Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Paul Weller keeps giving the lie to that adage, with a fascinating new album and an exclusive new interview with MOJO. Plus: insights into his live resurrection and reflections by Noel Gallagher on his friend and (sometimes fiery) mentor. Also in the issue: the birth of The Byrds; Pete Townshend’s turbulent ’80s; Marvin Gaye’s buried treasures; Dusty Springfield – the genius and heartache; Questlove in the MOJO Interview. And: Johnny Cash; Jessica Pratt; Belle And Sebastian; Motörhead; Dirty Three; Richard Thompson; Dickey Betts; John Grant; David Bowie; The Durutti Column; Dana Gillespie; Pat Metheny; Royal Trux; and all back to Russell Crowe’s!
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READ MORE: Every Paul Weller album ranked!
THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is Jingle Jangle Mornings: A Byrds Companion. Folk, rock, country, psych (and raga!) from Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Clarence White, The Louvin Brothers, Pete Seeger, International Submarine Band, Ravi Shankar and more!
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CONTENTS MOJO 368
PAUL WELLER The Jam man lets friends and fellow songwriters into the mix on his latest album. Meanwhile, he delivers classic tunes on his most energised tour in years. Not bad for 65. “It’s going to make me head explode, man.”
THE BYRDS Sixty years ago, an American band picked up the gauntlets of Bob Dylan and The Beatles and changed music forever. Thanks to a phone call from Miles Davis...
PETE TOWNSHEND An exploration of his ’80s crisis, and the fascinating solo albums it spawned, turns into a free-wheeling splurge of all things Pete, and The Who.
QUESTLOVE The Roots’ man of many parts, all of them funky. Amazing encounters with Kiss, Costello, LL Cool J, plus that lost Amy Winehouse/Duke Ellington album!
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD Jon Savage on the underrated artistry and private heartache of Britain’s soul diva: “She knew her ability all right, that’s why it had to be perfect.”
THE DIRTY THREE Just your average soul-scorching Australian guitar-drums-violin combo staffed by sonic consiglieres to Nick Cave, Cat Power and more? Something like that.
JESSICA PRATT California’s quietest singer-songwriter is also its most exquisitely beguiling. How tears, troubles and tireless self-criticism fuelled her latest album.
BELLE & SEBASTIAN How a sequestered songwriter like “a storybook character” and songs with “too many chords” blossomed into a mid-’90s indie phenomenon that endures today.
REVIEWED Richard Thompson / David Bowie / Richard Hawley / Buffalo Tom / Bernard Butler / Arooj Aftab / The Decemberists / Willie Nelson / Bat For Lashes / John Cale / The Zawose Queens / Bonny Light Horseman / Sam Morton / Eels / Rich Ruth / Big Special / Prince Fatty / Andrew Bird / Jake Long / Crowded House / Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Nathan Salsburg, Tyler Trotter / Staples Jr Singers / English Teacher / Goat Girl / Hawkwind / Seasick Steve / Stereolab / Margo Guryan / Can / Gastr Del Sol
PLUS Marvin Gaye’s tune hoard /John Grant’s daddy issues / Johnny Cash – songwriter! /Oisín Leech and Aircooled check in / Dickey Betts, John Sinclair and Mike Pinder check out / How To Buy… The Durutti Column / Dana Gillespie – from water-skiing to grooving with Bowie / Pat Metheny toils on album #55 / Motörhead’s heavy 1981 / Jennifer Herrema survives Royal Trux / then it’s All Back To Russell Crowe’s!