Midge Ure
A man who needs no introduction… Oh go on then. Visage linchpin, Ultravox frontman, Band Aid mastermind and solo artiste, Midge Ure shares a few formative influences
John Grant
The US-born, Iceland-dwelling John Grant takes us on a journey through a few of the influences that have shaped his idiosyncratic world view
Sarah Cracknell
We asked Saint Etienne’s Sarah Cracknell about her formative influences. She makes some rather inspired choices…
Scott Simon ‘Lawnchairs’
Scott Simon of Our Daughter’s Wedding recalls the heady early 80s days that sired their electropop classic ‘Lawnchairs’
Barry Adamson ‘Know Where To Run’ (Central Control International)
Grandaddy of filmic funk shows young guns how it’s done
Various Artists ‘Still in a Dream: A Story of Shoegaze 1988-1995’ (Cherry Red)
Gotta spare seven hours? Boxset propels you back to the genre that fashion forsook
Gavin Clark & Toydrum ‘Evangelist’ (Underscore Collective)
Songsmith’s posthumous release is an atmospheric clarion call for recognition
Paddy Mcaloon
In 1991, Prefab Sprout frontman Paddy Mcaloon was struck down with serious illness that led to perhaps his boldest work, 2003’s ‘I Trawl The Megahertz’, a fever-dream of skittish longing that deserves ear time
Telex Take On Eurovision Song Contest
We backpedal to 19 April 1980 when leftfield Belgian electronic outfit TELEX took the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest in a bid to bag the legendary musical prize… or failing that, come last with null points
Zeus B Held ‘Logic Of Coincidence’ (Les Disques Du Crépuscule)
Journeyman German producer puts a Schrödinger’s cat among the pigeons