Tributes pour in for Aadesh Shrivastava

Bollywood music composer and singer Aadesh Shrivastava died yesterday, the day after his 49th birthday, after a five-year battle with cancer. His funeral was held at the Oshiwara Crematorium in Mumbai. Music composer Lalit Pandit, Shrivastava's ­brother-in-law said: "Aadesh passed away last night at 12.30am. His body will be taken from his home approximately at 12.15pm to ­Oshiwara cemetery." Shrivastava, known for his work in Bollywood films including Chalte Chalte, Baabul, ­Baghban, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... and Raajneeti, first battled cancer in 2010, but it returned for a third time about 40 days ago. He was married to actress and playback singer Vijayata Pandit. They have two children. Tributes poured in yesterday. Amitabh ­Bachchan, a close friend, wrote on his official blog: "Aadesh ­Shrivastava passed away. I lived my music with him. I live without him now ... and perhaps my music too." Many celebrities took to ­Twitter to pay their ­condolences. Actress Sushmita Sen wrote: "A warrior who always hit the right note! Thank you for gracing our lives and filling it with warmth and amazing music! God speed #AadeshShrivastava"; while singer Sonu Nigam posted: "I remember how he sent me his picture from hospital when he had his relapse this time ... ­Underneath was ­written, "Mere Chhota bhaai, love you". He was so full of life, I have yet to see ­another man who has his traits. My heart wrenches in grief for having lost a friend, a ­brother. RIP #­AadeshShrivastava." – IANS

Sabbath back on the road one last time

Black Sabbath, who pioneered heavy metal more than four decades ago, have announced a new tour that they say will be the band’s last. The British rockers, known for their thunderous guitars and dark subject matter, said that The End tour would feature three of the band’s four original members: flamboyant frontman Ozzy Osbourne, lead guitarist Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler on bass. Only original drummer Bill Ward won’t be performing. “It promises to surpass all previous tours with their most mesmerising production ever. When the tour concludes, it will truly be the end,” said a voice-over on a video announcement on the band’s website. The band announced 24 dates for the tour, which will start on January 20 in Omaha, Nebraska. They cover the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. More dates will be announced soon. – AFP

Bieber breaks Spotify records

Justin Bieber has set a new record on Spotify, toppling One Direction. Spotify said that Bieber's new song What Do You Mean was streamed more than 21 million times in five days. This set records in the US and globally, surpassing the 20 million streams of One Direction's Drag Me Down during its debut week. Bieber performed the song at last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards and cried after the performance. The 21-year-old said in an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday that the performance was "so overwhelming for me ... I just wasn't expecting them to support me in the way they did". Bieber will release a new album on November 13. – AP

Beatles contract set to go on auction

The contract that launched the career of The Beatles is expected to sell for about £500,000 (Dh2.7 million) when it goes on sale in London this month, Sotheby's auction house has announced. The document was signed by John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and their manager Brian Epstein on October 1, 1962 – four days before the release of their first single Love Me Do. Harrison and McCartney were under 21, so their fathers acted as cosignatories and there was a clause stating that members could be kicked out of the band "should two or more of them desire". The document also outlined the different commission rates that Epstein would receive for earnings of up to £400, up to £800 and more than £800 a week. "Without this contract, and the relationship it represents, it seems inconceivable that The Beatles could have achieved all that they did," said Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby's specialist in books and manuscripts. – AFP

Stars sing on climate change charity song

Paul McCartney, Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow and Fergie from Black Eyed Peas have joined forces to record a song about climate change. Sean Paul, Leona Lewis and Colbie Caillat also appear on Love Song to the Earth, which was released on Friday on iTunes and Apple Music via Connect. Proceeds from the track will benefit the United Nations Foundation and Friends of the Earth. The song was created to support a conference in Paris in December that hopes to reaching a deal with more than 190 nations to keep global warming from reaching dangerous levels. Love Song to the Earth will be released on Friday. – AP

‘Rap is for the tone-deaf’, says Keith Richards

Hip-hop has come to dominate much of the modern music industry – but Keith Richards is definitely not a fan. The Rolling Stones guitarist says that hip-hop only shows the large market for "people who can't tell one note from another". He told the New York Daily News: "What rap did that was impressive was to show there are so many tone-deaf people out there. All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they're happy." The 71-year-old Brit also dismissed heavy metal. "Millions are in love with Metallica and Black Sabbath. I just thought they were great jokes." Richards is preparing to release Crosseyed Heart, his first solo album in 23 years, on September 18. – AFP

Film festival honours actress Emily Watson

British actress Emily Watson will receive a lifetime achievement award at Spain's San Sebastian film festival. The 48-year-old Breaking the Waves star will collect the festival's Donostia award during a ceremony on September 25 in "recognition of her prestigious film career", organisers said on Friday. Critics have praised Watson's performance in her latest movie, Icelandic director Baltasar Karmakur's Everest which opened the Venice film festival last Wednesday. She plays a logistics coordinator on a disastrous trek along Mount Everest in the drama. Previous recipients of the Donostia award – named after the Basque word for the coastal town of San Sebastian – include Meryl Streep, Richard Gere, Ian McKellen and Robert De Niro. The 63rd San Sebastian film festival runs from September 18-26. – AFP