Live4MusiC

Headlining Day 1 and the start of IGNITE! 2010 is the highly rated B-Quartet! Winners of the 2002 Yamaha Asian Beat Competition, this band disregards genres and conventions producing their very own sound. Largely regarded as an experimental brand of music, the depth of their compositions is certainly to be applauded. You can check out their music on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bquartet



Also on Day 1 is the band that has shared the stage with the mighty Paramore and Hoobastank. They are none other than Monochrome, the alternative rock quintet! (http://www.myspace.com/monochromestory)

Other awesome bands that are lined up for Day 1:

- The Marilyns (Alternative/Pop/Indie): 
http://www.myspace.com/marilynstheband

- Replug:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=367454390521&ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=367454390521&v=wall&ref=ts

- The Full Fledged Munkees

- Timbre Music Academy (TMA) All-Stars

See you guys there!

Ozzy Osbourne claims guitarist Zakk Wylde’s drinking was the main reason behind his decision to recruit new axeman Gus G.

Wylde found out he had been dropped from Ozzy’s band in an interview the Brummie rock legend gave to Classic Rock magazine.

The Black Label Society frontman seemed to take the news well, telling his Twitter followers: "This is news to me. I haven't heard anything about this. Until I talk to the Boss, I don't know. I love Ozzy".

But later in a live radio interview with Oregon’s KLFY Radio, Wylde tore intoOsbourne, saying: "Call me, man. It’s like, dude, you don’t wanna play with me anymore? Fine. Play with whoever the hell you wanna play with."

Speaking about latest album Scream, Ozzytells Guitar World Magazine: "Zakk came in at the beginning of the new one, but he was still drinking. When you're drunk and somebody else is drinking, it's okay, but when you're sober and somebody's blabbering away in your ear, it ain't.

"I mean, Zakk's a great player and I love him. I love his playing. But in the end, it came to the point that I had to get another guitarist. Not because I fell out with Zakk, but it was hard for me to be around someone who is actively drinking. I heard he's not drinking anymore. I don't know if that's true or not.

Ozzy adds: "We're good friends, and we're like family. I feel that the whole thing was partly my fault, because Zakk was doing his own band, his own tours and helping me out when he got back.

"On the last tour he was with his band opening the show and my band closing the show, and that's really hard. So I'd been thinking of getting a replacement for a while.

The Brit legend had feared that his band was turning into Wylde’s Black Label Society in terms of sound, so approached Gus G of Firewind to be his new guitarist.

Ozzy explains: "Zakk is Black Label. I love his playing; he's one of the greats. But it was the drink getting the better of him. I couldn't watch him die. In one sick respect, it was good for me to see, because that's what I was like, and worse.

"Believe me, if I started drinking now you'd think ‘F’ck, this is bollocks! I've got to get out of here.’ That's how I felt around Zakk toward the end."

Wylde has since been told by doctors he cannot drink alcohol because of high pancreatic enzyme levels, and is currently taking medication.

Thanks for the report to RockRadio. 

We already know that Lady Gaga is pretty much finished with the follow-up to her smash full-length debut, The Fame. But now we finally have a peek at some of the material that might be on the album, thanks to footage of Gaga performing at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball last Thursday.

"This is a brand-new record that no one's ever heard before ... ever," she said while seated at one of her signature deconstructed pianos and wearing a bedazzled black bra and panties with black boots. "And I've never, ever played it live, ever."

On her Twitter, she described "You and I" as a "new song ... written in NY on the piano I grew up on."

Sounding a tad hoarse, Gaga described the song to her audience as a bit of a "rock-and-roll tune," predicting that for that reason it will not likely get used as a single, but that it is "very dear" to her heart.

"It's been a long time since I came around/ It's been a long time, but I'm back in town/ And this time, I'm not leaving without you," she sang, describing a whiskey-breathed lover for whom she's pining.

"He said, 'Sit back down where you belong, in the corner of my bar with your high heels on,' " she continued, her voice rising and getting a bit more growly just before the band came in and provided a swaying backdrop to the bluesy rocker. " 'Sit back down on the couch where we made out the first time, and you said to me/ "Something, something about this place/ Something about lonely lights and my lipstick on your face." ' "

She wasn't kidding about the song having a rock edge, as the tune eschewed most of her dance flavor, right down to a rollicking barrelhouse piano solo, during which she stood up on the piano bench and bashed out some John-worthy runs on the black and whites. She finished the tune crouched on the bench, wailing, "You and I," while pumping her fist, before giving it a big finish that included kicking a heel up on the keyboard and lying across the piano bench with her head on the ground.

Gaga tweeted about her performance at the 12th annual fundraiser for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, writing, "What a brilliant evening with wonderful friends. Thank you to everyone who donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. What a magical stage."

Gaga also took the stage in a wheelchair with her chest covered in fake blood and accompanied by an oiled-up male dancer for a run through "Alejandro," and she performed her ballad "Speechless." During the latter, John came out and joined her for a dueling-pianos showdown, trading off verses on the tune dedicated to Gaga's dad and then reprising theirGrammys duet with a snippet of his hit "Your Song," during which he improvised the line, "I hope you don't mind that I wrote down in words/ How wonderful life is with Gaga in the world."

The gothic-themed event took place at a Windsor mansion owned by John and partner David Furnish and featured performance artists wearing straightjackets and dangling from fake trees and bandaged men in white coats serving cocktails in medicine bottles. According to reports, guests included Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Beckinsale, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi and Kid Rock.

- MTV.com 

At their best, sparkle disco champs Scissor Sisters bring to mind the result of a one-night stand between Erasure and the Killers. Their self-titled '04 debut was a synth-pop bacchanal; on its too-somber follow-up, "Ta-Dah," gloomy meditations on fame and death gate-crashed the Sisters' perpetual Studio 54.

What: Engelbert Humperdinck's Legacy Of Love World Tour

Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium

When: Last Thursday

Attendance: 5,000

TOM Jones must be writhing in absolute annoyance.

Not only did his archrival, Engelbert Humperdinck, take to the stage last Thursday (an ill Jones was forced to cancel not once but twice on his Singapore audience in March) at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, but the 74-year-old also absolutely rocked it.

Heck, the guy - who last played a sold-out show here in 2006 - even has a talent for making corny jokes actually funny.

"Can you believe I've been doing this for four years?" joked Humperdinck (real name Arnold George Dorsey) to his full house after turning out classics like Can't Take My Eyes Off You (off the album Man Without Love, released in 1968).

"Actually, I've been doing this for 44 years," said the man, who has sold over 150 million albums worldwide.

But don't think that Humperdinck is content with his success, which includes many a gold- and platinum-selling album.

At his show, he also announced the release of a new single entitled Tell Me Where It Hurts, a heartrending ballad scheduled for release on iTunes on Wednesday, proving that the King of Romance just won't quit.

But I guess that makes sense, for, at his show, Humperdinck was a fountain of youthful energy who could dance with all the pizazz of a 20-year-old. His personality, too, was vibrant and youthful. And, man, can he turn on the charm.

During the song You Don't Know Me, he pulled an audience member onto the stage and directed that inimitable charm right at her.

She looked like she was ready to rip her shirt off for him, right in front of the crowd.

It's clear that his music gives him his mojo, and he knows it.

However, Humperdinck makes it clear he won't stand for being slapped with the "crooner" tag, even though he's put out ballads like The Way It Used To Be and After The Lovin'.

He insists on being referred to as a "contemporary singer", he said.

"No crooner has the range I have," boasted Humperdinck before leaving the stage.

"I can hit notes a bank couldn't cash."

Eat your heart out, Tom Jones.

myp@sph.com.sg MyPaper

(week starting 28th June)

Rock & Pop

• Sezairi Sezali - Take Two
• Kula Shaker - Pilgrims Progress
• Papa Roach - To Be Loved: Best of
• Scissors Sisters - Night Work
• Various Artists - John & Paul Songbook
• Original Score - Twilight: Eclipse
  
  Classical & Jazz
• Kenny G - Heart & Soul
• James Last - 80 Greatest Hits
  
  Dance & Soul
• Diddy Dirty Money - Last Train To Paris
• Hernan Cattaneo - Renaissance The Masters Series
• Zero 7 - Best of
  
  Asian Pop
• Ivana Wang 王菀之 - Octave <柯廸夫>

Not long ago, Brandon Flowers told his Killers bandmates that he was pushing ahead with his first solo album, titled Flamingo. "I said, 'This isn't about getting attention or proving something, it's just what I'm accustomed to doing,' " he explains. "Also, there's a bit of a fear of mine to not perform for a long time. For seven years I've been cultivating this — really working on trying to be comfortable onstage."

Most of the songs for Flamingo, due in September, were written on the road while supporting the Killers' most recent disc, Day & Age. "These songs have an isolation to them that Killers records don't have. It's a little less keyboard, and a little more acoustic, so I started thinking about other people we could bring in," says Flowers. "So I shot for the stars, and we got Daniel Lanois."

Soon, Lanois joined Stuart Price (who produced Day & Age) at work on the disc. "It was strange at first," says Flowers. "There was a bit of a clash between Daniel and Stuart — which was actually pretty awesome to watch happen — and by the end of it, they were hugging each other." Their standout collaboration is "Playing With Fire," the haunting track in which Flowers, who grew up Mormon, sings, "Because I pray at a church with no steeple, doesn't mean I can't walk with God." He explains, "That song is about my journey. My parents let me live home [in Utah] when I was 15 to go to Las Vegas to find whatever it was I was looking for. And at that time I hadn't been going to church. But I don't think that just because you don't go to church you forfeit the right of having any guidance or help from God."

Flamingo is heavy with tales of desolate landscapes and personal redemption. "As I get older, I have this desire to represent Las Vegas," he says. "When the Killers first came out, a lot of people thought we were English, and it touched a chord in me, because my roots are very American." The album's title is derived from Flamingo Road, a prominent Vegas thoroughfare, far away from the neon lights of the Strip. Sam's Town casino — the namesake of the Killers' second album — sits on the road, Flowers' first job was at the nearby Wynn Country Club, and after work he'd spend his money at Tower Records on Flamingo and Maryland Parkway. "Then it turned into a vintage store and that's where I met my wife." It's not all a lovefest, though. On the track "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" Flowers peels back the sheets to reveal Vegas' underbelly. "There's the hookers, the drugs, people losing their retirements, all under the façade of these neon lights. It's kind of a heartbreaker."

Another highlight is "From Nogales to Magdalena," which Flowers says was inspired by a a documentary about a pilgrimage. "People walk 60 miles with a prayer or wish in their heart, every year on October 4th," he says. "I'm thinking about doing it." A session with producer Brendan O'Brien yielded the album's first single, the acoustic-driven "Crossfire." "That's my son Ammon's favorite," says Flowers, smiling. "Kids can always pick the hits."

- RollingStone 

IGNITE! is Republic Polytechnic annual, student-driven music festival started in 2008. It aims to bring forth free and good music in a great setting! So yes it's FREE! But despite that, it just gets better every year! 

This year's IGNITE! promises 2 days of unrelenting music. You'll understand what we mean when you take a peek at the fantastic line-up!

Day 1:

- B-Quartet
- The Marilyns
- Replug
- Monochrome
- The Full Fledged Munkees
- Timbre Music Academy (TMA) All-Stars

Day 2:

- Plainsunset
- Zero Sequence
- Meza Virs
- Fishtank
- The Analog Girl
- Pervy Boy
- Jammerz Arena

Always on the lookout for the best gigs with the best local musicians? IGNITE! is one not to be missed with a wide range of genres from Pop to Metal!

We'll see you there!

For more event info, click here.

RockOn!
Yuda 

Argentina striker Lionel Messi has said the entire squad wants Oasis to reform to play a "celebration party" for them if they win the World Cup.

Messi says he has become obsessed with Oasis since teammate Carlos Tevez, (who plays for Manchester City, Noel and Liam Gallagher's club) forced him to listen to the band ahead of the competiton, reports The Sun.

"Ever since he has been playing inManchester, Carlitos has told me how great Oasis was. I kept promising I would listen to them, but I never got round to it," Messiexplained.

"On the plane on the way to the World Cup Carlitos made me listen to their first two albums. I have to say I wasn't expecting much but it is some of the best material I have ever heard. They are absolutely amazing. Their songs are incredible. I would have to say 'Supersonic'and 'Live Forever' are my favourites. I have been listening to their stuff on my iPod dock in the hotel room, on the way to the matches and in the dressing room. I can't believe it's taken me all this time to finally listen to them."

Messi added that initially he didn't realise the band were no longer together.

"I've been watching their live performances on YouTube and they look like they'd be amazing to see in concert. I asked Carlitos if we could go and see them in Manchester orLondon in concert, but he told me they have split up," Messi said.

He then added that the team have pledged to get the Gallaghers to put aside their differences should they win the competition – even asking them to "name their price" to reform.

"I showed the rest of the boys in the Argentina squad their stuff and I promise you, everybody absolutely loves it. A few knew a couple of their songs but for most of them it was their first listen. We have agreed that if we win the World Cup we want to fly them over to Argentina for our celebration party. We just need them to name their price."

Messi may face some competition though, as Noel Gallagher recently claimed he was Italy's lucky mascot when the country won the last World Cup in 2006.

- NME

Radiohead have almost finished their new album - and are looking to releae it by the end of the year.

The band have been working on the follow-up to 2007's "In Rainbows" for almost a year. Now guitarist Ed O'Brien has revealed that they are almost done - and reckons it could be the band’s best yet.

He told Adam Buxton's BBC 6Music show: "We're in the heart of the record. It's genuinely exciting. It's very different from what we did last time. It’s really nice to be doing this. It's so good to be making music with the band that you feel is still as good as it's ever been."

The guitarist could not confirm any schedule for release, but said he wanted to see the record out sooner rather than later.

He stated: "Ideally, it would be great if it came out sometime this year. It has got to. I hope so. We’re at the finishing line. When you're making a record, a film, writing a book for ages and ages you think the finishing line is miles away. Now it feels it's in touching distance. But of course, it being a creative process, at the last bit also, you have bursts of energy, you achieve a lot of things in a small period of time and then you’re nearly there… it might slow down. But yeah, hopefully it will be a matter of weeks."

You can read the full interview at Radiohead's news service Ateaseweb.

The band are believed to be working with long-standing producer Nigel Godrich.

The group's last recorded output were two one-off tracks last year, "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" and "These Are My Twisted Words".

Thanks for the report to Nme.com.