Sir Mick Jagger and Lady Gaga got competitive in the recording studio

OHMYGOSSIP — Sir Mick Jagger and Lady Gaga got “slightly competitive” in the recording studio.
The ‘Poker Face’ singer has collaborated with the Rolling Stones on their new song ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’ – which also features Stevie Wonder on keyboards – and the 80-year-old frontman had a “great experience” working with the ‘House of Gucci’ actress because he enjoyed watching her grow in confidence as the session progressed.
Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, he said: “She’s a really great singer and I’d never heard her sing quite that style before. Not exactly.
“We did it live in the room and that was a great experience, her just coming in the room and her just opening up and seeing her bits and feeling her way and then getting more confident.
“And then we came back and then did some extra parts that we hadn’t done on the day and then we did some tidying up and we were just in the overdub room, really face-to-face, getting them really tight, the parts really tight, and then being slightly competitive and screaming.”
Mick was also thankful for the input of producer Andy Watt when it came to laying down tracks for upcoming album ‘Hackney Diamonds’ because he was always so decisive.
He explained: “The thing is, Andy knows when, I think one of the great things is you don’t need to do the song many times. He knows when it’s done.
“So you do the song four times and it’s done.
“He said, ‘That’s it.’ And then everyone will look at him and go, ‘What? It’s done?’ ‘Yes. And now to the next one’… not all sitting around and thinking about it. There was none of that. ‘We move to the next one now.’ And we’d all say, ‘Ah, that’s great.’
“And we would all applaud each other because it got to be a joke that we’d finished another track and move on to the next one.
“So I think that’s really good to know when you’ve done it

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Noel Gallagher dubs Definitely Maybe ‘the last great punk album’

OHMYGOSSIP — Noel Gallagher has dubbed Oasis’ seminal album ‘Definitely Maybe’ “the last great punk album”.
The Britpop group’s former guitarist and chief songwriter has compared their 1994 debut album – which features the hits ‘Supersonic’ and ‘Live Forever’ – to the Sex Pistols’ only record, ‘Never Mind The B*******, Here’s The Sex Pistols’.
He told MOJO magazine: “Definitely Maybe was the last great punk album in many respects.
We were a punk band with Beatles melodies. We had no effects, barely any equipment, just loads of attitude, 12 cans of Red Stripe and ambition.”
The ‘Some Might Say’ songwriter noted how both records were written from the perspectives of teenagers.
He continued: “If you listen to that and ‘Never Mind The B*******’, they’re quite similar. That album was about the angst of being a teenager in 1977. Fast forward to 1994 and ‘Definitely Maybe’ is about the glory of being a teenager.”
Noel concluded: “It’s being down the park with a ghetto blaster distilled. It’s no coincidence that it’s lasted this long. Maybe there have been technically better or bigger records since, but that album is the real f****** deal. There’s no bull**** on it. It’s an honest snapshot of working-class lads trying to make it.”
Noel previously hailed the album as the “most influential” ever.
The 56-year-old rocker heaped praise on the 1977 punk rock masterpiece – featuring hits like ‘Anarchy in the U.K.’ and ‘Pretty Vacant’ – and insisted it “can’t be bettered”.
Speaking to Q Magazine in 2019, he said: “The most influential record of all time is ‘Never Mind The B*******’.
“People who are still working now in the music business did their s*** because of that record. It’s the absolute left turn.
“There is no argument. It cannot be bettered. It’s scientifically factual.”
Noel has name-dropped the Sex Pistols in the past, including using them in an argument about fans missing out on seeing his own band live.
He previously pointed out: “I’m sure there are countless, thousands of people who would love it [an Oasis reunion] but there’s one that wouldn’t … me.
“I do say, ‘We were together for 20 years, if you didn’t see us, tough’ … I didn’t get to see the Sex Pistols.”

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ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow share new version of I Should’ve Followed You Home

OHMYGOSSIP — ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow have reunited on a modern version of their 2013 duet ‘I Should’ve Followed You Home’.
The Swedish pop star and the Take That frontman originally released the song for Agnetha’s solo album ‘A’, which has been reimagined for ‘A+’.
The pair went on to perform the song on the telethon BBC Children In Need.
The ‘Dancing Queen’ singer said: “I have such happy memories with this song, and my first meeting with Gary! I love this duet and the new version is even better!!!”
The new version has a new beat that kicks off the song before Gary starts singing, transforming the track from a slow-burning ballad to a dance-pop tune.
The duet follows the release of Agnetha’s first new solo music in 10 years, ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’.
The album was written especially for her by the acclaimed songwriter and producer Jorgen Elofsson and as the pair approached the 10-year anniversary of the record, Agnetha and Jorgen discussed what the record would sound like if it was created in 2023 and decided to explore the idea together.
The two artists worked alongside fellow producer Anton ‘Hybrid’ Martensson and reimagined the album in its entirety, stripping each song back, keeping the original vocals from 2013, throwing away all the old music and creating totally brand new productions for 2023, and in turn, a brand new tracklisting.
In a letter to fans in which she shares her inspiration for the LP, Agnetha said: “A couple of years ago I heard one of the songs from my last album ‘A’ on the radio. I have lots of fond memories from making that album, so I couldn’t help but smile, time flies … Suddenly it hit me, what would the album sound like if we had made it today? I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I reached out to the boys who produced ‘A’ back in 2013 – ‘What would you guys think about reimagining ‘A’ and making a totally new version of it?’ They loved the idea! ‘Let’s try!’
“A while later I heard the first reworked song, and I must say I absolutely loved it! It sounded so fresh and modern, even better than I had imagined it!
“We named the album A+ and as a cherry on top we even recorded a brand new song! And that will be the first thing you´ll hear from me. Now I can’t wait to hear what you think about it! I hope you like it as much as I do!”
The record comes in the wake of ABBA’s 2021 release ‘Voyage’ which was Agnetha, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad’s first album of new material in 40 years. It preceded the opening of the ‘ABBA Voyage’ digital concert residency in London in May 2022.
Released in 2013, ‘A’ was Agnetha’s first solo LP since her 2004 cover album ‘My Colouring Book’, and her first original material since 1987’s ‘Stand Alone’.
It also features Agnetha’s first self-penned track in nearly 30 years, ‘I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed’.
Album ‘A+’ will be available via BMG on October 13, 2023, and is available to pre-order.

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Ed Sheeran releases Autumn Variations

OHMYGOSSIP — Ed Sheeran says his new album ‘Autumn Variations’ is intended to feel like a “warm hug” this autumn.
The 32-year-old pop star has shared his cosy record without any singles or videos as it’s “purely” for his fans and not intended for commercial gain.
He explained on Instagram: “So Autumn Variations is out now ! This is an album purely for you, the fans. There’s no singles, no videos, it’s on my own label, so no pressure for anything. I just want you guys to have a soundtrack for autumn/fall that feels like a warm hug. I hope you love it. Lemme know what your fav songs are and il see some of you this week at random pop ups we are doing. Love you all (sic)”
The 14-track record was inspired by the composer Edward Elgar’s format for his most famous work, ‘Enigma Variations’.
Announcing the record, Ed explained: “Last autumn, I found that my friends and I were going through so many life changes. After the heat of the summer, everything either calmed, settled, fell apart, came to a head or imploded.”
“When I went through a difficult time at the start of last year, writing songs helped me understand my feelings and come to terms with what was going on, and when I learned about my friend’s different situations, I wrote songs, some from their perspectives, some from mine, to capture how they and I viewed the world at that time. There were highs of falling in love and new friendships among lows of heartbreak, depression, loneliness and confusion.”
“My dad and brother told me about a composer called Elgar, who composed ‘Enigma Variations’, where each of the 14 compositions were about a different one of his friends. This is what inspired me to make this album. When I recorded Subtract with Aaron Dessner, we clicked immediately. We wrote and recorded non-stop and this album was born out of that partnership. I feel he has captured the feeling of autumn so wonderfully in his sonics and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”
The Grammy winner once again worked with pal Taylor Swift’s collaborator, Aaron Dessner of The National, who heaped praise on Ed for the way he “captured the feeling of autumn so wonderfully”.
They first worked together on Ed’s ‘Subtract’ LP, which was only released in May this year.
Ed is set to release an album for each of the seasons as he did for his mathematical series – but has a big “pop album” on the way before he follows up ‘Autumn Variations’.
The prolific star also recently revealed he has a live version of ‘Autumn Variations’ recorded at fans’ houses on the way.
And he’s just shared a live video of him performing the album’s track ‘American Town’ sitting beside a railway track on YouTube to coincide with the release of ‘Autumn Variations’, out now.

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Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll among big winners at 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards

OHMYGOSSIP — Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll were among the big winners at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards.
The 31-year-old singer took home the Female Artist of 2023 accolade at the ceremony at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House on Thursday (28.09.23), and she and the 38-year-old rapper-turned-country star combined to land The Collaboration Song Of 2023 for tune ‘Save Me’.
As she accepted the accolade, Lainey paid tribute to Jelly, who couldn’t be at the ceremony, telling the audience: “I wish he was here. I have gotten to know Jelly over the last few years.
“I just want to say, Jelly is one of the purest souls I have gotten to know, and I think it is so cool he has fans who love him for him.
“He makes people feel like they can be true to themselves and their stories, and that right there is special in itself. This is for Jelly Roll, y’all!”
Jelly also landed the Male Artist of 2023 gong, The New Artist Of 2023 prize, and The Song Of 2023 for ‘Need A Favor’, while Lainey was also successful in The Music Video Of 2023 category for her and HARDY’s tune ‘Wait in the Truck’.
Morgan Wallen was another big winner on the night, scooping The People’s Artist Of 2023 accolade, The Album Of 2023 award for ‘One Thing At A Time’, and he triumphed in The Concert Tour Of 2023 category for ‘Morgan Wallen: One Night At A Time World Tour’.
Toby Keith landed the Country Music Icon Award, and the star – who has been battling cancer since June 2022 – brought his wife Tricia Lucus to tears with his acceptance speech.
After being presented with the gong by Blake Shelton, he said: “Bet you thought you’d never see me in skinny jeans.
“I want to thank the almighty for allowing me to be here tonight. You’ve been riding shotgun with me for a little while.
“Most of all I want to thank the fans for still allowing us to do what we do.”
What’s more, Wynonna Judd took home the Country Champion Award, while Dan + Shay were named The Group/Duo Of 2023.
What’s more, Blake triumphed in The Social Country Star Of 2023 category, and P!nk and Chris Stapleton’s ‘Just Say I’m Sorry’ scooped The Crossover Song Of 2023.

People’s Choice Country Awards 2023 Winners List:

Country Music Icon Award
Toby Keith

Country Champion Award
Wynonna Judd

The People’s Artist Of 2023
Morgan Wallen

The Male Artist Of 2023
Jelly Roll

The Female Artist Of 2023
Lainey Wilson

The Group/Duo Of 2023
Dan + Shay

The New Artist Of 2023
Jelly Roll

The Social Country Star Of 2023
Blake Shelton

The Song Of 2023
‘Need A Favor’ – Jelly Roll

The Collaboration Song Of 2023
‘Save Me’ – Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson

The Crossover Song Of 2023
‘Just Say I’m Sorry’ – P!nk, Chris Stapleton

The Album Of 2023
One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen

The Music Video Of 2023
‘Wait in the truck’ – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

The Concert Tour Of 2023
Morgan Wallen: One Night At A Time World Tour

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Snow Patrol’s former bassist Paul Wilson quit to start a metal-inspired project

OHMYGOSSIP — Snow Patrol’s former bassist Paul Wilson quit the band to pursue his love of metal.
Frontman Gary Lightbody was “heartbroken” to announce drummer Jonny Quinn and Paul decided to depart the group.
The Northern Irish band – which racked up a string of chart-topping hits including ‘Run’ and ‘Chasing Cars’ since they formed in 1994 – vowed to carry on as a trio, also including Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid.
And Paul has explained that whilst it was a hard choice to quit, his “priorities shifted so much”, and he’s now focused on his new band Above As Below, which is very much in the vein of Foo Fighters.
Paul happened to be in the US rock band’s bass player Nate Mendel’s group Lieutenant.
He told Rolling Stone: “It’s quite a tough decision to walk away from a huge entity like Snow Patrol.
“But my priorities shifted so much.”
He continued: “I’ve done Bon Iver-style stuff, and I thought, ‘This isn’t good enough.’
“It’s not authentic. And I was like, ‘Wait a minute, I love metal mostly.’ My old band before, Terra Diablo, was a metal band, and I played lead guitar in Nate Mendel from Foo Fighters’ band, Lieutenant. But heavier music is what I’ve listened to.”
Paul also touched on the gossip that surrounded the double departure after Jonny’s wife, Mariane, claimed there was a major fallout.
And he suspects it was nothing more than “creative differences” but was peeved that it took precedence over him launching his new project.
He told the publication: “After being in this band for 20 years, and then all of a sudden there’s this salacious gossip. It’s like, ugh. This has completely ruined my moment of leaving and doing my own thing.
He added: “I don’t really know what went down, but I’m guessing there were creative differences in the studio; I can’t imagine it was anything too crazy.
“I don’t have any ill feelings towards the guys.”
Above As Below have released their new single ‘Luna’ today (29.09.23).

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Take That reveal intense training in preparation for huge 2024 tour

OHMYGOSSIP — Take That will embark on eight weeks of intense preparations before hitting the road.
Frontman Gary Barlow already trains four to five days a week, mixing cardio, with weights and movement, and then he’ll have the addition of their “six to eight-week rehearsals”, which will see the trio – completed by Mark Owen, 51, and Howard Donald, 55 – practice their famous routines.
Asked how they prepare for tours these days, Gary, 52, told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “Move and get outside – that’s what my dad used to say. I’ve tried ­everything, I really have. I come from a generation that works out when we’re overweight, but I don’t think like that anymore.
“We set aside six to eight weeks before the tour starts for rehearsals – that is our workout for what’s coming.”
Gary famously lost five stone after reaching 16 stone after the band split in 1996 through overhauling his lifestyle.
The ‘Shine’ hitmaker, who swears by taking ice baths, insists he works out regularly for how good it makes him feel mentally, not for weight loss.
He said: “It’s a mental thing for me and exercise makes me happy.
“I see it as a way of making my mind clearer, which in turn makes my day better.”
Howard quipped: “And if there isn’t an ice bath available in our hotel, Gary orders ice to fill the bath.”
Other ways the ‘Never Forget’ hitmaker keeps his mind happy is by switching off from the outside world and saying no to jobs that he believes will be stress-inducing.
He added: “I believe in serving my mind these days. I avoid stressful situations. If a job looks like it’s going to be a pain, I don’t take it. I know I’m very fortunate to be able to make those choices.
“In the last six months, I’ve taken a lot of apps off my phone. I don’t read the news on there anymore, which means I don’t feel like I’m taking on the world’s problems. Instead, I take on the issues around me, the ones I feel I can fix. It makes a real difference.”
Take That kick off their ‘This Life On Tour’ run in Sheffield with two gigs at the Utilita Arena on April 13 and 14.

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Aerosmith postpones all tour dates for 2023 as Steven Tyler suffers fractured larynx

OHMYGOSSIP — Aerosmith have postponed all of their 2023 tour dates as Steven Tyler has suffered a fractured larynx.
The ‘Walk This Way’ rock group – which also consists of Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford – had been due to hit the road again over the course of this year but the already-postponed dates have now been pushed back to next year as their frontman continues to undergo surgery for his vocal health.
In a statement posted to Instagram, the band said: “To our fans: Unfortunately, Steven’s vocal injury is more serious than initially thought. His doctor has confirmed that in addition to the damage to his vocal cords, he fractured his larynx which requires ongoing care.
“He is receiving the best medical treatment available to ensure his recovery is swift, but given the nature of a fracture, he is being told patience is essential.
“As a result, all the currently scheduled PEACE OUT shows must be postponed to sometime in 2024, with new dates to be announced as soon as we know more. ”
The 75-year-old rocker also gave his own statement, in which he admitted that he was “heartbroken” to have let the fans down but promised them that they will be back as soon as possible.
He said: “I am heartbroken to not be out there with Aerosmith, my brothers and the incredible Black Crowes, rocking with the best fans in the world. I promise we will be back as soon as we can.”
The band launched the ‘Peace Out: The Farewell Tour’ on September 2 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but now ground to a halt just three shows after Tyler experienced difficulties during the concert at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York on Saturday (09.09.23) and doctors subsequently ordered him not to sing for 30 days.
The tour had initially been due to resume on October 1.

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Kylie celebrates NINTH number one album with Tension: ‘Ill hold onto this moment forever!’

OHMYGOSSIP — Kylie Minogue has achieved her ninth number one album with ‘Tension’.
The 55-year-old pop superstar has released 16 albums since beginning her music career in the late 1980s and is “so thankful” to her fans for getting her latest record – which includes the megahit ‘Padam Padam’ – to the top of the charts on Friday (29.09.23) in both the UK and her native Australia.
She wrote on Instagram: “Baby can’t you feel that my heart is beating .. TENSION is NUMBER ONE in the UK and AUSTRALIA!! THANK YOU to everyone who bought it, streamed it, and made it YOURS … I am in awe of the love and support you’ve shown me. I will hold on to this moment forever!!”(sic)
The dance record joins 1988 debut ‘Kylie’ – famed for the tracks ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ and ‘Locomotion’ – along with 1989’s ‘Enjoy Yourself’, notable for the single ‘Hand On Your Heart’ and 1992 compilation ‘Greatest Hits’ amongst her albums to have hit the top spot.
Her 2001 smash hit ‘Fever’ – which spawned her signature tune ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ – along with 2010’s ‘Aphrodite’, the country-inspired ‘Golden’ in 2018 , 2019 compilation ‘Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection’ and 2020’s ‘Disco’ make up the rest of her records to go to number one.
The ‘Spinning Around’ legend is now on par with Bob Dylan and Coldplay on the list of acts boasting the most number ones on the Official Chart; each with nine to their name to date.
The only female solo artists with more are ‘Anti-Hero’ songstress Taylor Swift, who has 10 albums to hit the top of the charts, and ‘Material Girl’ hitmaker Madonna, who has a total of 12.

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John 5 still isn’t sure how he came to replace Mick Mars in Motley Crue

OHMYGOSSIP — John 5 still isn’t sure how he came to replace Mick Mars in Motley Crue.
The 53-year-old musician took over from the axeman in the band in 2022, after the veteran guitarist announced his retirement – but there was never any formal discussion about his role.
John – whose real name is John Lowery – told Australian Guitar magazine: “There was never really any talk about it.
“It’s funny because we didn’t talk about business a lot. It was so much in our lives, so we didn’t talk about it.
“We talked about music and bands and records we love, movies and things like that, but I wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, [Rob] Zombie, John 5 and the Creatures…’
“I mean, Nikki [Sixx] would say, ‘We’re getting ready for the tour and the tour’s huge,’ and things like that. I don’t even know how it all came about.”
Despite this, John didn’t hesitate when he was offered the chance to join the band.
The guitarist – who left Rob Zombie to join the Motley Crue – shared: “There were times when I was playing a show in the exact same city as Motley. I’d be three miles away in this large club while they were in a stadium.
“At the end of the tour, Nikki was like, ‘You know, I think Mick’s going to retire. A tour’s coming up. We’re gonna go to Europe and South America and do all this touring.’
“He said, ‘Is this something you would be interested in?’ To be honest with you, I look at this as ‘life is very short and I want to experience as much as I can.’ I was like, ‘Well of course’.”

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Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group collaborates with Gamma

OHMYGOSSIP — Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group has joined forces with Gamma.
The 47-year-old rapper and record executive is now working with Gamma, the media and technology company which is focused on music, film, podcasting, and creative services, after his longtime business partner and manager Breyon Prescott joined the company as executive VP of content.
Ross said in a statement: “You know Breyon and I have been making money together for a long time, even more important, we have always been able to do great business, which is why I look forward to this partnership with Gamma. This is a big move for Larry [Gamma founder Larry Jackson] to be in the position he’s in and for me to be in the position I’m in it’s only right we come together and make some historic moves.”
Larry said: “I have known Breyon for over twenty years since my formative days at J Records and he’s consistently been a consummate entrepreneur and trailblazer. He’s always delivered hits and we are proud to have him on the team here at Gamma. Rick Ross, by way of Breyon, was one of the first artists to believe in gamma. and sign to us before we even launched. That meant a lot to me and I am so thrilled to make the long overdue announcement of this partnership.”
Prescott added: “I’m excited to be part of the passionate team at Gamma. Larry and I first worked alongside each other with the legendary Clive Davis, where we broke many artists and enjoyed a historic musical run. I look forward to introducing fresh talent and compelling new ventures. With my arrival to gamma., I wanted to walk in the door with one of the most iconic artists and business leaders that I have been honored to work with and have shared major success with: Rick Ross! He is not only a one of a kind music legend, but also an incredible human being. It’s thrilling that the first project we’re working on together is the highly anticipated collaboration with Meek. Can’t wait for the world to experience it.”
To celebrate the announcement, Ross has reunited with Meek Mill for the single ‘Shaq Kobe,’ and the pair plan to release a full-length collaborative album in the future.

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Bruce Springsteen’s ‘instant classic’

OHMYGOSSIP — Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Addicted To Romance’ is an “instant classic”.
The 74-year-old musician recorded the Bryce Dessner produced single for the soundtrack of the new Rebecca Miller film ‘She Came To Me’ and Dessner was excited about it as soon as he heard it.
Dessner said in a statement: “Working with Rebecca Miller on her new film ‘She Came to Me’ has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my creative life. The film, which centers around a composer, features two big on-screen opera scenes that I composed specifically for the film, as well as a score that features pianist Katia Labèque and full orchestra conducted by my friend André de Ridder.
“When Rebecca asked me about working on a song for the end credits I immediately thought (perhaps unrealistically!) that it would be incredible to ask Bruce Springsteen to write a song. Rebecca agreed, and we sent the film to Bruce, and, to our surprise and delight, he responded very positively. Shortly after, Bruce sent us a demo of the song he wrote inspired by the film, ‘Addicted to Romance,’ which felt like an instant classic the minute we heard it. The song also features Bruce’s wife, Patti Scialfi, and their voices blend together for the perfect ending to the movie. As a lifelong Bruce fan, along with my bandmates, he is one of our biggest influences, it was a dream to work on this song with Bruce, and he was incredibly generous and open to my ideas and contributions.”
‘Addicted To Romance’ features on the closing credits for the movie, which stars Peter Dinklage, Marisa Tomei, Joanna Kulig, Brian d’Arcy James, and Anne Hathaway.

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Take That reveal how they do their choreography these days: ‘It’s about what feels right!’

OHMYGOSSIP — Take That have a more “natural” approach to choreography these days.
The 1990s boyband – which currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen and formerly featured Robbie Williams and Jason Orange – have just released new single ‘Windows’ but explained that these days, their choreography needs to be about what “feels right” to them instead of how it was done in the early years.
Mark told The Daily Star on Sunday newspaper: “What I really love about where we are now is that Howard and Jason choreographed those iconic routines like ‘Pray Sure’, ‘It Only Takes a Minute’ in the early days – as we’ve got older, the choreography is more about what feels right. We put on a song and move about to it and it naturally takes a direction. That’s how we work our choreography now. ”
Meanwhile, Howard went onto joke that despite their age, they still love performing for the crowds and joked that even Gary – who penned most of the group’s back catalogue and went on to release six albums as a solo artist – even gets in on the action despite always telling his bandmates that he does not want to dance.
He said: “We might be getting old but we love dancing on stage, and there’s no better feeling than coming off stage sweating. You know, we’ve had a proper workout and we’re out of breath. Our audience do the routines back to us. Gary says he never wants to dance, but the next day he remembers the whole thing!”
The ‘Shine’ hitmakers will six to eight-week rehearsals ahead of their 2024 arena tour and Gary – who overhauled his lifestyle to lose the five stone he had gained after the band split in 1996 – lifestyle – recently explained that he manages the workload because he comes from a generation who worked out to shed the pounds.
Asked how they prepare for tours these days, Gary, 52, told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “Move and get outside – that’s what my dad used to say. I’ve tried ­everything, I really have. I come from a generation that works out when we’re overweight, but I don’t think like that anymore.
“We set aside six to eight weeks before the tour starts for rehearsals – that is our workout for what’s coming.”
Take That kick off their ‘This Life On Tour’ run in Sheffield with two gigs at the Utilita Arena on April 13 and 14.

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James Arthur can ‘tap into pain’ for songwriting because of his past: ‘I will eternally heartbroken’

OHMYGOSSIP — James Arthur can “tap into the pain” of his past for writing songs.
The 35-year-old singer admitted to having had some “abandonment issues” and felt as if he “didn’t belong” in his youth but explained that his past trauma allowed him to build a persona for his music that he uses when crafting a song today.
He told The Sun on Sunday’s Bizarre column: “Because of what I have been through in my life I will eternally be heartbroken in some way.
“I guess I have had some abandonment issues and feeling like I didn’t belong when I was younger – that is what I have built my artist persona on. I find it easier to tap into pain because I know all about it – it never goes away.
“When you go through trauma you learn to live alongside it, you don’t ever get rid of it.”
However, the ‘X Factor’ winner – who is due to release his latest single ‘Just Us’ on Friday 7 October – now has daughter Emily, 11 months, with partner Jessica Grist and recently told of how becoming a dad changed his outlook on life, causing him to come off the “selfish” path he had been on.
He said: “My perspective changed when I became a dad. I’ve been on this selfish, self-indulgent pursuit for validation and recognition for my music. Like, why don’t people give me my flowers? And all that kind of stuff.
“When you have a kid, you have a bit of an ego death, like, what are you doing? It’s silly to care so much about external things from people who don’t care about you. It’s been good for me as someone who has been on a self-absorbed pursuit.”

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Mae Muller: ‘Don’t pity me over Eurovision!’

OHMYGOSSIP — Mae Muller doesn’t want people to “pity” her over her Eurovision.
The 26-year-old singer represented the UK during the annual international song contest earlier this year with her pop single ‘I Wrote a Song’ and finished in second-to-last place but has insisted that she has “laughed it off” since despite initially making a TikTok where she implied that she did not want to talk about the situation.
She told BBC Newsbeat: “When I made that TikTok I was still spiralling. I was like, ‘Oh my God, my life is over’. But I knew I had to address it in my own way. I didn’t want it to be a ‘doom and gloom moment’ because I can’t deal with people pitying me. The second I did that, everyone laughed it off with me and it highlighted it’s not the end of the world.”
The ‘Me, Myself and I’ singer went on to add that she had “so much fun” in the time that followed the contest and was finally able to write her new album ‘Sorry I’m Late’ after finding herself so busy during the build-up to the international competition.
She added: “I really felt people were on my side. I had so much fun with the fans and despite the pressure, I was able to be myself. I had no time to write so I didn’t write a song for six months. I didn’t have the mental capacity because it was so all-consuming. So I was like I’m going to put writing on the back burner and just focus on what’s in front of me. After coming out of Eurovision, it meant I wasn’t twiddling my thumbs. I had a whole album to promote so we had to keep going

Source: IconInsider.com

Blur wanted to ‘kill stink of Britpop’

OHMYGOSSIP — Graham Coxon says Blur tried to “kill any stink of Britpop” when they were making their self-titled 1997 album.
The band released their fifth album – simply titled ‘Blur’ – in 1997 as a follow-up to their 1995 hit ‘The Great Escape’ and it featured a change in both style and sound for the indie rockers – and Graham has now confessed they deliberately tried to move away from the Britpop craze of their heyday.
He told Mojo magazine: “We felt forced into this strange Britpop thing, which we had nothing to do with, but I suppose [on ‘Blur’] we tried to kill any stink of Britpop from our clothes and move away from our beloved Kinks – though there was still Bowie, because of Damon and [producer] Stephen Street. I think we found our own heavy psychedelia, rather than staying with Toad-of-Toad-Hall psychedelia.”
The guitarist admitted he was given more of a chance to steer the direction of the record and acknowledges it’s often thought of as a “Graham album”.
He also insisted their record label bosses weren’t worried about the new sound because they were thrilled with the single ‘Song 2’ which became a huge hit and helped the album become their most successful release in America.
Graham said: ” I don’t know what concerns EMI had, because they loved ‘Song 2’, which we had played them for a laugh. We had ‘Beetlebum’ too … It’s an unfocused album but each song has its own personality, which can be tricky to achieve …
“If anyone was going to have a go at a Blur album, it would have been this one, because of its self-indulgent moments. I can’t recall how it was reviewed, or particularly liked, but it came from an authentic place, and then it’s hard to rip it to shreds. Authenticity is an amazing force field!”

Source: IconInsider.com