CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY of The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, Angie Bowie, Ken Scott, Woody Woodmansey, Mike Garson and more shed new light on the album that changed David Bowie’s life and revolutionised rock and pop. Also this month: unheard roots of the Velvet Underground; Stevie Wonder goes synth-funk in ’72; Roxy Music – reunion tour lowdown; Robert Fripp – his kookiest ever interview. Plus: The Clash; Drive-By Truckers; Joan Shelley; Hüsker Dü; The Rolling Stones; Wilco; The Smile; Angel Olsen; C86; Darlene Love; Rock Star Weed; and all back to Clare Grogan’s!
THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is GLAM NUGGETS – 15 deep cuts of flash and boogie with New York Dolls, Sparks, Mick Ronson, The Damned, Hammersmith Gorillas and more.
HAVE MOJO 344 SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR HOME
MOJO 344 CONTENTS
COVER STORY: DAVID BOWIE Fifty years since Ziggy Stardust sent David Bowie soaring spaceward, his collaborators remember the album, the gigs, the cover, the haircut, the legacy and more. “This time, he knew the world was his for the taking...”
STEVIE WONDER His 21st birthday meant sweet freedom, as release from Motown’s apron strings allowed Music Of My Mind and Talking Book to escape. Bill DeMain investigates.
ROBERT FRIPP The art-rock nabob on King Crimson, collabs and solo oeuvres – plus tutus, mohawks and multiple epiphanies. “I am here, and I intend,” he tells Tom Doyle.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND A demo tape, sealed in an envelope since 1965, is opened. Inside: Heroin à la Dylan, Pale Blue Eyes with John Cale on harmony, and revelations besides.
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Americana’s seemingly indestructible juggernaut on the hard drinking, mad albums, high ideals, and the many times they nearly came off the rails.
JOAN SHELLEY America’s most consistently exceptional songwriter? Right now, that does not seem like too much praise for Louisville’s queen of folk-adjacent elegance.
C86 & UK INDIE Between The Smiths and Madchester, Britain wore anoraks and grooved to a grass roots indie revival. Nige Tassel tracks down the winners and losers.
REVIEWED Angel Olsen / The Clash / Wilco / The Rolling Stones / Mavis Staples & Levon Helm / Graham Nash / Lykke Li / Neneh Cherry / Sun’s Signature / Florence + The Machine / Sault / Van Morrison / The Smile / Soccer Mommy / Kelley Stoltz / Binker Golding / Liam Gallagher / Andrew Bird / Vieux Farka Touré / Prince
PLUS Roxy Music: new tour and lyric book lowdown / Rock stars’ weed: rated! / The Crystals’ Darlene Love / Achtung! Krautrock Posters! / Soul hero Ural Thomas: 82 and Rising / Greg Norton on Hüsker Dü, the living end / Marillion’s annus mirabilis / Harvey Mandel / Soul Jazz compilations ranked / Farewell Chris Bailey, Art Rupe, Cynthia Plastercaster and ‘Jordan’ / And All Back To Clare Grogan’s!