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Travis has released a new single, “Raze the Bar,” featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin and the Killers’ Brandon Flowers. The song recounts a bittersweet story about the closure of Black and White bar, a much-loved New York haunt for the band, recounting a fictional last night there before it closed.

“There was a great bar in New York City,” Fran Healy said in a statement. “It didn’t have a name but everyone called it Black and White on account of the black and white striped awning that hung over the entrance.

Scottish quartet Travis are back with “Raze the Bar,” the latest cut from their forthcoming album L.A. Times. This time, they’ve brought some friends along the way: Coldplay’s Chris Martin and The Killers’ Brandon Flowers.

Evoking a late night pub singalong, “Raze the Bar” is fittingly an ode to the New York City spot The Black and White Bar, which closed during the pandemic. According to Travis songwriter and vocalist Fran Healy, the bar was a mainstay for artists and musicians over the last 30 years: “If you played a show at Irving Plaza or Webster Hall, chances are you ended up at Black and White till the wee small hours,” Healy says in a statement. “One of the owners, Johnny T, looked after so many artists and bands over the years. If that bar could talk, what a story it would tell.”

To help immortalize the bar,...

Tributes have begun to pour in following the death of Andy Rourke, bassist for the Smiths. Rourke died at 59 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, as confirmed by guitarist Johnny Marr on Twitter this morning. Many fellow musicians and collaborators have praised Rourke’s playing and his work with the Smiths.

“Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans,” Marr noted on Twitter. He shared a much longer memory of his life with Rourke on Instagram.

Travis’s frontman Fran Healy was watching TV one afternoon in 1999, with the sound turned down. Something about swingbeat was on MTV. Healy reached for his guitar and began to hum along to the silent video, working his fingers around the chords of a new song. “When it naturally got to a sort of chorus-y part, I started singing, ‘Swing... If you swing, swing, swing, swing,’” Healy said.

The melody took shape and next day Healy took it to his bandmates in the studio. With Andy Dunlop on piano and banjo, bassist Dougie Payne and drummer Neil Primrose, Healy strummed his new song about a children’s swing. The band became engrossed, and cut a demo. Halfway through the chorus, Healy altered “swing” to “sing”. Listening to the playback, he heard a song about the recuperative powers of singing, rather than children in the playground.

The track was recorded some months later in Los Angeles,...

Limonero Films is hoping Travis is on trend with buyers after it snagged the rights to a well-received film about the Scottish rock band. “Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis” saw music critic Wyndham Wallace invited to cover the Mexican tour of one of his least favorite bands.

Through interviews with the band, its fans, and other music journalists, Wyndham attempts to understand the reason for his resentment. The resulting take on life, friendship and music premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2018. It scooped the audience award at the Scottish festival.

Gezellig Studio produced the film in association with Final Cut USA. The band’s singer-songwriter Fran Healy directed the film. He said that inviting a music journalist who did not like the band was an interesting way into a music project. “I thought a documentary from this angle would be a lot more interesting than one from a journalist who was a fan,...

The BBC says it will no longer show archive Top Of The Pops episodes featuring Dave Lee Travis.

Travis was last month given a three-month jail sentence suspended for two years, after being found guilty of indecent assault.

"The BBC will not show Top of the Pops repeats fronted by Dave Lee Travis," a BBC spokesperson told The Guardian. "We will consider any other archive appearances on a case-by-case basis."

Programmes that Travis hosted had already been pulled from the weekly BBC Four repeats of the show following his initial arrest in 2012.

The BBC recently apologised after an excerpt of Top of the Pops featuring Jimmy Savile was broadcast on TV.

The corporation carefully reviews programmes where the disgraced broadcaster featured ahead of transmission, and axes or edits any material which may cause offence or distress.

The attorney general's office has confirmed that it is considering whether to refer the...

London, January 30: Dave Lee Travis has claimed that he had been groped by three "very famous" female stars.

The former Radio 1 DJ refused to name them, but insisted that he was the victim as three female celebrities had "squeezed" his manhood, the Daily Star reported.

The former 'Top Of The Pops' host said that he was the victim of a "witch-hunt" by women who were lying or bearing a grudge because he did not sign autographs for them.

Travis is accused of sex attacks on 11 women over three decades, but has denied 13 indecent assaults and one sexual assault. (Ani)...

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It has been a long time since Travis first reached the consciousness of the nation at large with huge single ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me’ in the summer of 1999. They were, for a time, the biggest band in the country and trod the path that bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay followed and Mumford & Sons continue to tread. After years of silence it seemed as if the band had drifted into the sunset but it turns out that instead they were taking their time to make a record that stands proudly when held against their previous efforts.

The band sound energised and refreshed after the five year gap between this and their last album, ‘Ode To J.Smith.’ The new single ‘Where You Stand’ sounds effortless and picks up where the band left off without missing a step. The first track, ‘Mother’ is more...

It's been a long five years since Travis - the band credited for paving the way for hit-makers Coldplay, Keane and others - were in the recording studio, but they're back, sounding as big as ever.

Watch Above: HuffPostUK is pleased to be the exclusive hosts of the first single 'Where You Stand' from their seventh album of the same name - which is released on 19 August on their own relaunched label.

The harmonic pop, piano solo and jangling guitars will be instantly recognisable to fans of the Scottish quartet - Fran Healy, Dougie Payne, Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose - who have recorded this album in London, Norway, New York as well as Berlin's legendary Hansa studios, where the sounds for their breakthrough hit 'The Man Who'.

The band named themselves after the Harry Dean Stanton character Travis Henderson from the film 'Paris, Texas'.

Before their self-imposed hiatus, Travis...

Lisa Marie Presley will release a new album, Storm and Grace, on May 15. It will mark the singer's first album in five years and her Universal Republic/Xix Recordings debut. It was produced by Grammy winner T Bone Burnett and recorded at The Village studios in Los Angeles. Said to reflect her "southern roots," Elvis Presley's only daughter, managed by American Idol creator and Xix founder Simon Fuller, traveled to England for inspiration and found it in the artist-friends Richard Hawley (from Pulp), Ed Harcourt, Sacha Skarbek and Fran Healy (from Travis). Story: Lisa Marie Presley Opens New

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Ahead of Drive’s release in cinemas, James takes a leisurely cruise through the history of auto-obsessed movies…

I feel the need - the need to not have to rely on public transport because I can’t drive, and have never seen Top Gun. I just don’t want to hang around on an aircraft carrier with Tom Cruise. Sorry.

One day, no doubt, I will plug that gap in my pop culture knowledge and run around in aviator shades screaming, “How did I live without you, Maverick?!” but right now I have more pressing priorities, like learning to drive. As far as life skills go, that’s more important than total familiarity with every single Jerry Bruckheimer production.

As Sun Tzu states in The Art Of War: “Know your enemy... but first learn the art of changing gear so you can accelerate away from him when he starts...

Fran Healy has shut down his Facebook page, describing the social networking site as "annoying". The Travis frontman told the Daily Record that he doesn't mind Twitter, but has "no love" for Facebook. "I have absolutely no love for the thing. Twitter is fine but there is something really annoying about Facebook," he said. "Everyone I speak to says they don't like it but are trapped. Not to (more)...

Fran Healy has shut down his Facebook page, describing the social networking site as "annoying". The Travis frontman told the Daily Record that he doesn't mind Twitter, but has "no love" for Facebook. "I have absolutely no love for the thing. Twitter is fine but there is something really annoying about Facebook," he said. "Everyone I speak to says they don't like it but are trapped. Not to (more)...

Travis frontman Fran Healy has canceled a series of solo gigs in North America over a "personal issue" and to spend "some time" with his son. The singer was due to perform in Montreal and Quebec in Canada last month but he called off the shows, taking to his website to tell fans: "Hey my Canadian friends, so sorry I had to pull these shows. Some personal stuff came up which meant I had to make the hard decision to abort the gigs. I will return. Full refunds will be given."

Healy also pulled out of a concert in Austin, Texas on Sunday, December 5, announcing the news on his website just two days before the gig, insisting, "There were no two ways about it." Now the Scottish musician has axed yet another performance in Carrboro, North Carolina on Tuesday to be with his partner Nora Kryst and their four-year-old son,...

Last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy, "Something's Gotta Give," featured some emotional story lines, with a soundtrack that definitely set the mood throughout (see our review).

Below is a list of the Grey's Anatomy music from this week ...

K'naan - "Dreamer" Fran Healy - "Sing Me To Sleep" Eels - "Gone Man" Azure Ray - "Shouldn't Have Loved" Metric - "Dead Disco" Mackintosh Braun - "Could It Be"...

Fran Healy’s solo debut suggests there isn’t much need for Travis to exist anymore: With songs such as “Buttercups” and “Holiday,” Healy proves he can still write silly, forgettable pop, but he’s also developed a lushly dark edge that’s more interesting than most of his band’s recent output. Playing nearly all of the instruments, Healy opens the record with a string of mature, orchestral tracks that are alternately beautiful and unsettling. Sounding world-weary and tired, he ruminates on broken relationships, aging (“Rocking Chair”), and death (“As It Comes,” featuring a barely noticeable bassline by Paul ...

New albums from an “American Idol,” a country superstar, a group composed of three well-known solo artists, and a star in the making are Oct. 5’s top offerings. David Archuleta tries his hand at pop radio again as Toby Keith, Fistful of Mercy and Bruno Mars all release new efforts. Joining the release-week fun are the Avett Bros., with a live set, Travis’s Fran Healy and guitar god Joe Satriani. David Archuleta, “The Other Side of Down” (19/Jive): “American Idol” finalist comes back and shows off his songwriting chops: the 19-year old penned 10 of the 12 songs on the pop...

Fran Healy has busked in the City of London to raise awareness for War Child. The Travis frontman performed a number of hits, including 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me', 'Sing', 'Writing To Reach You' and 'Turn', outside the headquarters of Deutsche Bank. The financial institution has shortlisted War Child for its 2011 'Charity of the Year', a choice voted for by members of staff later this week. Healy said: "The impact of war on children is simply unacceptable, but with our support War Child are doing something about it. I hope (more)...

London, Sep 7 – Veteran singer Sir Tom Jones will headline Elvis Presley tribute concert to be held in London, to mark what would have been The King’s 75th birth anniversary.

Tom, Presley’s close friend from 70s, will share the stage with the likes of KT Tunstall, Mica Paris, Tony Hadley and Travis’ Fran Healy for Radio 2’s ‘Elvis Forever’ show in London’s Hyde Park.

Presley’s ex-wife, Priscilla, will co-host the event and it will be concluded with fireworks display paying tribute to the music legend’s back catalogue.

The Tcb.

Travis star Fran Healy is struggling to keep his promise to Sir Paul McCartney to live life meat-free - because he's suffering from severe food cravings. The singer offered to go vegetarian for McCartney after the Beatles legend agreed to perform bass on his debut solo album "Wreckorder".

He's managed to cut out meat from his diet so far, but Healy has now gone one step further by following a cleansing detox program - and the tough challenge is threatening his new lifestyle as a vegetarian.

Taking to his official blog the musician writes, "Had to switch channels when the junk food commercials came on. Then changed again when one of the doctors in a medical programme said he was hungry and was going to eat. I have never done anything like this before. It seems to be quite involved. You take a shake in the morning and again in...

Happy birthday Harry!

It's true, the boy who became Harry Potter is now a man. Daniel Radcliffe is 21 today!

From his big breaks as a 10 year old in an epic TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' David Copperfield and Pierce Brosnan's Tailor of Panama - a film he has never seen - to landing the coveted title role in the Harry Potter franchise, we've seen young Dan grow up before our very eyes on the big screen.

In between his Potter outings, Radcliffe has stripped onstage in London and New York, found success as a poet and enjoyed romance onscreen with Hollywood's new it girl Teresa Palmer.

To celebrate his 21st, WENN dug deep and used more than a little magic to come up with 21 facts about the man:

- he'll be celebrating turning 21 with a tequila - his favourite tipple.

- his favourite book from the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

- he was voted Person of the Year 2002 by Time Kids magazine.

- he can rotate his arm 360 degrees.

- he was, at one point, Britain's richest teenager.

- a lock of his hair sold for $1,125 (£750) at auction during a Comic Relief fundraiser in 2003.

- he is an atheist

- he writes poetry under the pseudonym Jacob Gershon. Jacob is his middle name.

- at the age of 16, he became the youngest non-royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain's National Portrait Gallery.

- he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia, which affects his hand-eye co-ordination.

- he supports Fulham Football Club.

- His favourite film is courtroom drama 12 Angry Men.

- Radcliffe is terrified of spiders, snakes and clowns.

- his favourite TV show is The Simpsons.

- he speaks fluent Spanish.

- Radcliffe's parents turned down the Harry Potter role twice, fearing the film fame could wreck their son's childhood.

- he reportedly earned $110,000 (£73,300) for the first Harry Potter film. His pay packet grew to $14 million (£9.3 million) for his role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

- he has two dogs called Binka and Nugget.

- he attended the 2009 Reading Festival in England wearing a Batman mask disguise.

- he shares his birthday with former Destiny's Child star Michelle Williams, David Essex, Travis singer Fran Healy, Slash, Woody Harrelson and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.

- his big day also falls on two notorious women's birthdays - Monica Lewinsky and late Moors Murderer Myra Hindley.

Fran Healy has predicted that Liam and Noel Gallagher will reunite to reform Oasis. The Travis frontman told his official website that the siblings will get back together after clearing the air with their separate projects following Noel's departure in the summer. Healy said: "I met Liam at the Oasis concert in Wembley. He kissed me square on the lips and said, 'I fookin' love you'. Liam is a doll. "As for Noel, I have not heard from Noel for years. I’m sure they'll return. The solo projects are a perfect digestive before the inevitable Oasis reunion. But I will say that my solo (more)...

Travis frontman Fran Healy has teamed up with Sir Paul McCartney for a song on his first solo album Wreckorder. The singer, who has previously covered McCartney's 'Pipes Of Peace', secured the help of the former Beatles star as a bassist on his record. "One of the biggest coups was getting Paul McCartney to play bass on a song. I'm not sure what non-McCartney tunes he has played bass on but I couldn't think of many. Anyway, his bassline is brilliant," he wrote on his website. Healy revealed that he agreed to turn vegetarian out of appreciation for (more)...

Sir Paul McCartney plays bass on Fran Healy's new album. The former Beatle has recorded instrumental parts on one track on the Travis frontman's debut solo LP, tentatively titled 'Wreckorder'. Fran was so thrilled to have his idol - who is a strict vegetarian - appear on the song he agreed to became a vegetarian as a thank you. Writing on his blog on website FranHealy.com, the 'Turn' singer said: "My wife Nora and I were sitting and thinking of a thank you present and I suggested going vegetarian. Our son is already one, so it would mean we would all be on the same boat. I met Paul at his show in Berlin and told him what we wanted...

The ‘Not Fair’ singer – who launched a scathing attack on illegal file-sharing on her MySpace blog and attacked indie group Radiohead for giving their latest album away on a pay-what-you-want basis – claims she doesn’t care if people copy her albums and sell them on for a profit. Lily, 24, told UK radio station Key 103 Radio: “If someone comes up with a burnt copy of my CD and offers it to you for £4, I haven’t a problem with that as long as the person buying it places some kind do of value on my music.” In Lily’s original blog post she said downloading was starving up-and-coming artists of money they need to keep producing music, and attacked the Featured Artists Coalition (Fac) – whose members include Travis singer Fran Healy, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree and Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien. She wrote: "I'm going to be writing to British artists,...

Travis have revealed that they will start work on their seventh studio album while touring the Us. The group, who now release material on their own label, claimed that their Stateside jaunt will help boost their creativity. "We're gonna hopefully write the whole thing, me and Andy [Dunlop] on the bus," singer Fran Healy told Billboard. "I like the idea of writing an album going across America. I can kind of write anywhere; mostly I tend to sit in hotel rooms and quiet places, but I've written in the loudest, noisiest places imaginable, too. "It's like taking a (more)...

Fran Healy and company find themselves back on the good foot

As a band, Travis seems have found itself in the shadows—of influences, contemporaries and even its own previous releases. Calling this album an ode seems suiting, then. The record, at various moments, channels Nirvana, The Cure and the half-spoken delivery of Bono. Which is not to say that it is lacking originality. In fact, this may be the furthest Travis has removed itself from its catalog, with lyrics driven by a more outrospective narrative. “J. Smith,” with its Latin choir, carries the mystic of Gregorian chants juxtaposed against screaming electric guitar. “Broken Mirror” is punctuated with the thoughtful use of hi-hat and an unhurried rhythm. Tracks such as “Friends” and “Before You Were Young” have seemingly resulted from the band writing the album completely on electric guitar, a first since its 1997 debut Good Feeling. Consider it, then, an...

Travis' second album, The Man Who, is an immaculately crafted piece of mopey, codeine-slowed jangle that was purchased by 97 percent of the Scottish population upon its release. Subsequent albums yielded a lower balance of good ballads to self-pitying dreck, but until now, Travis has never gone back to the "All I Want To Do Is Rock" virus that unwisely kicked off its career in Britpop's wake. Ode To J. Smith shoots for "edgy" and "rocking," but winds up sounding like latter-day Oasis. Lead singer and songwriter Fran Healy has always had a chip on his shoulder about the perception that Travis somehow isn't cool, but there's no solution to that problem in typically watery lyrics to songs whose titles ("Friends," "Broken Mirror") tell the whole story. The lyrics to "Long Way Down"—"Mama. I'm too young to die!"—should theoretically get the band a little closer to Queen, but...

Fran Healy has defended music fans who download music illegally, claiming that it encourages sales through word of mouth. The Travis frontman told the Press Association that getting people to talk about his music is worth more than the cost of manufacturing a physical album. "If someone downloads an album, if they search for that record, they're a fan of the band," he explained. "They download that record, that record [that's] 76p to manufacture. (more)...

Travis's Fran Healy has said that attending the Q Awards is like spending time at a students' union. Speaking before this year's event, the frontman claimed that he has seen plenty of celebrity "car crashes" at the ceremony in previous years. "It's like being back at the student's union," he said. "Girls being sick all down their lovely frocks and guys going, 'What are (more)...

Travis frontman Fran Healy has admitted that he feels nervous about performing following Noel Gallagher's recent onstage attack. Gallagher was knocked to the ground by a man who invaded the stage while Oasis played at a gig in Canada earlier this month. The incident left the musician with three broken ribs. Healy and his bandmates have invited fans to join them on stage at previous concerts, but have now reportedly discussed (more)...

Travis frontman Fran Healy has revealed that he loves Katy Perry's attitude. The band recently covered Perry's hit 'I Kissed A Girl' for a radio show, the first time they have tackled a pop song since their rendition of Britney Spears's 'Baby One More Time'. Healy said he thinks Perry is "a sassy girl" and left the question (more)...