Music News LIVE: 12 September

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

He's better known for hitting the back of the net than hitting the chart but Brazilian footballer Neymar is swapping his boots for a mic after announcing his intentions to start recording music.

The Barcelona striker says he will post his first song on his Facebook account on Wednesday, referring to his debut as Neymusico. 

The 24-year-old has performed on stage with singers at several concerts.  

Hmm... footballer turned musician? It's got to be better than this classic from 1987. 

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Glastonbury hopefuls - we have a date for your diary now... the morning of Sunday 9 October is when you'll need to have your various devices at the ready and ideally connected to superfast broadband early doors, as tickets go on sale for 2017's festival at 9:00 BST that morning. 

You can register online between now and 12:00 on Monday 3 October or check your existing registration. 

Tickets this year will cost £238 and £5 booking fee (up £10 from last year). Coach and ticket packages go on sale at 18:00 on Thursday 6 October. 

Get all the details on the website where organisers have also confirmed they'll be taking their next fallow year in 2018 to give the farm a rest, and added that "there are no plans to hold an event at another location in 2018."  

David Bowie's son, director Duncan Jones, has used Twitter to deny reports that his dad's ashes had been scattered at Burning Man festival.

Sources had apparently claimed that Bowie's unidentified godchild, with the blessing of the late singer's wife Iman, had taken a portion of the ashes to the week-long event in the Nevada desert.  

However Jones told followers: "Not true. Kind of a gross claim as well."

Bowie's album Blackstar is in the running for the Mercury Prize on Thursday - scroll down for details of a special tribute performance at the ceremony.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the very first episode of Emmy-winning TV show, The Monkees.

The band, made up of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones, were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 by producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider.

Song writing duo Boyce and Hart were charged with writing songs for them and said they had been “stockpiling” songs for a year before The Monkees had even been cast.

Speaking to 5 live’s Dotun Adebayo, Bobby Hart said the pair never had any trouble writing a song except when a news channel asked them to compose a “hit song” on camera.

“We finally said, ‘we think we’re going to take a walk and see if we can think of some ideas’”, he said, “when we got back the [TV] crew was gone.”

Mickey Dolenz joins Jools Holland on Radio 2 at 23:00 tonight for the first in a new series, picking his favourite records and playing with the band.

Jools also spoke to Chris Evans this morning to discuss The Monkees and share an amusing anecdote about Mickey and The Monkees' car.

Danny Clinch / Blue NoteCopyright: Danny Clinch / Blue Note

After experimenting with hip-hop and rock, Norah Jones says she has returned to her signature sound on her seventh album, Day Breaks. 

She's been telling the BBC's Mark Savage how she rediscovered the piano, writing the bulk of the record on a small upright piano next to the pots and pans in her kitchen during "late-night feeding sessions" with her first son.

"It has tons of bills on top, and mail that hasn't been opened. It's a breeding ground for clutter," she said.

"I have two pianos in my music room [but] the kitchen is sort of the heart of the house, so the upright gets played much more."

Read the full interview, or get a taster of the album below as she's just released a lyric video for this number Flipside...

Warning: third party content, may contain ads. 

Roisin Murphy seems to have borrowed a few style inspirations from Snapchat for her new self-directed, emoji-filled video for Whatever. 

It's the third single from recent album Take Her Up To Monto, following Mastermind and Ten Miles High. 

It sees the star donning a hard hat as she strolls around the London streets and hops on the tube, while spilling out Kate Moss-isms like "Never complain, never explain". 

Warning: third party content, may contain ads.

For a budding composer there can't be many more impressive teachers than the music director of the Royal Opera House, Sir Antonio Pappano.

Getting an audience with him should be hard enough but he has been giving 17-year-old Jack Pepper one-to-one coaching. 

Jack's one of ten young composers who've won this year's Fanfare competition and are now waiting to hear their work played at the famous venue.

They've all penned a winning 25-second tune to be played around the Opera House before performances.

The BBC's Alex Stanger has been along to meet Pepper and Pappano... 

Radio 1's Live Lounge has thrown up some classic covers, whether its FKA Twigs having a go at Sia, or Jess Glynne doing James Bay.

Or even Biffy Clyro covering Christine and The Queens.

Now Craig David has given his all covering Destiny's Child track Say My Name.

We think Bey would approve...

Warning: may contain ads.

And you can watch his full performance here.

PACopyright: PA

Jamie Lawson has told the BBC he's begun work on the follow up to the album he released on Ed Sheeran's Gingerbread Man label, which topped the UK album chart last year.

"I’m writing songs for the new record," he said backstage at Radio 2's Festival in a Day. "I hope to have it recorded before the end of the year and have it out sometime early-ish next year. 

"I think this album that we’ve just had out is quite a hopeful record, and I’m not sure the next one is. But this is not in any way reflective of my state of mind. It’s just how certain songs come about and work their way through." 

The singer-songwriter said he had "only just started talking to Ed Sheeran about the new songs". 

"I’ve sent him a load of tracks to sift through and see what he thinks – so I’m at a very early stage. But I’m looking forward to it, and I have my fingers crossed.

"There’s a little nervousness… Is he going to like anything? But he co-wrote one of them, so at least he’ll like that one!"

If you caught Major Lazer headlining Bestival over the weekend, or at any of their other live dates like Lovebox this summer, their new video for Cold Water might help soften Monday for you.

The video features footage from some huge shows and goes behind the scenes as the trio jetset around from gig to gig.

The track, featuring Justin Bieber and MØ, spent five weeks at the top of the UK chart earlier this summer...

Warning: third party content, may contain ads.

Meanwhile you can also check out a Bestival picture gallery to catch up on events at the Isle of Wight festival.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Primal Scream have just announced a series of live UK shows in November and December - their first since Bobby Gillespie ended up in hospital after falling from a stage in Switzerland and injuring his back. 

The band's 11th album Chaosmosis came out in March with a new single Feeling Like A Demon Again due on 28 October.

Gillespie has been speaking to 6 Music News about his accident - "It happened, it was horrible, but I'm back" - and getting back out there with their new material... 

Quote Message: I fell off stage on the second of June I think. We lost a lot of shows as a result, it's only in the last couple of weeks that we're back out playing. So we haven't had a chance to really properly play a lot of the songs live... but when we did... it felt good.

I fell off stage on the second of June I think. We lost a lot of shows as a result, it's only in the last couple of weeks that we're back out playing. So we haven't had a chance to really properly play a lot of the songs live... but when we did... it felt good.

Quote Message: It always feels good to play new songs because you've got to make new work that means something to you in order to validate yourself as a contemporary artist. Otherwise, if you're just playing the old songs all the time, I don't know how satisfying that can be.

It always feels good to play new songs because you've got to make new work that means something to you in order to validate yourself as a contemporary artist. Otherwise, if you're just playing the old songs all the time, I don't know how satisfying that can be.

He reckons fans who do come and see them will have a special experience, likening a rock and roll concert like theirs to "a magic ritual"...

Quote Message: I really believe people can have a transcendent experience at a rock and roll show, if it's done correctly. And I think Primal Scream have got Shamanic properties (laughs)! That sounds pretentious, but I think we're a pretty intense rock and roll band and we demand people's attention - and on a good night I think we can transport people. That's what we're there for, to take them out of their skin and give them a good time.

I really believe people can have a transcendent experience at a rock and roll show, if it's done correctly. And I think Primal Scream have got Shamanic properties (laughs)! That sounds pretentious, but I think we're a pretty intense rock and roll band and we demand people's attention - and on a good night I think we can transport people. That's what we're there for, to take them out of their skin and give them a good time.

Tickets go on sale this Friday 16 September, more details are on their website.

You can still watch some of the highlights from their 6 Music Festival performance in Bristol earlier this year below.

Jimmy KingCopyright: Jimmy King

This Thursday the prestigious Mercury Prize will be handed out to one of the year's 12 best albums. 

Among the shortlisted albums is a posthumous nomination for David Bowie's Blackstar, and it's just been announced that actor Michael C Hall - the star of Bowie's musical Lazarus - will perform at the ceremony. 

The Dexter star will sing the track Lazarus at the Hammersmith Apollo show backed by the play’s house band led by Henry Hey. 

Lazarus kicks off its UK run on 8 November at London’s King Cross Theatre after debuting in New York.

The Mercury Prize show will also feature performances from the likes of Skepta, Kano, Bat For Lashes, Laura Mvula, Michael Kiwanuka, Anonhi and more.

Tickets are available and we'll be bringing you all the action with a special later edition of Music News LIVE this Thursday.

Here's a reminder of the nominated albums... 

• Anohni - Hopelessness
• Bat For Lashes - The Bride
• David Bowie - Blackstar
• Jamie Woon - Making Time
• Kano - Made in the Manor
• Laura Mvula - The Dreaming Room
• Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate
• Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
• Savages - Adore Life
• Skepta - Konnichiwa
• The 1975 - I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
• The Comet - Is Coming Channel the Spirits

Get to know the albums and find a lot more info on the BBC's Mercury Prize website.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Beyonce's sister Solange Knowles has written a very honest, moving essay on what it means to face racism as a black woman.

She is perhaps better known in recent times for the grainy CCTV footage of her allegedly attacking her brother-in-law Jay Z in a lift in 2014.

But she has also enjoyed a successful music career of her won, recording three albums and playing Glastonbury in 2013.

In the essay entitled And Do You Belong? I Do, she wrote about facing racism at a Kraftwerk gig:

Quote Message: You hear women yell aggressively, 'Sit down now, you need to sit down right now' from the box behind you. You want to be considerate, however, they were not at all considerate with their tone, their choice of words, or the fact that you just walked in and seem to be enjoying yourself. You are also confused as to what show you went to. This is a band that were pioneers of electronic and dance music. Surely the audience is going to expect you to dance at some point.

You hear women yell aggressively, 'Sit down now, you need to sit down right now' from the box behind you. You want to be considerate, however, they were not at all considerate with their tone, their choice of words, or the fact that you just walked in and seem to be enjoying yourself. You are also confused as to what show you went to. This is a band that were pioneers of electronic and dance music. Surely the audience is going to expect you to dance at some point.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Jack White has been discussing working with Beyonce on her Lemonade album for the first time - showing his colours as a Bill & Ted fan by describing the experience as "bodacious". 

He also called their collaboration - on the tracks Don't Hurt Yourself and Lemonade -  "vicious and incredible".

Speaking on NPR’s show All Things Considered, White said: “I just talked to Beyonce and she said ‘I want to be in a band with you.’ I said ‘Really? Well, I’d love to do something.”

White also likened Beyonce’s voice to “the days of Betty Davis or Aretha Franklin.” 

"Don’t Hurt Yourself is incredibly intense," he added, "I’m so amazed at what she did with it."

White also played live on Jimmy Fallon's The Tonight Show on Friday, performing a medley of songs by The White Stripes that had him almost in tears. 

White's also on the line-up for Later... with Jools Holland as it returns to BBC Two tomorrow night, alongside Kings Of Leon (more from them in a bit), M83, Banks, Sting and Jimmy Page.  

PACopyright: PA

Madness paid tribute to the late reggae and ska legend Prince Burter who died last week at the age of 78.

The band, who performed at Radio 2's Festival in a Day sat the weekend - is named after one of the star's songs.

Singer Suggs said: "The fact he came from the streets and he had a terrific sense of humour and energy - it really appealed to us and it had a huge impact on everything we did, really."

Read more

Last week, the band released their new music video for Mr Apples, which we featured on Thursday's Music News LIVE.

It's been taken from their forthcoming album Can't Touch Us Now which is due out on 21 October.

Suggs said fans can expect "a load of old nonsense from stupid old geezers who should learn to grow up."

He added: "I think it’s great. Of course everybody says that and it’s so boring. But I really think it’s the best record we’ve ever made. 

"When we made our earlier records, we’d just sit around playing songs sometimes four, five, six, seven times and then we’d go, ‘that was the one. That's the one that captured something of the spirit of that song’. 

"I think the whole album is infused with a great deal of spirit."

We'll have more from some of the artists who played the Festival in a Day later.

Jerry Dammers, the founder of UK ska band The Specials, has also written a blog tribute to Prince Buster for the Guardian, calling him "the first real ambassador of Jamaican music worldwide".

Read it here

BBCCopyright: BBC

OutKast reunited on stage together with other members of the Atlanta hip-hop collective The Dungeon Family at a festival in the city over the weekend. 

Andre 3000 and Big Boi appeared during the 90-minute all star set at ONE Musicfest, with Big Boi acting as hypeman and Andre joining in 15 minutes later.

They performed OutKast songs including So Fresh, So Clean, Hootie Hoo and SpottieOttieDopalicious, before Killer Mike joined them for The Whole World. 

Other tracks included Goodie Mob's Dirty South and an a cappella version of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy from Cee-Lo Green. 

Read a full report on the Rolling Stone website or The Fader has rounded up lots of fan videos posted on Instagram - beware of the swearing though please.

It was the first time OutKast had played together since their 2014 reunion tour. 

Last week rapper Gucci Mane sparked speculation there may be an OutKast album coming after revealing he'd spent time in the studio with them recently (although a rep has since denied that). 

BBC/Chris ChristodoulouCopyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou

On Sunday night, the Royal Albert Hall was packed to the rafters for the traditional Last Night of the Proms.

In amongst the usual Union Jacks were a few EU flags as some audience members made their feelings clear about the recent Brexit vote (is that a German flag we spot as well?).

Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez stole the show, dressed as an Inca ruler for a performance of Rule, Britannia...

The BBC has helpfully compiled a list of reasons why it was the best night ever.

There are lots of performances to watch from Proms in the Park events around the country, including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and All Saints at London's Hyde Park and KT Tunstall in Glasgow...

And, of course, you can still watch and listen to it all on iPlayer.

APCopyright: AP

Despite the huge international success of albums by the likes of Coldplay and Adele, the value of recorded music to the British economy fell by £5m last year.

A report by UK Music said that although one out of every six albums sold around the world was by a British artist, the money generated for the UK economy had dropped from £615m in 2014 to £610m.

The total contribution of the music business to the British economy though is still worth £4.1bn.

Read more

UK Music also criticised YouTube for not paying enough to artists for their content. It's an issue which has been previously highlighted by artists like Debbie Harry and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

And what a morning, it's like summer all over again.

Today we have loads of news from Radio 2's Festival in A Day, the Last Night of the Proms, where even a few EU flags showed up, plus Outkast reunited on stage in Atlanta - which will keep alive hopes that we might be getting something new from them - and Beyonce's sister Solange has written a moving essay on facing racism.

And if that isn't enough, you can still head over and have a look at Friday's Music News LIVE for Busted, Lady Gaga, Wretch 32 and KT Tunstall. Now that's what we call a variety pack.