mxdwn.co.uk » Solo Artist

Miles Kane Covers The Beatles’ Last Song ‘Then And Now’

Glenn Hamilton — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 22:01:27 +0000

Only 24 hours since The Beatles released their ‘final song’, “Now And Then,” Liverpool singer Miles Kane has covered the song in what is an ode to the band he believes is the greatest of all time. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr released the song based on a demo that John Lennon worked on before his death.

The Beatles released “Now And Then” yesterday at 2pm GMT, featuring original members John Lennon and George Harrison and it has been met with critical and popular acclaim already, providing what many feel is a fitting coda to the end of one of the greatest rock bands in history. While the likes of Liam Gallagher praised the song in the highest regard, Liverpool musician Miles Kane went one step further and covered the brand new song himself.

Speaking about the single, kane posted to Instagram, “Came round me mate Dave’s to listen to the first play of the new Beatles tune. I LOVE! 5 mins later we worked it out! The best band in the world I love them so much! Now and Then LOVE MK.”

Kane is no stranger to covering Beatles songs, being a member of supergroup Jaded Hearts Club, which also features Matt Bellamy and Graham Coxon. And Kane has spoken about his love for The Beatles previously, saying about the song “This Boy,” “The lyrics got me. When I watched it on A Hard Day’s Night and they do it, it’s the emotion of it that I felt I could connect with.”

He continued, “It’s quite a sad song, in a beautiful way, and it’s probably one of the first songs I tried to teach myself on guitar. It’s one of those songs that gives me a lot of emotion.”

Perhaps best known for his work with the bands The Rascals and The Last Shadow Puppets, which he formed with Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, Kane has also become a notable solo artist. Releasing five studio albums to date, the singer has also collaborated with Turner, Noel Gallagher and French actress Clemence Poesy.

In 2017, Kane, along with fellow musicians Matt Bellamy of Muse, Nic Cester of Jet, Graham Coxon of Blur, Sean Payne of the Zutons and Nine Inch Nails and Jamie Davis formed The Jaded Hearts Club-a Beatles tribute band. Initially only playing songs by The Beatles, the band have also covered songs by Cream, The Who and The Kinks.

Kane has recently supported Arctic Monkeys on their UK and Ireland tour.

Iron Maiden Frontman Bruce Dickinson Retires From Flying Commercial Jets But Continues To Fence

Glenn Hamilton — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:15:03 +0000

Bruce Dickinson, most notable for his vocal work in one of heavy metal’s most legendary acts Iron Maiden, has admitted that he has stepped down from his passion of flying commercial jets. The singer has stated that after turning 65 years old recently, he has had to retire his love for flying the jets, although he still continues his other passion besides performing- fencing.

Anyone familiar with Dickinson’s autobiography What Does This Button Do? will know the singer is not merely the frontman for one of the most successful metal bands of all time, he is also an avid flyer and admirer of aircraft and fencing enthusiast-the latter of which has seen the musician competing in various competitions over the years. Dickinson is, indeed, accomplished in both fields, having acquired his pilot’s license in the 1990s- flying Iron Maiden’s 757 plane, dubbed Ed Force One, during their global tours.

Now, as the singer has just turned 65, Dickinson has revealed that he has had to take a massive step back from flying-at least with the commercial plane variety. Speaking to Triple M Rock, Dickinson said, “I just turned 65. In most jurisdictions in the world, if you’re a pilot – a commercial pilot – at 65, they sneak you round the back and just put a bullet in your brain. Like an old dog or an old horse, gotta put it down now. The last time I went near a commercial aircraft to fly it was in 2017.”

The Iron Maiden frontman has also embarked on a few solo projects over the years, recently announcing his seventh solo endeavour The Mandrake Project which is due for release sometime in early 2024. And the singer still somehow manages to find the time to indulge in his passion for fencing-a sport he has participated in since the 1980s.

Dickinson continued, “I’m still fencing. I’m a veteran now. There’s a vets team and I still do Commonwealth championships. Being a vet is brilliant, actually, because all you have to do is survive and wait, and eventually everybody else will die, then you get in the team.”

Dickinson recently revealed that Iron Maiden have absolutely no plans to call it a day, with enthusiasm within the band still at its highest. Demand for the group could not be any more apparent as the band are set to continue their highly successful Future Past Tour in Australia and New Zealand in September of 2024. Dickinson will also be touring his solo project in the Spring in Mexico and South America.

Ed Sheeran Becomes First British Artist To Hit 10 Billion UK Streams

Noah Gudgeon — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 20:38:40 +0000

Chart-topping pop phenomenon Ed Sheeran has become the first British solo act to surpass an astonishing ten billion UK streams, earning him a Gold BRIT Billion Award. The remarkable achievement comes only days after his latest album Autumn Variations hit stores worldwide.

Following analysis by the Official Charts Company – whose data additionally revealed that more than one billion of the singer-songwriter’s streams had been garnered in the last 12 months – Sheeran was presented with the prestigious award by Rizzle Kicks member Jordan Stephens on behalf of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The Suffolk superstar, who claimed his trophy in a record store, was quick to express gratitude to fans in an Instagram video, saying: “Thank you so much for all the streams. It’s a pleasure, I love being British.”

Later on, he added in a statement: “It’s wonderful to receive the first-ever BRIT Billion Award in the UK for 10 billion streams. I want say a big thank you to my fans. None of this is possible without you guys.”

Meanwhile, BPI Chief Executive Dr. Jo Twist applauded the singer for his new milestone:

“We congratulate Ed Sheeran and his team on this landmark achievement. Ed may represent the pinnacle of streaming success, but he is also among the thousands of artists who are being streamed in the tens and hundreds of millions in the UK each year and who are thriving thanks to streaming and label support. We look forward to honouring many more artists, including future talent, with a BRIT Billion award.”

Sheeran, who in June was named the UK’s most-played artist for the sixth time in eight years, has dominated the charts throughout most of his career – with all six of his studio albums peaking at number one. The seven-time Brit Award winner has made Official Charts history countless times, breaking records including becoming the first British solo artist to claim a full year at No.1.

Listen to Ed Sheeran’s most recent number one single, “Eyes Closed“, below:

He currently holds three of the 10 most-streamed songs of all time with “Shape Of You” in second place, “Perfect” at number three and “Bad Habits” claiming the ninth spot. As the recipient of the Gold BRIT Billion Award, Sheeran joins an exclusive club of similarly high-achieving acts including ABBA, Whitney Houston and most recently, Billie Eilish.

Last week, the songwriter released his latest studio effort, Autumn Variations, his second record this year following May’s chart-topping release Subtract.

Listen to Autumn Variations here.

Alexandra Burke Set To Release New Album After 3 Years

Samantha Babb — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 21:58:13 +0000

Alexandra Burke has teased new music indicating that she is set to release a new album after three years. The X Factor singer has not released an album since 2018 and took to social media to share her news in the following tweet.

The Power of Prayer…. I’m reflecting and feeling so grateful. Feeling good in my own skin to be confident enough 2 make music that sparks nothing but JOY inside of me. Grateful for my team… they push me. I can’t wait for you all to hear what’s next

— Alexandra Burke (@alexandramusic) October 28, 2021

Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke known as Alexandra Burke is a singer, songwriter and actress who graced the musical limelight when she won the fifth season of the X Factor in 2008. The singer’s winners single “Hallelujah” took the Christmas number 1 spot and became the best selling UK single of 2008 from the singer’s 2009 debut album Overcome. The singer received a positive reception with the release of singles “Bad Boys”, “Start Without You” and “All Night Long” also from the album.

The musician went on to release two further albums Heartbreak On Hold (2012) and The Truth Is her last album release in 2018. It was announced in April that the singer was working with producer and songwriter Sky Adams who has also worked with Kylie Minogue. It has now been announced that music producers Dot Inc and singer-songwriter Parx have also been added to the mix for the singer’s new album.

The singer embraced her other creative talents to star as the lead in the Theatre version of the Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner classic The Bodyguard in June 2014, in January 2016, the musician also played the lead role in Sister Act: The Musical and took part in the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing in August 2017. Burke reached second place in the dancing competition.

The singer continued her theatre run in Chess, Chicago and was the Narrator in Jason and The Technicolor Dreamcoat from July until September. The musician’s performance in My Best Friend’s Wedding: The Musical from the 1997 film was postponed in September 2020 and shelved completely due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. The singer has been announced to star in a Tina Turner inspired film in July and performed at The Mighty Hoopla on September 4th. Expressing her joy at performing again the musician said this in a tweet.

Still not over yesterday…. @mightyhoopla pic.twitter.com/bD6e5APRQx — Alexandra Burke (@alexandramusic) September 5, 2021

It has been said that three major record labels are interested in working with the singer who in describing her new music as: “The music is really upbeat and just about celebrating life, love and having a good time”. The singer recently celebrated the 12th anniversary of her Overcome album and asked her followers if they wished to hear ballads on her new album.

12 years on and I still struggle emotionally to sing this song live because of how it makes me feel BUT it is one of my favourite tracks on the Overcome album Do you guys want to hear some ballads on the new album Please let me know!!! #Album4Incoming pic.twitter.com/9xlHud3O3K

— Alexandra Burke (@alexandramusic) October 22, 2021

Burke won the title of Star Baker in March on the series The Great British Bake Off and recently won the 2021 series of SAS: Who Dares Wins where she was put through her paces. The singer admitted to needing Therapy following the show and expressed that she has now regained her confidence. The musician was announced as the inaugural ambassador of the Royal Commonwealth Society in June to promote educational opportunities and is set to make her West End debut in Aladdin as the Spirit of The Ring in December. It won’t be long before Alexandra Burke is soon back to where she started in the music world with a new album on the horizon.

Tony Hadley Announces Extra Dates with Orchestra for 40th Anniversary 2022 Tour

Samantha Babb — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 15:54:34 +0000

Former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley has announced that he has added an extra four dates to his 40th Anniversary 2022 Tour. The singer will be performing with an orchestra during his additional dates and is celebrating 40 iconic years in the music industry.

You’ve all been asking. WELL HERE WE GO. Manchester, Southend, Birmingham, London you’re up. We are doing 4 exclusive shows with the Orchestra. October 2022. Tickets available Friday 24th September 2021.https://t.co/4hWOEpih6d

— Tony Hadley (@TheTonyHadley) September 21, 2021

Tony Hadley MBE is known as the lead vocalist and co-founder of Spandau Ballet who were previously known as The Cut in 1976. Martin Kemp (Bass guitarist and vocals), brother Gary Kemp (Songwriter, guitarist, synthesiser and backing vocals), Steve Norman (Saxophonist and hand drums) and John Keeble (Drums) made up the band lineup.

The band released their debut single “To Cut A Long Story Short “ on October 31st 1980 to rave reviews and went on to top the UK charts with their album True released in 1983. The band’s single also entitled “True” (1983) topped the charts in the UK Official Singles Chart. The band is also known for popular singles “Gold” (1983), “Only When You Leave” (1984), “I’ll Fly For You” (1984) and “Through The Barricades” (1986) to name a few.

The band went on a 19-year hiatus in 1990 and saw the singer release his solo album The State of Play in 1992. The band reunited for The Reformation Tour in 2009 and the singer announced his departure from the band in 2017 to embark on his solo career once again.

The singer said that he will be performing both his solo material and Spandau Ballet hits during his tour. The singer is set to perform with his The Fabulous TH Band and the four extra tour dates will see him perform in Manchester, Southend, Birmingham and the London Palladium on October 25th 2022.

The singer will now be performing 40 dates during his tour and will perform with a full live orchestra for his four extra dates. The singer’s tour will kick off on March 1st and tickets for the additional four dates are on sale from September 24th.

See Tony Hadley’s 40th Anniversary 2022 Tour dates below. Tickets are available here

01/03/22 De La Warr Pavilion- Bexhill
02/03 Fairfield Halls- Croydon
04/03 The Swan- High Wycombe
05/03 G Live- Guildford
05/03 BIC Pavilion- Theatre-Bournemouth
08/03 Town Hall- Cheltenham
09/03 St David’s Hall- Cardiff
11/03 Llandudno Venue Cymru Theatre
12/03 Philharmonic- Liverpool
13/03 Victoria Hall- Stoke
15/03 De Montfort Hall- Leicester
16/03 City Hall- Sheffield
18/03 City Hall- Hull
19/03 Victoria Hall- Halifax
20/03 Globe- Stockton
22/03 Perth Concert Hall
23/03 Royal Concert Hall- Glasgow
24/03 Buxton Opera House
05/05 Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
06/05 Corn Exchange- Cambridge
07/05 Regent Theatre- Ipswich
08/05 Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall
10/05 Assembly Hall- Worthing
11/05 Bath Forum
13/05 Torquay Princess Pavilion
14/05 Guildhall- Portsmouth
15/05 Oxford New Theatre
17/05 Dartford Orchard Theatre
18/05 Northampton Derngate
20/05 Scunthorpe Baths Hall
21/05 Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
22/05 York Barbican
24/05 Usher Hall- Edinburgh
25/05 O2 City Hall-Newcastle
26/05 Sands Centre- Carlisle
27/05 Opera House-Blackpool

Extra live Orchestra dates:
21/10 Bridgewater Hall- Manchester
22/10 Southend Cliffs Pavilion
23/10 Symphony Hall- Birmingham
25/10 London Palladium

Cheryl Set To Return To the Stage at Birmingham Pride

Samantha Babb — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:39:44 +0000

Cheryl from Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding’s sad passing from Breast Cancer was announced by her mother on September 5th. Following the sad announcement Cheryl and her other bandmates Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh expressed their grief and love for Harding.

Our little pop rock chick! We absolutely adore you Sarah, you played a massive part in so many of the fans lives and we will hold your memories for ever! We love you for ever and ever pic.twitter.com/rLF3DJPMZj

— Girls Aloud (@GirlsAloud_News) September 5, 2021

The band are said to be in the process of holding a charity event in memory of Harding and to also raise funding for cancer charities. The singer is now set to return to the stage at Birmingham Pride as the headline act on September 25th three weeks on following Harding’s sad passing.

The singer shot to fame with Girls Aloud when she was chosen by the public in 2002 from the show Pop Idol: The Rivals. The singer began her solo career in 2009 whilst still in the band and has released four solo albums, 3 Words (2009), Messy Little Raindrops (2010), A Million Lights (2012) and Only Human (2014).

The singer hit the number 1 spot in the UK Official Singles Charts with her debut single “Fight For This Love” (2009) and scored another four number 1 hit singles with “Promise This” (2010), “Call My Name” (2012), “Crazy Stupid Love” (2014) and “I Don’t Care” (2014).

The singer performed at the Mighty Hoopla Festival on September 4th and the Birmingham Pride event will be the first time that the singer has performed since Harding’s sad passing. An inside source when speaking of the singer said “Despite her heartbreak she is devastated by Sarah’s passing but also knows the last thing Sarah would have wanted was for her to let down their fans”

Cheryl will be performing with various artists at Birmingham Pride on September 25th and tickets are available here

1 week until @CherylOfficial headlines the main stage at @BirminghamPride pic.twitter.com/fj1BxMo4zT

— Cheryl Updates (@Cheryl__Updates) September 18, 2021

Raye Announces The Euphoric Sad Show Tour

Samantha Babb — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 12:28:51 +0000

Raye has announced that she will be touring The Euphoric Sad Show across the UK and Ireland from November 6th. The Tour is to promote the singer’s mini-album Euphoric Sad Songs.

Raye’s musical journey began with singles “By Your Side” released on October 28th 2916 and “You Don’t Know Me” released on December 9th 2016. The single “You Don’t Know Me” reached number 3 in the UK Official Singles Chart and placed Raye on the musical map.

The singer also co-wrote the single “Bigger” for Beyonce, which was featured on the soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift, providing the singer with international recognition.

The singer released her mini-album Euphoric Sad Songs on November 20h 2020 and is said to be inspired by the heartbreak, that she experienced in 2019 when she split from her partner. The singer described how she used her emotional experience to pen singles for the album.

The singer said that whilst on Tour with Khalid in 2019 she experienced an emotional breakdown and that her Instagram posts, with images of her crying, were due to her emotional state. The singer’s mini-album features nine singles, which she explained represent the “Nine stages of grief when a relationship ends”

The singer was signed to Polydor in 2014 for a four-album deal and said that she was unable to release any albums. The singer stated, “I want to make my album now, please that is all I want.” The singer is now managing her musical career independently.

The singer in describing her relationship with Polydor stated that they were a powerhouse who held different views in respect to her creative vision. Upon her departure from Polydor, the singer stated “I am very grateful to them for giving me a graceful smooth exit to start my next chapter as an artist”

The singer’s tour comes a year after the release of her mini-album and with hopes of her debut album finally being released the singer said “I’m ready to just drop [an album]”

Following her emotional tour with Khalid, the singer is now ready to go back on the road. Tickets for the singer’s tour go on sale this Friday, September 3rd.

Listen to Raye’s mini-album Euphoric Sad Songs via the free streaming link here

Completely overwhelmed from all the love for euphoric sad songs pic.twitter.com/OA0ZbPYAeC

— RAYE (@raye) November 27, 2020

See Raye’s Tour dates below. Tickets are available here

06/11/21 Limelight 2- Belfast
07/11 Academy- Dublin
09/11 Brighton Chalk-Brighton
11/11 O2 Institute- Birmingham
12/11 O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire- London
13/11 Academy 2- Manchester
15/11 SWG3- Glasgow
16/11 Beckett Student Union- Leeds

Oh my goodness I’m about to pour all my love all over youuuuu, TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 9AM https://t.co/TztkrKsd2n pic.twitter.com/WW9wTw9M25 — RAYE (@raye) August 30, 2021