MOJO 277 / December 2016
Five years since they split, R.E.M. take us back to the dawn of the ’90s to assess the impact of their landmark Out Of Time album and its aftermath, while our customary covermount CD celebrates the Golden Age of alternative rock with songs by Dinosaur Jr, Lemonheads, Pavement, Galaxie 500 and more. Also in the issue: Brian Wilson writes of the fear that haunted The Beach Boys’ greatest music; we tell the definitive inside story of Bowie’s last act – Lazarus; Roy Harper emerges from hell; Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan box sets come under the microscope; Metallica’s Lars Ulrich gets (back) on the couch; Syd Arthur psych out Paul Weller; Paul Simon contemplates the end; gay rock and more!
CONTENTS MOJO 277
COVER STORY: R.E.M. Talking together for the first time since they split in 2011, Athens’ finest remember the road to their landmark Out Of Time album, and beyond, when Alternative Rock ruled the waves and they were its uncompromising icons. “It was intense,” they tell Tom Doyle, before updating us on what they’re up to now. Expect surprises!
FREE CD Out Of Time contains 15 tracks from the Golden Age of Alternative Rock, when guitars were set to ‘scuzz’ and great songs came with a free shrug. Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jr, Pavement, Feelies, Superchunk and many more!
DAVID BOWIE’S LAZARUS As The Dame’s swansong musical hits London with a cast CD in tow, we tell the inside story, unpack those three “new” Blackstar songs, and... more?
BRIAN WILSON In an exclusive extract from his moving new memoir, the Beach Boy reflects on rock bottom, Eugene Landy and the healing powers of music.
SYD ARTHUR Paul Weller and Kate Bush can’t both be wrong. The quartet rebooting Canterbury as a psychedelic portal take their ecstatic rock to the world.
ROY HARPER Dragged through hell and the courts, the sui generis acoustic warrior fights back. “It’s been the worst time of my life,” he tells Mark Blake.
LARS ULRICH The Metallica drummer, spokesman and digital pariah-turned-prophet steps in the MOJO Interview arena. Tragedy, witchery, metallurgy all figure.
REVIEWED Lambchop / Pink Floyd / Bob Dylan / Madness / Metallica / David Crosby / Midlake / Shirley Collins / Kings Of Leon / Black Grape / Temple Of The Dog / Liverpool Psych Fest / Gay rock!
PLUS! On the road with the 2-Tone Tour, 1979 / Paul Simon on art, death and Art / Inside the Stooges’ Fun House / All back to Woody Woodmansey’s / navigating Isaac Hayes / Bye-bye Buckwheat Zydeco / American Wrestlers versus tummy trouble / When Ray Wilson was in Genesis, then wasn’t