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Paul McCartney has warned One Direction being compared to The Beatles could be a "kiss of death."
The Beatles are one of the biggest bands in history, but Paul - the group's songwriter and bass player - thinks too much pressure is put on artists when they're compared to such iconic acts, and instead people should just call them "the next terrific band."
"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. 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.'"
One Direction are currently taking America by storm, and earlier this month made history by becoming the first UK act to top the American chart with their debut album, Up All Night.
Paul wishes the boy band well for the States, where they are returning for another tour later this year: "They're doing well in America. It's good - good luck lads."
Gallery: Paul McCartney Warns One Direction
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Blink 182 to Last Forever
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Concerts / Tours, Pop, Rock,
Mark Hoppus says Blink-182 will last "forever."
The bassist is thrilled the group's much delayed 20th anniversary tour is finally starting and wants to keep playing with guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker for as long as fans will have them around.
"As long as we're having fun, I can see us going forever. That's the goal. To tour as long as it's fun. I hope that lasts forever. Our relationship is really strong. It's strange to think I'm still touring with these guys I was friends with twenty years ago. So much stuff has happened in our lives and we're still here together. We've come to respect each other a lot more: Our differences, our talents, our weaknesses. It's been a long road together. I can't wait for the summer. It'll be well worth the wait. We had to postpone the tour we had planned for last time because the record wasn't done yet which was a very difficult and painful decision but we ended up writing some of our best on the album during that period. There's going to be a lot of really cool lights, lasers, movie screens, new songs, old songs and a lot of really dirty jokes."
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Gallery: Blink 182 to Last Forever
Adele Inspired by ODB, White Stripes
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop, R&B / Soul, Rock,
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Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was influenced by rapper ODB and The White Stripes.
The lead single from Adele's second album, 21 has been a huge international hit, but despite having a classic soul sound, the inspiration behind is much more contemporary and surprising.
"When we were doing 'Rolling In The Deep' we wanted the impact and feeling of the track to have a little bit of 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes. But for the bridges, we were trying to make the piano sound like 'Brooklyn Zoo' by Ol' Dirty B*****d. And when it came to the whole feeling of her vocal relationship to the track, we thought most like Cee Lo Green and Nina Simone," producer Paul Epworth told Uaudio.com
Adele's 21 is was inspired by a particularly painful love split, but she has promised she is now "done being a bitter witch," and vowed to "never write a break-up record again." Adele, now 23, also said people assume she is "miserable" because of melancholy songs like "Someone Like You," but they end up "surprised" when they meet her and find she is actually cheerful and upbeat.
Gallery: Adele Inspired by ODB, White Stripes
Madonna Invites Justin Bieber on Tour
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Concerts / Tours, Music Videos, Electronic, Pop,
Madonna has invited Justin Bieber to perform with her on tour. The "Girls Gone Wild" singer is a "huge fan" of the teen pop sensation and wants them to hook up at on of her summer concerts.
"He's awesome. I'm a huge fan. I love it when he raps (sic)," Madonna replied when asked what she thought of Justin in a live Twitter chat with fans.
Justin - who has just released his new single "Boyfriend" - replied, "Seeing that is a huge honor. Yours is a career artists dream of. Congrats on the new album!(sic)"
This prompted Madonna's invite, with her writing, "Come and join me on stage when I'm on tour when we are in the same city, and congrats on your new single (sic)."
Elsewhere in the chat, Madonna revealed the full extent of her musical abilities. When asked if she can play any instruments besides guitar, replied, "well i can play the drums. and i tried playing violin (sic)."
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Gallery: Madonna Invites Justin Bieber on Tour
Madonna "almost cried" when she returned to the recording studio.
The 53-year-old singer took a break from her music career to direct W.E. and although she enjoyed working on the film, she loved going back to the "simplicity" of songwriting for her new album MDNA.
"It's amazing to be back in music. I like the intimacy of a recording studio and song writing. I'm using a different part of my brain when I work on music versus when I'm directing a film. It's very different. I love doing both, but it was nice to have the simplicity of song writing after three years of writing a script and directing and editing and talking about my film, to sit down and play my guitar and sing a song. I almost cried."
Madonna also said she refuses to listen to other artists' work when she is recording because she needs to work from a "clean slate" with no external influences: "I wasn't listening to anything to tell you the truth when I wrote this. I was working on the soundtrack to my movie W.E. So just classical music. I actually don't like listening to pop music while I'm working on pop music - it doesn't really work. You don't want to hear other people's stuff, you need a clean slate to work off."
Gallery: Madonna Emotional Over Return to Music
One Direction Tops US Album Charts
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Concerts / Tours, Performances, The Charts, Pop, New Releases,
One Direction have become the first British group to enter the US charts at number one with a debut album.
The "What Makes You Beautiful" hitmakers - Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson - made history by selling more than 176,000 copies of their Up All Night album since its release last Tuesday.
"We simply cannot believe that we are number one in America! It's beyond a dream come true for us. We want to thank each and every one of our fans in the US who bought our album and we would also like to thank the American public for being so supportive of us," Harry said.
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Gallery: One Direction Tops US Album Charts
Usher Wants Adele Duet
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Pop, R&B / Soul,
Usher believes the world "deserves" a duet between him and Adele.
The "Yeah" singer thinks he should collaborate with "Rolling in the Deep" hitmaker Adele, after she has had such a great year since releasing her second album 21: "I think the world deserves an Usher and Adele record. That's what I think."
Usher also joked that he didn't want people in the US to keep buying 21, so it doesn't beat his record of 7.9 million sales of an album in one year, set with Confessions in 2004:
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Katy Perry always wants her lyrics to be honest, "no matter how much it hurts." The "Firework" hitmaker - who split from husband Russell Brand in December - promises fans she will always tell the truth on her records, and finds going into the studio is often "cathartic."
"People see the lyrics are a bit vulnerable sometimes, but I think that is what everybody wants to hear, they want to hear the truth, no matter how much it hurts. Writing songs is cathartic, it's definitely like I'm pushing something out. Whenever I feel I'm getting toward breaking point, rather than going into a bad place I just get my guitar, or get myself into the studio and free verse, freestyle," she said.
Katy added she always carries a recorder wherever she goes in order to capture all the funny and interesting phrases, words or descriptions that come to her in her everyday life: "I have this little red recorder I have with me at all times, and if I'm walking around the streets it's in my purse and I just pull it out. It's all about catchphrases and people and conversations and what I'm feeling. I love language, especially when you write a pop song, a lot of people think your pop songs are just pop and whatever, but if you listen to the lyrics, each one has a meaning and a purpose, and sometimes has two meanings, two purposes. Basically what I'm trying to say is I'm super deep. But I'm also a pop star."
Click to continue reading Katy Perry Always Honest with Lyrics
Gallery: Katy Perry Always Honest with Lyrics
Madonna wrote MDNA because she "felt like a caged animal."
The "Give me all Your Luvin" hitmaker was motivated to make her first album in four years because she was upset with fame and felt like she has something important to say.
"I felt like a caged animal. I felt like I had to scream. I had to get some things off my chest. There's something simple and primal and direct about playing guitar and singing. I still have a lot to say. I still get p****d off about things. And I still believe in love," she said.
She also praised producer William Orbit, who worked on MDNA and has previously collaborated with Madonna on her Music and Ray of Light albums: "Something magical happens when I work with William. He is a tortured soul, and he brings out the tortured soul in me."
Madonna also claimed she's not as "in control" of her career as people perceive her to be.
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Gallery: Madonna Felt Like ‘Caged Animal’
Nas Unsure About Winehouse Duet
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Blues, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,
Nas says "part" of him "didn't want to" record a posthumous song with Amy Winehouse.
The rapper had planned to write a song with Amy before her death from accidental alcohol poisoning last July, and was apprehensive about whether he should contribute to the posthumously track "Like Smoke."
"Part of me didn't want to do the song. Amy and I share a birthday, so she was my sister. And she was just so much fun to be around. She would say things about well-known people in the industry that she didn't like and it would just crack me up. We were all hoping she would pull through and come back," he said.
Nas - full name Nasir Jones - was introduced to Amy via producer Salaam Remi, and she had referenced him in her track "Me and Mr. Jones," which they had planned to record a sequel to together. The rapper has also told how making "Like Smoke," featured on the Lioness: Hidden Treasures album was a "bittersweet" experience.
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Gallery: Nas Unsure About Winehouse Duet
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