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    Rita Ora wows in silver bra and pink bikini bottoms over tights at free festival in Lithuania

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    RITA Ora has her knickers in a twist as she gets animated backstage at a music festival.The singer, 33, performed in a silver bra and pink bikini bottoms over tights at the As Young As Vilnius Festival in Lithuania. Rita Ora has her knickers in a twist as she gets animated backstage at a music festivalCredit: SplashThe singer, 33, performed in a silver bra and pink bikini bottoms over tightsCredit: SplashRita was about to take to the stage at the As Young As Vilnius Festival in Lithuania – a free bash celebrating the 701st birthday of the city of Vilnius.Credit: SplashRita said: “50,000 people, in the pouring rain, I appreciate every single one of you.”The free bash celebrated the 701st birthday of the city.It’s not the first time the singer has been wowing fans, she recently went braless in a very daring see-through dress at a Girls Aloud gig in London.The singer looked incredible as she posed up a storm at the O2 Priority gig in London, exclusive for Priority members, just before watching the band perform.READ MORE ON RITA ORARita, 33, rocked a glitzy tight-fitting midaxi dress for the show at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.The star wore nude pants underneath the sheer dress, but opted for no bra.The I Will Never Let You Down songstress accessorised with a black of black boots.Rita completed the look with brown eye shadow, pink blush and a nude lip.Most read in CelebrityRita Ora goes braless in very daring see-through dress for Girls Aloud gig in London More

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      Legendary British indie band announce first album with original line-up in 16 years

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      RAZORLIGHT’s Johnny Borrell has announced the indie band is back with new music.He revealed a new album and single are on the way, telling fans: “You can’t just be your own tribute band”.Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell has announced the band is back with new musicCredit: GettyRazorlight performing with the original line-up last year including Björn Ågren, Andy Burrows, Johnny Borrell and Carl DalemoCredit: GettySinger Johnny and drummer Andy fell out and Andy quit the band. They played together from 2004 until 2009.Credit: Getty Images – GettyNews of the record comes as they revealed a 20th anniversary gig of debut album Up All Night at the O2 Academy Brixton on November 21.Frontman Johnny announced upcoming album Planet Nowhere has ten tracks and its first single offering is Scared Of Nothing.Johnny told The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X: “This is the first thing we’ve done with all of us the first full album since 2008 / 2009.”I really didn’t think we’d do another one.”READ MORE ON MUSICRazorlight’s self-titled second album went to No1 in 2006 and they had a high-charting follow-up in 2008 when they were the darlings of the indie scene.But a year later, band drummer Andy Burrows quit the group following a ­falling out with Johnny.After a five-year hiatus, Razorlight reunited in 2018 — with new member David Kaplan – to release fourth album Olympus Sleeping, but it peaked at a ­disappointing No 27.The band headed to Spain to write new music, but it wasn’t guaranteed that they’d release a record.Most read in Music”We got back together,” Johnny told Moyles.”We had to do this Greatest Hits – we had this contractual obligation, which I really hated doing – and you know, I said to the guys, ‘Let’s go to Spain, let’s go and record with (producer and musician) Youth.’Razorlight’s Epic Comeback: 20th Anniversary Show”Youth just seemed to get the band in a very uncomplicated way, and I was like, ‘Let’s see if we get something good’ and we went out there, and it was sort of like a movie. “On the last day, we just kind of found something. But I said to the guys before we went out, ‘If we don’t find something, if we don’t end up something that we really love and we want to do so we are moving forward as a band and making new music, we’ve just got to pack it in. “Because you can’t just, sort of, be your own tribute act, you know, to be mean. And that’s what we did.”Andy spoke about falling out with Johnny in 2019.Planet Nowhere tracklistThe full tracklist for Razorlight’s Planet NowhereZombie LoveU Can Call MeTaylor Swift = US Soft PropagandaDirty LuckScared of NothingF.O.B.F.Empire ServiceCyclopsCool PeopleApril EndsHe admitted he quit the group as he couldn’t cope with the tempestuous frontman and said he didn’t believe he’d ever return to the band.He said the pair had an awkward encounter in 2016 when they accidentally bumped into each other in the street.He said: “It really affected me because I hadn’t seen him for like, five years.”It was so weird running into him and him acting like he didn’t care. Very odd.READ MORE SUN STORIES“He acted like I was a stranger, it was the weirdest thing.“I think I went off and got extremely drunk, but felt very weird for a couple of days… it was almost like seeing a ghost.” More

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      We’re always trying to find the next rare gem, says Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele

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      LOCATING Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele is proving difficult.One half of the award-winning Australian electronic duo is 20 minutes late for our video call and he’s locked in a studio in Hawaii. But when he does emerge, he’s in good spirits and full of apologies.Luke Steele, right, Nick Littlemore, left, release Ask That God, Empire Of The Sun’s fourth album, todayThe new album is the first the band has released since 2016’s After Two VinesSteele says fans won’t have to wait eight years for another album after Ask That God, as the band are ‘trying to keep the train moving’“We decided there was no better time to start the next record, right as this new one is getting released,” says Steele who with Nick Littlemore releases Ask That God, their fourth album, today.“We are recharged and ready to go,” he says. “After Two Vines (2016 album) we got quite exhausted and everything stopped working. Nothing was gelling.“At the start of the pandemic, I was instrumental saying, ‘That’s it, I’m done, I’m leaving’,” he explains. “I told Nick, management, the record company that the band was over. That I was never doing another record. And I left.“I made a solo record and moved to northern California, but then piece by piece, I started to realise what I was missing and what was so beautiful about Empire in the first place.READ MORE BIG INTERVIEWS“I’d work with people and think, ‘That’s cool, but it’s not working with Nick,’ and then start falling back in love with Empire again.“Then Nick and I got back in the studio, and it really has been great. The hardest part of being in a band that’s had success is there really is extreme pressure.“With Empire, when the spirit is right, we sound like nothing else. We’ve made a few albums now and so we’ve broadened the palate with this record and it feels good.”The multiple ARIA Music award-winning band who have also been nominated for two Brit awards, sold more than 5.5million albums worldwide, and generated 7.6billion streams.Most read in MusicHonour the loveSteele says: “You work so hard to get there, then when you get there, you’ve got to stay there, so it’s hard. We’ve been fortunate to have had some big songs, and success so we’ve opened the door and are writing with different writers including some Swedish writers who we’ve always wanted to work with.”Steele is referring to production duo Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir who have worked with Avicii, Madonna and David Guetta, and Pontus Winnberg of Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue producers and songwriters Bloodshy & Avant.We feel like conduits. Empire is bigger than us and the audience own the song — you have to honour the love that people have for it.Luke Steele“Changes was the song we made with the Swedes and it felt like the quintessential Empire Of The Sun comeback song,” says Steele. “It’s a really great song and has transformed into something that’s not really ours any more.“We feel like conduits. Empire is bigger than us and the audience own the song — you have to honour the love that people have for it.”The video for brilliant song Changes also features Cruz, Steele’s ten-year-old son with wife Jodi (aka Snappy Dolphin), a creative also involved with the band.“My kids are really into music and being creative,” says the proud dad-of-two. “They are best buds. Cruz is into Metallica and all the stuff I was when I was a kid — it’s pretty awesome.“Sunny (his 16-year-old daughter) has got a band and she’s working on her own record. She really understands hooks and melodies and is a great lyricist — songs are written in the tongue of a 16-year-old going on 21.”Standouts on Ask That God include recent single Cherry Blossom, the dreamy and futuristic Rhapsodize, the classic title track, album closer Friends I Know and AEIOU, a collaboration between Empire Of The Sun and Littlemore’s other band, PNAU.“AEIOU was a great track Nick brought in. I’ve always wanted to do a song with vowels as it reminds me of a song the Maori kids sing at school,” says the singer who now lives in New Zealand.“My wife said the album is a journey of someone’s life. All these songs have been collected along the way. Friends I Know was made in Japan in 2017 as was Rhapsodize and then Revolve was made when we were working with Wendy Melvoin from Prince’s band. I believe songs step into your life — they literally walk out of the computer’s hard drive and jump onto the album when they’re ready — like a life journey.”As well as Melvoin, Empire Of The Sun have worked with Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham while with PNAU, Littlemore (together with Peter Mayes and Sam Littlemore) enjoyed a huge hit with the remix of Cold Heart by Dua Lipa and Elton John.“I felt happy and proud of Nick with that song,” smiles Steele. “He works so hard. The other day he was in Uptown New York recording with a Brazilian guitarist. I then talked to him the next day and he was working with a choir. A couple of days later he was in LA with a guy who collects 70s synths, getting samples. I think doing our own thing and working with other people is so healthy.”I have storage units for the costumes we wear in America, Australia and a couple here in Hawaii. I’ve got stuff everywhere. It really does take a village.Luke SteeleSo who would Steele say is his dream collaborator?“Tom Waits, Lana Del Rey or the Oasis guys,” he answers. “Or Sir Paul McCartney — he would be good to put down some basslines.“We’ve got a big festival (Corona Capital) in Mexico where we are playing with Sir Paul. The minute I knew that, I was like, ‘We’d better start rehearsing.’“I met Sir Paul once at Henson studios in LA. I knew he was coming so I bought a vinyl along especially. When I got to the studio I saw him getting out of the car, so I opened the door and pulled out my vinyl like a magician. My voice started shaking as I said, ‘Here you go, Paul’. I’m a huge fan.”The visuals and look of Empire Of The Sun are as striking as their music and for Ask That God, the narrative is that Emperor Steel and Lord Littlemore have come to save Empyreans after eight years away.Steele says: “We still curate the whole thing but we have a good team of artists around the world to work on projects.“I have storage units for the costumes we wear in America, Australia and a couple here in Hawaii. I’ve got stuff everywhere. It really does take a village.”To help build the visual side of the album, Steele and Littlemore spent nearly a month in Thailand with Canadian director Michael Maxxis where they recorded stunning films to accompany the release.“It was a beautiful adventure,” says Steele. “We’d been trying to find a director to make the videos for 18 months and met with 15 to 20 people from Tokyo, Australia and America but no one got anything close to what we wanted until we met Michael.God of Instagram“He sent five song treatments and they were all incredible. Then he said, ‘Why don’t we just keep going and make a music film?’ We shot nine music videos.“We’ve worked with directors before but no one as genius as him. He has a beautiful, poetic mind and is an incredible director.“All the jungles, beaches and locations we went to and the people we met made it a magical trip. At every location we’d stop and pray, blessing the land.”Steele says his spirituality and faith “are everything”. He says: “People say they love that we are spiritual.“Every soul under heaven breathing on this planet is a spirit, so everyone is spiritual. It’s important that rather than tap into the God of Instagram, people need to tap into the God of the heavens.”And deciding to name the album Ask That God after the song on the album was an obvious idea for the singer. “Nick and I coming back together to make this album was us surrendering,” he says.“It felt like we both surrendered things that we were holding on to. No one’s going to get the answers from the world — you must ask the divine. And we had a lot of songs pressing on that.“The song Ask That God came midway through the record and felt like the message that Empire needed to come back with.“It feels like we are going into battle with no weapons. It is a volatile time in the world and this is the message people need.”A year ago Steele and his family moved from north California to New Zealand (where he was born before moving to Perth where he grew up) after feeling unsafe and unhappy in California.“I felt like the whole ground in Los Angeles was shaking constantly,” he explains. “A kid was shot dead near LAX and I drove past just after he’d been murdered. I felt emotional the whole time I was in LA — like I could feel the pain. I’d be driving and start crying. Things had changed for me living there.“There was the pandemic, the riots when Trump was president. I’m so sensitive, I just can’t deal with what’s going on in America.Real work ethic“I was so paranoid living there, so now we are back in the motherland and close to my family — it’s cool to be there. When you’ve been depressed you really value joy and after living in America, I really value peace.”Once the album is out Steele is looking ahead to Empire Of The Sun’s live shows that begin in October.Fans won’t have to wait another eight years for another album after Ask That God. We are trying to keep the train moving.“I’m really excited to start the tour but it seems like you guys are last,” says Steele. “We start in Australia and go up to America and so if not this year, we will definitely be in the UK next year. It takes six months to put the show together so I can’t wait. Someone said we should be playing Glastonbury and I’d love that idea — let’s see.Empire Of The Sun perform on stage at the Madcool Festival 2019 in MadridCredit: GettyOn bandmate Nick Littlemore, Steele says: Our relationship is the best it’s ever been’Credit: Getty“Right now Nick and I are here in Hawaii working on album number five.“Our relationship is the best it’s ever been. We both now have families, so when we get into the studio, it’s down to business. Our earlier years were the hardest — there’s was so much built-up emotion, ambition and ego.“But I love the way we work now — we are hungrier now more than ever and we know what we are doing now. We’ve made four records but we’ve made hundreds of songs. We have three or four folders of Empire rarities. We have a real work ethic and I am so proud of us. We are always trying to find the next rare gem.READ MORE SUN STORIES“And that’s why fans won’t have to wait another eight years for another album after Ask That God. We are trying to keep the train moving.”The album Ask That God is out today.Ask That God by Empire Of The Sun is out 26 AugustCredit: SuppliedEMPIRE OF THE SUNAsk That God★★★★☆ More

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      Russell Crowe forced to flee as fight breaks out between his team and over zealous fans at his London gig

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      HE played hard-as-nails Maximus in Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator, but Russell Crowe didn’t show any fighting spirit when one of his ­entourage got into a scrap outside the star’s gig in West London.Cops were called at around 11:30 pm on Wednesday after his tour ­promoter became embroiled in a row with fans and autograph hunters who had queued to meet the Hollywood star.Hollywood legend Russell Crowe watches as a fight breaks out between his team and fans outside his band’s gig in LondonCredit: GREG BRENNANRussell in flip-flops with his promoter on the night of the gigCredit: GREG BRENNANRussell’s promoter appeared to be grappled to the ground in the fracas outside London’s Shepherd’s Bush EmpireCredit: GREG BRENNANRussell has been touring the UK with his band, The Gentlemen Barbers, and was playing the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.An onlooker told me the Oscar-winner looked bemused at the unfolding brawl, then turned and legged it back inside through the stage door when things turned nasty.A feat made all the more impressive because he was wearing flip-flops.They said: “Russell came out to meet about 30 fans who had gathered outside the gig.READ MORE ON RUSSELL CROWE“A man who we believed was the tour promoter was shouting at a few people for pushing, but out of nowhere it turned a bit nasty.“This bloke started shouting and swearing and calling one of the fans a c***. He then saw he was being filmed and ­grabbed the guy’s phone then ran off down the street.“The man who’d had his phone taken chased him down the road.“They ­grappled and the promoter ended up on the ground.Most read in Bizarre“Russell looked absolutely horrified at what was happening and made a quick U-turn back inside the venue.“It was absolute chaos. Four police cars turned up and the coppers were talking to people about what happened.Where Are They Now? The Gladiator Cast 23 Years Later “The promoter seemed pretty badly winded but no one had much sympathy for him because he seemed to be acting a bit aggressively.“Ultimately none of this would have happened if he’d kept his cool when he was asking people not to push.“Russell never came back outside again.“He must have been pretty ­embarrassed by the whole thing. It was a proper commotion.”Four police cars arrived at the scene, with cops talking to people about what had happenedCredit: GREG BRENNANRussell has been touring the UK with his band, The Gentlemen BarbersCredit: AlamyRussell’s Indoor Garden Party tour, which also features Irish singer Lorraine O’Reilly, headed to Leeds last night.The actor is due on stage in Inverness tonight for his final gig of the UK tour.I hope he’s got his fighting trousers ready . . . just in case.Cover girl JadeJade Thirlwall posed with just a copy of Polyester magazine over her boobs as she opened up about life after Little MixCredit: Polyester MagazineIt’s good to see Jade Thirlwall supporting print media, even though she is using this mag to cover herself up rather than for reading.She posed with just a copy of Polyester over her boobs as she opened up about life after Little Mix.Speaking to the mag, which is out later this summer, she said: “From 18 until now, my whole life had been scheduled. Little Mix always had a year-long diary in place. To not have that any more was so scary. But once I got over that, I was like, this is really exciting.”She is set to hit the top ten with debut solo single Angel Of My Dreams today and told Apple Music 1 about her mum Norma’s reaction to the track.Jade said: “She went, ‘Oh, I don’t get it.’ And I thought, ‘Well, perfect. Hun, Norma, you’re not me demographic.’“Now she’s listened to it a million times – she’s obsessed.”Celine is Gaga for OlympicsFans will see Celine Dion will make her live comeback at the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris on FridayCredit: The Mega AgencyCeline Dion will make her live comeback during Friday’s Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris.The My Heart Will Go On singer is set to be joined by Lady Gaga for a special performance of classic 1947 Edith Piaf song La Vie En Rose.Lady Gaga covered the song in 2018 in the remake of hit film A Star Is Born.I first told last month how Celine, right, who will be dressed by legendary French fashion house Dior, had been formally asked to perform by Olympics bosses.It will be her first live performance in four years after battling the crippling neurological condition stiff person syndrome, or SPS.Celine has also been tipped to announce a Las Vegas residency, to kick off at the end of the year.The UK will return to compete at Eurovision next year, despite yet another dismal result in ­Sweden in May.Olly Alexander finished 18th out of 25 with his song Dizzy and faced ­criticism from some for not pulling out of the contest in protest over Israel’s participation.But the BBC has insisted we will send an act when the event goes to Switzerland next year.Fingers crossed we can break the top ten this time.Jenn’s fun and gamesJenni Falconer will meet some of the country’s most highly decorated athletes on her RunPod podcastCredit: GettyFans of Jenni Falconer’s podcast RunPod are in for a treat, as she has launched a spin-off series to coincide with the Paris Olympics.The radio presenter, above, will meet some of the country’s most highly decorated athletes, who will tell all about their experiences of the Games and lift the lid on what it is really like to win gold for your country.Jenni’s RunPod got me through Couch To 5k two years back and I have been listening ever since. If you are going to be sitting down to catch some of the contests, RunPod: Going For Gold is well worth a listen when the events launch tomorrow.It’s Billy vs. the sharksFormer racing driver Billy Monger will attempt to break the record for the Ironman World Championship triathlon for a double-leg amputeeCredit: Sam Riley/Comic ReliefSports commentator and former racing driver Billy Monger is used to challenging himself, but his next task will put him to the ultimate test – with the risk of being eaten by sharks.The daredevil has announced he will attempt to break the record for the Ironman World Championship triathlon for a double-leg amputee and become the youngest ever to complete the course this October at Kailua-Kona in Hawaii.It will include a 112-mile bike ride, 26.2-mile ­marathon, and 2.4-mile swim in the Pacific, which is home to all manner of critters, including sharks.In an exclusive chat ahead of the challenge, in aid of Comic Relief, Billy said of the sharks: ­“Hopefully they take one look at me and think that if they are going to go for someone, there’s ­somebody else that’s a bit more juicy. But that is an element of this challenge.”Billy, whose legs were amputated after an F4 car crash in 2017, has already been training for nine months and is being followed by cameras for a BBC documentary.It follows his stint on BBC One show Celebrity Race Across The World last year, which he believes made him stronger for this challenge.Billy – who you can support with donations at comicrelief.com/billy – said: “In a weird way it does translate to this sort of training because of the mental endurance needed for those long days where we were left to our own devices with no connection to the outside world.“When I’m doing long training sessions I’m not listening to music because you’re not allowed to do that when you do the Ironman event.“So I’m ­trying to use my training as a bit of a detox and escape from technology. Race Across The World was me stepping out of my comfort zone, and this is that – taken to the next level.”They spent eight weeks at No.1 last summer with Miracle, and now ­Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding have teamed up again. Today they drop their new song Free, in which Ellie sings: “What do I say now? Don’t want to fall in love. I’m not afraid now.”Aitch is also back with a D-Block Europe collaboration called Gold Mine, while Gwen Stefani and Anderson .Paak have teamed up for their Paris Olympics anthem Hello World.Charli XCX hoping Brat lands votesCharli XCX’s Brat has turned into one of the year’s hottest albums, after a social media campaign praised US presidential hopeful Kamala Harris for being ‘so Brat’Credit: GettyCharli XCX’s Brat has become one of the most talked-about albums of the year, after a social media campaign which praised US presidential hopeful Kamala Harris for being “so Brat.”Now the Brit singer-songwriter has another reason to smile because she leads the list of albums shortlisted for the ­prestigious Mercury Prize.The full run-down of the 12 records up for the award, which aims to celebrate the most critically acclaimed British releases of the past 12 months, was announced yesterday.It included records from The Last Dinner Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Nia Archives, and Cat Burns.Barry Can’t Swim, Berwyn, Beth Gibbons, Corto.Alto, Cmat, and English Teacher are also in the running.Rapper Ghetts is the final nominee for his album On ­Purpose, With Purpose, three years after he was last shortlisted for the prize.Asked in an exclusive chat whether it means more to him this time around, he said: “It means I want to win it more.”And despite the record ­featuring acts including Kano and Sampha, he didn’t tell ­anyone about the nomination.He admitted: “I kept it schtum. I didn’t even tell the missus until this morning.“She asked me, ‘Where are you going so early?’”But it was bad news for the Rolling Stones, Blur, and Dua Lipa, who were all snubbed for the prize which will be presented, along with a £25,000 award, in September.READ MORE SUN STORIESI’d say better luck next year, but I think it’ll be a while until any of them drop more music.Michelle Keegan and Clara Amfo will speak to fans at Glamour mag’s Empowerment Summit in Manchester next Saturday. The pair are the stars of a variety of panels where they will talk about career highs and lows and the women and experiences that influenced them. If that isn’t enough to tempt you, everyone at the event at the Aviva Studios will get a Glamour goody bag worth £300 which is included in the cost of the £32 ticket. See eventbrite.co.uk. More

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      Reggae star with VERY famous dad set to perform at festival ‘better than Glastonbury’

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      A reggae star with a very famous father is set to perform a Boomtown – a festival that beat Glastonbury to a huge award.Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley, son of the late legendary Bob Marley, is part of the massive line-up at the Hampshire festival next month.Damian Marley will appear at Boomtown festivalCredit: David CorioHe is one of Bob Marley’s eleven childrenCredit: GettyBoomtown is a five day festival in Hampshire next monthThe five day extravaganza will see more than 450 acts perform.Beyond Damian, 46, the line-up includes Marc Rebillet, Greentea Peng, Pendulum DJ set, Ghetts, Soft Play, Skream, Benga, High Contrast and many more to boot.Boomtown is so highly regarded, it won BBC Radio 1’s “Best Dance Festival UK & Europe” in 2023 – beating the iconic Glasto.The festival takes place between Wednesday 7th August and Sunday 11th August.read more on festivalsLast year, The Prodigy performed there.”Boomtown is a place like no other,” boasts the official website, calling itself “a music festival but not as you know it.”Damian, 46, hails from Jamaica and is the son of the No Woman No Cry legend.Damian’s mum is Cindy Breakspeare and he grew up in Kingston on the Caribbean island.Most read in MusicThe Wailers founder Bob passed away in 1981 from skin cancer, leaving a legion of fans devastated.As well as Damian, he has ten other children, including David ‘Ziggy’ Marley.Damian has followed in his dad’s footsteps, winning four Grammy awards.Damian has four Grammy awards to his nameCredit: AP:Associated PressBob passed away in 1981Credit: RedfernsThe DJ, rapper and singer’s most famous song is Welcome to Jamrock.The album of the same name sold more than 500,000 copies in the US alone.His most recent album was 2017’s Stony Hill, which topped the charts in North America.Over the years, he has collaborated with a host of A-list musicians from Jay-Z and Mariah Carey to Bruno Mars and Sean Paul.His nickname Junior Gong is a riff on his dad’s nickname, with Bob known as Tuff Gong.The Prodigy performed at Boomtown last yearCredit: Getty More

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      Dua Lipa and Robbie Williams lined up for Live Aid style charity concert alongside world’s biggest music stars

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      IT was the massive Knebworth gig that helped fund the creation of the Brit School, which has produced stars including Adele and Amy Winehouse.Now I can reveal there are plans for another mammoth show to replicate that 1990 Silver Clef Winners concert.Dua Lipa is one of the superstars that will be asked to performCredit: EPARobbie Williams will also be asked to take partCredit: GettyThe original charity gig saw music icons Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton and Sir Paul McCartney take to the stage in front of more than 120,000 fans.Profits from the show helped set up the Brit School and the Nordoff and Robbins music therapy centre a year later.The new concert is scheduled for 2026, which will mark 50 years of the Silver Clef awards — and is a year that Glastonbury takes a break.I’ve been told that Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams, Sir Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Coldplay, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding and Sam Smith are going to be asked to take part.READ MORE ON DUA LIPANordoff and Robbins CEO Sandra Schembri told me: “We are talking to all the people that love us and we are seeing what might be possible.“We have someone who is working out who, where and what is possible, who would be willing to come back and who would be willing to support us.“When we did Knebworth, there was not a penny to raise.“Sometimes, when you work with artists, the artists will do it for free. There is always the production costs and all the get up, but with Knebworth, they paid for everything.Most read in Bizarre“The artists laid back on all their costs. We were very lucky.”Lynyrd Skynyrd play iconic song Sweet Home Alabama live at Knebworth in 1976She added: “Knebworth 2026 would be great as that is how we and The Brit School got our centres.“About £6million was raised — £3million bought us our Nordoff and Robbins London centre. I think it is Europe’s largest music therapy centre because of that concert.”Asked if she would like to see the 1990 line-up return, Sandra said: “We would like every one of them.The new concert is scheduled for 2026, and could feature Kylie MinogueCredit: GettyThe original gig saw Sir Paul McCartney take to the stage in front of more than 120,000 fansCredit: Getty“There will be 49 Silver Clef winners by the time we get to the gig.“Some have passed away, like David Bowie, but it would be great to have as many as we can back. Can they help us get to the next generation?”And revealing a Knebworth revamp could cost £2million, Sandra added: “If they chipped in again, that would be lovely, right?”Given the incredible work Nordoff and Robbins do, I am sure artists will dig deep to help make this happen. More

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      Luciano defines Cadenza with this selection of music from the label

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      LUCIANO is in the middle of his summer residency at Club Chinois in Ibiza.Every Thursday this month, from July 11, the Swiss-born, Chile-raised Latin house pioneer has been enthralling the Ibizan crowds at the White Isle nightspot with his Luciano presents Cadenza parties, welcoming guest DJs from his legendary Cadenza label, unveiling fresh sounds and exciting new releases.Luciano performing at Club Chinois, IbizaFor this Thursday’s party, Luciano welcomes Romanian Arapu, who employs driving synths and field recordings in his seductively playful sound. He will be joined also the enigmatic minimal maestro, Moldavian-born Holchin.Click or tap image for ticketsAhead of the penultimate show on Thursday we caught up with Luciano and he has compiled an exclusive playlist of ten tracks that create the real feeling of the Cadenza sound. Listen and read what he had to say about the music below.Luciano & Quenum – Orange Mistake / Funky Dandy (12″, Promo, Cadenza)This release gave birth to the record label. We hadn’t planned to start a label, I just had these tracks that were sitting on my desktop, refused from a different label. At the same time my sister was in Chile studying graphic design. She needed to do a project to finish her degree. I said why don’t we do a record, you do the graphics, let’s put out the music, and then you can present this at the end of your studies. The hype and buzz was so big, we were No1 in Groove Magazin in Germany for example, and the feedback was so massive, we ended up with a record label on our hands![embedded content]Salif Keita & Cesaria Evora – Yamoré – (Luciano Remix)
(12″, 33 1⁄3 RPM)This is a super special one. A long time ago when I was first starting to make music I got the chance to work with Salif Keita & Cesaria Evora. Salif is such an angel, and such an incredibly talented musician and I was graced by the chance to make a remix for them, it holds such a special place in my heart.[embedded content]Ricardo Villalobos – IchsoRicardo is part of my family. We’ve been on this journey together since I was 14, 15. He is one of the most brilliant electronic composers in the world. This is from his Achso album.Most read in Music[embedded content]Reboot – ShunyataReboot is extremely talented. I met him at the beginning of his career, I think he was still selling insurance in Germany then! He is such an incredible artist, to meet him at the beginning of his career, to then have him on the record label was so special.[embedded content]Loco Dice – Harissa (album)This is a special record that created a super big buzz. Loco Dice was produced by Martin Buttrich so they recorded this album together. It was such a special time for this music, the music we were composing then and releasing on the label wasn’t known in the world yet, we were pioneers of that sound really. It was the right moment, with the right sound and the right vibe.[embedded content]Petre Inspirescu – Tips (album)A fabulous artist, from the very first Romanian wave when this music was new in Romania. We had the chance to sign him and the Tips album was outstanding. It’s still influencing the music industry today I think.[embedded content]Guido Schneider, André Galluzzi – AlbertinoGuido Schneider and André Galluzzi are both artists I knew from when I was living in Berlin 20 years ago. They are such talented underground artists that have always been giving to the music community. This was some of the earliest Berlin sound. Albertino is such an important tool and track they’ve produced, it’s from the Nora EP,[embedded content]Los Updates – First If You Please The Remix Part 2Signing Los Updates was a personal achievement. It’s a special alias and project from Jorge González, one of the biggest artists of the 80s in Chile, from one of the biggest rock bands ever existing, he would fill up 2 stadiums in my country. One of the most incredible composers I’ve ever met, he is so talented. We were so lucky to release his Lost Updates project on Cadenza.[embedded content]Michel Cleis – La MezclaThis was one of the very first hits we had back in the day, when we were creating this really new sound, mixing South American influences with dance and electronic music. This track still sounds amazing today, the hook is still being picked up by lots of genres including hip hop.READ MORE SUN STORIESCesar Merveille & Pablo Cahn- SpeyerTwo outstanding artists, both incredible producers still producing incredible music. They have always been at the forefront of minimal house. It was so hard to pick between 130 plus records and reduce the story to 10(ish), but I’ve tried my best![embedded content] More

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      Who are John Mayall’s six children? What we know about the blues musician’s kids Gaz, Jason, Tracey, Ben, Zak & Samson

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      GODFATHER of the British blues John Mayall has died aged 90.Mayall was surrounded by his family at his home in California where his six children grieve the loss of their father. But who are they and what do we know about them?John Mayall with his wife first wife Pamela and their four children Tracey, Jason, Gary and BenedictCredit: GETTYWho are John Mayall’s six children?Musician John Mayall OBE – whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton – died at his home in California on Monday, 21 July, 2024. Mayall is survived by his six children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, the family statement said.”He is also surrounded with love by his previous wives, Pamela and Maggie, his devoted secretary, Jane, and his close friends,” it added.”We, the Mayall family, cannot thank his fans and long list of band members enough for the support and love we were blessed to experience secondhand over the last six decades.”READ MORE FROM SHOWBIZGaz Mayall is the blues legend eldest sonGarry ‘Gaz’ MayallGarry ‘Gaz’ Mayall is the eldest son of the blues legend John Mayall. He moved to London with his dad in 1962 and he now lives in Kensal Green, West London.Gaz is part of a ska band The Trojans and after a few guest appearances at the Two-Tone club, Oxford Street in 1979, decided to start a club of his own.In summer 1980 he set up Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues; London’s longest running club night. The establishment is said to be a favourite of Meghan Markle growing up.Most read in MusicTo pay homage to the 30th anniversary of the club night, a book called Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues was released.Being the first-born son of a musician came with many benefits. Gaz attended almost every pop & rock festival throughout the sixties as a child.He is been lifelong fan of reggae and began collecting ska records when he was 17-years-old.It is estimated that he owns over 10,000 records.Jason Mayall is the second son of John MayallCredit: InstagramJason MayallJason Mayall, aka ‘The Cumbia Kid’ is a DJ and the director of Smash corporation.Established in 1984, Smash promotes concerts and headline tours with the aim of introducing an array of acts from around the globe to Japanese audiences.Smash’s summer festival began in 1997, and is Asia’s biggest outdoor music event. It is held annually in the mountains of Naeba, Niigata.Jason has also booked several tours for Japanese artists in the UK, namely the amazing Shibusashirazu and formidable Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra shows at Glastonbury. John’s son spends a lot of his time in Colombia championing “Cumbia”, the traditional dance music of Columbia.Musician John Mayall married his second wife Maggie Mayall who was 20 years his juniorTracey MayallTracey Mayall is the daughter of the blues legend, and his first wife Pamela.She shared her father’s love of music and had a particular penchant for robotic dancing.In the early 1980’s Tracey was part of a dance group called Sketch, that was made up of her and Dee and Fritz, the two boys.She later left the group and they renamed themselves Flex.John Mayall’s children have inherited his love of musicCredit: GETTYBenedict MayallBenedict ‘Big Ben’ Mayall is a Nigerian bass player. He is the adopted son of John Mayall and Pamela.Ben occasionally featured in his brothers band The Trojans. His most notable contribution was a reggae song entitled ‘Earth First,’ that was released in 1997.The Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstarsCredit: Associated PressZak MayallZak Mayall is a skateboarder from California. On his Instagram @sk8erdun he shared a heartfelt message following his father’s death.He wrote: “With a heavy heart I say age is just a number but all things must come to an end.”He lived by his own rules rigid and set in his ways from when he was a young adult who was rocketed to stardom until he stepped off the stage 2 years ago. “90 is a number that can’t convey the richness of his life experience, 40 I’ve been along for the ride. “I personally reassured him of his impact on every one of my friends that was his fan as well as on the rest of my enormous family that has blossomed in his legacy. “Goodnight Bluesman 1933 – 2024.”John Mayall continued to perform up to the age of 88Credit: GETTYSamson MayallSamson is John’s youngest son who he shared with his second wife Maggie Parker.Samson’s mum is also a blues musician. In 1978, Maggie met John and joined his backing band. They later married and had two sons together, Samson and his elder brother Zak.READ MORE SUN STORIESSamson shares his birth date with his legendary father. In an extract taken from November 29, 1994 entry in John’s journal he wrote: “My best birthday of 61 years because the decision we’d made was it was to be Samson’s birthday as well.”John Mayall is survived by six children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildrenCredit: Getty More

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      John Mayall dead: ‘Godfather of British blues’ who helped discover Eric Clapton & Mick Fleetwood dies aged 90

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      BRITISH blues legend John Mayall has died aged 90.His influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars.John Mayall performs on stage at Teatro Nuevo Apolo in Madrid, SpainCredit: RedfernsMayall performs during the 42nd Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, SwitzerlandCredit: APMayall performs in Munich, Germany in 1969Credit: APMayall in London in 1971Credit: GettyA statement on Mayall’s Instagram page announced his death yesterday, saying the musician died on Monday at his home in California.“Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world’s greatest road warriors,” the post said.Nicknamed the Godfather of British Blues, the musician is credited with helping develop the UK take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the genre’s revival in the late 1960s.At various times, his band included Fleetwood Mac members Fleetwood, John McVie and Peter Green, as well as Clapton and Jack Bruce, later of Cream, and also Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones.Read more showbiz newsMayall protested in interviews that he was not a talent scout, but played for the love of the music he had first heard on his father’s 78-rpm records.“I’m a band leader and I know what I want to play in my band — who can be good friends of mine,” Mayall said in an interview with the Southern Vermont Review. “It’s definitely a family. It’s a small kind of thing really.”Mayall never achieved the fame of many others who performed with him and was still performing into his late 80s.Most read in Showbiz“I’ve never had a hit record, I never won a Grammy Award, and Rolling Stone has never done a piece about me,” he said in an interview with the Santa Barbara Independent in 2013. “I’m still an underground performer.”Known for his blues harmonica and keyboard playing, Mayall had a Grammy nomination for “Wake Up Call” which featured guest artists Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Mick Taylor and Albert Collins.He received a second nomination in 2022 for his album “The Sun Is Shining Down”.He also won official recognition in Britain with the award of an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2005.He was selected for the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class and his 1966 album “Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton” is considered one of the best British blues albums.Mayall was born on November 29, 1933 in Macclesfield, near Manchester.Sounding a note of the hard-luck bluesman, Mayall once said: “The only reason I was born in Macclesfield was because my father was a drinker, and that’s where his favorite pub was.”His father also played guitar and banjo, and his records of boogie-woogie piano captivated his teenage son.Mayall said he learned to play the piano one hand at a time — a year on the left hand, a year on the right, “so I wouldn’t get all tangled up”.The piano was his main instrument, though he also performed on guitar and harmonica, as well as singing in a distinctive, strained-sounding voice. Aided only by drummer Keef Hartley, Mayall played all the other instruments for his 1967 album ‘Blues Alone’.When he moved to London in 1962 his aim was to soak up the nascent blues scene led by Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Eric Burdon were among others drawn to the sound.The Bluesbreakers drew on a fluid community of musicians who drifted in and out of various bands. Mayall’s biggest catch was Clapton, who had quit the Yardbirds and joined the Bluesbreakers in 1965 because he was unhappy with the Yardbirds’ commercial direction.Mayall and Clapton shared a passion for Chicago blues, and the guitarist later remembered that Mayall had “the most incredible collection of records I had ever seen”.Mayall tolerated Clapton’s waywardness: He disappeared a few months after joining the band, then reappeared later the same year, sidelining the newly arrived Peter Green, then left for good in 1966 with Bruce to form Cream, which rocketed to commercial success, leaving Mayall far behind.Clapton, interviewed for a BBC documentary on Mayall in 2003, confessed that “to a certain extent I have used his hospitality, used his band and his reputation to launch my own career”.“I think he is a great musician. I just admire and respect his steadfastness,” Clapton added.Mayall encouraged Clapton to sing and urged Green to develop his song-writing abilities.Mick Taylor, who succeeded Green as a Bluesbreaker in the late 1960s, valued the wide latitude which Mayall allowed his soloists.“You’d have complete freedom to do whatever you wanted,” Taylor said in a 1979 interview with writer Jas Obrecht. “You could make as many mistakes as you wanted, too.”Mayall’s 1968 album ‘Blues from Laurel Canyon’ signalled a permanent move to the US and a change in direction. He disbanded the Bluesbreakers and worked with two guitars and drums.The following year he released ‘The Turning Point’ arguably his most successful release, with an atypical four-man acoustic lineup including Mark and Almond. ‘Room to Move’, a song from that album, was a frequent audience favourite in Mayall’s later career.The 1970s found Mayall at low ebb personally, but still touring and doing more than 100 shows a year.“Throughout the ’70s, I performed most of my shows drunk,” Mayall said in an interview with Dan Ouellette for Down Beat magazine in 1990. One consequence was an attempt to jump from a balcony into a swimming pool that missed — shattering one of Mayall’s heels and leaving him with a limp.“That was one incident that got me to stop drinking,” Mayall said.In 1982, he reformed the Bluesbreakers, recruiting Taylor and McVie, but after two years the personnel changed again. READ MORE SUN STORIESIn 2008, Mayall announced that he was permanently retiring the Bluesbreaker name, and in 2013 he was leading the John Mayall Band.Mayall and his second wife, Maggie, divorced in 2011 after 30 years of marriage. They had two sons.The Bluesbreakers in 1966 in London: Mayall, Hughie Flint, Eric Clapton and John McVieCredit: Michael Ochs Archives – Getty More