Natalie Imbruglia has announced details of her forthcoming new studio album, which features three co-writes with Coldplay.

The album, entitled ‘Come To Life’, will be released on October 5. It will be preceded by a single, ‘Want’, on September 28. The single is a Coldplay co-write, as are album tracks ‘Lukas’ and ‘Fun’.

‘Lukas’ was produced by Brian Eno, with Blur and Elbow collaborator Ben Hillier helming the remaining songs.

Imbruglia will play a gig at the London Luminaire venue on August 12 – which has sold out.

The tracklisting of ‘Come To Life’ will be:

‘My God’
‘Lukas’
‘Fun’
‘Twenty’
‘Scars’
‘Want’
‘WYUT’
‘Cameo’
‘All The Roses’
‘Wild About It’

nme.com 31/07/09

Pete Doherty has revealed that he and Carl Barat discussed plans to make an album and tour together after The Libertines reunited for a one-off gig in London in May.

The Babyshambles frontman has repeatedly outlined his desire to reform the band properly, but has not spoken about the discussions he and Barat have had until now.

However, he has now told The Times that the pair talked about returning to the studio in 2010 following their show at the Rhythm Factory, a tribute for late promoter Johnny Sedassy, who used to organise the band’s shows.

“We had a good couple of hours [after the show],” he said. “We were up all night together. It was amazing really. I think we’re gonna make a record and tour. Get The Libertines to take it to the next step, next stage.”

Doherty also said that he had another solo album in mind – a follow-up to his ‘Grace/Wastelands’ record, which was released in March.

“I just see ‘Grace/Wastelands 2′,” he said. “I think I’ve got a ‘Harvest’ [classic Neil Young album] in there. I keep getting flashes of it, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.”

nme.com 31/07/09

The Verve’s Nick McCabe and Simon Jones have launched a new band along with Goldfrapp violinist Davide Rossi.

The band, called The Black Ships, is completed by drummer Mig Schillace. They have put a track – ‘Black Ships On Auto’ – online at Myspace.com/theblackshipsofficial.

Writing on the site, the band said Rossi first met McCabe and Jones during sessions for The Verve’s 2008 comeback album ‘Forth’.

“After The Verve finished touring in August 2008, it was decided that something new should emerge from such a meeting. That took shape in November 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the band met for the first time to play and record new material straight away.

“It was then that Nick brought with him long time friend and collaborator Mig Schillace, to complete the rhythmic section and with it the core line-up of the band.

“Since then the boys have been and are still working on it! It’s a slow process, which needs the care and time that it needs, but music fans out there should expect some teasers real soon!”

The band are yet to announce their recording and live plans.

nme.com 31/07/09

Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor has explained once again why he has decided to quit using Twitter as a way to stay in touch with his fans.

The singer expressed his frustration at the fact that unwanted followers cannot be completely blocked from the social networking website.

“Yes, I deleted my account and I’ll explain why since somehow someone apparently thinks this is newsworthy,” Reznor wrote.

“Twitter seemed like an interesting way to quickly reach a large number of people, and people that seem to exist outside of the nin.com world of fans.

“Then… around the time news broke of my engagement, a faction of troublemakers showed up whose sole intent was to disrupt, harass, insult and incite…In a reasonably moderated community, these people can be made to vanish - on Twitter, it’s a free-for-all - hence they flock there. It depresses me to think my art and life’s work can attract this kind of scum…if that was your intention you trolling, cowardly pigs - you’ve succeeded.”

On a lighter note, Reznor went on to say that although Nine Inch Nails are playing their “last shows for the foreseeable future”, his “best work is yet to come”.

He added that the Nine Inch Nails Blackberry application, which follows the release of the band’s own iPhone application, has had some hiccups and will take longer to complete than expected.

nme.com 31/07/09

File-sharing site The Pirate Bay has been ordered to shut down in The Netherlands by a judge in Amsterdam.

The anti-piracy organisation BREIN filed a suit against The Pirate Bay, saying it is responsible for millions of copyright infringements on a daily basis. Traffic to and from The Netherlands must be blocked within 10 days, and if they fail to do so, the company co-founders Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde Kolmsioppi and Fredrik Neij will be ordered to pay $42,300 per day in penalties.

The men say they have never received a summons, were unaware of the case being brought against them and will appeal the ruling. They were not present in court, reports TorrentFreak.

In April, the three men as well as Carl Lundstrom, who financed the site, were sentenced to a year in jail and fined for copyright infringement.

The Sweden-based was set to be acquired by Swedish software company Global Gaming Factory X AB in August after being sold for 60 million Swedish SEK ($8 million USD). This deal has not yet been signed-off, as board and investor approval are reportedly still needed.

The Pirate Bay is to be transformed by GGF into a legal music site that sees artists and record labels get paid for the downloads they provide.

nme.com 31/07/09

Kanye West wants to become the next Michael Jackson.

The Love Lockdown star believes he is capable of ascending to the musical throne the King of Pop has left following his death in June.

Kanye told Scrape TV: “You know everyone loves and respects Michael but times change. It’s so sad to see Michael gone but it makes a path for a new King of Pop and I’m willing to take that on.

“There’s nobody who can match me in sales and so it only makes sense for me to take over Michael’s crown and become the new King.”

The hip-hop star also likened himself to another King - Elvis Presley.

He said: “First there was Elvis, then there was Michael, now in the 21st century it is Kanye’s time to rule.

“I have nothing but respect for Michael but someone needs to pick up where he left off and there’s nobody better than me to do that. I am the new King of Pop.”

music-news.com 31/07/09

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Lily Allen enjoyed an alcohol fuelled flight together to Japan last month, it’s been claimed.

Cabin crew are reported to have repeatedly told the pair to “calm down” as they shouted and swore during the 11-hour flight.

Both Allen and Gallagher were travelling in Upper Class section of the Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Japan, where they performed at the Fuji Rocks festival.

The party, described by the Sun as a “riotous booze bender”, came despite their entourages apparently telling staff to “keep those two apart”.

“They did not care about the other passengers. They were in a world of their own,” a source said.

“They were already well-oiled by the time they came on board. There is obviously a different set of rules for celebrities.”

Both musicians wrote about their journey to Japan on their Twitter pages. Gallagher said the flight “flew by”, while Allen revealed she had had “an extraordinary amount of fun”.

But when approached about her flight to the Far East, Allen told The Sun: “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

The singer was first introduced to Oasis by her father, Keith Allen, when she was still a child.

Liam’s brother, Noel, recently said Allen was “a good kid”, adding: “Works hard, plays hard.”

Gigwise.com Thursday 30th July 2009

Rihanna and Chris Brown have fuelled reunion rumours after dining across the street from each other.

The couple - who were banned from meeting by a court order after Chris pleaded guilty to assaulting her last month - ate on opposite sides of New York’s famous Broadway, in the city’s theatre district, on Tuesday (28.07.09).

Gossip website Radar reports: “Rihanna was seen at the Cipriani Downtown Restaurant while Chris looked glum while waiting in his car after dinner, across the street at Via Dei Mille Restaurant.”

Chris reached a plea bargain for attacking the Barbados-born beauty before his case went to trial.

Under the terms of the agreement, Chris is the subject of a restraining order which sees him banned from coming within 50 yards of the ‘Umbrella’ singer.

If he is found to have violated the terms, he might lose the plea bargain - which saw him receive five years probation and 180 days of community labour rather than any jail time - and be charged with a misdemeanour.

It has been reported that Chris will only be found to have breached the order if Rihanna complains to police.

Earlier this week, it was claimed Rihanna and Chris had stayed at Manhattan’s Trump International Hotel and Tower.

A source said at the time: “The two spent the weekend at the same luxury Midtown hotel under a cloak of secrecy.

“They spent the next two days coming and going in separate chauffeured vehicles. The two appear to have taken great measures to avoid public exposure.”

Music-news.com Thursday 30th July 2009

Some 31 acts have been added to the line-up of the Reading And Leeds Festivals  today (July 30) - as the bill of the BBC Introducing Stage was unveiled.

The festival kicks off on Friday 28th August 2009 and will see a huge variety of acts performing at the bash.

The BBC Introducing Stage will play host to up-and-coming artists over the weekend on both festival sites including Kasms, Screaming Lights, Kutosis and Goldheart Assembly.

The specific times and days that the acts will play have not yet been announced.

The BBC Introducing Stage line-up is:

To The Bones
The Old Romantic Killer Band
Ellen and the Escapades
Frontiers
British Intelligence
Our Fold
Soft Toy Emergency
Screaming Lights
Everything Everything
Come on Gang
Kasms
Kutosis
The Ruling Class
What Makes You Beautiful
Goldheart Assembly
Minnaars
Bear Driver
Sixty Watt Bayonets
The Teeth
A Plastic Rose
Horse Guards Parade
Suprise…Fire
Punch & The Apostles
The NEAT
Boney Black
Lovvers
The Living Daylights
Wonderswan
Chickenhawk
Milk White White Teeth
Kinch

The festivals will be headlined by Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys and Kings Of Leon.

The line-up is:

Main Stage

READING FRIDAY (AUGUST 28)/LEEDS SUNDAY (30)
Kings Of Leon
Kaiser Chiefs
Placebo
Fall Out Boy
Deftones
Funeral For A Friend
New Found Glory
Alexisonfire
Madina Lake
Sonic Boom Six

READING SATURDAY (29)/LEEDS FRIDAY (28)
Arctic Monkeys
The Prodigy
Maximo Park
Ian Brown
The Courteeners
Enter Shikari
Eagles Of Death Metal
The Rakes
Fightstar
El Bronx

READING SUNDAY (30)/ LEEDS SATURDAY (29)
Radiohead
Bloc Party
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Vampire Weekend
Brand New
The View
The Living End
Noah And The Whale
Kids In Glass Houses

NME/Radio 1 Stage

READING FRIDAY (AUGUST 28)/LEEDS SUNDAY (30)
Faith No More
Jamie T
Friendly Fires
Florence And The Machine
Jack Penate
The Horrors
Little Boots
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Virgins
Manchester Orchestra
Dananananaykroyd

READING SATURDAY (29)/ LEEDS FRIDAY (28)
Gossip
Glasvegas
White Lies
The Maccabees
You Me At Six
Patrick Wolf
Metric
Spinnerette
Delphic
Dinosaur Pile-Up

READING SUNDAY (30)/ LEEDS SATURDAY (29)
Lostprophets
AFI
Gallows
The Gaslight Anthem
Crystal Castles
Passion Pit
Metronomy
Frank Turner
Lethal Bizzle
In Case Of Fire
Broadway Calls

Lock-Up Stage

READING FRIDAY (AUGUST 28)/ LEEDS SUNDAY (30)
Billy Talent
Anti-Flag
Alexisonfire
Bouncing Souls
Leftover Crack
The Aggrolites
Streetlight Manifesto
Fake Problems
Riverboat Gamblers
The Flatliners
Ghost Of 1000
The Plight

READING SATURDAY (29)/ LEEDS FRIDAY (28)
Rise Against
Thursday
The Bronx
Mad Caddies
Rival Schools
Set Your Goals
Snuff
Municipal Waste
A Wilhelm Scream
Chuck Ragan
Polar Bear Club
The Computers

DANCE TENT:
LEEDS SATURDAY (29)/ READING (30)
Deadmau5
Vitalic
MSTRKRFT
Chase And Status (DJ set)
Lady Sovereign
The Crystal Method
The Qemists
Das Pop (Reading only)
Mixhell (Leeds only)
Chipmunk
3 Oh! 3
Master Shortie
L’Amour La Morgue (DJ set)

Acts set to appear on the Festival Republic Stage (days and scheduling yet to be confirmed) this year are:

65daysofstatic
A Day To Remember
A Place To Bury Strangers
Amazing Baby
Atreyu
Baddies
Bear Hands
The Big Pink
The Blackout
Black Lips
Bombay Bicycle Club
Bring Me The Horizon
Broken Records
The Chapman Family
Detroit Social Club
Fight Like Apes
Go Audio
Golden Silvers
Grammatics
Hockey
The Hot Rats
Jack’s Mannequin
The Joy Formidable
La Roux
Lightspeed Champion
Magistrates
Marmaduke Duke
Marina And The Diamonds
Middle Class Rut
Middleman
Pulled Apart By Horses
The Rumble Strips
Skint And Demoralised
The Soft Pack
Soulsavers
Sweethead
The Temper Trap
The XX
Titus Andronicus
White Denim

NME.com Thursday 30th July 2009

According to the star, the Kray twins sent one of their organisation to meet with The Kinks’ management to discuss looking after the band.

“Our managers at the time were stockbroker types. They had a visit from someone in the Kray twins’ organisation saying they were interested in managing us,” Davies explained. “They also asked if Mick Avory (The Kinks’ drummer) would be available for a date. It wouldn’t have been beneath our managers to strike a deal. The mind boggles.”

Davies added that he again communicated with one of the Krays, Reggie, in 1998.

Kray, in prison for the murder of Jack ‘The Hat’ McVitie in 1967, contacted Davies to tell him how much he liked a song (’London Song’) he had written about him, reports WENN.

“I received a phone call from Her Majesty’s Prison saying how much he liked it,” Davies recalled.

The Kray twins’ influence on music is fairly widespread, with both Morrissey and The Libertines among the acts to reference them in their songs.

nme.com 30/07/09