I wrote a Throwing Muses feature for the November 2013 issue of Uncut, for which I spoke to all Muses past and present. The key interview, of course, was with Kristin Hersh, which ended up taking place over two lengthy sessions.
Conspicuously wealthy blues collectors probably know about this by now, but a copy of Tommy Johnson’s “Alcohol And Jake Blues” has surfaced – only the second that’s ever been found – and is on sale at Ebay. It’ll be interesting to see how bidding shapes up before the auction closes around 10 tonight (UK time): at time of writing, the highest offer is $16,800.00.
Everyone knows the mythical image of The Man In Black. But the truth about Johnny Cash was a whole lot more complicated. A “folk hero for the world”, and a humble man who struggled with addiction for his entire life. In this archive feature from Uncut’s February 2009 issue (Take 141), we present a revelatory new portrait of Cash’s life. We talk to many of the people who knew him best – the children, the bandmates, the managers, the peers – and discover the unexpurgated truth about this titan of American music. “He survived,” says his one-time son-in-law, “what Elvis didn’t…” Words: Alastair McKay
I spent a chunk of the weekend reading Bad Monkey, the new novel by Carl Hiaasen - one America's great crime writers. After a rather fallow period recently, the book feels very much like Hiaasen is back to full strength.
We pay tribute to the late Ray Manzarek in the new issue of Uncut (dated August 2013, and out now) – in this archive piece from Uncut’s September 2011 issue (Take 172), Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore – the latter pair now reunited in the wake of Manzarek's death – Jac Holzman and more look back on the making of LA Woman, and the final days of Jim Morrison. “The damn thing,” says Ray Manzarek, “just rolls and rolls…” Words: David Cavanagh
New Order are planning to release an EP before the end of the year.
The band's keyboard player Gillian Gilbert says the five-piece have been writing and will record the tracks in September "once the kids have all gone back to school".
To speed up the writing process, the band – Gilbert, along with Bernard Sumner, her husband Stephen Morris, Phil Cunningham and Tom Chapman – have decided to release the EP rather than wait until they have enough material for a full album
From Uncut's September 2002 issue: In one of the most revealing interviews of his career, Bruce Springsteen talks exclusively to Adam Sweeting about his new album, The Rising, much of which was written in the aftermath of September 11, and which reunites him with the E Street Band for their first studio album since Born In The USA.
The Rolling Stones were joined onstage by Dave Grohl on Saturday night (May 19) at their gig in Anaheim, California – watch footage of it below.
Grohl, who duetted with Jagger on the Sticky Fingers track "Bitch", is the latest guest to join the Stones' 50 & Counting tour. Tom Waits, John Mayer and Katy Perry have also appeared.
Bill Wyman has said he will "never" play live with the Rolling Stones again.
Wyman, who played with the The Rolling Stones between 1962 until 1993, joined the band onstage for their 50th anniversary gigs at London's O2 Arena last November (2012), but in April he said that he would not be interested in rejoining the group on a permanent basis because he has "better things to do".
