Perfect Circle

THE SPIRITUAL HOME OF GREAT MUSIC

UNCUT is a place where readers the world

SCREEN

A Coen brother goes his own irresistible way; Kore-eda tugs at our heartstrings; a harrowing migrant drama; and more

BOOKS

A different drummer: Jim Gordon rehearsing with Traffic

Not Fade Away

Fondly remembered this month...

Feedback

Send your brickbats, bouquets, reminiscences, textual critiques, billets-doux and all forms of printable correspondence to letters@uncut.co.uk

EDITORIAL

On the cover: Pink Floyd by Storm Thorgerson,

Motor City is mourning

WAYNE KRAMER 1948–2024

THESE ARE THE JAMS

Five great Wayne Kramer moments

“I’ve been granted a gift...”

Wayne’s world: Kramer testifies to Uncut in 2019

“I’m still kicking!”

As she celebrates the 60th anniversary of “Shout” with a new book and tour, Lulu talks Bowie, The Beatles and R&B

A Quick One

Take it easy! Out now is the

Worlds of echo

Richard King reveals what he learned from assembling the first official book about enigmatic avant-pop visionary Arthur Russell

Oisin Leech

I’M NEW HERE

Uncut Playlist

On the stereo this month...

One Of These Days

THIS MONTH’S FREE CD

JAH WOBBLE

The former PiL bass invader talks Can, Sid, Sinéad and “going deep into the heart of space”

CEDRIC BURNSIDE

THE UNCUT GUIDE TO THIS MONTH’S KEY RELEASES

ROUGH DIAMONDS

Three thrilling examples of hill country blues

Q&A

Cedric Burnside: “It was a bunch of fun” 

JANE WEAVER

Love In Constant Spectacle FIRE 8/10

AtoZ

This month… P30 WAXAHATCHEE P32 ENGLISH TEACHER P33

WAXAHATCHEE

Tigers Blood ANTI- 9/10

CHARLES LLOYD

The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow BLUE NOTE 9/10

ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO

Echo Dancing YEP ROC 9/10

RIDE

Interplay WICHITA/PIAS 8/10

BrhyM

Deep Sea Vents ZAPPO PRODUCTIONS/THIRTY TIGERS 8/10

NICO

The Marble Index/Desertshore (reissues, 1968, ’70) DOMINO

THOSE DAYS

Three more Nico records, all quite different

Q&A

John Cale on recording The Marble Index: “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into”

TOUMANI DIABATÉ & BALLAKÉ SISSOKO

New Ancient Strings (reissue, 1999) CHRYSALIS 10/10

AtoZ

This month… P48 LOVE CHILD P48 BUTTHOLE SURFERS

LOVE CHILD

Never Meant To Be: 1988–1993 12XU 8/10

ALICE COOPER

Billion Dollar Babies (reissue, 1973) RHINO 8/10

CREATION REBEL

High Above Harlesden 1978-2023 ON-U SOUND 8/10

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Away from her day job with Big Thief, ADRIANNE LENKER has developed a parallel career as a solo artist, whose intricate and vulnerable folk songs mine deep, emotional truths. In New York, she talks to Uncut about creation, catharsis and connection. “In away, it’s like one song that I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old,” hears Allison Hussey

SOMETIMES ALWAYS

Since reuniting in 2007, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN have proved that even the most tempestuous sibling relationships can enjoy successful second acts. As they prepare to mark their 40th anniversary with a new album and an autobiography, JIM and WILLIAM REID explain how the shared ideals they developed in their East Kilbride bedroom still apply in 2024. “Your fantasy of being in a band is in every way better than the reality,” hears Nick Hasted

‘‘My thing is freedom’’

SHABAKA HUTCHINGS has retired his celebrated bands Sons Of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming – and even put aside his trusty saxophone – in order to seek out fresh creative inspiration. His quest takes him from a bamboo forest in Japan via the birthplace of A Love Supreme to a kids’ swimming pool in Croydon, where the UK jazz magus explains to Sam Richards, “It’s gonna be good, so just enjoy the ride…”

A Certain Ratio

The Greater Manchester post-punk funkateers chart their sonic journey from 1980 to 2024

Alone With Everybody

A dive bar in a rundown Texas neighbourhood, The Old Quarter was a regular haunt for TOWNES VAN ZANDT. In 1973, it also became the setting for a live recording that vividly captured the renegade singer-songwriter’s wild charisma and quicksilver poetry. As we mark what would have been Townes’ 80th birthday, friends, admirers and sundry ne’er-do-wells tell the story of this historic recording – and its critical place in Townes’ lore. “I’d seen him fucked up, I’d seen him really good,” Steve Earle tells Alastair McKay. “For some reason he took those nights very seriously.”

There’s A Break In The Road by Betty Harris

How the Florida singer found her funk-soul heart with help from Allen Toussaint, The Meters and ‘psychedelic music’

Boys of summer

From three brothers wrestling on their front lawn to the miraculous creation of numerous pop masterpieces, a new photobook chronicles THE BEACH BOYS’ Californian dream, in their own words and pictures. There are disappointments and dark moments, but a sense of innocent joy prevails. As Brian Wilson recalls, “We were one of the biggest things going.”

TAKING BACK CONTROL

With his SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS band, NICK MASON is on a mission to save the potent, foundational music of PINK FLOYD. In doing so, he aims to reassert the Floyd’s historic creative path from three-minute pop fantasias and cosmic-progressive freak-outs to the transitional epiphanies that led to The Dark Side Of The Moon. As he prepares to lead the Saucers back out on tour, Mason and his co-conspirators – aka “the jolly Floyd” – dig deep into the band’s years of questing. “In Pink Floyd, we didn’t have a clue what we were doing half the time,” Mason tells John Lewis. “What we did have was an abundance of ideas.”

DEPECHE MODE

O2 Arena, London, January 22

MARGO PRICE

Koko, London, January 30

WERNER HERZOG: RADICAL DREAMER BFI 8/10

Fascinating study of the legendary German director’s life and work

A round-up of the best ear-blasters

SONOS MOVE 2 £449/ go.stuff.tv/Move2 BEST BUY

Crossword

One LP copy of Cedric Burnside’s Hill Country Love

Uncut

Kelsey Media, The Granary Downs Court, Yalding Hill,

Albert Hammond

The songwriter’s songwriter on his most enduring listens: “Music will be there forever”

Domino

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

shop.kelsey.co.uk/UCP424

END of the ROAD

ENDOFTHEROADFESTIVAL.COM

RICHARD THOMPSON MUSIC

RICHARDTHOMPSON-MUSIC.COM

SENBLA

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

NICK MASONS SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

MYTICKET.CO.UK THESAUCERFULOFSECRETS.COM

AEG

AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK

CARGO COLLECTIVE

CARGORECORDS.CO.UK

TICKET MASTER

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

shop.kelsey.co.uk/UCP424

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

THEMARYCHAIN.COM

THE GIG CARTEL

THEGIGCARTEL.COM

GIGS AND TOURS

GIGSANDTOURS.COM

KillerStar

KILLERSTARBAND.COM

Yep Roc Records

yeprocrecords.bandcamp.com

Fish

fishmusic.scot

UNCUT BINDER

SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/UNCUTBINDER

RECORD COLLECTOR

SHOP.RECORDCOLLECTORMAG.COM

ADVERTISING DOESN’T COST, IT PAYS!

CROSSTOWN CONCERTS

CROSSTOWNCONCERTS.COM SEETICKETS.COM GIGANTIC.COM DICE.FM

SUBSCRIBE TO UNCUT

shop.kelsey.co.uk/UCP424US

UNCUT-ISSUES

shop.kelsey.co.uk/uncut-issues

THE SOUND MACHINE

thesoundmachine.uk.com

THE BLACK KEYS