MOJO 320 – July 2020: Talking Heads
MOJO 320 features Talking Heads, Paul Weller, T.Rex and a new music CD to ease lockdown blues.
THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE on cool rock music in the 21st Century, Talking Heads spawn fanatical adherents long after their demise. Forty years since their Remain In Light masterpiece, MOJO unravels an epic of conflict and creativity. Meanwhile, MOJO’s new music CD corrals the best artists from 2020 so far – Laura Marling, James Elkington, Frazey Ford, Rose City Band and Brigid Mae Power included. In-depth features on the dawn of T.Rex and the late, great Bill Withers join a plain-speaking Linda Ronstadt in the MOJO Interview. Plus: the Rolling Stones in lockdown; Paul Weller on his new album; Tony Allen and John Prine bow out; Tom Waits and Nick Cave remember Hal Willner; the unseen 13th Floor Elevators; The Beat reheat Just Can’t Stop It. And: Ripley Johnson; Working Men’s Club; Gordon Lightfoot; Rock Against Racism; Steve Diggle; ’60s Mod. And finally… the real story of, er, Fecal Matter.
NB. News of Little Richard’s death came too late for MOJO 320. Tune into MOJO 321 for a full tribute to the Quasar Of Rock’n’Roll.
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CONTENTS MOJO 320
COVER STORY: TALKING HEADS The last century’s ultimate art-pop band is also this century’s most influential. As drummer Chris Frantz opens the can of worms that is his memoir, MOJO marks the anniversary of their masterpiece: 1980’s Remain In Light.
COVERMOUNT CD: MUSIC FOR HOMES Hunker down with music to make you feel good about the future. Namely, 15 new tracks by Laura Marling, James Elkington, Frazey Ford, Rose City Band and Brigid Mae Power and more…
BILL WITHERS Enemy of pretension, scourge of A&R departments – not to mention “the first black milkman in California”: Ain’t No Sunshine now soul’s unlikeliest star is gone.
T.REX In 1970, Marc Bolan was “very near to giving up” when Ride a White Swan brought glam salvation. All this, and a tribute to new T.Rex tribute curator Hal Willner.
LINDA RONSTADT No-nonsense rap from the country-rock pinup whose singing did the talking, until it stopped. Plus Neil Young, Emmylou, and how she could have been First Lady.
13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS Unseen photos and untold stories from a new book about Roky Erickson’s psych-punk pioneers – who broke their hearts, and minds, in pursuit of rock’n’roll Nirvana.
RIPLEY JOHNSON Presenting the psychedelic seer of Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo and now Rose City Band. Cue acid trips and Sonic Boom on a search for “some kind of transcendence”.
THE BEAT When the 2-Tone/ska-punk vanguard’s Brummie wing took politics and ‘Dubweiser’ onto Cheggers Plays Pop. Eyewitnesses recall the explosion of Just Can’t Stop It.
REVIEWED Paul Weller / Iggy Pop / Fiona Apple / Rush / Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever / Brigid Mae Power / The National / Shelby Lynne / Dr John / Blake Mills / Prince / Prince Far I / Nadine Shah / Sonic Boom / Plone / Deerhoof / Hurray For The Riff Raff / Frank Sinatra
PLUS Rolling Stones won’t be locked down / tributes to John Prine, Tony Allen, Hal Willner and more / Courtney Marie Andrews and Working Men’s Club come of age / in the studio with Manic Street Preachers / How To Buy ’60s Mod / heaven and hell in Laurel Canyon / Soft Cell: the inside story / Tiny Tim blows up / Steve Diggle draws himself / Gordon Lightfoot’s polka dot underwear / Rock Against Racism hits the screen / Buzz Osborne + Kurt Cobain = Fecal Matter