Fifty years since Bohemian Rhapsody cemented their flamboyant mastery, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor explore the sonic step-changes of rock’s most daring and varied band. Also in the issue: Sex Pistols’ Jones, Cook and Matlock on their live reincarnation; inside the songwriting symbiosis of Lennon and McCartney; The Pogues’ Rum, Sodomy & The Lash at 40; Dionne Warwick on the hits (and writs) that define her career; Low’s Alan Sparhawk rebuilds after tragedy. Plus: Led Zeppelin, Kraftwerk Japanese Breakfast, Jeff Bridges, The Doobie Brothers, Lenny Waronker, Chet Baker, the treasures of Record Store Day, a tribute to The Jam’s Rick Buckler and more.
THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is Songs From The County Hell: the cream of raucous Irish folk’n’roll, featuring The Pogues, The Dubliners, The Mary Wallopers, Lisa O’Neill, Lankum, John Francis Flynn and more.
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CONTENTS MOJO 378
COVER STORY: QUEEN Brian May and Roger Taylor pick apart the Odd Quartet’s hitmaking brilliance, from Keep Yourself Alive to These Are The Days Of Our Lives. Plus: Freddie – the art school years; inside Under Pressure; and more!
SEX PISTOLS …by any other name. Jones, Cook, Matlock and new boy Frank Carter prepare to hit the road once more, with John Lydon’s “karaoke” jeers ringing in their ears.
THE BEATLES How John and Paul’s alchemical teamwork is distilled in Sgt. Pepper’s Getting Better, from a new book by Ian Leslie. Plus: the new Lennon doc, with Sean!
DIONNE WARWICK Bacharach and David’s inimitable interpreter on ups and downs with Burt and Hal. “But I stayed friends with all Burt’s wives,” she assures David Hutcheon.
THE POGUES Forty years since Rum, Sodomy & The Lash recast folk, its survivors jump on MOJO’s raft of reminiscence: “It felt familiar but also totally of that moment.”
JAPANESE BREAKFAST Michelle Zauner is the best-selling author with the hottest indie-pop band around. How her mother’s death, and Jeff Bridges, helped bring her to this point.
ALAN SPARHAWK Since the death of his drumming wife Mimi, the Low man has been on an unasked-for voyage of self-discovery. What’s he learned? “Don’t fight the darkness.”
LENNY WARONKER The legendary A&R/producer/exec at the heart of Warners’ Golden Age with tales of Eddie Cochran, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Elliott Smith, Prince and more.
REVIEWED Alison Krauss / Kraftwerk / Annie & The Caldwells / The Beach Boys / Sly Stone / Black Country, New Road / Salif Keita / The Horrors / Rhiannon Giddens / Wings / Destroyer / Greentea Peng / The Waterboys / Lucy Dacus / Dean Wareham / Perfume Genius / Swami John Reis / The Darkness / Craig Finn / Mumford & Sons / Throwing Muses / Beirut / Mekons / Julien Baker / Nels Cline / Prince Fatty / Unknown Mortal Orchestra / John McKay / Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes
PLUS Led Zeppelin… ranked! / Rick Buckler remembered / Jeff Bridges celebrates Record Store Day / The Doobie Brothers roll another number / Hidden tracks – a history / Alabaster DePlume hates on eggs / Jim Kweskin gets his jug out / House Of All and Emma-Jean Thackray are Rising / How Guided By Voices were nearly Ape Shit / Chet Baker’s big year / Fare thee well, Bill Fay, Roberta Flack, Mike Ratledge…