MOJO Issue 206 / January 2011
FREE CD! MOJO’S FESTIVE FIFTEEN: An alternative Christmas celebration with R.E.M, Superchunk, Marc Almond, The Flaming Lips, Sufjan Stevens, Irma Thomas, Richard Hawley, Chuck Berry, Joe Tex & more! QUEEN: So how did young, quiet Fred Bulsara transform himself into strutting peacock Queen frontman Freddie Mercury? In this fascinating MOJO exclusive Mark Blake takes us from Zanzibar to Kensington Market to Wembley Stadium, speaking to the friends, band members and eyewitnesses who witnessed the grand metamorphosis.
CEE LO GREEN: He crossed over from Dirty South hip hop to dirty-mouthed chart-pop about pain and despair. But what does the man formerly known as Thomas DeCarlo Callaway think will now save the world’s youth? “Make them listen to Bohemian Rhapsody,” he tells Stevie Chick.
THE BEST OF 2010: From Bruce Springsteen to Janelle Monae, Jimmy Page to Edwyn Collins, Arcade Fire to John Grant, MOJO speaks to the names behind the sounds (and sights) of the past 12 months and gives you the skinny and the lowdown on our fave albums of the year.
THE BEST THING I’VE HEARD ALL YEAR: Keira Knightley has been digging Can. Robert Wyatt thinks Cheryl Cole has produced a masterpiece. MGMT track Brian Eno is the top choice of… Mr Brian Eno. Think we’re making this stuff up? Check out MOJO’s oft-imitated but never-bettered rattlebag of the stars’ annual musical choices.
CRASS: They were the early ’80s anarcho-punk commune intent on bringing down nationalist militaristic power structures with direct, brutal, blistering battle cries and media hoaxes. In this previously unpublished postscript to England’s Dreaming, Jon Savage speaks to the band about the power of anger, dissent and positivity.
REVIEWED! Tradi-Mods Vs Rockers, Daft Punk, Tony Joe White, Norah Jones, Duffy, LCD Soundsystem, Teeth Of The Sea, The Who’s Live At Leeds, Shirley Collins, Vietnam box set, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Lambchop, The Amorphous Androgynous, The Monks On DVD, Grinderman, Sufjan Stevens live and many more.
PLUS! How to buy Jefferson Airplane and Family, Dave Brubeck at 90, Pulp return, Factory Records forever, in the studio with The Low Anthem, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Questlove speaks, Welcome back Shriekback, farewell Ari Up and Gregory Isaacs…
AND FINALLY…”I thought people would have a problem with the black humour”. MOJO’s Album Of The Year winner speaks…