The Vaccines: 'Rihanna isn't a real artist'

The Vaccines have hit out at Rihanna for failing to write her own music. Guitarist Freddie Cowan said the Bajan singer lacks credibility because she brings in other people to do all her work. He told Digital Spy: Rihanna isn't an artist - she has 15 writers, 15 songwriters and 15 producers all fighting for space on her albums and she's the face of it. I have nothing against it, but I don't want to be associated with it. Cowan also criticised Coldplay for teaming up with the singer for their single 'Princess of China'.

"I've never heard that song, but it's Coldplay - they'll do whatever they can to be the biggest band on earth, to be bigger than U2," he added. "They do it really well and they've never put out a bad album so hats off to them. I have nothing against those collaborations because I don't feel you can judge people, but I don't think I'll ever be involved in something like that. It needs artistic merit." The band will hit the road for a UK tour in November. Tickets go onsale tomorrow (August 29) at 9am (BST).
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Meanwhile, The Vaccines' frontman Justin Young has claimed many Russian citizens are "apathetic" about the plight of Pussy Riot. Speaking to NME in a video interview you can watch below, the singer said that the jailed punk band's predicament had fascinated the West more than it had members of the Russian public and suggested their incarceration had "pulled down the façade" that Russia operates like a Western country.