QTheMusic.com

Wednesday, 12 December

Sitar legend and composer Ravi Shankar died yesterday at his home in San Diego, aged 92. The musician had been suffering from "upper-respiratory and heart issues" over the last 12 months and underwent heart valve replacement surgery last week from which he did not recover. Declared a "national treasure" by the Indian Prime Minister, he is credited with bringing the sitar to a global audience and has collaborated with western musicians from across genres and scored several films. He taught George Harrison to play the Sitar while still in The Beatles and has recorded with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz artist John Coltrane. Shankar, who began his career as a dancer, before switching to music aged 18, last played live with his daughter Anoushka on 4 November in the US. In 1999 he was awarded India's highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna (Jewel Of India).
Ravishankar.org

Depeche Mode will release their 13th studio album in March, the band have announced. "The album has a very organic and direct feel to it," explained frontman Dave Gahan. "It's not a blues record, but it definitely has a soulful vibe. During the recording process we really tried to get the elements of performing and the live show into the album more." The band will kick off a world tour at Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park on 7 May.
Depechemode.com

Morrissey has blamed the royal family for the suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldhana after she inadvertently gave away information about the Duchess Of Cambridge in an Australian radio station prank call. The former Smith suggested the royals would have "put maximum pressure on this poor receptionist and nurse, and of course that's kept away from the press. I'm sure the British press hounded this poor woman to her death, and that's kept away. By this time next week, she'll be forgotten. And that's how the British royals work."
Rollingstone.com

Rush, Public Enemy, Heart, Donna Summer, Albert King and Randy Newman will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year.
Rollingstone.com

Watch The Killers animated video for new single Miss Atomic Bomb.

Adele, The Black Keys, Arcade Fire and Florence + The Machine are among 75 artists who have been named on the longlist of eligible songs for Best Original Song at next year's Oscars
Oscars.org

Here's Toy's new video for single Make It Mine.

Friendly Fires played a gig last night at London's XOYO to help raise awareness of suicidal feelings among young men. The band staged the gig after drummer Jack Savidge flatmate Adam Connolly took his own life last month.
bbc.co.uk/newsbeat

Watch Mick Jagger presenting the nightly Top Ten list on The Late Show with David Letterman. The Rolling Stone presented the Top Ten list of things he's learnt from 50 years Rock And Roll, including "nobody wants to hear anything from your new album" and "you don't earn a cent when someone does a song about having moves like Jagger".

Jack White, Damon Albarn and Jamie xx have all been nominated for next year's Producer Of The Year Awards by the Music Producers Guild.
NME.com

Watch The National performing a new song Lola during their ATP at the weekend.

Here's The Quietus albums of 2012, with Swans leading the way with The Seer.
Thequietus.com

Paul McCartney will perform with Nirvana's Dave Grohl and Kirst Novoselic at tonight's 12-12-12 Hurricane Sandy benefit gig at New York's Madison Square Garden tonight. The former Beatle had asked Grohl to get some mates together for the gig, but sadly failed his grunge-spotters badge at rehearsals. "I didn't really know who they were. They are saying how good it is to be back together. I said Whoa? You guys haven't played together for all that time?," McCartney admitted. "And somebody whispered to me That's Nirvana. You're Kurt. I couldn't believe it."
Thesun.co.uk

X-Factor winner James Arthur is already on course to top the UK singles charts. He'd sold 255,000 copies of Impossible by midnight last night.
Officialcharts.com

Today's Track Of The Day is Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs with I Watch You

That's it for today. More Hot List tomorrow at noon.

12:00 PM | 12/12/2012