A NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED interview with the late David Bowie, plus stories and songs with unusual perspectives on rock’s changeling king. Mime! Skiing! Darts! Deep cuts! Tony Visconti! Plus a covermount CD that explores his eclectic influences and inspired collaborators. Also in this issue: the crazy tale of The Clash’s Sandinista!; PJ Harvey’s irresistible rise; Joni Mitchell on the enigmatic David Blue; X revisit the grime and the glory of LA’s punk heyday; legendary label boss/A&R Clive Davis on Janis, Bruce, Aretha, Patti and more. Plus: Deep Purple; Fontaines DC; Robert Wyatt; Idles; Warren Zevon; Nubya Garcia; Yes; Beastie Boys; Jonathan Richman; Songhoy Blues; David Crosby; Keith Tippett RIP; The Lemon Twigs; Jason Molina; Lost Jazz and… Odetta!
CONTENTS MOJO 322
COVER STORY DAVID BOWIE A never-before-published interview with rock’s changeling king, plus stories and songs with unusual perspectives from paths less trodden. Mime! Skiing! Darts! Deep cuts! Tony Visconti! And more!
COVERMOUNT CD: CRASH COURSE FOR THE RAVERS The MOJO Bowie companion CD explores his influences and impact, plus work by his key collaborators. Mick Ronson, Jacques Brel, Brian Eno, Ian Hunter, Donnie McCaslin, Holy Holy, Robert Fripp, Maria Schneider and Śląsk all feature!
THE CLASH Forty years on, how the last gang in town made their boldest move, and paid their record label for the privilege. Enter the ‘spliff bunker’ for the triple madness of Sandinista!
PJ HARVEY Straight outta Yeovil with the most visceral sound of the early ’90s: the story of Polly Jean’s still-astonishing debut album, Dry, by the people who made it, and whose lives were changed.
CLIVE DAVIS The Last Of The Record Men? The legendary label boss hopes not. But with Janis, Santana, Springsteen, Aretha and Patti in his portfolio of coups, he’s by far the most storied.
X LA’s coolest band (says Flea) are back, 40 years since their debut album redefined West Coast punk. “You’ve got to be brave-slash-stupid to make art,” they tell Sylvie Simmons.
DAVID BLUE Joni Mitchell helps MOJO sift fact from legend in the tall tale of the Greenwich Village folkie and Dylan spar who loved, and drugged, and wrote with the best, but never had the luck.
NUBYA GARCIA The eclectic London jazz scene’s next superstar is also its most lyrical saxophonist and fiercest critic of tokenism. “I’m not your minority requirement,” she assures Jude Rogers.
REVIEWED Fontaines DC / Paul McCartney / The Lemon Twigs / Toots & The Maytals / Jason Molina / The Chicks / The Flaming Lips / Jyoti / My Morning Jacket / James Dean Bradfield / Roy Ayers / Creedence Clearwater Revival / Seasick Steve / Zara McFarlane / Guided By Voices / Bobbie Gentry / The Stooges / Irma Thomas / Mink DeVille / Odetta
PLUS Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan tells all / Robert Wyatt and Alfreda Benge break open the lyric books / Idles embrace success / Warren Zevon’s last hurrah / Songhoy Blues call in from Bamako / Farewell, Keith Tippett and Vera Lynn / Jon Anderson says hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye, hello to Yes / Khruangbin’s groove inspirations / Nick Offerman’s canoe-building soundtracks / Revisiting the Beastie Boys’ Sabotage / How To Buy… Jonathan Richman / The Cros and his dog / And more!