Welcome…

Have you heard the one about the group of indie veterans

ON THE RECORD

The Who are back in the studio working on their first

SIMON RAYMONDE

Austin’s SXSW music convention is our columnist’s favourite week of the year, and he should know – he’s been there 20 times. Here’s his list of Dos and Don’ts

#22 Trouble Will Find Me

THE STORY BEHIND THE SLEEVE

PLEDGEMUSIC

PledgeMusic is a direct-to-fan music site that provides

YOUR MOST VALUABLE VINYL

1991 UK limited edition 8-track debut LP pressed on

ZUZU

Incisive pop smarts with an unlikely list of influences from the Liverpool sci-finut

CRATE DIGGING WITH…

Berlin-based Norwegian songwriter Farao released her second album, Pure-O, at the tail end of last year, a shimmering mix of Soviet disco and 90s RnB influences. Here, she reveals 10 records that informed it…

WILSON PICKETT

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, November 1969

SKIN SKUNK ANANSIE

The Skunk Anansie vocalist tells Gary Walker about

NICK DRAKE FIVE LEAVES LEFT

Drake’s distinctive debut is one of the most melancholy albums ever laid down on vinyl. Saying that, if you’ve got a first press you’ll be smiling

DIGGING FOR VICTORY

With the competition for precious vinyl raging, Mark O’Shaughnessy was forced to dig a little deeper

Grönland

Thanks to the good work of this specialist label, many krautrock essentials are back within the reach of the average record collector’s pocket, as Chris Parkin discovers to his cost

Female-fronted pioneers

The women of garage rock, grunge pop and indie have been busy. Chris Parkin celebrates a slew of tremendous new vinyl releases

CRAIG BURLES

He started out collecting hip hop and switched allegiances to classic rock. A loyal soul, Craig has been buying his vinyl in the same local record shop in Leigh-on-Sea for years

THE NEW BREED

The music landscape has never been a more diverse yet challenging place, with labels and bands fighting to sell their records on vinyl. Michael Hann meets five figures from different corners of the industry who are finding new ways to get heard

SWEETE DREAMS

An ode to life in the Deep South, Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete was under-appreciated following its release in 1968. Five decades later, indie veterans Mercury Rev enlisted an all-star cast of female vocalists to revisit what has become a cult classic. Daniel Dylan Wray finds out why

COMING OF AGE

The second album from Julia Jacklin, both a reaction to her personal circumstances and a method of dealing with them, is a huge leap forward. An impressed Jonathan Wright hears how it was made

CONFESSIONS OF A SMOOTH CRIMINAL

As the charismatic Huey Morgan gets set to hit the road in support of his band’s long-awaited new album Another Mimosa, the multi-platinum king of cool talks to Long Live Vinyl about music, fame, fortune and why there’s no shame to his game. Words by Dan Biggane

BOOTLEGS

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash’s duets album. The Who’s TV special soundtrack. Rare new music by George Michael and Kraftwerk… The history of officially unreleased albums offers a fascinating glimpse into an alternative universe. John Earls bravely ventures into the deepest valleys of cratedigging to tell the stories of the 20 unofficial releases we’d love to see on the shelves, and hears why some of them might be fools’ gold

FOR THE LOVE OF PUNK

Felix Rowe meets four DIY punk labels to discover the keys to success and the pivotal role that vinyl plays on the scene

TREVOR HORN

The legendary producer and erstwhile Buggle casts a chronological eye back over the albums that made an indelible mark on his glittering career. Michael Hann listens in

THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN

With Gram Parsons at the helm, The Flying Burrito Brothers’ debut release unveiled a groundbreaking vision for a brand new hybrid called country-rock. Five decades on, as Neil Crossley explains, it remains a potent and hugely influential work

Warp Records

As the influential label turns 30 this year, Giacomo Lee looks back on the legendary Warp catalogue to discover it goes far beyond bleeps and brain-melting beats

ANDY WARHOL

One of the most famous post-war artists of all, Andy Warhol produced some of music’s most iconic album covers. Teri Saccone discusses his lasting legacy with Warhol expert Paul Marechal

ANDY WARHOL

“This was one of Warhol’s first celebrity portraits

THE VINYL REVIVAL

Crash Records has been an important part of the Leeds music scene for over 30 years. In an extract from The Vinyl Revival And The Shops That Made It Happen Graham Jones meets owner Ian De-Whytell

North & West London

The relentless pursuit of desirable vinyl takes avid collector Mark Elliott on another excursion to the capital

Prince MUSICOLOGY/3121/PLANET EARTH LEGACY

With three of Prince’s mid-2000s albums being released on vinyl for the first time, it’s an opportunity to reassess the Purple One’s noughties legacy. John Earls parties like its 2004

The Specials

The Two-tone legends’ first release with original vocalist Terry Hall since 1980 is a triumph. John Earls revels in its splendor

Better Oblivion Community Center

Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst get it together on a charming collab album. John Earls sees potential

DREAM MACHINES VPI

With a limited-edition run of only 400, this stunning anniversary model celebrates 40 years of sonic excellence

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DUO

Bridging the gap between turntable and amp, this feature-packed phono stage would be a worthy component of any vinyl lover’s setup. Jason Kennedy lends an ear

AVID ACUTUS CLASSIC

This high-end turntable’s thoughtful and intriguing design not only looks stunning, but it also enhances the sound quality to a remarkable degree, as a duly impressed Paul Rigby notes

HECO DIREKT 800 BT

Andy Jones tests a set of powerful Bluetooth speakers in an all-in-one package from respected German hi-ficompany Heco

HANA EH AND SL

These Hana cartridges couple high performance with value for money, meaning there’s very little for John Pickford not to like