She was with me and Labrinth in the studio when he recorded 'Earthquake'," Tempah recalled during an interview on Alan Carr: Chatty Man on Friday (November 1). "Nobody really knows this. She recorded a rap and she told us that if we ever played it to anyone she would sue us. So when you talk to her next, ask her about the rap. It is really filthy as well."

Tempah also revealed that Adele "helped me pick some of the songs" for new album 'Demonstration', which is released this Monday (November 4). The album, Tempah's follow-up to his 2010 debut 'Disc-Overy', features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Labrinth, Laura Mvula and Emeli Sandé.

The rapper will support the album with an 11-date UK arena tour this December (2013), culminating in a massive show at London's O2 Arena on December 18.

Tinie Tempah will play:

Aberdeen AECC (December 2)
Manchester Phones 4u Arena (5)
Leeds First Direct Arena (6)
Nottingham Capital FM Arena (8)
Glasgow Hydro (9)
Newcastle Arena (11)
Liverpool Echo Arena (12)
Cardiff Motorpoint Arena (13)
Bournemouth BIC (15)
Birmingham LG Arena (16)
London 02 Arena (18)

To check the availability of Tinie Tempah tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765 .

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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Dan Aykroyd and Jill Scott join Mick Jagger's James Brown biopic

November 2, 2013 12:52

Chadwick Boseman will play Brown in the forthcoming film produced by Jagger

Dan Aykroyd and Jill Scott have joined the cast of Get On Up, the forthcoming film about James Brown that Mick Jagger is producing.

The film was given a green light in August of this year (2013) and Chadwick Boseman (42, Fringe - pictured right) was cast as the late soul legend.

Scott will co-star as Brown's wife Susie, The Hollywood Reporter now reports, and Aykroyd will play Ben Bart, the president of the talent agency that represented him for over 40 years.

The Help's Tate Taylor is on board as director and two of that film's stars, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, will appear in supporting roles as Brown's mother (Davis) and aunt (Spencer) respectively. Shooting is due to start this month (November) for an October 2014 release date.

The film will chart Brown's rise from an impoverished upbringing in small-town South Carolina to become the iconic recording artist known as the "The Godfather Of Soul" - while also documenting his financial difficulties, brushes with the law and battles with drug addiction. Brown died of congestive heart failure on Christmas Day 2006 at the age of 73.

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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Judge denies Usher's ex-wife custody of sons after accident

n">(Reuters) - A judge in Atlanta on Friday denied the ex-wife of R&B singer Usher temporary primary custody of their two children after one of them was hospitalized following a swimming pool accident at Usher's house.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge John J. Goger dismissed the motion for primary custody filed on Tuesday by Tameka Foster, saying that there was no reason for the singer to relinquish primary custody because of one accident.

Usher, 34, has custody of 5-year-old Usher Raymond V and his younger brother Naviyd, 4.

The Grammy winner and coach on NBC's TV singing contest "The Voice" won custody of the boys last year. He was married to Foster, 42, from 2007 to 2009.

In her court filing, Foster had alleged that Usher failed to personally exercise physical custody of the children by using caregivers and also traveled excessively, which took away from his parenting time.

The singer, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, was not at his Atlanta area home on Monday when Usher Raymond V's arm got caught in a swimming pool drain when he tried to retrieve a toy.

The boys' aunt, Rena Oden, and two other women tried to pull the child free but could not. Contractors installing audio-visual equipment at the house jumped into the pool, rescued him and administered CPR.

"What happened here was an awful accident," Goger said when explaining his decision. "Based on the evidence here, I'm not certain that one person could have done any better than Ms. Oden. Ms. Oden did impress me."

Usher, Foster and Oden all testified at the hearing.

The boy is recovering in an Atlanta hospital and is expected to be released on Sunday, Usher's attorney said.

Last year Foster's older child and Usher's stepson, 11-year-old Kile Glover, died after suffering a brain injury during a jet-ski accident.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Mary Milliken and Mohammad Zargham)


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Monday, August 12, 2013

Kings of Leon go 'young and fun' for new album 'Mechanical Bull'

Rock band Kings of Leon pose on arrival at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 13, 2011. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Rock band Kings of Leon pose on arrival at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 13, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Danny Moloshok

By Piya Sinha-Roy

LOS ANGELES | Fri Aug 9, 2013 5:42am EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rock group Kings of Leon are getting less serious with age, as the band prepares to bring "young and fun" new music on Friday to their fans across the world in a quirky collaboration with comedian Fred Armisen.

Kings of Leon, formed by Followill brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared and cousin Matthew, are marking a decade in the music industry since their debut album "Youth & Young Manhood" was released in 2003.

After a hiatus in 2012, Kings of Leon are back on the road to support their upcoming sixth studio album "Mechanical Bull," due out in September.

Matthew Followill, the band's guitarist, said the new album will see the rockers embracing a lighter sound, set by the lead single "Supersoaker." The new album also marks a milestone in the band members' own lives as they have all become family men in recent years, getting married and becoming parents.

"It ended up being a lot more young and fun-sounding than the other albums. We're not so serious this time," Followill told Reuters of "Mechanical Bull."

"We're still the same people, we just have kids and it was really awesome. It made us almost have more fun in life and not take things so seriously, we just had a little more fun with things."

Formed in Nashville, Tennessee, Kings of Leon have steadily risen into the spotlight over the last ten years, breaking into the mainstream music charts with 2008's "Only By The Night," which featured hit singles "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody."

The band have picked up Grammy awards for their now trademark fusion of Southern blues and roots rock music, and Followill said they were experimenting with taking their sound in new directions on "Mechanical Bull."

"We have one song ('Don't Matter') that's the hardest rocking song that we've ever done, and it's the fastest, so that's new for us. We also have some steel guitar on this album and we have some strings at the end of one song, a quartet," he said.

The band suffered setbacks in 2011 when it was forced to cancel its U.S. tour citing health concerns after lead singer Caleb Followill walked off stage during a concert in Dallas, saying he couldn't sing.

Matthew Followill said a hiatus had already been planned and was needed after a grueling tour schedule in "the hottest summer," and that the time off has brought the members closer together.

"It just put everything in perspective, and we actually wanted to get back out there and we were really excited to make a new album, and I think it shows that we were really excited to be in the studio and with each other, playing music," he said.

The band has teamed up with U.S. comedian Fred Armisen, best known for "Saturday Night Live" and comedy series "Portlandia," who will direct a live stream of Kings of Leon's American Express Unstaged performance at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on Friday.

Kings of Leon worked with the funnyman on a series of short comedic videos featuring a band competition, in which Armisen judges which Followill is the best member in the band. The results are expected to be revealed on Friday, and viewers can watch the band perform live at www.amexunstaged.com.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy)


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Jazz keyboardist George Duke dead at 67

Pianist George Duke performs during the ''Hommage a Ahmet Ertegun'' show at the 40th Montreux Jazz festival in Montreux June 30, 2006. REUTERS/Dominic Favre

Pianist George Duke performs during the ''Hommage a Ahmet Ertegun'' show at the 40th Montreux Jazz festival in Montreux June 30, 2006.

Credit: Reuters/Dominic Favre

LOS ANGELES | Tue Aug 6, 2013 2:30pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy-winning jazz keyboardist and producer George Duke, best known as a pioneer of fusion jazz and for his collaborations with rock musician Frank Zappa, has died, his publicist said. He was 67.

Duke, who died on Monday night in Los Angeles, had been suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, publicist Mike Wilpizeski said.

Duke, known for embracing synthesizers and fusing jazz with other genres such as rock and funk, began his career in the mid-1960s after joining San Francisco's Half Note jazz club's house band, which was fronted by singer Al Jarreau.

The musician's international breakout album was 1969's "The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with The George Duke Trio," which is considered as one of the first fusion jazz recordings, combining jazz with the electric violin of the French virtuoso Ponty.

Duke's albums "Faces in Reflection," "The Aura Will Prevail" and "Liberated Fantasies," all released in the 1970s, are considered classics of jazz-funk fusion.

During that time, Duke also collaborated on several albums with Zappa as a member of his Mothers of Invention band, including "Chunga's Revenge," "The Grand Wazoo" and "Over-Nite Sensation."

Duke, who was born in San Rafael, California, was first exposed to jazz at the age of 4 when his mother took him to a performance by pianist Duke Ellington. He began his formal training at age 7 with the music of his Baptist church as his earliest influence.

His production work spanned jazz, R&B and pop music, including work on recordings by trumpeter Miles Davis, pop singer Barry Manilow, R&B singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson and country singer Lyle Lovett.

Duke also scored a pop hit in 1981 with "Sweet Baby," a collaboration with bassist Stanley Clarke. Duke earned Grammy awards for his jazz production work for singer Dianne Reeves in 2000 and 2001.

The last of 40 Duke's albums, "DreamWeaver," was released last month.

He is survived by his two sons.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Bill Trott)


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Sunday, August 11, 2013

Green Day not liable for using artist's work at concerts

By Jonathan Stempel

Wed Aug 7, 2013 1:16pm EDT

n">(Reuters) - Dereck Seltzer wasn't happy when he learned that Green Day used his artwork without permission as a video backdrop at its concerts. But a federal appeals court on Wednesday said the popular rock band didn't violate his rights.

The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California, in what it called a "close and difficult case," can make it easier for performers to incorporate works of art to enhance the experience of concert fans, so long as they don't simply copy the artwork or diminish its value.

Seltzer, a Los Angeles illustrator, in 2003 created "Scream Icon," an abstract image of an anguished, contorted face that has been used on posters and plastered on walls as street art.

During a 2009 tour, Green Day, whose lead singer is Billie Joe Armstrong and which has sold more than 70 million records, used a version of the artwork covered by a red "spray-painted" cross in a video backdrop for its song "East Jesus Nowhere."

The version had been adapted from a photo of a weathered and torn copy of Seltzer's work posted on a brick wall on a corner of Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Seltzer sued after rejecting a proposed settlement that included concert tickets. But a federal district judge in Los Angeles in 2011 rejected his claims of copyright infringement and violations of the Lanham Act, a federal trademark law.

In upholding that decision, Circuit Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain wrote for the 9th Circuit that Green Day's use of "Scream Icon" was fair, and was "transformative and not overly commercial" despite making few alterations.

"With the spray-painted cross, in the context of a song about the hypocrisy of religion, surrounded by religious iconography, (the) video backdrop using Scream Icon conveys new information, new aesthetics, new insights and understandings that are plainly distinct from those of the original piece," O'Scannlain wrote for a three-judge panel.

O'Scannlain said Seltzer's testimony that the value of his work wasn't affected, and the absence of the work from Green Day merchandise and promotional material, also weighed in the band's favor.

The 9th Circuit did overturn a $201,000 award of attorney's fees to Green Day. Even though Seltzer lost, it said, he had not been "objectively unreasonable" by suing.

Nathan Canby, a lawyer at Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman representing Seltzer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Peter Anderson, a lawyer for Green Day, did not immediately respond to similar requests.

The case is Seltzer v Green Day Inc et al, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 11-56573.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Vicki Allen)


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Saturday, August 10, 2013

Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' tops Billboard album, digital charts

Singer Robin Thicke performs on NBC's ''Today'' show in midtown New York, July 30, 2013. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Singer Robin Thicke performs on NBC's ''Today'' show in midtown New York, July 30, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri

By Piya Sinha-Roy

LOS ANGELES | Wed Aug 7, 2013 3:55pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B singer Robin Thicke landed his first No. 1 album on Wednesday as his latest record, "Blurred Lines," topped the Billboard 200 album chart, led by the single of the same name that has become one of this summer's biggest hits.

Thicke's sixth studio album sold 177,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The album features collaborations with rappers Kendrick Lamar, T.I. and singer/producer Pharrell Williams.

The album's lead single, "Blurred Lines," featuring T.I. and Williams, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart this summer.

Thicke, 36, son of Canadian actor Alan Thicke, first emerged a decade ago with the album "A Beautiful World" and reached a new level this year with the catchy, raunchy hit "Blurred Lines," which also yielded an eyebrow-raising, nudity-filled video.

The single also climbed back to No. 1 on Billboard's Digital Songs chart this week after being knocked off by One Direction's "Best Song Ever" last week. "Blurred Lines" sold 400,000 downloads this week, bringing its total digital tally to 4.2 million since its release in March.

Rock band Five Finger Death Punch entered the chart at No. 2 this week with its latest album, "The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell: Volume 1," selling 112,000 copies. It came ahead of rapper Jay Z's "Magna Carta ... Holy Grail," which dropped one spot to No. 3.

Other new entries in the top 10 on this week's Billboard 200 album chart include indie rapper Tech N9ne's "Something Else" at No. 4 and boy band Backstreet Boys at No. 5 with "In A World Like This."

Backstreet Boys, one of the biggest U.S. pop bands of the 1990s, are staging a comeback with all five original members and embarked on a world tour with another 1990s boy band, New Kids on the Block, in 2012.

"In a World Like This" is Backstreet Boys' ninth album to make its debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

Pop rockers Emblem3, one of the runners-up on Fox reality talent show "The X Factor" last year, entered the Billboard album chart at No. 7 with their debut record, "Nothing to Lose."

Overall album sales in the week ending August 4 totaled 5.1 million, down 3 percent from the comparable week in 2012.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Bill Trott)


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Country music legend 'Cowboy' Jack Clement dies at 82

Country music artist Jack Clement sings a tribute to the late country music legend Johnny Cash, during the Cash tribute concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, in this November 10, 2003, file photo. REUTERS/John Sommers II/Files

Country music artist Jack Clement sings a tribute to the late country music legend Johnny Cash, during the Cash tribute concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, in this November 10, 2003, file photo.

Credit: Reuters/John Sommers II/Files

By Tim Ghianni

NASHVILLE | Thu Aug 8, 2013 11:15pm EDT

NASHVILLE (Reuters) - "Cowboy" Jack Clement, who inspired pioneering rock'n'rollers and classic country musicians, sometimes while prancing around the music studio in his bathrobe and playing the ukulele, died on Thursday at his home in Nashville. He was 82.

Clement died after a long bout with liver cancer, just months before he was to have been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, which confirmed his death.

Despite his nickname, which was a holdover from an old radio skit rather than anything to do with horses and six-shooters, Clement actually favored Hawaiian print shirts and was as far removed as possible from actually being a cowboy.

While he was not a star himself, Clement inspired the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and even U2, during his long career in music.

"He had a role in two really important changes in American culture," said Michael McCall, a writer and editor at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Clement played a large role in the birth of rock'n'roll when he was hired as a producer and engineer at Sun Records, where he worked with music greats such as Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Charlie Rich.

"He was there when Jerry Lee walked in, and who knows what wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been there," said McCall.

It was also at Sun that the young engineer wrote "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" and "Guess Things Happen That Way," two songs that a young rocker from east Arkansas named Johnny Cash turned into No. 1 country and Top Twenty pop hits in 1958.

The friendship between the two men was deep and special.

"Cash liked working with him because they had so much fun," said McCall.

Clement then moved to Nashville, where he continued writing songs and worked as an engineer, producer, recording studio owner, music publisher and as an artist, leaving an indelible mark on the city.

It was in Nashville that Clement was the first to record Charley Pride, a black singer, which helped desegregate country music and began an association that lasted 13 albums.

Clement also had three Nashville studios and a publishing company. Among his genre-busting achievements was producing Jennings' Dreaming My Dreams, one of the most acclaimed albums to be released during the 1970s heyday of the so-called Outlaws on Music Row.

Merle Haggard, Ray Stevens and a host of country luminaries liked to record at Clement's studios.

But he would step out far from country to work with polka bands and gritty singer-songwriters like John Prine and Townes Van Zandt. He even produced tracks for U2's Rattle and Hum, a popular tribute to American music in 1988.

McCall noted that Clement had a knack for spotting "game-changing artists" - in the likes of Lewis, Cash, Pride and Williams - and "bringing them to the public."

While the list of musical achievements spans more than five decades, it could easily have been overshadowed by Clement himself.

"He was a musical mastermind, but he brought this sense of fun and mischief (into the studio)," McCall said. "He danced around in his bathrobe and played the ukulele. He would do anything spontaneously to keep the mood light and fun and to keep his sense of joy about music."

Guitarist Scotty Moore, who worked with Clement at Sun, lamented his friend's passing.

"He was just an all-around fine fellow for me," said Moore from his home outside Nashville. "He was just Jack."

(Editing by Brendan O'Brien and Lisa Shumaker)


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Rapper 50 Cent pleads not guilty to domestic violence charge

Rapper Curtis ''50 Cent'' Jackson arrives for the premiere of the movie '2 Guns' in New York, July 29, 2013. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Rapper Curtis ''50 Cent'' Jackson arrives for the premiere of the movie '2 Guns' in New York, July 29, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri

LOS ANGELES | Mon Aug 5, 2013 3:29pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. rapper 50 Cent pleaded not guilty on Monday to allegedly kicking his ex-girlfriend and a judge ordered him to stay away from the woman and get rid of his guns.

The Grammy-winning rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, wore a suit and stood silently at the hearing stemming from a June incident at the condominium of his former girlfriend, model Daphne Narvaez, who is the mother of his child.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Bernard Kamins ordered 50 Cent to have no contact with Narvaez and to turn over any firearms he might have to police or sell them.

The 38-year-old rapper was charged last month with one count of misdemeanor domestic violence and four counts of vandalism after he allegedly kicked open a door at Narvaez's condo in the Toluca Lake community of Los Angeles, kicked her and destroyed a piece of furniture, a chandelier and a television. The property damage was valued at $7,100.

The rapper faces a maximum penalty of five years in jail and $46,000 in fines if convicted on all counts.

The city attorney's office has said that the altercation started over an allegation of relationship Narvaez had.

50 Cent shot to fame with his 2003 debut studio album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," which has sold about 15 million copies globally, making it one of the best-selling rap albums of all time.

He also starred in the 2005 semi-autobiographical film of the same name. He has had roles in the 2006 war drama "Home of the Brave" and the upcoming crime-thriller "The Frozen Ground," which stars Nicolas Cage and John Cusack.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Bill Trott)


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Saturday, June 22, 2013

After four decades, Black Sabbath tops U.S. album chart

Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath, Bill Ward (L), Ozzy Osborne (2nd L), Geezer Butler and Tony Lommi (R), announce their reunion during a news conference at the Whiskey A Go Go, the club where the band first performed 41 years ago, in Los Angeles, California November 11, 2011. REUTERS/David McNew

Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath, Bill Ward (L), Ozzy Osborne (2nd L), Geezer Butler and Tony Lommi (R), announce their reunion during a news conference at the Whiskey A Go Go, the club where the band first performed 41 years ago, in Los Angeles, California November 11, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/David McNew

By Piya Sinha-Roy

LOS ANGELES | Wed Jun 19, 2013 3:23pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran heavy-metal band Black Sabbath landed its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, more than four decades after the rockers debuted their first album in the United States.

"13," the 19th studio album from Black Sabbath, sold 155,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, knocking last week's No. 1 album by Queens of the Stone Age off the top spot on the weekly U.S. album chart.

Black Sabbath, an English rock band fronted by lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, released their debut self-titled album in North America in 1970, but were never able to notch the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart in a career spanning 43 years.

"The news is absolutely amazing - we couldn't have imagined this would happen," guitarist and founding member Tony Iommi said in a statement. Osbourne added, "to finally have our first No. 1 album in the U.S. is another incredible milestone for Black Sabbath."

French electronic duo Daft Punk held steady for the second week at No. 2 with "Random Access Memories," which has sold 543,000 copies since its release on May 18.

Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" saw a surge in sales last week after the album was discounted for Father's Day, with 35,000 copies sold and climbing from No. 9 to No. 3.

Country band Florida Georgia Line also benefited from Father's Day promotion sale prices, as their album "Here's to the Good Times" climbing back into the top 10 at No. 5.

Black Sabbath was one of five new debut albums in the top ten this week.

Boy band Big Time Rush came in at No. 4 with "24/Seven," alternative-rockers Goo Goo Dolls landed at No. 8 with their latest record "Magnetic," and movie score maestro Hans Zimmer's soundtrack for Superman movie "Man of Steel" flew into No. 9.

Comedy trio The Lonely Island, fronted by former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Andy Samberg, rounded out the top 10 with their latest collection of parodies, "The Wack Album."

Overall album sales totaled 5.25 million for the week ending June 16, down 10 percent from the comparable sales week in 2012, according to Billboard.

Next week's chart is likely to see a high debut from rapper Kanye West, who released his latest record "Yeezus" this week and is currently at the top of the iTunes album chart.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Jackie Frank)


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Friday, June 21, 2013

Rolling Stones release back catalogue on iTunes

Mick Jagger (2nd L) performs with Ronnie Wood (rear L-R), Keith Richards and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones at a concert during the band's ''50 and Counting'' tour in Chicago May 28, 2013. REUTERS/John Gress

Mick Jagger (2nd L) performs with Ronnie Wood (rear L-R), Keith Richards and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones at a concert during the band's ''50 and Counting'' tour in Chicago May 28, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/John Gress

LONDON | Wed Jun 19, 2013 12:39pm EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones released a career-spanning digitally re-mastered back catalogue on Apple Inc's iTunes Store on Wednesday as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.

The new iTunes release chronicles the British group's entire oeuvre, from their introductory 1963 cover of Chuck Berry's "Come On" to last year's Greatest Hits collection "GRRR!", their record label Universal Music said on Wednesday.

The Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts - emerged alongside the Beatles in the early 1960s.

They became one of the most successful groups in rock and roll history with hits such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Sympathy for the Devil".

The new releases have been re-mastered exclusively for iTunes and will feature all the band's classic studio albums as well as live albums and compilations.

In addition, the complete catalogue is available in two parts on iTunes, spanning the periods 1963-1971 and 1971-2013.

The Stones kicked off their biggest tour in six years in Los Angeles last month after a sell-out mini-tour of Europe and the United States last year.

The veteran rockers are also set to headline Britain's biggest musical festival, Glastonbury, for the first time on June 29, and perform in London's Hyde Park for the first time since a tribute concert to founder member and guitarist Brian Jones 44 years ago, two days after his death.

"It seems like yesterday," Richards told the BBC in April. "It's going to be a great summer, man ... All the gigs we haven't done or wanted to redo are popping up."

They last went on the road for their "A Bigger Bang" tour from 2005 to 2007, playing 144 shows around the world and grossing more than $550 million, one of the world's most lucrative rock tours.

The Stones have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide and toured 40 times, mostly across Europe and North America in the 1960s and 1970s.

Live performances have emerged as the major money earner in the music business as record sales go digital, with growing numbers of veteran acts returning to the stage and attracting well-heeled, ageing fans willing to pay high ticket prices.

(Reporting by Paul Casciato; Editing by Kevin Liffey)


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Jay Z's million-album Samsung sale unlikely to count for charts

Rapper Shawn ''Jay-Z'' Carter attends 'The Great Gatsby' world premiere at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York May 1, 2013 REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Rapper Shawn ''Jay-Z'' Carter attends 'The Great Gatsby' world premiere at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York May 1, 2013

Credit: Reuters/Andrew Kelly

By Eric Kelsey

LOS ANGELES | Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:01pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Jay Z's upcoming studio album will go to a million users of Samsung smartphones three days before its official release in a promotional deal, but the distribution is unlikely to count toward official sales figures, an industry expert said on Monday.

Jay Z, 43, announced on Sunday in a three-minute television commercial during the telecast of basketball's NBA Finals that his latest album "Magna Carter Holy Grail" will be released on July 4 exclusively to 1 million users of Samsung smartphones who had downloaded a special app. That is three days before its public release.

On Monday, the rapper said the record was "platinum," posting on Twitter, "If 1 Million records gets SOLD and billboard (magazine) doesn't report it, did it happen? Ha...Platinum!!!"

For official counting purposes the answer is "no," said David Bakula, an analyst for Nielsen Entertainment, whose Nielsen SoundScan figures are used to rank Billboard's weekly music chart.

Although the rapper's latest album is expected top the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart in its first week, bulk sales that are given away are not counted in total sales, according to Billboard's policy, even if the rapper and his record label are paid for the records.

"The bottom line is they're getting paid on a million albums," Bakula told Reuters. "From what Billboard considers chart-eligible, we don't count free-to-consumers (albums)."

In the commercial for "Magna Carter Holy Grail," Jay Z is seen in a recording studio discussing the new album, release date and the deal with South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

The decision to distribute the album to Samsung users three days before the record becomes available to the general public on July 7 may come as a blow to Samsung's chief smartphone rival, Apple Inc, makers of iPhones and music distribution service iTunes.

This is the first solo album since 2009's "The Blueprint 3" for Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.

The rapper last collaborated with rapper Kanye West on the 2011 album "Watch the Throne," which topped album charts and was accompanied by a sold-out world tour.

Jay Z will begin a "Legends of Summer" North American stadium tour with pop singer Justin Timberlake on July 17, after featuring on Timberlake's hit song "Suit & Tie."

Samsung holds the largest global market share among smartphone makers with 32.7 percent. Apple is in second with 17.3 percent. Samsung shipped 70.7 million phones in the first quarter this year.

"Magna Carta Holy Grail" will be released by Universal Music Group's Roc-A-Fella Records. Universal is owned by France's Vivendi SA.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


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