OHMYGOSSIP — Dolly Parton has announced the visual orchestral project, ‘Threads: My Songs in Symphony’.
The ‘Jolene’ hitmaker has been quietly creating a “full-evening symphonic storytelling experience exploring the threads of her life in song.”
Fans can expect “an innovative multimedia symphonic experience featuring Dolly onscreen, leading audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, her life and her stories.”
It will feature “new and innovative orchestrations of Dolly’s hit songs.”
The music has been arranged for orchestra by David Hamilton.
The premiere performance will take place on March 20, 2025, in Nashville with the GRAMMY Award-winning Nashville Symphony, before touring across the globe.
‘Threads: My Songs in Symphony’ is co-produced by Dolly, 78, with Schirmer Theatrical and Sony Music Publishing.
The ‘9 to 5’ hitmaker commented: “I’m just so excited to share my songs and the stories behind them in this beautiful new way. Threads: My Songs in Symphony is like a journey through the heartstrings of my life. I hope we can take it far and wide to symphony orchestras everywhere!”
Schirmer Theatrical President, Robert Thompson. said: “Bringing the genius, music, life, and legacy of Dolly Parton to symphonic audiences is an honour for us.
“Audiences will hear for the first time Dolly’s songs performed by orchestras worldwide in this innovative symphonic story-telling experience.”
Sony Music Publishing’s Director, Licensing and Strategic Marketing, Todd Ellis, added: “It’s an incredible honour to represent the popular and influential song catalogue of Dolly Parton.
“We couldn’t be more excited for fans to immerse themselves in her music and experience her songs in such a new and imaginative way.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Taylor Swift inspired Charlie Puth to put out “one of the hardest songs” he’s ever had to write.
The pop superstar, 34, gave a shout-out to the ‘Light Switch’ hitmaker on the title track on her latest album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, singing: “You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.”
And Charlie, 32, has revealed being name-dropped by the Grammy winner gave him the courage to share a painful song, titled ‘Hero’, which is released on Friday (24.05.24).
He shared on Instagram: “My new song ‘HERO’ is about when you see someone you love hurting themselves, ruining the things in their life that are good, but you just can’t save them. It’s one of the hardest songs I’ve ever had to write, but I wrote it in hopes that you’ve gone through something similar in your life, and that it can fill in the BLANK for you like it did for me.
“I’m very excited to share my next album with you, especially this song because it’s a great representation of what’s to come. I’ve never put out a song like this before – it’s very different for me, but I want to thank Taylor Swift for letting me know musically that I just couldn’t keep this on my hard drive any longer. Thank you to all of my fans – you’ll never know how much you mean to me…”
He had already teased: : “I think someone out there was giving me a sign that I needed to release it. So… I declare ‘Hero’ will be out everywhere on May 24th as the first single of my new album. Thank you for your support… you know who you are.”
Charlie recently teamed up with K-Pop stars Stray Kids on ‘Lose My Breath’.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Taylor Swift is a fan of ‘Stranger Things’ star Joe Keery’s music – but he insists they are not working together.
The pair were seen leaving the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York at the same time last year, as Joe is also a musician under the alias Djo, and best known for his viral hit ‘End of the Beginning’, and he’s revealed the ‘Fortnight’ hitmaker, 34, told him she is a big fan of the tune.
Speaking about the speculation they worked together, Joe, 32, told ‘The Spout Podcast’, he spilled: “I just happened to be there the day that she was there. And she’s really nice. I mean, I’ve met her a couple of times.
“Before anything happened with this track, she said, ‘Hey, I really love that track of yours, ‘End Of Beginning.’
“She just said she had heard the song and, you know, obviously I’m like, ‘What? You heard that song? How the hell did you hear that song?’”
He went on: “She’s like a music lover, really. She’s also so hip to new music and things that are coming out. So, I guess it’s not shocking to me because she’s like a big fan of music and just digs around and finds stuff.
“Somehow it came across her desk, and she listened to it and then said that she liked it. Really, really nice of her.”
Addressing the hearsay that they could be collaborating, he previously told ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’: “Well, that was a very confusing day because I was just in there with John, minding my own business, not doing anything, and then I walked out the door, and it was like 1,000 people were standing out there.
“People looked at me expecting Taylor, and were like, ‘Who’s this guy?’”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Billie Eilish had “no idea who she was” when she made ‘Happier Than Ever’.
The 22-year-old megastar has just returned with her favourite work to date, ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’, and has confessed its 2021 predecessor was penned when she wasn’t as “comfortable” in her own skin.
She explained to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1: “I think for that one we just didn’t put that much into it. That’s why there’s 16 songs. Nobody needs that many songs… As much as [it] was coming from this place of like, ‘We’re so good, this sounds so good,’ it was also, at least for me, not knowing at all who I was. ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ is almost the reverse of that… We were like, ‘I don’t know if we’re making anything good. This might be terrible.’ Now when I think about it, I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I’m comfortable in who I am now.”
Billie – who underwent a style makeover for her second LP, leaning into the Hollywood glamour style with blonde locks – and her collaborator and brother, Finneas, admitted they were a little “cocky” making the LP after all the accolades and adulation they received for her record-breaking 2019 debut album, ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’.
They explained: “It was two people that had just been told the nicest things imaginable and we sat around making these songs. And I know from remembering it that we sat around being like, ‘We are so good.’ […] there are songs where we’d work on something for one day and I’d be like, ‘Done!’”
Sharing her pride of her latest record, the ‘Lunch’ singer wrote on Instagram: “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” my third album is f***ing out now i don’t even know what to SAAYY… @finneas and i put so much into this album and have never ever ever loved something more. we hope you enjoy it so much and i’ll see you on the other side EEEEEEEEEEEEEK HMHAS OUT NOW EVERYWHERE LOVE YOU ALL TO DEAAAAATH!!!! (sic)”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Vanessa Hudgens won’t return to music despite appearing on ‘The Masked Singer’.
The 35-year-old actress – who rose to fame in ‘High School Musical’ – released her debut solo album ‘V’ in 2006 before following up with ‘Identified’ two years later, and fans are wondering if more songs could be on the way after she won the US version of the hit singing competition as Goldfish.
Asked if she could return to music, Vanessa told Billboard magazine: “No. I always say life is about priorities, and that is not a priority right now.
“I feel like it’s something I will always have in my back pocket.”
Even though it’s not something she’s looking to pursue again, she was delighted to have a “music moment” for herself and her fans.
She explained: “I think I got to give myself the music moment I was hoping for and in turn my supportive fans got to enjoy it as well.
“I got to show up every day and put my best foot forward, and I was so uplifted and supported by such an amazing team over there and I got to work on my voice every day with someone who helped me expand my horizons.”
Her decision to go on the show was inspired by fans still calling for her to work on more music as her acting career has blossomed.
She said: “This opportunity came up at a really interesting time when we [actors] were on strike and this was a category I could actually work in and my fans had been asking for more music, more singing, anything of that sort.
“I was like, ‘This would be a really fun and interesting opportunity to give my fans what they want and see who the real ones are.’ ”
Vanessa revisited her roots on the show with a performance of ‘Baby Come Back’, which she sampled in her debut single ‘Come Back To Me’ 18 years ago.
She also gave a nod to her past with a rendition of ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ star Olivia Rodrigo’s hit ‘Vampire’.
She added: “I just think she’s really great and I really vibe with her.
“It’s always great to support a fellow Filipina, and it was just a cute, cheeky nod to how things always end up being connected.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — A music festival, which was due to feature a performance from Gareth Gates, has been cancelled due to “safety concerns”.
The Challenge Festival – which originally had Peter Andre on the bill – was due to go ahead on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, in Myrtle Park, Bradford, West Yorkshire, but it has been scrapped.
Organiser Ian Andrews-Swailes wrote in a Facebook post: “We have had to cancel The Challenge Festival over safety concerns.
“Another great event cancelled because of unrealistic demands such as fencing a woodland area in case of fire amongst many others.”
A spokesperson for Bradford Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) said: “SAG has been working with the organiser of Challenge Festival to ensure the event could be held safely.
“Assurances were asked of the organiser following the latest draft of plans to ensure contingencies were in place, and it was our understanding that these were being addressed.
“SAG’s objective is not to stop events, but to provide professional advice to event organisers to ensure that events are run in a safe manner.
“Public safety must be a priority at any event and different types of events require different levels of safety plans.
“The organiser has taken the decision to cancel this event.”
But Ian has been left “really gutted” at having to axe the event.
He told the Telegraph and Argus newspaper: “Challenge has taken hundreds of hours to prepare and cost me thousands of my own personal money. I was bankrolling the festival this year.
“I put so much effort into this effort for Bradford, for nothing. It’s gut-wrenching.”
‘Mysterious Girl’ hitmaker Peter and Ellie Sax were all previously announced as acts, alongside former ‘Pop Idol’ star Gareth.
But in April, Ian confirmed Peter and Ellie would no longer be performing.

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OHMYGOSSIP — KISS’ hologram show requires a venue that is “built specifically” for it.
The glam metal group retired their live show in December, playing a final concert at Madison Square Garden in New York in December, but they surprised fans by debuting digital versions of themselves created by the teams behind the lucrative ‘ABBA Voyage’ hologram show.
And they are working behind the scenes to get the show up and running, with guitarist Tommy Thayer, 63, revealing they are weighing up which city will host the event, with Las Vegas a “strong contender”.
Speaking at the Keep Memory Alive annual Power of Love gala in Las Vegas this month, Tommy is quoted by The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column as saying: “A show like this needs a theatre which is built specifically for the show, so we have to decide where it’s going to be. And there’s considerations about New York, Singapore, Dubai, London of course, but Las Vegas as well is a strong contender.
“And I’m a big fan of Las Vegas. This is where I live. So I can see something like that possibly happening here, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
The ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ group – completed by Gene Simmons, 74, Paul Stanley, 72, and 66-year-old Eric Singer – quit whilst they were still able to deliver their physically-demanding show.
Tommy explained: “We’ve just basically ended the touring.
“Gene, Paul Stanley, myself and Eric Singer have decided that because of the physicality of what KISS does, it’s a little bit different.
“It’s a heightened kind of a performance thing, and physically it’s even way beyond what the normal groups are doing.
“That’s why we’ve decided to kind of bow out when things are still really strong with the band and the band is still really hot,
“I applaud all the groups that are out there doing what they’re doing at an advanced age.”
They declared the avatars signal the start of a “new era” and Gene claimed millions of dollars are being pumped into the project.
Speaking during a Q+A at the Electric Lady Studios in New York, he told one fan: “There’s so much being planned, even beyond my comprehension. But they’re spending, oh, about 200 million [dollars] to take it to the next level.”
He said of ABBA’s first-of-its-kind show: “You can’t tell if they’re there, right there, like that.”
In a video posted online after their final concert, Gene explained: “We can be forever young and forever iconic by taking us to places we’ve never dreamt of before.
“The technology is going to make [rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist] Paul [Stanley] jump higher than he’s ever done before … If you think you are going to get rid of us then that’s not going to happen.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Oasis are not reuniting after all – and have instead announced the ‘Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)’.
Set for release on August 30 – the release date of the landmark 1994 LP – the new formats boast tracks from abandoned from the original recording session at Monnow Valley Studios, as well as outtakes recorded at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall, newly mixed for the first time by former guitarist and chief songwriter Noel Gallagher with Callum Marinho.
Another treat includes frontman Liam Gallagher singing on a demo version of ‘Sad Song’, which was a bonus track on the original album.
Fans can also dive into new sleeve notes from Creation Records boss Alan McGee – who discovered the Britpop legends and offered to sign them then and there – and journalist Hamish MacBain.
The ‘Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)’ album is available to pre-order now on Limited-Edition Deluxe 4LP and Deluxe 2CD formats plus exclusive coloured vinyl – ‘Up In The Sky’ “Learning to fly” lyric inspired blue and white marble 2LP, and ‘Digsy’s Dinner’ “Strawberries and cream” lyric inspired pink and white marble 2LP. It will also be available on Limited-Edition blue cassette and digital formats. All formats include the 2014 remastered version of the album.
The ‘Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)’ formats are released on August 30, 2024, on Big Brother Recordings. Join in the celebrations via #Defmaybe30.
The defunct band’s Instagram account posted a video of Sawmills Studio this week, which led to fans predicting a reunion is on the cards or more likely that it’s something to do with the milestone.
The cryptic clip was left without a caption sending the rumour mill wild.
Liam – who has been at loggerheads with his brother Noel, 56, since a backstage bust-up between the pair at their final concert in Paris in 2009 – is also embarking on a sold-out ‘Definitely Maybe’ 30th anniversary tour, which kicks off next month.
Liam said his estranged brother turned down his offer to reunite with him on the jaunt.
When a fan asked if Noel would be taking part, Liam replied: “He’s been asked and he’s refused.”
As he has at many of his solo shows, the 51-year-old rock ‘n’ roll star will be joined by Oasis guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, 58, for the arena run.
The tour starts in Sheffield on June 2 and includes dates in London, Cardiff, Glasgow, and Dublin.
As well as performing hits including ‘Live Forever’, Cigarettes and Alcohol’ and ‘Supersonic’, he’ll sing fan-favourites ‘Whatever’, ‘Fade Away’, ‘Listen Up’ and his version of ‘Sad Song’.
Meanwhile, Noel recently hinted he would be keen to have an Oasis hologram show after being impressed by ABBA’s lucrative ‘ABBA Voyage’ extravaganza.

‘Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)’ tracklisting:

Volume 1
1. Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Remastered)
2. Shakermaker (Remastered)
3. Live Forever (Remastered)
4. Up In The Sky (Remastered)
5. Columbia (Remastered)
6. Supersonic (Remastered)
7. Bring It On Down (Remastered)
8. Cigarettes and Alcohol (Remastered)
9. Digsy’s Dinner (Remastered)
10. Slide Away (Remastered)
11. Married With Children (Remastered)

Volume 2
1. Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Monnow Valley Version)
2. Shakermaker (Monnow Valley Version)
3. Live Forever (Monnow Valley Version)
4. Up In The Sky (Monnow Valley Version)
5. Columbia (Monnow Valley Version)
6. Bring It On Down (Monnow Valley Version)
7. Cigarettes and Alcohol (Monnow Valley Version)
8. Digsy’s Dinner (Monnow Valley Version)
9. Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Sawmills Outtake)
10. Up In The Sky (Sawmills Outtake)
11. Columbia (Sawmills Outtake)
12. Bring It On Down (Sawmills Outtake)
13. Cigarettes and Alcohol (Sawmills Outtake)
14. Digsy’s Dinner (Sawmills Outtake)
15. Slide Away (Sawmills Outtake)
16. Sad Song (Mauldeth Road West Demo, Nov’ 92)

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OHMYGOSSIP — Ozzy Osbourne would “jump at the chance” to perform with Bill Ward again.
The 75-year-old rocker feels there is still “unfinished” business with his former Black Sabbath bandmate after the drummer – one of the group’s founding members – opted out of their reunion tour in 2012, with Tommy Clufetos stepping in for both those concerts and the final ‘The End Tour’ in 2016-2017.
As a result, Ozzy would love to get the band back together to end on a high.
Appearing on ‘The Madhouse Chronicles’, Ozzy and his friend Billy Morrison watched footage of the group’s final show at Birmingham’s Genting Arena on February 4, 2017.
Billy asked: “That must have been cool for you? How did you feel? Were you glad it was done?”
Ozzy replied: “Yeah, but I was sad that Bill wasn’t there. I mean Tommy Clufetos, my drummer, did a great job. But he ain’t Bill Ward.”
The ‘War Pigs’ hitmaker was then asked if he was content with the “arc of the legend of Black Sabbath?”
He replied: “No. Because it wasn’t Black Sabbath that finished it. It’s unfinished. If they wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I would jump at the chance. Do you know what would be cool? If we went to a club or somewhere unannounced and we just got up and did it. We started up in a club.”
Ozzy himself has been unable to perform live in recent months due to a string of health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and problems with his spine, but his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne recently revealed he is keen to say goodbye to fans with two special shows.
Speaking at her live show at London’s The Fortune Theatre in January, Sharon said: “He won’t tour again but we are planning on doing two more shows to say goodbye as he feels like, ‘I have never said goodbye to my fans and I want to say goodbye.’
“His voice is still absolutely perfect. And all the time he has been off he still does his singing lessons. Even if you don’t like his music, you can’t not like Ozzy.”
Sharon also dropped a huge hint that Ozzy will play the two gigs in Aston, Birmingham, at Villa Park, the home of Premier League giants Aston Villa.
She said: “We will do it in Aston Villa where Ozzy is from.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Steve Hackett thinks he “made the right decision” to leave Genesis.
The 74-year-old rocker was the lead guitarist for the band – which also initially included Peter Gabriel, 74, as well as Phil Collins, 73, Mike Rutherford, 73, and 74-year-old Tony Banks- from 1971 until his departure in 1977, and explained he decided to step away because of an “aspect of claustrophobia” as he was keen to do other things on his own.
He told Classic Rock magazine: “There was an aspect of claustrophobia that invaded my time with Genesis, and I had to work outside the band. I think if you’re feeling creative and you’ve got that album or that book or that film inside you, you don’t want to let it fester. You’ve got to get it out there.
“Genesis was becoming a little bit too much of a closed shop and it was affecting my ability to sleep.
“I agonised over leaving the band for a good two years and then I thought, ‘No, I’ve got to make a leap of faith at this point in time.’ And there’s no doubt that I made the right decision.”
After Steve left, the group continued as a trio until Phil – who stepped in as singer following Peter’s departure in 1974 – quit in 1996 and was replaced by Ray Wilson for final album ‘Calling All Stations’ before they called it a day.
Phil, Mike and Tony reunited for a 2007 tour and again in 2021 for ‘The Last Domino?’ concert series.
Ahead of the latter, the trio admitted it would be too “weird” to perform with Steve or Peter again.
Asked about the possibility of getting the pair involved, Phil told MOJO magazine: “I think a reunion with Steve and Pete would be uphill. Playing with Mike and Tony is the easy option.”
Mike added: “I know people love the idea that the five of us will get together again, but the songs most people know and love are from the last 40 years. Peter left so long ago. I really don’t know what we could do with him now.”
Tony added: “As much as I love those early albums, it would be weird to just do songs from that period.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Billie Eilish has never “loved something more” than her new album ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’.
The 22-year-old superstar has dropped her mature-sounding follow-up to 2021’s ‘Happier Than Ever’, which sees the singer’s sensational vocals take the spotlight – and she couldn’t be prouder.
She gushed on Instagram: “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” my third album is f***ing out now i don’t even know what to SAAYY… @finneas and i put so much into this album and have never ever ever loved something more. we hope you enjoy it so much and i’ll see you on the other side EEEEEEEEEEEEEK HMHAS OUT NOW EVERYWHERE LOVE YOU ALL TO DEAAAAATH!!!! (sic)”
Her collaborator and brother, Finneas, confessed there was points during the process when they felt like they would never complete the collection.
And the songwriter-and-producer announced he was taking a break from social media to avoid reading reviews and opinions of his “favourite” work.
He wrote in his own release day post: “This album is my favorite thing I’ve ever been a part of making and there were so many times during the making of it that I thought we’d never finish it or had no idea what we were doing I lost count- just goes to show- when you’re in it, you might just have to try to keep swimming- you can only really see the ocean once you’re on the shore.
“I’m going offline now because what you all think of this album is your business, not mine but I really do hope you like it- we make everything with you in mind and we owe it all to you- thanks for the sick job/life. We’re so lucky (sic)”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Shaznay Lewis wants to move away from being just “Shaznay Lewis from All Saints”.
The 48-year-old singer shot to stardom as a member of the ‘Pure Shores’ girl band – which also featured Natalie Appleton, Nicole Appleton, Melanie Blatt, and Simone Rainford – back in 1997 and they enjoyed chart success throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.
Now she is back with her long-awaited second studio album, ‘Pages’ – the follow-up to 2004’s ‘Open’ – and she is excited that the generations that aren’t familiar with her roots are going to get to know the real Shaznay.
In an interview with The Sun newspaper, she said: “For the past 25 years I’ve been known as ‘Shaznay from All Saints’.
“So, it was really important to step away from the band and make this record so I could just be Shaznay Lewis again.”
On gaining younger fans, she continued: “Even though I’ve got history, there’s a whole generation out there that do not know who I am.
And it’s exciting. People are liking these songs for what they are rather than just liking it because of where I’ve come from. When (Pages track) Good Mourning went on to a platform I hadn’t heard of called Complex, my teenage son ran into my room saying, ‘Oh my God, Mum, you are on Complex!’.”
This summer, the ‘Kiss of Life’ singer is playing Glastonbury – among other festivals – and she is excited to embark on a new chapter and suggested fans can expect more from her as she doesn’t see herself retiring from music ever.
Asked if she gets anxious before shows, she replied: “I don’t get nervous at all, I’m just excited to perform. This is the start of something for me. I love creating and performing. As a person, it’s a huge part of who I am. So I don’t see me stopping anytime soon. I think I’d have to be dead inside if I stopped.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Girls Aloud have released ‘The Whole Damn Show Megamix’ ahead of their comeback tour.
Fans of the reunited noughties girl group can get their fix with a whopping 27 hits and fan favourites – including ‘Sound Of The Underground’ and ‘Something New’ – in one go with The Alias remix.
The megamix is available now to stream and will be released as an extremely limited 12” ultra clear vinyl on August 2.
The remix comes as the band kick-off ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ jaunt with a sold-out concert in Dublin on Friday night (17.05.24).
In March, Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts shared three previously unreleased songs featuring unheard vocals by late bandmate Sarah Harding, who sadly lost her battle with breast cancer in 2021.
To mark its 20th anniversary this year, the ‘Love Machine’ hitmakers reissued their acclaimed 2004 album ‘What Will The Neighbours Say?’.
It included the unheard tracks ‘Disco Bunny’, Baby ‘When You Go’ and their cover of Chris Isaak’s 1991 classic ‘Wicked Game’.
The latter was set to be released as a single in 2005, but ‘Long Hot Summer’ took its place.
Original producer Xenomania’s Brian Higgins contributed some new production work.
Their second album featured hit singles like ‘Jump’, ‘Love Machine’ and ‘I’ll Stand By You’.
Also included are B-sides like ‘History’ and ‘Androgynous Girls’, as well as rare TV performance edits of the band’s big hits, a “sparking selection” of remixes, and their covers from the era including Blondie’s ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ and Chaka Khan classic ‘I’m Every Woman’.
The ‘Sound of the Underground’ hitmakers have vowed to use their anniversary tour to “celebrate” their late friend.
Cheryl said: “It’s the right time to celebrate Sarah, it’s the right time to celebrate the band and the right time to celebrate the fact we can still do this 21 years later. That’s a big honour in lots of ways.”
Pre-order the vinyl here now: https://girlsaloud.lnk.to/TWDS_MegamixEM.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Nick Mason believes that ‘Animals’ is Pink Floyd’s punk album.
The prog rock band’s 1977 LP has been remastered by producer James Guthrie and re-released as ‘Animals 2018 Remix – Dolby Atmos’ and it is the first time the album has been available in that surround sound format.
For the project, Nick revisited all the tracks and has concluded the punk explosion that happened in America and the UK in the mid-70s influenced what he, guitarist-and-singer David Gilmour, bassist-and-vocalist Roger Waters and late keyboard player Rick Wright wrote.
He said: “By our standards it’s very stripped back, for sure. It’s interesting to think about that period and what was going on at the same time. I think we were all influenced a little bit by the fact that punk music was coming up to be a major force. I think people were generally pretty down on prog rock so I think we picked up a little bit of that and that actually would’ve made a difference.”
Pink Floyd recorded and self-produced ‘Animals’ at their Britannia Row Studios in London throughout 1976 and early 1977, and at the same time Nick was producing punk band The Damned’s second studio LP ‘Music for Pleasure’.
The 80-year-old drummer admits he was influenced by the polar opposite approach in the studio by singer Dave Vanian and his bandmates.
He said: “One of the things that was going on about the same time in that studio was ‘Music For Pleasure’ by The Damned that I was involved with. I think we were inevitably influenced by that sort of thing and held back on endless overdubs and layers.”
Making a joke about the musical differences between Pink Floyd and The Damned, Nick quipped: “The Damned actually made the entire album in the time it took to set the drums up for Pink Floyd.”
Mason hadn’t listened to ‘Animals’ in its entirety for decades, but he found a new appreciation for the LP when he listened back to it for the remix project.
Speaking at a playback of ‘Animals 2018 Remix – Dolby Atmos’ held at London’s Battersea Power Station – which was used for the album’s cover which depicted a pig flying over the building – he shared: “It sounds silly to say it but I really enjoyed it, more than I expected. It was really interesting, I hadn’t listened to that album for 40 years. I was very impressed with myself, particularly.
“It was really interesting and there were so many elements to it that I’d completely forgotten about. A lot of Rick’s playing and the melodic structure of it. It’s far more sophisticated than I remember.
“I’d forgot how dark the record is. Lyrically and musically.
“I think it was always seen as an album that was made in a slightly different way and didn’t quite seem to fit in with the other things we’ve done either side of it, but I thought it held its own.”
‘Animals 2018 Remix – Dolby Atmos’ is available now on compatible digital platforms, Blu-ray, CD, LP (with gatefold artwork), SACD and Deluxe Gatefold formats. The Deluxe Gatefold version includes LP, CD, audio Blu-ray, audio DVD and a 32-page book.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Paul Weller has gotten more daring and experimental with his music the older he’s got.
The Modfather is set to mark his 66th birthday (25.05.24) with the retrospective collection, ’66’, which is due for release the day before he reaches the milestone, and he has admitted he’s “more open-minded” creatively later in life.
He told Record Collector magazine: “I don’t want to keep going on about my age but one thing that is very nice about getting older is that you can experiment
The older I get, the more open-minded I get.”
The former Jam frontman has dubbed the follow-up to 2021’s ‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ his “crooner album”.
On how it came about, he said: “This is my crooner album! I wasn’t really thinking overall what it was going to be, I was just recording individual tracks.
“I’ve been working on it for two or three years, in between tours, and whatever else.
“There was this big buildup of songs, at least 20; I then thought, what am I going to do? Am I just going to keep on recording? Is there an album here?
“So, I just pulled out 12 of what I really liked. It was then a question of seeing what worked together and how the album would flow.
“I wasn’t conscious of what mood it is or what mood I’m in because it was written over the course of three years at different times with different people.”
The star-studded collection features Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie, Madness frontman Suggs and former Oasis rocker Noel contributed to ‘Jumble Queen’.
Weller’s pals Dr Robert, Richard Hawley, Steve Brooks and Max Beesley also make appearances.

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — The Script have had “the worst year of our lives” following the death of Mark Sheehan.
Band members Danny O’Donoghue and Glen Power admitted they have struggled to cope since Mark’s sudden death in April 2023 and they want to “honour his memory” by moving forward with the band.
Danny told RTÉ 2fm’s Tracy Clifford: “Grief is a crazy thing. I don’t even know if I’ve entered the grieving process yet because it’s so crazy.
“We’ve had the worst and hardest year of our life. I know, for me, it’s the first time I’ve done an interview or even talked about it.
“I just wanted to say to thank you to everybody that’s helped me – and us – through this incredibly hard time.
“It’s really tough every day to come to terms with what happened. All we can do now is try honour his memory and just push forward.”
Danny praised his late bandmate as a “lyrical genius”.
He said: “The guy was a lyrical genius. He was incredible and an amazing ambassador for Ireland in his approach to music and he always put Ireland first wherever we went. He was so proud of his home country as well.”
The band have announced new album ‘Satellites’, which takes its name from one of the last songs Danny and Mark wrote together.
Danny said: “The name of the new album is ‘Satellites’. It’s one of the tracks that’s on the album. It’s one of the last songs I wrote with Mark before he passed.
“I just feel like it’s such a great name because at the end of the day we’re all just bits of dust floating through space.
“Satellites rise above the earth and they have a vantage point to look down and you communicate through satellites as well. So there’s a lot of meaning behind it for me.”

Source: IconInsider.com