An exclusive interview with Neil Young on the occasion of his new album release. Includes: the lowdown on Second Song; the inner workings of his killer current band, The Chrome Hearts; a look back at Young’s 1968 solo debut; plus – Thom Yorke expresses his awe.
Also in the issue: the incomparable Dolly Parton; the intergalactic John Coltrane; the enigmatic J.J. Cale; UB40’s Ali Campbell comes out swinging; the Tao of ‘Sad Beck’; the miracle of Echo & The Bunnymen. And: The Kinks; Martha Reeves; Madness; Gil Scott-Heron; Richard Thompson; Cabaret Voltaire; Elastica; Elvis Costello; Popol Vuh; John Prine; Susannah Hoffs; Marillion; Masayoshi Takanaka; Rhiannon Giddens: and more!
THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is The Goldrush: Neil Young Covered. Fifteen amazing versions of key Neil Young songs, featuring Low, Ty Segall, Drive-By Truckers, The Meters, Bill Frisell, The Feelies, Emmylou Harris, Tindersticks and more!
HAVE MOJO 396 SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR HOME
CONTENTS MOJO 396
NEIL YOUNG An ultra-rare, super-exclusive interview with Young, as an extraordinary new album restates his unbending faith in serendipity. “A song shows up, and we just see what happens,” he tells Grayson Haver Currin.
JOHN COLTRANE Upon his centenary, we celebrate ’Trane’s impact and assess his legacy, along with Carlos Santana, Vernon Reid, Nubya Garcia, Patti Smith, Grateful Dead and more.
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN With the LP some thought we might never hear, Ian McCulloch returns. But who are these new young goth fans? “They were looking at me like I was Nosferatu!”
J.J. CALE The laconic, fame-allergic guitarist who rolled with Russell, captivated Clapton and has now inspired a whole hit TV drama series. Andrew Male investigates.
GIL SCOTT-HERON How Black politics, poetry and “the dons” of jazz and funk combined on The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: “We managed to capture lightning in a bottle.”
ALI CAMPBELL The original voice of UB40 with a tangled tale of brotherly loathe, plus a lifelong mission to spread reggae from JA, via Balsall Heath, to the world.
BECK Inspired by an enigmatic western to get the old gang back together, pop’s Peter Pan has delivered a ‘Sad Beck’ classic. Bob Mehr gets the lowdown on Ride Lonesome.
CABARET VOLTAIRE Reunited, at least in part, Sheffield’s sonic terrorists remember post-punk anthems and electro mantras, plus fallen comrades: “We were like brothers.”
REVIEWED Richard Thompson / Elvis Costello / David Bowie / Teenage Fanclub / Ezra Collective / King Crimson / Johnny Marr / Cleo Sol / Arthur Brown / Jake Xerxes Fussell / Rick Wakeman / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / Eels / Dragonflies / Arthur Brown / Funkadelic / Agnes Obel / Osees / Jess Williamson / The Olivia Tremor Control / Gilla Band / Bill Orcutt / Ann Peebles / The Mary Wallopers / Fat Dog / Bloc Party / Kristin Hersh / Josh Rouse / Can / Soft Cell / Eli Paperboy Reed / Gurriers / Tom Morello / Chaka Khan / Beabadoobee / Phil Collins / Suede / Grateful Dead
PLUS Dolly Parton – a legend departs / Unheard Kinks songs emerge / Madness biopic revives / John Prine tribute takes shape / How To Buy… Marillion! / Martha Reeves tells it like it is / Unique Jam tape for sale! / Rhiannon Giddens: pleasure and pain in The Carolina Chocolate Drops / Tara Clerkin Trio arise / Masayoshi Takanaka takes a bow / Elastica expand! / Adieu, Glen Hansard, Frank Beard, Vicki Wickham, William Orbit, Janie Bradford, Bill Oddie… / and – eek! – it’s all back to Jennifer Herrema’s!