Brooklyn-based band head into the studio to record follow-up to The Boxer

31 March 2009 - Melancholic indie band The National have said their new material features “higher” and “louder” singing from frontman Matt Berninger.

Their critically-acclaimed last albumThe Boxerwas released in 2007 and guitarist, pianist and bassist Aaron Dessner told 6 Music how far along they are with its follow-up.

“We’ve written a lot of music and Matt [Berninger], who sings, has been sitting with it and writing a lot of lyrics,” he explained. “I think he’s getting close to having a lot of finished songs that we’ll start recording.”

Speaking of the location, the band have built a recording studio in Dessner’s garage.“It’s like we’re in Disney land or something,” he said laughingly. “We feel like Metallica.”

They are due to head into the studio in the next couple of weeks: “I think we’re going to start recording in April and be done with it in the fall and I guess it will come out in early 2010.”

Fans of their last offering should be prepared for a different style of vocals.

"Matt is singing a lot higher and a lot louder."

Aaron Dessner

“We always challenge ourselves to change what we’re doing and experiment with form and the aesthetic of how we’re recording things,” Dessner explained. “But I can’t really say yet exactly how it will be different, except that Matt is singing a lot higher and a lot louder.”He added: “He’s not murmuring so much likeThe Boxer, which I’m kind of glad about, and there’s one new song which seems to have more lyrics than the entire album ofBoxerso that was amusing.”

The band have already road-tested some new tracks at gigs; they recently performed Karamazov and Wake Up Your Saints at a benefit for Tibet House in New York.

Dessner admitted it was a risk: “We never really debut songs live because we’re too nervous and it takes us too long so figure out what they are, but it was a really good sign of where things are going because it went really well.”

They have just announced a string of North American dates in May, with dates in Toronto, Washington DC and Atlanta.

Georgie Rogers

Ornette Coleman to curate Meltdown 2009 at the South Bank Centre

29 March 2009 - It was announced today that the 'free jazz' legend will be the artistic director of the festival, which takes place between the 13th and 21st June.

It’s 50 years since Coleman exploded into people’s consciousness with his ‘free jazz’ revolution. He pioneered the idea of improvising without chord changes, which is widely regarded to have changed the musical landscape at the time.

And half a century later Coleman is still making headlines, his 2006 albumSound Grammar won thePulitzer Prize, in 2007 he received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and that same year the saxophonist played the Royal Festival Hall to rave reviews.

Coleman revealed his hopes for Meltdown 2009:

"I hope this festival will leave us with a lot of love for all mankind. We will use this time to gather together and create things that we love and believe in."

"I hope this festival will leave us with a lot of love for all mankind."Ornette Coleman

Jude Kelly, the Southbank Centre’s Artistic Director, explained their decision to enlist Coleman:

"We are delighted that the man who took the world in an entirely unexpected direction in 1959, and who continues to inspire, innovate and surprise fifty years on, has accepted our invitation to create a festival."

The full line-up for the event is still to be announced but it’s confirmed that Coleman will perform two very special concerts. One is inspired by his 1959 releaseThe Shape of Jazz to Comeand the other by his 1961 releaseThis Is Our Music. Both concerts will take place in the Royal Festival Hall.Previous Meltdown curators include Massive Attack and Jarvis and acts including David Bowie, Morrissey and Patti Smith have all performed at the event.Elizabeth Alker

Astoria’s Silent Goodbye

Fans gather to campaign for replacement venue

28 March 2009 - A small group of campaigners took part in a silent disco outside the Astoria in central London in a bid to get more information about the venue’s replacement.

The Astoria shut its doors for the last time in January after a £16 billion Crossrail development finally got the green light.

The deal included guarantees that a venue of similar size would be built in central London to make up for the loss of one of the capital’s best loved music venues.

Facebook groups and a petition have been set up to pressure Westminster Council and Crossrail into announcing who will be responsible for the new build.

Despite their attempts to find out more information, protest organiser India Walker told 6 Music they’re being kept in the dark:

“We’re going to keep writing to Boris Johnson and Crossrail and Westminster Council until we find out who is responsible because they each are saying each other.

“We’re going to bug them until we get a similar venue built.”

Organisers were probably hoping for a larger turnout for the Astoria’s final send off, but perhaps the hail, rain and higher profile G20 protests in Hyde Park took some potential silent disco-ers away.

One protestor told 6 Music why she was there, “I came down, just to remind myself of what good times I had within this building. It’s a shame that it’s going in its entirety, I was hoping they would keep some of the front.”

Another added, “I think we haven’t got sufficient information about what’s going on.”

A police riot van and some security fencing were on stand by, however, the protest was peaceful with campaigners handing out flyers and dancing to the sounds coming from their MP3 players.

Rather fittingly, it was a silent goodbye to a now silent venue.

Will Drysdale

Dolly Parton exclusive

Country queen discusses 9 to 5: The Musical, film plans and considers Glastonbury

27 March 2009 - A musical, scored by Dolly Parton, of the iconic film 9 to 5 is opening on Broadway next month.The country star played the role of Doralee Rhodes in the comedy film in 1980.

Staged by Tony Award-winning director Joe Mantello, the theatre version is currently rehearsing; previews begin on 7 April with the opening night taking place in New York on 30 April.9 to 5: The Musicalreceived rave reviews when it was staged at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, it includes the Oscar nominated title track as well as 18 original numbers written by Parton.The multiple Grammy-award winning songwriter's career dates back to 1959 with a back catalogue including hits Jolene, I Will Always Love You and Islands In The Stream.In an interview with BBC 6 Music, the 63 year-old star discusses the stage production, reveals her plans for a film and Broadway show of her life and says she would consider performing at Glastonbury.

This is the first time you've done a musical on Broadway. Are you nervous about the whole thing?

DP: I think I'm more excited really, it borders on being nervous but I've never done this before so I've just got those butterflies in my stomach, mostly hoping that it does good. Never doing this before you just don't know what to expect but I got in there and gritted my teeth, rolled up my sleeves and did the best I could. Everybody seems to think it's good. I was very honoured when I won the Drama Critics award in Los Angeles for the music because I thought that was a good indication for Broadway.

Was it quite a challenge for you writing music for a musical rather than the album format?

DP: It was a little different. There was a little bit more freedom in it. You can just write until you've said what you think the character needed to say. I got a chance to write for different personalities, for the men, the Mr Hart character. I got a big kick out of doing that and performing his part in my manly voice and writing what I think a man would think. I had my Father, all my uncles and I have six brothers and all these nephews and a husband as well so I really know how men think. It was fun and of course I know what women think, so that was the easy part.

Will we get to see the musical in the UK. Are there plans to tour it?

DP: Yes I think there will. If we stay on Broadway, if it is a hit then I'm sure at some point it will be travelling and certainly I would think it would go to London. I haven't heard that for sure but I just always thought it would.

Were you involved in picking the person that played your role?

DP: I've been involved in every bit of it from the beginning, in the producer's role as well with the production team. I've been there through all the casting. The girl that we wound up with to play Doralee Rhodes, her name is Megan Hilty and she is just the cutest thing. She's a lot prettier than I have ever been or ever will be but she's got the essence of me. She's a little short person, like me, with all the big hair and she's studied my accents and she's a great singer.

"We'll certainly maybe one of these times get a chance to do it."Dolly Parton on Glastonbury

In fact I'm thinking about doing a story of my life in movies real soon and I'm gonna make sure that they audition her for the part for the movie as well, because she wound up being so cute.  When she comes on everybody thinks they're watching me.Is the movie something you would like to do soon?DP: It's one of my next projects so hopefully within a year and half or so we may have a movie out of my life. I'd also love to take my life story to Broadway as a musical and I have been writing lots of songs on that. I want to do a lot of children's projects, children's albums children's books so that's another of my big projects to further.Looking back at the film, it must be nice seeing how attitudes have changed to women in the work place?DP: We really have come a long way. It brought a lot of attention to that and a lot of changes have been made because of that little movie, but Jane Fonda is the one that should get the real credit for that because she is the one that came up with the original idea and got people to write it.  She's the one that chose Lily [Tomlin] and me so she's really the momma of that whole thing.You have become a producer, a writer and you own your own companies across the world.How do you feel about being held up as an icon of successful womanhood?DP: I've always been so busy doing my work that I don't think about what I've accomplished I just think about what I'm gonna accomplish next. I'm very proud and very humbled by everything good that's happened to me. I've worked my butt off there's no doubt, and I'll continue to do that, but it's a nice compliment when people talk nice about you.Next year is the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury. Would you consider doing it?DP: Well I would certainly consider it. We've got a lot of things going on. I couldn't promise that I'd do it but we'll certainly maybe one of these times get a chance to do it.Georgie Rogers

Kasabian album freebie

Band giving away a turbo-charged track from their Empire follow-up

26 March 2009 - Vlad The Impaler from Kasabian’s third record,The West Rider Pauper Lunatic Asylum, will become available on 31 March.

The album is not out until 8 June but fans will be able to download one of the tracks off it for free from their official website for a period of four days, until midnight on 13 April.

The song was written by guitarist and vocalist Serge Pizzorno with assistance on production from Dan The Automator, famed for his work with Gorillaz and DJ Shadow.

“Vlad is a total chaos tune,” explained Serge. “It’s a call out to all our people, the ones who are tuned into our radio station.”

The track’s music video features Noel Fielding and was filmed on a potato farm outside Doncaster.

The Mighty Boosh star plays a character who causes havoc at every turn in the video, which was directed by Richard Ayoade. His credits include Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend.

The first single from the latest batch will be Fire, out on 1 June.The band are performing at the Royal Albert Hall tomorrow (26 March) as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs and you'll be able to hear from them on the Music Week here on 6 Music at 1pm GMT on Sunday 29 March.

PRS launch website

Marillion, Jools Holland and Pete Waterman back new initiative

25 March 2009 - A new website designed to act as a body for songwriters to protect their music on the web was launched today.

The Performing Rights Society has set up Fairplayforcreators.com to highlight the "issues of online earnings."

This follows the row between YouTube and PRS over royalty rates, which resulted in the removal of thousands of music videos from the site.Artists, songwriters, broadcasters and record producer Pete Waterman have all posted messages on the site.

The intention of the site is to encourage internet giant Google to re-instate the premium music videos on YouTube.

Adrian Crooks, a spokesman for PRS told BBC 6 Music: "The website is also saying, along with music fans, 'Lets get the music back up on YouTube so that everyone can enjoy it, but lets make sure the people who have created the music are properly rewarded for providing the business benefit'.

"It's to demonstrate a strength of feeling amongst creators, to demonstrate also that very often PRS for music is seen as an organisation that stops access to the music and that's not what it does. That's not what it's there for."Artists backingMusic industry members from radio, television presenter Paul Gambaccini, Jools Holland and even the writers of the Eastenders and Peep Show theme-tunes are all behind the initiative.Music industry mogul Pete Waterman has joined the debate and stated: "YouTube is not alone in the online hall of shame where the worthy notion of greater consumer choice is used as a cloak to disguise the fact that copyright infringement happens on a grand scale."Keyboardist, Mark Kelly, for the British rock group Marillion who have been active since 1972 said YouTube is, "a great resource", but admitted he has seen little monetary benefit from his material being on the site."There have been maybe 10 million views of Marillion's material on YouTube and in my last PRS statement I received 0.6 pence from them," he explained."If we get 0.6 pence for 10 million views, we'd need billions of views to see any real money."

Marillion keyboardist

"There's a bit of a gap I think between what they should be paying and what they actually are paying, certainly in our case.

"I'm not sure what that works out at but if we get 0.6 pence for 10 million views, we'd need billions of views to see any real money."

In his post on the Fairplayforcreators.com site, Waterman claimed his PRS income for the year to September 2008 came to a total of £11, for more than 100 million plays on YouTube of Never Gonna Give You Up, which he co-wrote with Rick Astley.

YouTube respond

PRS revealed discussions are continuing with YouTube to put in place a new license.

Google has reacted to the initiative by issuing a statement: "We absolutely believe that artists and songwriters should make money from the use of their material. We previously had a license with the PRS to enable this to happen and we're very committed to reaching terms so that we can renew our license."

It continued: "YouTube cannot be expected to engage in a business in which it loses money every time a music video is played - that is simply not a sustainable business model."Georgie Rogers

Kraftwerk for MIF

Antony and the Johnsons, Elbow and Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson too

19 March 2009 - Much of it is risky; all of it is new and 30% totally free. The second Manchester International Festival has drawn and fused artists together from all over the globe with truly weird and wonderful collaborations.

Alex Poots, festival director, believes that the draw is partly due to the affection Manchester is held in: "We’re the first commissioning festival and the city allows artists to experiment away from the pressures that you get in capital cities. All the artists are put in one hotel so we’re expecting many more interesting collaborations to come off the back."

Despite set backs and financial woes, Alex and the organisers have pulled an intriguing and beguiling programme out of the bag. The festival opens with Kraftwerk and American composer Steve Reich at the Velodrome.

Documentary maker Adam Curtis and Punchdrunk’s Felix Barrett are collaborating on a 'haunted house' experience exploring America’s intoxication of the world, with a score written by Damon Albarn.

Rufus Wainwright is facing the challenge of a lifetime, creating the French opera ‘Prima Donna’."It’s a love letter to the city"- Guy Garvey, Elbow

Visual artist Marina Abramovi is asking audiences for a whole 4 hour commitment to see her work of 15 live artists, as an exploration of time poverty, while Gustav Metzger will be uprooting 21 trees to highlight the brutality in which we treat the earth.

Along with the international names the festival has invited work and contributions from local people communities, not so much northern social realism more like northern social surrealism.

Manchester’s favourite son, Guy Garvey gets to fulfill his lifetime ambition of working with the Halle orchestra, with Salford composer, Joe Dardell, helping to orchestrate Elbow’s work: "It’s a love letter to the city, thousands of international students and communities choose to come here, they choose Manchester and they fill the city with new life".

Manchester International Festival 2-19 July 2009

Victoria Baker

Metallica play SXSW

Music veterans pose as newcomers to crowd of just 2,000 in Austin

21 March 2009 - Metallica played an intimate show at South By South West last night. The gig came after rumours and speculation that they would play at the Guitar Hero Metallica party.

The Los Angeles outfit took to the stage at the festival in Austin, Texas, playing a mix of classic tracks and songs from their most recent album Death Magnetic.

The four-piece attempted to pose as newcomers at the gig, playing to a crowd of just 2,000. Frontman James Hetfield told the audience "We're a young band from Norway and we want to get signed" before launching into their 12 song set.

Die hard Metallica lined up outside the venue, Stubbs, for a chance to see their favourite band up close.

The heavy metal outfit played for an hour, watched by members of Janes' Addiction and the Duke Spirit.

Elsewhere at the festival, Graham Coxon was showcasing tunes from his next solo album, the concept record The Spinning Top. He told 6 Music the festival feels like boot camp: “I’ve got a show every day. I’ve never played these songs so this is like jumping into a fire and seeing what happens."We're a young band from Norway and we want to get signed"James Hetfield

“It was alright for a couple of days, because it was all so surreal with the jetlag and it being so hot it didn’t really matter…but now I’m fully aware.”

Coxon explained why he chose to debut his new material in Austin, rather than in the UK. “No one really knows the songs so if I screw them up they don’t know. I think American audiences are very appreciative, they’re very enthusiastic and will allow me quite a few mistakes.

“I can actually get to grips with feeling a bit more confident away from home with the songs.”

Scottish outfit Dananananakroyd are also in Austin. At the start of the third day of the festival, John from the Glaswegian outfit told us the band were on a pretty hectic schedule. “We’re playing the Scottish showcase with Primal Scream, Glasvegas and the Proclaimers.

“We’re doing a radio session, some press stuff, and then we have Sunday off to recover. Then we come back on Monday and go on tour two days later.”

You can hear more from SXSW 2009 by tuning into theMusic Week on Sunday at 1pm GMT.

Victoria Hannaford

No Roses reunion

Ian Brown, John Squire and Stone Roses biographer quash reformation rumours

18 March 2009 - Ian Brown's label, John Squire and a Stone Roses biographer all say rumours of a 21-date reunion tour are untrue.

According to an article in the Daily Mirror, the band were to reform to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of their seminal debut.But frontman Ian Brown is focusing on his solo career, while John Squire is concentrating on his art exhibitions.

"I guess the 20th anniversary of the album has got folk speculating," said a spokeswoman for the former guitarist.

The statement added: "John Squire has just completed another exhibition in London and has plans to take it to Japan in July. Right now this is his priority."

A spokeswoman at Brown's label Fiction/Polydor said: "We know nothing about this. Ian is working on his new studio album which is due out later this year.""We know nothing about this. Ian is working on his new studio album which is due out later this year."

Ian Brown spokeswoman

The Stone Roses split up in 1996. A re-mastered version of their debut album, The Stone Roses, is being released this summer.

John Robb, author of The Stone Roses And The Resurrection Of British Pop, told BBC 6 Music: "As far as I know the Roses aren't getting back together again."

Talking about his latest contact with the band, Robb said: "The way they were talking, the situation hadn't changed to what it was two or three years ago."

He added that Primal Scream bassist Mani - real name Gary Mounfield - wasn't opposed to a reunion."I spoke to Mani three days ago," said Robb. "He's saying he'd love to get the Roses back together again... so either it's an elaborate triple bluff or it's just wishful thinking."

Crisis hidden gigs

Hot Chip, Filthy Dukes, The Bluetones, Dodgy join forces for charity

18 March 2009 - A host of bands are set to perform nine hidden shows across London in May and June, in support of the homeless charity Crisis.

Indie-electro dance outfit Hot Chip - who are doing a limited amount of shows while they are in the studio working on their follow-up toMade In The Dark- and guests will kick off proceedings on 5 May.

The series will also see Dodgy and The Bluetones perform somewhere secret on Sunday 17 May.

Other acts confirmed include Filthy Dukes, Bombay Bicycle Club, Cuban Brothers, The Bays and The Pipettes, with more artists to be confirmed at a later date.

In keeping with the ‘hidden’ theme, the venues will be disclosed on the day of the gig, via text message, and Chief Fundraiser Andy Page explained why: “The purpose really is to help us promote the issues of those that are the hidden homeless in London, not those that you see on the street, but the thousands of people who actually move from day to day or live on friends floors, those that you don’t see.”"Some of them will actually be curating those evenings themselves and bringing other bands along with them."

Andy Page

All proceeds will go towards Crisis and Page told 6 Music it all came about after a hugely successful show last year with Paul Weller at the Roundhouse in Camden.

“From that, the music industry has connected itself with Crisis and once news got out that this was something that we were planning to do, we found that different labels and other agents were very keen to bring the bands in that we were looking for.He went on to say fans can look forward to some surprises: “The bands themselves have really offered their time and involvement and have come up with ideas. Some of them will actually be curating those evenings themselves and bringing other bands along with them.”

Crisis consequences

It’s not the first time the charity has teamed up with musicians to raise cash and awareness.

Last year approximately a quarter of a million pounds was raised with the Crisis Consequences single, which featured contributions from the likes of Gossip’s Beth Ditto, Paul Weller, Supergrass, Graham Coxon and New Young Pony Club.

Paul Epworth, who’s produced the likes of Jack Penate, Bloc Party and Maximo Park was the musical brains behind the project.

He told us about the process of making the track: “It was a really enjoyable thing to do, quite stressful but what we set out to achieve was to create something that was a little bit grand and that was definable by its scale. I think we succeeded.

“I think actually we wrote quite a good piece of music considering it was a bit like cutting and pasting different peoples ideas and trying to work with them on the fly.”

As for future release plans Andy Page revealed they are planning to take live recordings of the series, in order to put together a CD or look at putting out various downloads.

Tickets go on sale at 11am GMT on Wednesday 18 March and are available from.

Relaxed Maximo Park

Frontman Paul Smith on a more democratic kind of recording session

17 March 2009 - After a two year break Newcastle quintet Maximo Park are preparing a return into the music world with their new albumQuicken The Heart.

It's set to be released on 11 May and will be followed by a sold out UK tour kicking off on May 13 in their hometown.

As for the album itself, vocalist Paul Smith thinks it's a different record to their second offeringOur Earthly Pleasuresin 2007.

“It was a very fresh experience for us and I think people can hear that in the music,” he told 6 Music. “The last two times it’s also been quite a fun experience, a bit more tense I would say than the new record. It seems a bit more relaxed on our part. We’re a bit more relaxed as people.”‘A compromise’It was an enjoyable process, according to the Smith, who said the group's democratic approach worked well: “From a guy who lives in Newcastle’s perspective going to London’s just like a holiday really."It seems a bit more relaxed on our part. We’re a bit more relaxed as people."

Paul Smith

“Somebody’s giving you money to make a record and that’s all you ever wanted to do so making a record is a very pleasurable time.

“Obviously there’s a lot of frustration that goes into making a record and especially working in a band with five people, nobody’s the leader, we’re all trying to be as democratic as possible.” 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs producer Nick Launay took up production duties on the Geordie band's third offering.

“If one person took the lead,” Smith continued.  “We’d all be a bit disappointed and we wouldn’t really feel like we were getting anywhere artistically. I think you’ve got to express yourself and being in a group is a compromise. At the end of the process the 12 songs have a chunk of each of us in all of the songs.”

‘Kid with a new toy’

The band are also looking forward to getting back onto the gig circuit, Smith said, after tickets for their UK tour were snapped up so quickly.

“It was really nice that it sold out,” the singer continued, “It kind of shows that people who like our band aren’t fly by nights and neither is the band so from that point of view we were all extremely excited.

“When you’ve got a bunch of new songs it’s like a kid with a new toy, you just wanna play them, you just want to get them out there, and show off a little bit.”The band have also announced a warm up date for the full tour on 7 April at the MandelaHall in Belfast and they’ve also been confirmed for Scotland’s T In The Park festival this summer.The first track from the album, Wraithlike, is available for free download from theirofficial website.

Feargal Sharkey labels Google's actions 'cynical' and 'manipulative'

13 March 2009 - Head of UK Music has expressed his views on the YouTube – Performing Rights Society dispute and believes Google’s actions are damaging to the music industry.

Feargal Sharkey claims YouTube manipulated the situation by briefing the media with the announcement that it was blocking official music and promotional videos, the day before they were due to discuss their new license with PRS, which expired in December 2008.

“I think it's a fairly blatant, cynical, manipulative attempt by Google,” Sharkey told BBC Entertainment. “For me this is a large company thinking they're in a position to bully around a little society that represents 60,000 songwriters.”

The row kicked off because PRS want to raise the royalty rates they charge YouTube every time users click on a video."It's a necessary step because the amounts that we are being asked to pay are many, many times higher."

Google spokesman

Frustrated with the way the matter was dealt with, Sharkey said: “The normal, grown-up thing would be to sit in a room and discuss that and not throw some sort of e-tantrum.”

The music industry mogul added he’d hoped Google would alter its position: “Quite clearly they're still in the mood to bully our songwriters, our musicians, and that's not acceptable.

“For most artists in this country 95% of the songwriters and composers who are members of the PRS earn less than £5,000 in royalties. So every small increase is a quite considerable thing in their lives.

“A small increase or decrease has a fairly major impact on the vast majority of songwriters and composers in this country.”

‘We’re talking’

Google has since responded to Sharkey’s comments and said it had no alternative but to pull the videos.Patrick Walker, the Director of Video Partnerships for YouTube in Europe, told 6 Music: “Nobody wins when the music is blocked, but it’s a necessary step because the amounts that we are being asked to pay are many, many times higher than we’ve paid in the past and that even takes into account the growth of YouTube.”As for scheduled negotiations he continued: “We’re talking, there have been several emails exchanged today.“Face to face meetings are planned for next week and we do look positively towards some developments and we hope, as they do, for a solution. It takes two to tango.”Highlighting their commitment to artists, the Google spokesman added: “There’s no question as to our dedication to the industry, the protection of copyright and to the compensation of artists.“The reason we did this is not about whether or not we should pay artists for their work - that’s something we 100% believe in.“It’s a question of; ‘Can we work together with the PRS on rates that create a sustainable business to grow the pie over time in a win, win environment?’”

Aphex Twin album

Warp Records reveals Electronic pioneer's new record is on the way

13 March 2009 - Experimental wizard Aphex Twin is notoriously reclusive when it comes to his music but 6 Music can reveal his new album's in the works.

Steve Beckett, founder of Aphex’s parent label Warp Records, exclusively said: “We’re definitely going to be putting out a new album by him. Hopefully it will be this year, if I can prize it out of his hands. It’s definitely on its way.”

Recently Warp has brought us music by the likes of Jamie Lidell, Squarepusher as well as bands like !!!, Grizzly Bear and Maximo Park.

It is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with several big gigs in London, New York Tokyo and Paris and have already revealed that Richard James, better known as Aphex Twin, will be playing a show in the French Capital on 9 May.

His last release was in April 2006, titledChosen Lords, a compilation of theAnalordmaterial."Hopefully it will be this year, if I can prize it out of his hands. It's definitely on its way."

Warp Records founder

Speaking about working with the influential artist, Beckett said: “He’s got his own unique view on life and obviously he’s just a genius musician and artist and it’s brilliant to work with him. He’s a genuine, English eccentric.”

However, the new material will be kept firmly under wraps until late in the recording process, continued Beckett.

“I don’t know a single note or anything about it,” he explained. “It will be as much of a surprise to me as anyone else.

“Basically I find out what it sounds like when we go into the mastering room and he puts it - well how it used to be, he'll put the DAT player in and there it’ll be - so that’s the first time I’ll hear it.

“Then I’ll go onto my knees and thank him and then we’ll put it out.”

Speaking about the forthcoming shows, Beckett said he is thrilled with the final Paris line-up: “The big coup there is getting Aphex Twin to play so that was the one that we were really excited to pin down.”

FAC's first meeting

Radiohead, Blur and Billy Bragg expected for Featured Artists Coalition

11 March 2009 - Today marks the first conference for the Featured Artists Coalition, a new representative body to give artists a voice in the music industry.

Members of Radiohead and Blur, along with other big names like Annie Lennox, will be meeting in London’s West End.

The FAC will enable the high-profile artists to campaign for effective laws, regulations and fair business practices, so artists and fans are not compromised by business corporations worldwide.

On the Directors’ board so far sits Blur drummer and Labour candidate David Rowntree, Jazzie B, Billy Bragg, Ed O’Brien from Radiohead, Kate Nash, Marillion’s Mark Kelly and Master Shortie.

The expected guest list includes the likes of David Gray, Nick Mason, Annie Lennox, KT Tunstall and Robbie Williams.

They aim to raise issues of the way they are treated by record companies and YouTube - in light of the music streaming website’s dispute with the Performing Rights Society over royalties. ()"There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists."

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree

YouTube have decided to pull music videos from its website because it claims PRS is charging them too much money, while PRS were “shocked” at YouTube’s actions.

Rowntree explained: “YouTube’s row with the PRS is the most recent example of just how fast the music industry is changing.

“There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists, whose music generates 95% of revenue in the industry, to be properly heard.”

With record companies keeping song rights for a period of 50 years, copyright issues are also expected to take precedence.

The summit is taking place from 4pm GMT at Heaven nightclub.

Georgie Rogers

Calvin's 'proper songs'

Singer and producer says his 'euphoric' second album is 'better than the old stuff'

10 March 2009 - Calvin Harris won’t be on the touring circuit in the UK until April because he’s currently working on his second album, the follow up to 2007’sI Created Disco.

He recently won the Best Remixer prize at the inaugural Music Producers Guild Awards and 6 Music caught up with him to find out how writing and recording is going.

The singer reckons his new material is a significant step on and said: “I’m just looking forward to getting the new stuff out because it’s different and it’s really much better than the old stuff, so I’m looking forward to being known for that rather than some of my other songs.”"They're almost proper songs which I didn't really touch on before."

Calvin Harris

He told us about his next single I’m Not Alone, the first from the new record, which is posted on his Myspace page.

“Euphoric is the word,” he explained. “It’s rave, it’s faithless. It’s Snow Patrol, it’s Grandaddy, all in a pot.

“We shot the for that in Oslo. It was very snowy. I saw a couple of clips from it, it looks like a film, definitely the best thing I’ve ever done video wise and music wise.”

‘A red herring’

Of the album’s direction he said: “It’s definitely more dance music orientated. It’s dancey. I like the dancey stuff better but also they’re almost proper songs which I didn’t really touch on before.”

However, the single isn’t totally representative of the latest batch, which Harris is producing, mixing and singing himself.“It’s kind of a red herring the single,” he explained. “I’ve not done the album yet, I’ve got five songs that are done and I’ve got a whole load that I can pick from whether I want to finish them or not, I don’t know, or give them to other people.”

Harris begins his UK tour at the Bristol Thekla on 25 April and speaking about his release schedule he said: “I think there’s gonna be a third [single] before the album. I don’t know what that is yet. I think I’ve written it but I dunno, I think we’re gonna play it by ear.“We’re gonna release single by single and if any of them bomb then I’ll probably get dropped so we’ll just see what happens.”I’m Not Alone is released digitally from 5 April and physically from 13 April and Calvin revealed the second single is scheduled for release in the summer before the record comes out.Georgie Rogers

Video sharing site stops UK access to official music videos

09 March 2009 - YouTube are in the process of blocking all access to “official” music videos on their website.

It is only UK users that are affected, and the ban involves a very complicated legal row, but for now, the video sharing network say "premium music videos" are off limits.

The internet giant described it as a "painful decision" which it knew would cause "significant disappointment".

It comes after the expiration of its licence agreement with PRS, who pay songwriters and composers the revenue from the hits the site gets. The agreement expired last year, and the two sides were in the middle of re-negotiating a new deal, however, Google says the new licence fee is too high.

"We have been unable to come up with reasonable economic terms with the PRS for music,” says Patrick Walker, YouTube's director of video partnerships. “Not only are the fees they want us to pay unreasonable in our opinion, we don't know exactly from them what we are having to pay for. So it is the equivalent of being asked to purchase a CD and not knowing what music is going to be on it, and so it's difficult to put an associated value to that.""If you use more music you should be prepared to pay more for your music."Andrew Shaw, PRS

However, PRS spokesperson Andrew Shaw, who is Managing Director of broadcast and online for the group, says they are shocked by Google's "drastic action" which will "punish" music lovers and songwriters.The licence fee's increased bacause of the rise in the number of videos being viewed on the site, which has gone up from somewhere in the region of 75 to 80 million at the beginning of last year, to almost 300 million at the end of last year.

This says Mr Shaw is why YouTube needs to pay more, “like with any product that you use when you’re putting together your service, if you use more electricity, you pay the electricity board more for your electricity. If you use more music you should be prepared to pay more for your music to ensure the creators of that music get paid and can go on creating.”

But the row doesn’t look like it will be nearing an end anytime soon, and PRS have even branded it a “publicity stunt” to try and bring the dispute into the commercial domain. They highlight the fact Google made $5.7 billion in the last quarter of last year, which they feel makes their request a tiny teardrop in a very large pool of cash the internet giant is generating.

YouTube say they are, “committed to music, and to working with the labels and the artists to reach out to users and drive revenues going forward.”

Watch this space.

Jo Youle

Neil Young confirmed

Three headline acts for Glastonbury festival 2009 completed

09 March 2009 - Glastonbury Festival organisers have officially confirmed Neil Young as the third Pyramid Stage headliner.

The 63 year-old joins Blur and Bruce Springsteen for Michael Eavis' event in Pilton, Somerset from 24-28 June.

"This is big news for us," said the festival organiser about the line-up.  "I think he's better than ever at the moment, it's one hell of a show."

Neil Young has recorded over 60 albums, as a solo artist and as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Speaking to The Guardian, one of the official sponsors, Michael Eavis explained: "Neil Young to play this year is a dream come true for me personally. He is one of my all-time favourites and we have always wanted him to play."

"I think he's better than ever at the moment, it's one hell of a show."

Michael Eavis

The Canadian singer-songwriter released his first solo album,Harvest, back in 1972 and also had three consecutive number one hit albums with his band, often labelled 'the American Beatles', Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Eavis added: "With Neil on the bill we are close to completing our best ever line-up."

As for another addition to the Worthy Farm bill, it has also been announced the Seattle folk outfit Fleet Foxes will be performing.

Meanwhile Franz Ferdinand and Lily Allen have also self-announced their appearances.

Tickets for the festival have sold out but there will be a resale of a small amount of tickets on 5 April 2009 from 9am.

Read more onat the BBC.

Camden Crawl adds

Echo And The Bunnymen, Little Boots, Billy Bragg and more for city festival

09 March 2009 - Echo and the Bunnymen, Idlewild and Mumford and Sons are just three names that have been added to the Friday 24 April line up of the Camden Crawl 2009.

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, The Von Bondies, The Whip, Wire are also lined-up for the opening day.

They'll join the already announced General Fiasco and VV Brown for the two day festival, which spans 40 venues in London's Camden.

Meanwhile Little Boots, King Creosote, Ipso Facto, Golden Silvers, Toddla T and Billy Bragg have been added to the bill of Saturday 25 April.

As an official partner to the event, 6 Music will be bringing listeners the best of the festival with live music, selected shows at the venues and of course all the latest music news.

There will be another big Camden Crawl announcement on 13 April.

See below for the line-up so far:

Friday 24 April:

Baddies

Bleech

Brakes

Danny & The Champions Of The World

De Tropix

Drums Of Death

Foy Vance

Goldheart Assembly

Kissy Sell Out

Kitty Daisy & Lewis

Little DeathPulled Apart By HorsesS.C.U.M

Skint & Demoralised

Sleepercurve

The Author

The Barker Band

The Chapman Family

The Cordelier Club

The Jim Jones Revue

The Temper TrapThe Von Bondies

The Whip

Your Twenties

Saturday 25 April:

Alan Pownall

An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump

Banjo Or Freakout

Billy BragBlk Jks

Broadcast 2000

Cherbourg

Die! Die! Die!

ElviinEverything EverythingFrankmusik

Gold Teeth

Golden Silvers

HeartbreakHexesIpso FactoJosh WellerKing CreosoteLion ClubLittle BootsMan Like MeNewham GeneralsPlugsTelevised CrimewaveThe Dead FormatsThe Laurel CollectiveThreatmanticsToddla TAlso taking place on Saturday 25 April, is X-Crawl 09, an event for under 18 year-olds.This will see the likes of thecocknbullkid, Dananananaykroyd, Howling Bells, Left With Pictures, Future Of The Left and Eugene McGuinessperform.In the same vein as the main event, bands will perform across Camden in venues between 12-8pm.See the line-up so far.

Keith Moon honoured

Late drummer given blue plaque in central London

08 March 2009 - The infamous drummer from the Who - Keith Moon - has been honoured today with a blue plaque in central London.It was organised by entertainment charity the Heritage Foundation - after English Heritage rejected an application for Moon, who died in 1978, to be given a plaque.

The blue plaque was unveiled at the site of the legendary 60s Marquee Club, by the late drummer's mum and sister, along with band mate Roger Daltrey.

“It's just great to see Keith's family. We go back so far. Keith was always the last one I had to pick up to go to gigs. Keith's mum, she was really all of our mums, because she put up with him. We had to put up with him too, but I mean what a lady - and a lovely family.”

He thinks the recognition for Moon is justified:

“Well done to the fans who have got him a blue plaque, cause some people say 'Well does he deserve one?'

Well just for the fact that he invented a new way of drumming in popular music, I think he deserves it for that.”

English Heritage, who oversee who gets a blue plaque, initially deemed Moon unworthy of the honour. Private organisation, The Heritage Foundation, side-stepped the decision and made a deal with Westminster Council – to Roger's delight.

“Just for the fact that he invented a new way of drumming in popular music, I think he deserves it for that.”Daltrey on Moon

“I'm kind of sad that the Marquee itself has gone, considering what that produced for an enormous part of British history. It’s quite disgraceful that it was ever pulled down. That bit of it, it should have been protected. That place where all those bands played. But it’s great that he's got it here.”Wardour Street was turned into a mini-Mod reunion as fans lined the street with scooters, decorated with union jacks and other 60's iconic band stickers. Roger told 6 Music he thought Who fans had done Keith proud.“It's wonderful to see the scooters. Wonderful to see the scooters. Its not good to smell them,” Daltrey said, laughing. “Look at all the smoke. But its great to see them.”That's the point where Who fans took the opportunity to mob Roger to sign old vinyl records, pictures and other memorabilia that they'd brought.“If there's any place, where else would you put it in London. Because he didn't really have a house in London, he moved from flat to flat. It wouldn't be nice to have it on the place where he died. This is where he lived and he lived at his height. It is brilliant.”Chi Chi Izundu

Jacko confirms tour

'This is really it', says King Of Pop of final London live performances

05 March 2009 - Michael Jackson has announced that he will be performing his last ever London shows in July at the 02 Arena.

He appeared at a press conference today (5 March) but gave no more details in his speech on how many dates he will be doing on his first tour for 12 years.

It's since been confirmed he will play 10 shows from 8 July with tickets priced between £50 and £75.

They go on public sale at 7am on Friday 13 March and will be available throughMichaelJacksonLive.com1,000 fans and media were gathered at the venue; Jackson arrived at over an hour and a half past his scheduled time.

He took to the microphone, addressing a swarm of screaming, devoted fans and said: “Thank you very much. Thank you all. This is it. I just wanna say that these will be my final shows, performances in London. This will be it and when I say this will be it, I really mean this is it.”

He went on: “I’ll be performing the songs my fans wanna here. This is it, I mean this is really it, this the final curtain call okay, and I’ll see you in July.“I love you. I really do you have to know that I love you so much, really from the bottom of my heart

This is it and see you in July.”

'It's absolutely exciting'

Rising talent VV Brown performed in theyesterday (4 March) and she was thrilled by news of a possible London residency from the Thriller star.

“He’s amazing,” she said. “It’s really sad that his face has got like that and stuff, but I mean, he’s Michael Jackson. He’s inspired everyone really. Some tracks that he’s done are just fantastic so it’s absolutely exciting. I might go and see him.”

TheQuicksandsinger La Roux, who like VV Brown was in the BBC’s Sound Of 2009 top 10, also loved the prospect of getting to see her idol live.

“When I was a kid I used to flick through theHistorydisc leaflets and look at those pictures,” she explained. “I’ve wanted to see him live all my life but I just fear it might be disappointing because he’s pretty old.

“I think most people will just go because they’ll be so intrigued to see whether he’s completely gone or not. He hasn’t really come out into the limelight since all the court case stuff. I’m definitely gonna go, no question.”

His legacyAmanda Ghost heads up Michael Jackson’s record label Epic.Speaking about his place in history, she said: “He’s our artist. Why does he mean so much? He’s the consummate artist. He is so talented, as a writer, as a dancer, as a singer, as a performer and he’s a star. We don’t have them anymore.”Michael Jackson shot to fame as a youngster, when he joined his brothers and sisters in the Jackson 5 at 5 years-old.He went on to make 10 studio albums as a solo artist with countless number one hits.Speaking about the former child star, Ghost continued: “He paid a heavy price to be Michael Jackson, as they all do. As Elvis did, as Madonna has, as Prince has.“They pay prices to be icons and I think it’s important ultimately because he made great music. I don’t know anyone in the world that hasn’t got a Michael Jackson song that they love, it’s universal.”Epic currently look after the likes of Beyonce, Modest Mouse, Tenacious D and Editors, but Ghost said it is rare to find such raw talent in the league of Michael Jackson.“That’s my challenge again to develop those,” she said. “Rock ‘n’ roll is all about aspirations and dreams. We’re selling rebellion, we’re selling fantasy and we don’t do that any more. We’re selling Lily Allen and that’s sad for me.”Stand out tracksBillie Jean, Black Or White, Smooth Criminal, Man In The Mirror, This Girl Is Mine are just a few of the King Of Pops hits.We asked the artists which particular Jacko songs they would love to see him perform.Epic label boss Amanda Ghost said: “I used to dress up as Michael Jackson as a kid. My favourite song has got to be Human Nature. It comes on and I feel like I’m 11 again, soundtrack to my youth.”Meanwhile VV Brown, who is currently putting the final touches to her debut album Travelling Like The Light, revealed: “There’s loads. I love Dirty Diana though. I dig the sort of, turn, kick, grab the groin, woo hoo, thing.”

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You Download MP3
Release type : Studio album Record label : Capitol Genres : Pop music Release date : Feb 10, 2009

1	Everyones At It	lyrics
2	The Fear	lyrics
3	Not Fair	lyrics
4	22	lyrics
5	I Could Say	lyrics
6	Back To The Start	lyrics
7	Never Gonna Happen	lyrics
8	F**k You	lyrics
9	Whod Have Known
10	Chinese	lyrics
11	Him	lyrics
12	He Wasnt There

its words not wurds
(;. I just love this song!!! :)