The rockers insist their vegan diets don’t lend themselves too well to a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, so they often have to improvise when performing pre-performance rituals.
Frontman Jared Leto joked: “Well there was a time when we used to sacrifice goats but then we all became vegans so we’ve been sacrificing tofu before the shows!”
The group – also consisting of Jared’s brother, drummer Shannon Leto, and guitarist Tomislav Milicevic – also claimed to enjoy relaxing mud baths before they go on stage.
Jared added in an interview with MySpace music: “Shannon introduced us to the pleasures of a mud bath. He carries the mud with him from a very special site in Mexico, which is heavy.”
Jared also said the group felt they had reached a “milestone” when they played London’s Wembley Arena recently.
He added: “We played Wembley – insane. Kind of a milestone. Even in the States you hear about Wembley Arena, as a kid you heard about that for years.pretty great to play there.”
For the full interview go to www.myspace.com
The Green Day rocker admits there are always songs an artist wants to “keep to themselves” but the group’s producer insisted they release the track, one of the most personal he had ever written.
He said: “For me, when we did ‘Nimrod’, which had ‘Good Riddance’ - that was really the first time we attempted a ballad. The first time we ever played that song was during an encore in New Jersey - I had to pound a beer backstage to get up the courage. I knew we were gonna take a tomato to the face.”
Despite their global success, the ‘Basket Case’ singer admits he hasn’t always been comfortable with it because he doesn’t want to hold himself back from trying to achieve bigger and better things.
He added to Spin.com: “I was always self-conscious about our success, mostly because I want to keep evolving - I want to keep that thing moving.”
The music mogul signed the British girl group up last year for a three-album deal but now the trio – Amelle Berrebah, Heidi Range, and Jade Ewen – have been removed from Roc-A-Fella’s artist roster and company website, sparking speculation their contract has been terminated.
However, the ’99 Problems’ rapper is now said to be in talks with former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan – who was replaced in the group by Jade last September and was still a member when they signed with Roc-A-Fella – and plans to launch her career in the US.
A source told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “Keisha is flying out to Los Angeles this week to record her solo album.
“Jay is serious about getting her on board. They hit it off at the BRITs afterparty in London.”
Despite her good fortune, the insider insists Keisha will not be feeling pleased about how things have turned out.
The source added: “Keisha will be gutted that things have not worked out so well for the band she helped create.”
Shortly after joining the group, Jade said she was excited about working with Jay-Z.
She said: “It’s going to be wicked to do a collaboration with him. I’m going to focus on this opportunity.”
However, a spokesperson for the group now insists they never signed a proper contract with Roc-A-Fella.
The former Happy Mondays frontman – who was renowned in the late 80s and early 90s for his excessive, drug fuelled lifestyle – has revealed he has to have a sober touring band and crew around him when he tours.
He said in an interview with the Daily Mirror newspaer: “These days I insist on having a clean firm on the road. The kids I have working with me are good and clean living. We have a great, happy vibe. As I’ve got older I realise it’s much easier to work with clean, sober people. It doesn’t bring any baggage.
“I’m not born again – I don’t mind a few pints or smoking the odd bit of weed, but hardcore people that need a drug bring problems.”
As well as being a member of the reformed Happy Mondays, Shaun is also planning a new album with his other band, Black Grape, and a solo record with Sunny Levine, who is the grandson of legendary producer Quincy Jones.
He also recently married on the same day as the christening of his daughter, Lulu, without announcing it beforehand to any of the guests, which he admits came as a shock to everyone even his own mother.
Shaun explained: “Our Lulu was getting christened so we thought we’d get wed. People started walking off and I said, ‘Wait! We’re getting married!’ My mum and her mum were telling everyone, ‘He’s only joking,’ because they didn’t know either.”
The songwriter performed a semi-acoustic set for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity and was accompanied by the guitarist, the band’s former keyboard player Jay Darlington and drummer Terry Kirkbride.
He treated the crowd to a set comprised of Oasis b-sides and stripped down greatest hits.
Noel – who was playing his first show sine quitting the band last August following a huge bust-up with brother Liam - opened with ‘(It’s Good) To Be Free’ and followed it up with ‘Talk Tonight’, the b-side to the band’s first UK number one single ‘Some Might Say’.
Highlights included ‘Listen Up’, ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Slide Away’, ‘The Importance of Being Idle’ and ‘Cast No Shadow’ and the sell-out crowd joined in, singing along to every track.
The 42-year-old musician was also backed by eight-piece all-female orchestra Wired Strings and the Crouch End Festival Chorus – who previously performed with Noel when Oasis headlined the BBC Electric Proms show in 2008 – on several songs.
Despite requests from some fans for new tracks, Noel insisted he wouldn’t be debuting any songs.
He said: “We’ve already gone through that - we’re not playing new songs. As f***ing brilliant as they are, now’s not the right time or place. We don’t do new ones for charity.”
After an incredible rendition of ‘Whatever’ which united the crowd in a mass sing-along Noel returned for an encore of ‘The Masterplan’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Before the start of the concert rumours were rife that Chris Martin would be joining Noel on stage, but the collaboration never materialised, although the Coldplay frontman was in the audience.
Noel was also watched music executive Alan McGee – who signed Oasis to his Creation Records label in May 1993.
The musician – who plays again tonight (26.03.10) - was supported by The Courtneers and the band’s frontman Liam Fray paid tribute to the young cancer sufferers the annual gigs raise money for.
He said: “Next time you want to moan just think of these kids.”
The charity - which was created by The Who 10 years ago - aims to provide specialist teenage cancer units at UK hospitals.
Noel Gallagher Teenage Cancer Trust show set list
‘(It’s Good) To Be Free’
‘Talk Tonight’
‘Fade Away’
‘Cast No Shadow’
‘Half The World Away’
‘Don’t Go Away’
‘The Importance of Being Idle’
‘Listen Up’
‘Sad Song’
‘Wonderwall’
‘Rockin’ Chair’
‘Slide Away’
‘Digsy’s Dinner’
‘Whatever’
‘The Masteplan’
‘Married With Children’
‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’
The ‘Black Parade’ singer admitted financial success had made him lose sight of his original intentions and what he wanted the group to represent.
He told Spin.com: “I started to feel on the last record like I was pandering, and that the money had put me in stasis. It’s like a trap: Stasis is death, and I started to make safe decisions.”
Gerard admitted he also started to feel like he wasn’t in touch with his fans anymore and “stopped being on the crusade”– although a friend reminded him it was people’s choice to follow the band and suffer the consequence.
He added: “We were going to these cities where there were hate crimes directed at the kids listening to us, the kids wearing all black. I retreated and stopped being on the crusade. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.
“The light at the end of the tunnel was a friend reminding me I didn’t wear a Public Image Ltd. pin on my jacket in high school because I wanted to get spit on, I wore it because I wanted to wear it.
“Our kids are the same way: It’s their f**king choice. I can’t protect them. I need to give them what they want.”
The ‘Keeps Gettin’ Better’ singer said her long awaited comeback – which features production from
a wide range of artists including singer Sia, electro-rock group Le Tigre and dance group Ladytron- which will be a huge shock to her fans.
She said: “I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to ‘Bionic’.
“My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.”
Christina also worked with returning collaborator Linda Perry on a new track for the album, a ballad called ‘Lift Me Up’, which she said helps balance out against electronic elements of the album.
She added: “The subject matter ranges from playful to introspective. I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound. It is something I don’t think anyone will expect.”
‘Bionic’ – the follow up to her 2008 ‘A Decade of Hits’ album - was recorded entirely at the singer’s home studio after the birth of her son, Max Liron.
The bass player and producer was taken into custody on Tuesday in Ohio, US, after a teenage boy came forward to say he had had a sexual encounter with the ‘(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty’ hitmaker.
When approached on Tuesday (23.03.10), 56-year-old Finch - a founding member of the band – admitted the encounter as well as having sex with boys ranging between 13 and 17 years in age, according to the Licking County police department.
He has been charged with gross sexual imposition and is being held on a $250,000 bond.
A message on Finch’s website denies the allegations, however.
It read: “We will let due process happen through the legal system, and through that, we are sure Mr. Finch will be vindicated from these unfounded allegations.”
No evidence has yet been disclosed explaining what led to the arrest against Finch, or the charges.
A date has yet to be set for Finch’s arraignment.
The 64-year-old Blondie vocalist said she would still like to wear revealing clothes when performing, but although she recognises she should dress more for her age, doesn’t feel comfortable wearing suits onstage.
She told Spin.com: “For me, performance is about forgetting what I’m wearing. Just putting it on and knowing it’s right. I’d like to wear hot pants - honest, guys, I really would - but those days are gone.
“I had someone say to me, ‘You should just wear Chanel suits.’ I tried. I wasn’t comfortable.”
‘The Tide Is High’ singer also said she thinks the internet has ruined the mystique surrounding rock stars, and it is harder to surprise people than her heyday in the late 70s.
She added: “That undercurrent of the forbidden was always been a part of rock, and now it’s not at all. Everything is totally mainstream. But I’m not against evolution.”
Debbie admitted she has tried to embrace technology and use twitter, but wasn’t good at creating exciting messages.
She added: “When I was twittering on tour, I found myself being a complete bore. ‘We got to our hotel, everybody got ready for the show, and we went back on the bus’ - I’ve seen enough of that. Why would I want to read about it? You should just make it all up: ‘I checked in at the hotel, and I had to kill the desk clerk’.”
The legendary music producer - who was jailed last June for 19 years for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson - has created a disc of tracks with wife Rachelle Short, which was put together prior to his sentencing.
Former Playboy model Short said: “I do lead vocals. My husband is so proud of me and I’m so proud of him for withstanding what he’s withstanding.”
The as-yet-untitled LP is due for release in June.
Earlier this week, Short denied claims Spector – who created the ‘Wall of Sound’ production technique - lost some of his teeth after being involved in a brawl at the Corcoran prison in California.
She said: “Phil was not assaulted. Absolutely not. Anyone who meets Phil loves him. He’s so freaking funny. He’s an idol to the other inmates. They look out for him.”
A spokesperson for the prison said they had no record of Spector, 70, being involved in any reported altercations.
Earlier this month, Spector launched an appeal against his murder conviction, with his legal team claiming he was denied the right to a fair trial.
