Forever Young - Petula Clark will make her UK festival debut at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival on Friday 11 August. "We're really proud to be the first British festival that Petula has played," says Fairport bassist and Cropredy co-organiser Dave Pegg. "I saw her show in Birmingham recently and it blew me away - she is a wonderful live performer. I was surprised how many of her hits I knew and her contemporary songs are really great too. Our audience will love her, I'm sure."

Also lined up for the Oxfordshire event is The Trevor Horn Band. The producer will front a 14-piece all-star band featuring fellow producers Steve Lipson and Lol Creme. The setlist will be packed with songs the trio have produced - between them they've had over 200 hit singles - and there may be guest appearances from some of the musicians they have worked with.

Dark Times Ahead - Gorillaz have returned from a five-year hiatus with a new song titled Hallelujah Money, warning of 'dark times' ahead. The video, featuring vocals from Mercury Prize-winning poet and composer Benjamin Clementine, was released on YouTube one day before Donald Trump's inauguration. The band - formed by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett - has regularly hinted at politics in their lyrics.

Publishing News - Sir Paul McCartney is taking legal action against Sony/ATV as he fights to reclaim ownership of the Beatles hits he wrote with John Lennon. The musician filed a lawsuit in New York against the publishing firm - which controls the rights to songs including Love Me Do and All You Need Is Love - on Wednesday. The papers state: "[The] Defendants have attempted to reserve their rights to challenge Paul McCartney's exercise of his termination rights on contractual ground. It adds: "A judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate at this time so that Paul McCartney can rely on quiet, unclouded title to his rights."

Sony/ATV told Rolling Stone it was "disappointed" by the lawsuit and described it as "both unnecessary and premature". The publisher said: "Sony/ATV has the highest respect for Sir Paul McCartney with whom we have enjoyed a long and mutually rewarding relationship with respect to the treasured Lennon and McCartney song catalogue. We have collaborated closely with both Sir Paul and the late John Lennon's Estate for decades to protect, preserve and promote the catalogue's long-term value."

Unpaid Labour - the arts sector, following evidence submitted to an inquiry that labelled them as "the curse of the arts industry". The MPs have also called for internships and work experience placements to be publicly advertised, so that a more diverse range of candidates are encouraged to apply.

The calls are outlined in a report from the all-party parliamentary group on social mobility, called The Class Ceiling. This has been produced following an inquiry that explored what is being done to increase the number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in professions such as the arts, medicine and journalism.

Supper Serenade - Fast food chain Leon is opening a London branch that will hire performers who will serve and sing to customers. Leon said it would provide a platform for "West End hopefuls". According to the restaurant chain, employees will "work and sing at the new location", which opens on Shaftesbury Avenue on 9 February. Auditions will be held to find the staff, with Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong and actor Helen George sitting on a panel that will choose the people who make up the team.

Leon co-founder John Vincent said, "This new Leon is in the heart of the West End and we want to provide a stage to West End hopefuls...You'll see the team members preparing and serving...and then taking the mic to sing a show tune. We want to help our new stars to get noticed and follow their dreams."

Song For Europe - This year's UK Eurovision hopefuls have been revealed - and every one of them is a former X Factor contestant. Among the more recognisable names are Lucie Jones and Danyl Johnson, who both featured in the 2009 series, which was eventually won by Joe McElderry. TV talent has good form at Eurovision, with two previous winners graduating from singing contests like X Factor.

Farewell - Jaki Liebezeit, the drummer and co-founder of pioneering German band Can, died on Sunday at the age of 78. "It is with great sadness we have to announce that Jaki passed away this morning from sudden pneumonia," said a statement on Can's Facebook page.

Mott the Hoople founding member Pete Overend Watts has died aged 69. The bassist played on songs including Roll Away The Stone and the group's best known hit All The Young Dudes, written and produced by David Bowie. He died on Sunday of cancer, said Peter Purnell from record label Angel Air Records. He said Watts was a "highly intelligent and witty man who throughout his adult life was both an immensely likeable character and an enigma".

(Jim Evans)


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