Stephen Stills looks back over his musical career, recalling his work with Neil Young, David Crosby and Graham Nash, among others, in the new issue of Uncut, out tomorrow (February 28).
When towards the end of 1974, The Troggs announce their latest comeback single will be a cover of The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations", it's an occasion for much mocking laughter in the offices of what used to be Melody Maker.
Kevin Ayers, one of Britain’s most gifted and idiosyncratic singer-songwriters, has died at the age of 68.
Ayers was born in Kent in 1944. Though he spent his childhood in Malaysia – moving there with his mother and British district officer stepfather – he returned to London at 12, only to be told to leave the city by a magistrate five years later following a drug bust. Ayers always maintained the bust that sent him into exile (and more importantly, into Canterbury) was a set-up. Whether it was or wasn’t, it was certainly an act of fate.
In the issue of Uncut dated December 2008 (Take 139), Kevin Ayers talked us through the making of some of his finest albums - including the Soft Machine’s debut, through his collaboration with Brian Eno, John Cale and Nico, his much-loved solo album Whatevershebringswesing, and more.
Interview: John Robinson__________________
This primal blast of sexual energy – penned by Chip Taylor and later hijacked by Jimi Hendrix – would prove an immediate ’66 hit for Reg Presley and his ‘proto-punk’ beat boys... Reg, manager Larry Page, writer Chip Taylor and more explain how the iconic song was made. From Uncut’s April 2009 issue (Take 143)…___________________
Reg Presley has died at the age of 71.
Presley died at his home in Andover, Hampshire – the town of his birth – from cancer yesterday (February 4), in the company of his family. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2012 during a tour of Germany, and is reported to have had a number of strokes before the diagnosis, according to messages posted by music publicist and close friend Keith Altham.
The new issue of Uncut, out today (January 31), features Tom Waits, Jimi Hendrix, Richard Thompson and David Bowie.
Tom Waits is on the cover, and inside, friends and collaborators tell the story of the singer-songwriter’s development from a Beat-obsessed San Diego youth to a hip Los Angeles troubadour, culminating in the making of his debut album, Closing Time, which is four decades old this year.
In this archive feature from Uncut's May 2003 issue (Take 72), rock's greatest living soap opera tell the story of how they went to hell and back to bring the world some of the most popular, and most perfect, hard-centred easy listening music of all time. However, it nearly cost them their sanity. And their lives… Words: Nigel Williamson_________________
Stephen Stills is to release a career-spanning box set, called Carry On, on March 26.
Carry On will be a 4CD set, featuring 82 tracks, 25 of which are previously unreleased. It has been co-produced by Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein. It was also include a 113-page booklet with rare photos and extensive liner notes.
The track listing for Carry On is:
Disc 1
1 • Travelin'–Stephen Stills (2:21) mono
2 • High Flyin' Bird–The Au Go Go Singers (2:34)
3 • Sit Down I Think I Love You–Buffalo Springfield (2:33) mono
Until I woke up this morning and checked Twitter, I had planned to write something about the new Low album today. The enormously unexpected return of Bowiemania put paid to that; I’ll try again with Low tomorrow, unless in the intervening 24 hours Kevin Shields is finally shamed into pulling his finger out.
