Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher Download  has admitted that he will never reach the heights that he reached with Oasis Downloadas a solo artist.

In a documentary titled Mark Lawson Talks To Noel Gallagher which was aired last night (March 30) on BBC 4, the High Flying Birds man said that nobody could be as big as his former band.

He said: "Nothing anybody does can be as big as Oasis. Not Coldplay,Download not Kasabian, Downloadnot the Arctic Monkeys,Download in this country not U2,Download not any of them, its as simple as that."

Gallagher added: 

"It's not only me that lives up to that legacy, everyone else has too. We were the last. We were the greatest. The end."

The High Flying Birds man also said he was he was a control freak in Oasis but that ensured that he was responsible for taking them to the top.

He added: "I've had this reputation since the band have split up for being called a control freak. And I was. I controlled them all the way to Wembley and Knebworth and all the way to the top of the charts. So you're welcome." NME

In the documentary, he also spoke about his childhood, his relationship with his brother Liam and the Britpop war with Blur.Download

Meanwhile, Gallagher is set to release a new EP next month, which is titled 'Songs From The Great White North'. The EP, which contains four tracks in total, will be released on 12' vinyl to celebrate this year's Record Store Day, which happens on April 21.

It is made up of his recent B-sides and includes his recent collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous 'Shoot A Hole Into The Sun' as well as previous offerings 'The Good Rebel', 'Let The Lord Shine A Light On Me' and 'I'd Pick You Everytime'

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney Warns 1D Of Beatles Comparison Curse

He says boy band need to be wary of hype linking them to Fab Four...

Music legend Sir Paul McCartney Downloadhas warned One Direction to be wary of the comparisons to his former group The Beatles which are being bandied about.
The fivesome, who recently became the first UK group to debut at No 1 in the American Billboard 200 chart with their first album, have been greeted by hysterical fans while touring the US and Canada.

But 69-year-old Macca told Daybreak: "There are so many bands who all get called 'the next Beatles'. Suddenly it puts an awful lot of pressure on them to be the next Beatles.MTV
"Oasis were 'the next Beatles' once if you remember. It's a pressure, because suddenly you've got to live up to all the things that we did, and it was a different time. So let's just call them 'the next terrific band'."
He was enthusiastic about their success though, saying: "They're doing well in America. It's good - good luck, lads."

Architects

ArchitectsDownload have spoken about their new album 'Daybreaker', with guitarist Tom Searle revealing that he believes the band have "got their balls back" on their new album.

The album, which is the band's fifth and the follow-up to 2010's 'The Here And Now', was recorded in Reading with producer John Mitchell and is due for release on May 28.

Speaking to NME about the album and how it moves on from 'The Here And Now', Searle said: "Some people might say we've regressed, but I think we've found our enthusiasm for playing heavy music again. I'm excited again by what I've come up with on guitar and lyrically it's much more political and less personal."NME

He continued: "I wanted to go back to being heavier and I think we've got our balls back. We're not a band that should be on daytime radio and even when we got that stuff, it felt a bit uncomfortable. I think we were out of our comfort zone and the shoe didn't fit."

Searle also spoke about 'Devil's Island', the band's recent single which was inspired by last summer's riots and which you can see the video for by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking.

Asked about 'Devil's Island', Searle said: "That was the song that really drove us on. Sam [Carter - singer] came in with the song and it was different to anything we've ever done before and it was about something important and something big and it really gave us the courage to write about other important topics."

Searle then went on to talk about the political themes of 'Daybreaker', adding: "There's a lot of religion on there, which is the fun thing about being an atheist. There's media, the society we live, the relationship we have with money, things like that."

'Daybreaker' is the band's fifth album and will be released on May 28.

The tracklisting for 'Daybreaker' is as follows:

'The Bitter End'
'Alpha Omega'
'These Colours Don't Run'
'Daybreak'
'Truth, Be Told'
'Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat'
'Outsider Heart'
'Behind The Throne'
'Devil's Island'
'Feather Of Lead'
'Unbeliever'

Elton John

Elton John has said that had he not quit drugs in 1990, he could have ended up like Whitney Houston, who died last month.

Cocaine was found in Houston's system during the autopsy and it was stated by the Los Angeles County Coroner that she was a chronic user of the Class A drug.NME

Speaking on US television – via the Daily Mail - John is quoted as saying if he hadn't got clean: "I'd probably be dead." He added:I didn't want to end up like Whitney Houston and I could so easily have ended up like her. It's a miracle I didn't because I'm sure I did as much cocaine as she ever did.'

Elton John will release a new album titled 'The Diving Board' this autumn. Speaking about the LP, which is the follow-up to his 2010 effort 'The Union', he claimed that the album was his 'most exciting' for a long time and said he was 'psyched' about the finished product.

Elton John is set to tour the UK this summer, with the singer recently announcing that he will become the first artist play a gig at Tower Festival Headland, a new seated venue near Blackpool Tower on the Lancashire town's seafront, on June 16.

The Wanted

The Wanted To Appear On American Idol

Boy band announce they'll sing on reality show next Thursday...

The British boy band invasion of the US is continuing unabated with the news that The Wanted Download are to appear on American Idol next month.MTV
The lads broke the news to fans in a tweet which read: "And now for our big news...we are excited to announce we will be performing on American Idol on 5th April!! #TheWantedOnIdol."

One Direction recently smashed their way straight in at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart with their debut Up All Night, and The Wanted will be hoping they can emulate that success when they release their debut US album next month.
Their most recent US single Glad You Came just went platinum with sales of more than one million, so we wouldn't bet against them!
We told you recently how the boys had apparently been living the dream in Las Vegas with a bevy of bikini-clad beauties.

Lady Ga Ga

Stefani Germanotta, better known as the international pop superstar Lady Gaga,Download is celebrating her 26th birthday on Wednesday (Mar. 28), and her 25th year was a big one. In the past 365 days, the singer released her long-awaited "Born This Way" album, which sold over 1 million copies in its first week; released a handful of hit singles, including "The Edge of Glory," "Marry The Night" and "You and I"; scored an Album of the Year Grammy nod for the album; launched the Born This Way youth foundation; and prepared for the massive Born This Way Ball tour, which will kick off overseas this summer.Billboard

Christina Aguilera:

 "My New Album Is Coming"

Christina Aguilera Download has revealed the follow-up to her 2010 album Bionic is coming soon.
Speaking backstage at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Not Myself Tonight singer claimed that she is taking her time when it comes to recording her forthcoming LP.
Aguilera admitted: "It's coming, it's coming, it's coming. I'm very, very excited. It's quality not quantity.
"I don't like to just get songs from producers. I like them to come from a personal place. It's going to be great. I'm very excited. It's fun, exciting, introspective. It's great."

Back in January, the 31-year old told NBC that her seventh studio LP would be "honest and raw", explaining: "I'm recording my new album right now and I'm really excited because I've found myself in a very introspective stage in my life.
"I've learned and have experienced so much in leaps and bounds and it's really a journey of growth for me continuously throughout my career."MTV

The Voice US coach added: "I'm excited to put it all down on paper through my lyrics and my voice as it comes from a very truthful, honest and raw place."

Labrinth

Labrinth - 'Electronic Earth' First Listen!

It's been 18 long months since Timothy McKenzie a.k.a. Labrinth Download released his debut solo single Let The Sun Shine, so here at  MTV we think it's fair to say his eagerly anticipated album Electronic Earth is long overdue.

Following his success with Tinie Tempah and being the only non-talent show act to be signed to Simon Cowell's SyCo record label, big things are expected of the 22-year old from Hackney - and his debut album doesn't disappoint.

Electronic Earth gives music lovers a glimpse at how Lab sees the world, with his love of all things Sci-fi proving to be a huge influence on his material, from the enticing opener Climb On Board to the closing ballad Vultures.

Climb On Board offers a suitable starting place for Labrinth's journey, splitting our eardrums with jungle beats and synths, before launching into Earthquake - which is arguably one of the biggest tracks of last year, showcasing his ability to produce one hell of an anthem.

Other highlights include new single Last Time with it's thumping bassline and catchy chorus and Treatment, which shows a more guitar-rock side to Lab - a sure fire hit in our eyes.

Electronic Earth also proves that Lab isn't afraid to take risks, with his cover of Charles Wright's Express Yourself a welcome surprise on the LP, featuring the cheeky lyrics: "I don't make the papers, I'm far from JLS/ Ain't got the X Factor, I'm not what they expect."

Living up to his nickname of the Heston Blumenthal of music, Labrinth also uses lyrics fromJoni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi on track Sundown, while Sweet Riot provides yet another dance anthem for those ravers out there.

However, the stand-out track on Electronic Earth comes in the form of Beneath Your Beautiful, which features the vocal talents of Brit Award winner, Emeli Sande.

The romantic ballad shows get yet another side to Labrinth, proving that as well as being a top producer, songwriter and musician, he can also belt out a tune, as his vocals go hand-in-hand with Emeli's - with the end result being the heartfelt duet.

Plan B

Plan B  Pre-Order has said that he blames David Cameron for last year's riots.

In an exclusive interview in this week's issue of NME, the rap and soul star – real name Ben Drew – said that the government's decision to cut arts and culture funding for young people was "pig-headed".

He said: "When the riots happened, I was so upset. The only people I cared about was the kids. I thought, 'Ah, for fuck's sake, you've just made things 10 times harder for yourselves. Society? David Cameron? You've just played right into their hands. You've just proved everything they've been saying'."

Drew went on to say:

'"The Conservatives come along, all pig-headed and go, 'Ooh, that's [arts and culture funding] a waste of money'. This is what fucking happens, mate."

Plan B will release his new film and album, both of which are called 'Ill Manors', this May. The film, which stars Riz Ahmed, Nathalie Press and Dannielle Brent, will be released on May 4 and is set in Forest Gate in London. The plot runs over the course of a few days, with six interlinking short stories – each represented by a different rap song – which come together at the end.

The soundtrack LP, meanwhile, will be released on May 7 via Atlantic Records. Speaking about the album, Plan B said: "You could call 'Ill Manors'' bassline, soul, hip-hop. The album has the lyrical depth of my first record but the musical composition is light years ahead as it's informed by everything I've learnt in the last five years - writing, producing and playing with a live band. I feel I'm better than I've ever been."

Damon Albarn

Damon Albarn Buy Now

Damon Albarn seems determined to be rock's busiest man.

In between Blur Download reunion appearances, launching new group Rocket Juice and the Moon, and recording a Converse track with Andre 3000 and James Murphy, the musician found time to finish recording a new opera. The soundtrack to "Dr. Dee," which made its live premiere in the UK last summer, is due May 8 on Virgin.

The opera is based on the life on Dr. John Dee, an Elizabethan courtier who was also an astrologer and spy.

"I found that the more I researched, the more singing from the heart became the way forward," Albarn told the Guardian last year. "Incorporating any of the stuff I'd learned, it would be the stuff I kind of understood, and could emotionally express, rather than taking verbatim concepts from his mind."


Hear the single "The Marvelous Dream" below

Gorillaz

There’s an argument to be made that the history of music has actually been the history of the tools used to make or capture that music, that the fresh and exciting stuff happens just as the technology is invented which allows it to happen. Certainly it’s hard to imagine the sparkling and precise acoustic balladry of the early 70s without hi-fi stereophonic sound, or the rise of hip hop without the benefits of MIDI, samplers and drum machines.
This is the first high-profile album to have been made primarily on an iPad, a labour of exploration that Damon Albarn put together on last year’s Gorillaz Download tour. Two years ago, it couldn’t exist. Now it does. Does this therefore mean that it represents a stunning step forward in musical creation?

Well no, that’s not really what iPads do. They re-create, in the touchscreen universe, devices which already exist: virtual vocoders, synth emulators, i-theremins and analogue warmth creators. Opening blast Phoner to Arizona is like a potted history of musical electronica – but there’s nothing which carries the sonic hallmark of the tool itself.
Damon himself is a lot easier to spot. Apart from samples or snatches of dialogue, and one exceptional exception, his is the only voice present, his whispery, disengaged ghost hanging over everything. And when he’s good, he’s great. Amarillo darkly tolls like a robot national anthem, Revolving Doors is a melancholy travelogue through a foggy past, Hillbilly Man is two short and very different songs nailed together unceremoniously.
But there are also sketches and doodles, half-formed thoughts like Shy Town and Little Plastic Bags, better left in Damon’s hard drive until he found a decent chorus. Bobby in Phoenix – the exception – is a fried masterpiece; a union between Bobby Womack’s raddled acoustic soul and Damon’s digital heaven which offers a tantalising glimpse of a more collaborative record.
This, then, is an album which could only have been made for a post-iPad world. It opens the door to tantalising, exciting possibilities, but it’s also fragmented, distracted and indulgent. It’s almost like the real thing, but somehow not.

Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins Downloadhave confirmed that they will release their new album 'Oceania' on June 18.

The LP, which will be the band's seventh studio record, has been produced by singer Billy Corgan and has been described as an "album within an album" as it is part of their 44-song cycle for 'Teargarden By Kaleidyscope'. NME

It has also been announced that the album will be put out by EMI, after they inked a deal to release the record with Corgan's label Martha's Music. Speaking about the agreement, EMI Label Services's Mike Harris said: "We are thrilled to extend the long-term partnership between The Smashing Pumpkins and EMI with the release of 'Oceania'. Everybody at EMI is looking forward to working closely with Billy and the band to help them deliver their vision and their music to fans around the world."

In December last year, Corgan insisted that 'Oceania' was the band's best album in over 15 years and their strongest offering since 1995's 'Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness'.

The singer is set to have a busy 2012 – in addition to releasing 'Oceania', he also has plans to open a Chicago teahouse and continue work with his own professional wrestling company.

Justin Towers Earle

Justin Townes Earle

Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now

Bloodshot

A horn section lends Justin Townes Earle's fourth LP a Memphis-soul feel, which is less a departure than a shift in emphasis. Thematically, he continues his chronicle of a life balanced (barely) on the edge. Love is elusive; the legacy of his father, Steve Earle, is a blessing and a curse, and the road exhausts and exhilarates. That Earle breathes life into those well-worn ideas is a tribute to the rough-hewn elegance of his writing and his voice. He recorded this album live in studio, but what comes across is control as much as immediacy. That's because, as always with him, songcraft is a means of conveying and containing emotions that might otherwise be unbearable.

Read more: Rollingstone

Kylie

Kylie Minogue Tour Sells Out In 10 Minutes

Fans clamour for tickets, even though she won't be playing any of her hits

Kylie MinogueDownload has proved that she hasn't lost any of her pulling power by selling out her latest UK "Anti-Tour" in just 10 minutes.

The Aussie pop princess sold all the tickets for two relatively intimate dates in London and Manchester, at which she will be playing B-sides, demos and rarities.

She later announced another date at the Manchester Academy on April 2, tickets for which were still available at the time of writing. This has been confirmed as the third and final date of her UK mini-tour.

The unusual dates are part of K25, a project to celebrate the 43-year-old's quarter of a century in the music business.

Jet

Jet Downloadannounced last night (March 26) that they have split up after 11 years together.

The band released three studio albums during their career and sold over 6.5 million records. Their 2003 debut 'Get Born', which contained the hit singles 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl?', 'Cold Hard Bitch' and 'Rollover DJ', sold over 3.5 million copies on its own. They released their last album 'Shaka Rock' in 2009.NME

The band posted a statement about their split, which reads as follows: "After many successful years of writing, recording and touring we wish to announce our discontinuation as a group."

They continued: "From the many pubs, theatres, stadiums and festivals all across the world it was the fans that made our amazing story possible and we wish to thank them all. Thank you, and good night."

The group, who consisted of brothers Nic and Chris Cester, Cameron Muncey and Mark Wilson, have promised that they will attempt to keep "their music, legacy and brand alive through new licensing, publishing, merchandise, re-records and releases."

All members will now to focus on new projects, with Nic Cester and Mark Wilson already involved in a new band, which are called DamnDogs. 

Creed

Mark Tremonti has projects coming up with both of his bands -- Creed Downloadand Alter BridgeDownload -- as well as a solo album. But he promises he's not getting confused.

"I've always just felt I've got a lot of material," the guitarist tells Billboard.com, "and a lot if it will just go to waste if I don't take advantage of it and get it out there. I just want to have it all see the light of day, y'know? I somehow balance it all."

First on the Tremonti timeline is Alter Bridge's "Live at Wembley," a CD and DVD set recorded in November at the famed London arena and released on Monday (March 26). "It's such a historic building we thought it would be a highlight of the tour and definitely a good one to get on film," Tremonti says. "The name itself speaks to the history, but when you actually step in the building it's not as giant and intimidating as I thought. You imagine this giant stadium that's going to devour you, but it's just your typical, cool, big arena. But to play Wembley... and film that DVD there was an honor."Billboard

"Live at Wembley" will be Alter Bridge's last gasp for awhile. Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall are touring and recording this year with Creed, while frontman Myles Kennedy is working with Slash.Download "We'll meet back up early next year," Tremonti says. "We'll get back into writing the next album and have it out hopefully early enough for us to go do the big summer festival circuit."Creed, meanwhile, is full-speed ahead on a tour that starts April 13 in Chicago and will find the band playing its first two albums -- 1997's six-times platinum "My Own Prison" and 1999's 11-times platinum followup "Human Clay" -- in their entirety on alternative nights. Tremonti says the group will be on the road until at least late summer and is also in the midst of recording its fifth studio album, the follow-up to 2009's "Full Circle." 

"We got together with Scott (Stapp) and put together a handful of songs and got the arrangements and melodic ideas in place, and now it's kind of in Scott's lap to finish off he lyrics and track some demos so we can move on to the next batch," Tremonti reports. So far, he says, Creed has "a good mix...It's got one more radio-friendly type song, one rocking tune, one of the more drawn-out, finger-picked, long, five-minute kind of songs -- just a little bit of everything people have heard in the past. I think with 'Full Circle' we tried to change the sound a little bit, but I think we're gonna get back to what people expect from Creed." Inspired by Van Halen's latest album, Tremonti says he also plans to "go back and kind of dive into my old ideas...and cherry-pick stuff that I enjoyed that never saw the light of day, and kind of revamp those ideas."

He expects Creed to keep working on the new material during the tour but says there's no firm finish or release date for the album. "We purposely didn't set any timetables so we can make sure the album is right," Tremonti explains. "We don't want anything coming out prematurely. A lot of people weren't really aware of ('Full Circle') coming out because we kind of rushed it out there. We want to make sure this one's set up properly."

In the midst of all this, however, Tremonti has finished his first solo album, "All I Was." Though a release date is still up in the air -- "Maybe late May, early June now," he says -- the set has been mastered, and Tremonti hopes to have the first single out soon. "It's been one of the easiest records to make," he says. "It's the first time I got to do something that's...whatever page I'm on, when I got to say, 'This is what I want' and have it come out like that." He recorded "All I Was" near his home in Florida with Eric Friedman on guitar and Garrett Whitlock on drums, while Marshall will play drums for some performances of the album that Tremonti is going to film in Chicago, before production rehearsals for the Creed tour.

"It's heavier than both the other bands," Tremonti says. "People who have heard (the album) have all told me it's nothing like what they expected. But I think the most important part of a song is the melody, so all these songs are melody-based. It's a lot of fun."

Madonna

Madonna Wants Tarantino For 'Gang Bang' Video

Madge hopes the Kill Bill director will give her a hand with the promo...

Madonna Buyhas revealed she wants Quentin Tarantino to direct her next music video.

The Sun reports that the Queen Of Pop has claimed that she would love Tarantino to work on the promo for new song Gang Bang, which features on her latest album, MDNA.

Madge is quoted by the newspaper as saying: "When I was writing the song, I was picturing one of his movies and one of the female characters.

"I have a whole thing worked out. All Quentin has to do is show up with a camera. I can't afford a director's fee."M.T.V

As well as planning her next video, the 53-year old has hit back at YouTube for banningher Girls Gone Wild promo after branding it too raunchy for younger viewers.

Shot in black and white, the video sees the hotpant-clad Madonna gyrating suggestively against a wall, being embraced by several semi-nude male models and dancing whilst in chains.

According to The New York Post, YouTube execs have slapped an age restriction on the footage, preventing under-18s from watching the video.

A YouTube rep told the paper: "While we don't comment on individual videos, we review all videos flagged by our users against our community guidelines."

The Google-owned site's rules stipulate that videos can be restricted should they contain "nudity and dramatised or implied sexual conduct".

Despite reports suggesting Madonna's team are planning to edit the video, she has since stated: "I'm supposed to be a girl gone wild in the video! How could you go wild and not grind? This is the question that people should be asking."

Amid the controversy surrounding the clip, the Give Me All Your Luvin' singer has added another date to her UK tour, with Madge set to hit Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on 19th July.