This month, there’s a choice of MOJO cover stars: Brian Wilson – the Beach Boys maestro mourned and celebrated in a lavish and insight-strewn package; and Suede – the resurrection of Britain’s ’90s pop heroes explored in depth, with a covermount CD of fascinating Suede rarities to delight superfans and engage the Suede-curious. Also in the issue: Sly Stone – the magic and the madness; CMAT – the rise of Ireland’s songwriting superstar; an acid-folk flashback with The Incredible String Band; Paul Weller goes C&W! Plus: John Fogerty; Jeff Tweedy; Paul Jones; Mickey Newbury; Martin Stephenson; The Fugs; Radiohead’s sheer art attack; Damon Albarn on 20 years of Africa Express; farewell, Mick Ralphs, and more.
THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is The Outsiders. Fifteen live, rare and/or unreleased gems from the Suede archive. Includes super-early demo Just A Girl, a rip-roaring The Drowners from 1993, a now-legendary Antidepressants from Ally Pally in 2024, and more!
HAVE MOJO 382 SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR HOME
CONTENTS MOJO 382
BRIAN WILSON The Beach Boys’ troubled genius has gone. But his music still resounds and his story astounds. MOJO pays tribute, with the help of Van Dyke Parks, Al Jardine, Lindsey Buckingham and more. “He didn’t like it if you were sharp or flat, that was inexcusable!”
SUEDE Britpop’s louche separatists are tougher than they look. How else to explain their recent renaissance? “We still have to prove people wrong,” they tell Keith Cameron.
SLY STONE Extricating the late Pied Piper of psychedelic funk from his shadow world of hard drugs and baroque rumour. Bandmates relate their grief and their gratitude.
CMAT Ireland’s country-pop powerhouse on her inspirations – Leonard Cohen, Judee Sill, Charli XCX – and how her latest album came at the cost of “everything in my life”.
THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND How two Scotsmen built a virtual hippie utopia out of trad folk, brown rice, found instruments and magical thinking, and why it couldn’t be sustained.
AFRICA EXPRESS From Mali to Glasto, to a near-riot in Lagos, and beyond – how Damon Albarn built a platform for cross-continental “musical orgies” that continue to inspire.
MICKEY NEWBURY The shy, conflicted master craftsman who inspired Outlaw Country, then disowned it, by the men (and woman) who witnessed his meticulous work first-hand.
PAUL JONES Manfred Mann’s Brit Blues pioneer was the Stones’ nearly man and surreal screen star. And at 83, he still blows a mean harp. Praise be, says Mat Snow.
REVIEWED Paul Weller / Talking Heads / Molly Tuttle / The Who / The Black Keys / Ron Sexmith / Jackie Mittoo / Alison Goldfrapp / Superchunk / Cass McCombs / Dennis Bovell / Chris Stamey / Cardiacs / The Hives / Modern Nature / Joe Bonamassa / Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith / The Sisters Of Mercy / Dave Stewart / Mádé Kuti / Zoh Amba / The Sabres Of Paradise / Koko Taylor
PLUS John Fogerty’s skin care secrets! / Jeff Tweedy in the studio / The Fugs keep on fuggin’ / Radiohead’s Sheer Art Attack / Martin Stephenson relaunches Boat To Bolivia / Peter Buck Drinks The Sea / How To Buy… King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard / The birth of Blondie / El Michaels’ nouveau retro soul / Chapeau, Mick Ralphs / All back to Jah Wobble’s