Baaba
Maal In his music, Baaba Maal has often brought together
the ancient sounds of Africa and modern electronic dance styles. He reconciles
old and new in other ways too, honouring Senegal's traditional dress code but
arguing for a liberalisation of its caste system and advocating women's rights.
People don't just stand up and sing, except in the
big courts or for the royal family in the past. The music, the dancing, the
clothes, the choreography... everything is connected
Timo
Maas Timo Maas was probably the biggest-named DJ in the
German trance scene of the late 1990s. His remixes for mainstream artists such
as Madonna and Placebo brought some attention but it was his reworking of
Azzido Da Bass's "Dooms Night" which elevated his status to that of a
world-class player. He has now just finished his first full-length album of
original material. Amazon.co.uk contributor Louis Pattison catches up with Timo
Maas on the eve of
Loud
's release for this exclusive
interview.
I always said, I'll never be a professional DJ--it
doesn't have a future
Kirsty
MacColl Kirsty MacColl has had a remarkable career: in
addition to working with some of the finest musicians in the UK (Shane McGowan,
Billy Bragg, the Smiths), she's become a bona fide pop star in her own right.
Her latest album,
Tropical Brainstorm
, is an upbeat and
danceable concoction of Latin delights and pop smarts. Amazon.co.uk contributor
Jennifer Nine spoke exclusively with Kirsty MacColl.
I really loved Eminem's album; everything about it
is great
Manic Street
Preachers The Manic Street Preachers get back to their roots
on
Know Your Enemy
, which combines the innovation and
experimentation of their earlier albums with the arena-ready rock and lush
production of their more recent work. Amazon.co.uk contributor Louis Pattison
spoke with Nicky Wire and Sean Moore about music, politics and the difficulty
in keeping fans happy.
We've got nothing against the Dalai
Lama
George
Martin Sir George Martin might have been "the fifth
Beatle," but he also had career both before and after the Fab Four. His
background as a classical musician landed him a job as producer of classical
records for Parlophone in the 1950s; he went on to expand the label's output to
include jazz and novelty records before signing that obscure four-piece from
Liverpool.
I cannot remember not being able to make music as a
child on the piano that we had in the house
Paul
McCartneyOn the eve of the Fab Four's first-ever look back at
their magical decade, Paul McCartney talked candidly with Amazon.co.uk
contributor Johnny Black about his time with the most influential band of our
time.
...and he said, "You guys are gods!" So I took to
him instantly
Pat
Metheny Pat Metheny's enthusiasm for the epic has driven
much that he has done, whether it be developing a signature guitar voice or
creating rolling soundscapes in the Pat Metheny Group. Pat tells Mark Gilbert
about his reaction against traditional jazz guitar, about the technology behind
his guitar sound and about an early encounter with Paul Bley and Jaco
Pastorius. He also explains how the new personnel of the Pat Metheny Group has
helped him rediscover the group's core values.
One of the beauties of the guitar in the world of
jazz is that it has yet to be dominated by any single figure
Kylie
Minogue Kylie Minogue's remarkable career spans 13 years
and 27 hit singles. The diminutive showgirl from the suburbs of Australia has
gone from ex-soap star made good to one of pop's more enduring icons. After
parting company with Stock, Aitken & Waterman she signed to fashionable
dance label Deconstruction and set about making changes. Suddenly she was Sex
Kylie--a rockstar-dating foxtress, who attempted to grow up in public. Then
came the misguided "indie" phase that alienated her fans and produced a
disastrous album that no-one bought. Yet she bounces back, flaunting impeccable
taste in gilded hotpants and a new album,
Light Years
, full of
hook-laden, back-to-basics pop. Paul Tierney lets himself get seduced.
Yeah, my demographic's really broad
MJ Cole MJ Cole was plucked from the underground by Gilles
Peterson's Talkin' Loud imprint and his debut album for the label,
Sincere
, was nominated for the prestigious 2000 Mercury Music
Prize. Still in his early 20s, much has been made of Cole's "classical
training" (he was a Royal College of Music student) but garage fans will have
known him best for a series of singles including "Sincere" that injected
something smooth, sleek and suave into the medium. Amazon.co.uk contributor,
Tony Marcus spoke exclusively with MJ Cole.
My dad was an actor and I've inherited his realism
about being self-employed
Moby Moby is one of dance music's true mavericks. Since
the Twin Peaks sampling hit, "Go", his calling card has been principled
non-conformity. A former classical musician, ex-punk rocker and member of
respected 80's band, Ultra Vivid Scene he dabbled in every genre of music
imaginable before his career took off as an electronic pioneer. This
determination to pursue his own path and a love of the 'new' has resulted in
music that has embraced ambient, techno, blues, gospel and hip hop but
remarkably sounds like nobody else. Amazon.co.uk writer, Helen Marquis spoke to
him exclusively at Homelands.
I do love pornography
Mogwai Without lyrics, Mogwai's hypnotic post-rock has
always spoken for itself. With the release of
Rock Action
, for
the first time, Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite and guest Gruff Rhys (Super Furry
Animals) add vocals to a number of tracks to create more beautifully
atmospheric and intense music. This month, Stuart Braithwaite chooses his
favourite albums as guest editor of Amazon.co.uk's Indie shop.
Makes Cohen sound like
Showaddywaddy
