Music News LIVE: Lady Gaga tribute to Orlando victims

Jimmy Somerville/FacebookCopyright: Jimmy Somerville/Facebook

Former Bronski Beat and Communards frontman Jimmy Somerville has posted a message of solidarity to the victims of the homophobic terror attacks on his Facebook page.

The Scots artist sings some words from his 1984 song Why - which focuses on anti-gay prejudice.

He also offers a white rose to the survivors and those killed in the mass shooting.

Quote Message: Never stop holding the hands, never stop kissing the lips of those you love, never let anyone take that away from us. from Jimmy Somerville

Never stop holding the hands, never stop kissing the lips of those you love, never let anyone take that away from us.

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Somewhat unusually for a man of many words, Kanye has decided to announce a new 32-date tour of the US with a single one...

The Saint Pablo Tour kicks off on 25 August and finishes in Las Vegas on 29 October, marking Kanye's first tour since 2014.

Kim Kardashian seemed to suggest on Twitter that she would live-stream some of the tour.   

Jack White / The Impossible ProjectCopyright: Jack White / The Impossible Project

Jack White has turned photographer and shared a series of Polaroids - including this Mick Jagger portrait and creepy clown.

White, who took all his photos under the brief "A Beautiful Thing I Saw Today", said there was "a romantic feeling of pulling a photograph out of a Polaroid camera." 

He's one of the snappers published online for the launch of the Impossible Project, featuring shots produced on the new I-1 instant camera using original Polaroid film.

"Photography using mechanical means is a beautiful art form," said White. 

"Digital pictures are very portable and easy to make happen, but you can't hold the photo in your hand, or put it in a family album. 

"There's a romantic feeling of pulling a photograph out of a Polaroid camera, holding it your hands and showing it to others. It can't be replaced or replicated." 

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Singer Morrissey has reacted with anger over US presidential candidate Donald Trump's reaction to the the worst mass shooting in recent US history at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

The attack by Omar Mateen left 49 people dead and dozens wounded.

Following the massacre, Trump told CNN: "If people in that room had guns with the bullets flying in the opposite direction right at him... right at his head, you wouldn’t have had the same tragedy."

Writing on the True to You website, Morrissey said: "This, of course, is his way of avoiding any words of support to the Orlando gay community (it is their own fault for going into a nightclub without hand grenades). 

"Donald Thump would therefore probably claim that the massacred children of Sandy Hook would still be alive today if only they'd had the common sense to carry sawn-off shotguns to school. The Thump response to Orlando is therefore anti-gay and pro-gun possession."

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Some pop news for you now - as Steps star Claire Richards has revealed she's been working on her own solo material. 

However, the singer told ITV's Lorraine that the music has less in common with Steps hits and more with The Carpenters. 

"It's really good. It's really exciting and I'm enjoying it. This phase for me is something really different," said Claire.

"It's not the same as Steps. My idol is Karen Carpenter - I'd sing Karen Carpenter songs all day if I could. It's probably more along that kind of line. 

"It's taking me a while to find my sound and my way, but hopefully fingers crossed it will happen. It's something I've always wanted to do."

LorraineCopyright: Lorraine

Talk also turned to Steps and whether the band would be marking the 20th anniversary of debut single 5,6,7,8 next year with some gigs.

"I really don't know. Our mantra is always 'never say, never'," said Claire. 

"I think we got ourselves into a trap years ago when we said we'd never do it again. It would be lovely to do something again."

Watch the interview (go to 2'49 for those Steps comments). 

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Casting is apparently underway to find a Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for a new film Exile on Main Street: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones.

It's based on the book by Robert Greenfield about the summer in France when the Stones recorded the seminal album and will be directed by Andy Goddard - who worked on Downton Abbey.

He also directed Set Fire to the Stars, set in 1950s New York, about the meeting between an aspiring poet and Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. 

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While many artists suffer from what's known in the industry as "difficult second album syndrome", Tom Odell says he was actually much more confident second time round. 

He released new album Wrong Crowd on Friday, the follow-up to his 2013 debut Long Way Down.

"When I went into the studio with the first record... Even though I had a record deal, I still wasn't sure whether my songs were any good," he told BBC Breakfast.

"So actually having some success with the first album and touring it so much, I felt way more confident."

He also spoke about some on stage drama at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Exeter last month:

You can also watch highlights of his Big Weekend performance

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Kaiser Chiefs are virtually unrecognisable in their newest offering Parachute, which has been produced by the same team behind the likes of Girls Aloud and Pet Shop Boys.

Singer Ricky Wilson, currently best known as a mentor on The Voice, called the track "probably the first love song we’ve written since Ruby”.

It's taken from the band’s forthcoming sixth album Stay Together.

The band recently played a sold out tour of South America and will play a one-off show at the London Palladium on 11 July before embarking on the festival circuit taking in dates at V Festival, T in The Park and Ibiza Rocks.

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Beyonce has helped raise more than $82,000 (£58,000) for residents of Flint, Michigan, who are dealing with the city's lead-tainted water supply. 

According to The Detroit News, the cash was raised by fans who opted to contribute to the Flint fund while purchasing tickets for her Formation tour show at Ford Field.

Beyonce's team said her entertainment and management company, Parkwood Entertainment, had presented a cheque for $82,234 to the United Way of Genesee County. 

Flint is one of three cities on Beyonce's tour to feature a "signature charity event" component. 

They've also selected 14 Detroit-area high school students to receive "college gifts" to help with their educational expenses and tickets to tonight's concert at Ford Field. 

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were the latest guests for US chat show host James Corden's carpool karaoke and performed a hitherto unreleased song called Heemy Leemy.

In fairness, Anthony Kiedis and Flea wrote it at the age of 15 while under the influence of some illicit substances.

Skip to 2.18  to hear it, though the full video is a treat - but be warned, it features some wrestling and half-nakedness... 

...which is why we can't embed it here, but if you're brave enough for some big boy language then you can check out the black and white promo for their latest track Animal Style from forthcoming album Ellipsis.

The band teased it on social media yesterday.

Biffy Clyro are due to headline the Reading and Leeds festivals this summer and are also playing a massive homecoming show at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park.

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A new choral work, inspired by the fire which damaged Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh building two years ago, has been recorded to help fund its restoration.

Light Through Tall Windows was recorded in the Mackintosh library by the GSA choir on Sunday.

It will be released next year to help pay for the restoration of the Grade A-listed building after the upper floors were gutted by fire in 2014.

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Up-and-coming MC Lady Leshurr's been speaking to 1xtra's Breakfast Show about her live shows and forthcoming debut album - after catching up with presenter Yas backstage at Parklife in Manchester at the weekend. 

In the interview broadcast today, the rapper - who is best known for her Queen's Speech series of freestyles - touched on how her Birmingham roots had affected her career

"I didn't really think anything of the accent," she told Yas.

"I knew I was from Brum, but I didn't think that would have affected my music, so when I did eventually come to London and started doing freestyles with the London girls and the London guys, I realised that to them it's like 'whoah, a breath of fresh air!'.

"It's new and unique. And that actually helped, it benefited me."

Listen to the full interview below:

She and Kano were among the musicians performing at both Parklife and Wild Life festivals over the weekend. If you missed Yas' catch-up with Kano, which aired yesterday, listen below to hear him discuss his future plans and the unstoppable rise of grime.

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The British jazz musician Dave Holland is to receive one of America's biggest jazz honours, in recognition of his contribution to music.

The Wolverhampton born bass player - who has become one of the 2017 NEA Jazz Masters - is famed for his work with Miles Davis after being discovered by the jazz legend whilst gigging at Ronnie Scott's in 1968.

He subsequently played on Bitches Brew, amongst other seminal jazz recordings and has worked with jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Stan Getz.

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James Blake and Wolf Alice joined Annie Mac at the BBC's Maida Vale studios last night to kick off the first instalment of Radio 1's new live music series Headliners. 

The show, which is planning to showcase "the headline acts of today and tomorrow", also featured freestyles from rising grime MCs Elf Kid and AJ Tracey. 

Wolf Alice played tracks including Bros, Lisbon and Moaning Lisa Smile, while Blake performed songs from all three of his albums.

You can watch all the highlights in an iPlayer special also featuring Annie's soundcheck interviews with the artists, or listen online to Annie's full radio show.

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Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine has reportedly offered to pay for the funeral costs of the singer Christina Grimmie who was shot dead during an autograph signing in Florida at the weekend.

Levine mentored Grimmie when she appeared on the US version of The Voice two years ago and she later returned to perform on the programme.

Levine paid his respects on social media after she was shot dead by 26-year-old gunman, Kevin James Loibl, after a concert in Orlando on Friday night.

Grimmie’s brother, Marcus, spoke at a vigil honouring her memory in her hometown of Evesham, New Jersey on Monday night. (June 13).

"Christina was awesome…She loved this town, she loved this state, she loved singing, she loved the Lord and she loved me and she was just my baby sister," he said.

He also offered condolences to the victims of the homophobic attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando where 49 people were killed.

"I have no words. All of those people that died and are suffering. My heart goes out," he said.

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On Saturday night, US singer Charlie Puth also dedicated a song to Grimmie at a show in New York.

He performed his hit, See You Again - written for the late actor Paul Walker of The Fast and the Furious - in the singer's honour.

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Laura Mvula has described the music industry as "sexist" and "racist".

The Brimingham-born singer-songwriter has told the Radio Times she often felt "isolated and misunderstood" as a female recording artist.

"If you say anything with assertiveness or authority, you are often... labelled a diva," she added.

Mvula has joined the likes of Bjork and Taylor Swift in voicing her frustrations.

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Jamie Lawson is the latest act to be added to the line-up for Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park event - named A Festival in a Day.

The British singer - who was famously Ed Sheeran's first signing to his record label Gingerbread Man Records - joins headliner Elton John and Madness who were announced yesterday. 

Jamie spoke to Chris Evans on his Radio 2 Breakfast Show this morning: 

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A special tribute to late Motorhead frontman Lemmy brought the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards to a close at London's Hammersmith Apollo last night. Friends and touring mates Saxon performed together with the remaining members of Motorhead - drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell (pictured above).

They performed Motorhead's Ace Of Spades, Born To Raise Hell and Overkill. Saxon singer Biff Byford - who also performed Lemmy's three favourite Saxon songs - told the BBC about how he first met Lemmy:

Quote Message: The first tour we ever did was in 1979, that was our first album, and Lemmy invited us on the tour. I think he liked us because we wore second hand clothes and leather jackets. It was crazy, hellraising. Bad boys, they learnt us all the bad things. It was absolutely crazy.

The first tour we ever did was in 1979, that was our first album, and Lemmy invited us on the tour. I think he liked us because we wore second hand clothes and leather jackets. It was crazy, hellraising. Bad boys, they learnt us all the bad things. It was absolutely crazy.

Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell was also handed the Riff Lord Award, calling the experience "very humbling". 

"It was very unexpected... When we get our awards and stuff, we don't do it for us, we do [the music] for all the fans. That's what keeps us alive, right?"

Other winners on the night include:

• Best UK Band - Asking Alexandria
• Best International Band - Ghost
• Best Album - ‘The Book Of Souls’ Iron Maiden
• Inspiration - Anthrax
• Icon - Nikki Sixx
• Best New Band - Creeper
• Best Underground - Enslaved
• Breakthrough - Beartooth
• Best Live Band - Lamb Of God
• Best Independent Label - Prosthetic Records
• Dimebag Darrell ‘Shredder’ - Lzzy Hale
• Global Metal Band - Chthonic
• Golden God - Joey Jordison
• Best Video - Parkway Drive

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