Uncut UK June 2022

L I VE breakups; Stand For Myself is full of She moves through each returns for the encore with a cover moments when she realises that a style with boundless of Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love”. She relationship has splintered beyond injects the quiet storm classic with repair. But Yola complicates these charisma and confidence some loud thunder, directing its conventions and refreshes them. You central sentiment – “I’m in love, can rollerskate to most of the songs since she recorded it for a deluxe she delivers acoustic versions of sweet love!” – towards her old on Stand For Myself, yet beneath the edition of Walk Through Fire; while “Whatever You Want” and “Shady roommate, her band, and the entire mirrorball sparkle is real sadness she was born to belt out that chorus, Grove”, but they sound maybe too stomping, screaming, dancing and – at least on “Diamond Studded she also emphasises the defiance tiny – the only lull in an otherwise audience. Before she signs off with Shoes” – an anger that precludes and self-determination of Bernie strong set. an ebullient cover of Yarborough & pat answers or happy endings. That Taupin’s lyrics. She fares less well Peoples’ 1980 dancefloor hit “Don’t friction adds a sense of urgency when she sends the band offstage Other surprises are more welcome, Stop The Music”, she plays Stand For to the band’s grooves and her so she can perform what she calls especially that cover of “Day Myself centrepiece “If I Had To Do It impressive vocal improvisations. “tiny versions” of two songs. With a Dreaming” with Russell, and the All Again”. In this context, it sounds pair of guitar players flanking her, way she transforms “Stand For like a victory lap. There may have Often playing lead on a pink Strat, Myself” into a dramatic finale. Yola been hardships along the way, but she mixes some carefully chosen relishing her moment at the Ryman, covers in among the originals. she wouldn’t change a thing. She’s been singing Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” ever STEPHEN DEUSNER JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 101

Amazing journey: the acoustic Who lineup, featuring one-time audience member Simon Townshend (left) THE WHO SETLIST Townshend is the songs he lets him sing. A trio from 2019’s Who includes Simon Royal Albert Hall, London, March 25 1 Substitute 2 Squeeze Box Townshend’s first song on a band album, A rare and revelatory unplugged outing for 3 The Kids Are “Break The News”. Pete recalls The Who Rog and Pete, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust debuting Tommy on this stage in 1969, Alright when David Bowie babysat the eight-year- “W ELL, we’ve done been reflectively remodelled thanks to 4 Tattoo old Simon in the crowd, musing that his two hours of Daltrey’s raised creative input in the 5 Behind Blue Eyes brother must have responded to what rehearsals,” says Pete latterday band, a source of amusement 6 Real Good- he saw by aching to be a rock star. Now Townshend, sidling and delight to his partner. here he is, his brother’s second foil, and on like the lankier half of Pete and Dud, “so Looking Boy a reason why The Who without Moon it’s absolute shite…” When Roger Daltrey “Behind Blue Eyes” becomes a 7 Break The News and Entwistle are still a band. decided he needed to get personally gorgeous shanty, its solos contemplative, 8 She Rocked My involved with his traditional week of and Daltrey’s husky voice finding the The sense that we aren’t just revisiting Teenage Cancer Trust gigs at the Albert melancholy of its protagonist’s self-pity. World old glories redoubles with “Beads On One Hall, this acoustic Who show, cheaper 2014’s “Real Good-Looking Boy” is 9 Beads On One String”, written by Townshend as a plea than their full-power juggernaut, was his even better. It’s about English boys like against wars of religion, and repurposed solution. It’s hard to picture the Stones Daltrey who wished they were Elvis, and String for Ukraine. “I think I’m stronger,” permitting the resultant half-sloppy, the real golden rock god he grew into at 10 Eminence Front Townshend says, of our two years of tightrope stumbles. But building on the Woodstock. Townshend strums like he’s 11 Pinball Wizard ongoing shocks, “but I look in the mirror, gripping acoustic core of The Who’s 2019 in the Crickets and Daltrey says he’s “very 12 Who Are You and I know something’s changed.” The orchestral tour – still to hit Britain – they proud” that it was written while thinking 13 Let My Love chorus is righteously hippie-hopeful, take the opportunity to investigate little- of him. For all this pair’s personal as digital Ukraine flags flutter. played songs and focus in the moment. differences, what Daltrey most loves about Open The Door No longer operating as a heritage act, 14 Baba O’Riley A “really tricky” “Baba O’Riley” JORDAN HUGHES The Who come intimately alive. 15 Won’t Get uses all of this somewhat ramshackle assemblage’s moving parts to achieve a Tonight’s improvised lineup sees Fooled Again grandeur that lifts the crowd to their feet. Pete and his kid brother Simon Daltrey and the Townshends form a rough Townshend bracket Daltrey on acoustic “Very circle near its end, as if communing in guitars, while accordion and fiddle give proud” the band a Cajun swing. Hard acoustic Rog and some folk-club back room. Then only the strums launch mod solidarity anthem “stronger” two principals remain to play “Won’t Get “The Kids Are Alright”, performed Pete Fooled Again”, an ever-timely song of here with added, autobiographical resistance, current leaders still deserving Daltrey lines: “I ain’t got away… yet”, no better response than to “pick up my he sings. “We’re all in The Who/And guitar and play, just like yesterday”. The that’ll do”. A song about youth has old friends stand very close, Townshend hunched and finding Bert Jansch-like folk-blues facility, Daltrey grinning and raising his vocal game, in a sort of dance. All the other pomp and circumstance falls away, leaving just these two, still trying, in a simple triumph. NICKHASTED 102 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

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Norse legend on a Wagnerian scale; tense doc follows Putin’s opponent; child’s-eye- view drama, and more THENORTHMANRobert Revenge is undoubted, but The Northman is hard to arrested, and just recently he was sentenced Eggers is a prodigious a dish best love – unless you’re really committed to the to nine years in prison. The film uses the American director served bold: whole damn Götterdämmerung thing. increasingly popular mode of current committed to deep dives Alexander affairs as nail-biting thriller – which makes into the eerie past. His Skarsgård NAVALNYGiven his current draconian for a gripping watch, although it doesn’t debut The Witch was about in Viking grip on Russia, political commentators are necessarily provide the most in-depth hapless Puritans facing epic The finding it hard to imagine really effective illumination of the issues. We could use dark forces in 1700s New England; The Northman opposition to Vladimir Putin. But Daniel more insight into what Navalny stands Lighthouse was steeped in 19th-century Roher’s documentary Navalny reminds for, although Roher does press him on the AIDAN MONAGHAN / © 2021 FOCUS FEATURES, LLC maritime madness. Now Eggers has gone us that alternatives to his reign have even problematic question of his willingness to back to the age of Icelandic sagas. A Viking recently felt very real and may remain hard align himself with the far right to build an revenge tale, The Northman is his biggest to crush, despite the clampdown on protests anti-Putin coalition. Overall, Navalny comes film yet, vaulting onto a huge visionary against his war on Ukraine. This account across as formidably courageous: you can’t scale and showing a tendency to Kubrickian of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, help but gasp at his sang froid as you see perfectionism and grandeur – although focuses on the 2020 attempt to murder him him on a plane back to Moscow from abroad, it’s moot whether this film more closely – in a touch of black farce, by spiking his coolly watching Rick And Morty even while resembles Kubrick or Leni Riefenstahl. underpants with the nerve agent Novichok. anticipating the bleak welcome that’s clearly The documentary follows Navalny, his wife awaiting him on arrival. Set in the ninth century, The Northman Yulia and daughter Dasha, Navalny’s small retells the original Hamlet story that but committed team, and investigator Christo PLAYGROUNDIt might be the hardest inspired Shakespeare. Alexander Skarsgård Grozev from independent news source thing to pull off in cinema: compelling, plays Amleth, a prince turned ferocious Bellingcat – the latter rooting out a Kremlin unsentimental films that convey the Berserker warrior determined to avenge his group described as “a domestic assassination realities of childhood. But Belgian murdered father (Ethan Hawke) and kill the machine on an industrial scale”. writer-director Laura Wandel manages man (Claes Bang) who married his mother it magnificently in her debut feature Gudrun (Nicole Kidman). Amleth ruthlessly There’s unexpected comedy: an Playground. Its heroine is seven-year-old pursues his bloody mission, while enjoying extraordinary sequence shows Navalny Nora (extraordinarily good newcomer Maya a romantic idyll with a Slavic woman, Olga phone-pranking a hapless chemist who Vanderbecque). It’s her first day at a new (Anya Taylor-Joy). The supernatural plays spills the beans on the plot. It’s a moment of school, and she doesn’t want to let go of her a part too: a raging Valkyrie, an undead jubilation in an otherwise grim story: early dad at the gates; fortunately, big brother warrior, the prophecies of a blind shaman last year, as the film shows, Navalny was (a balefully intoning Björk). This kind of project inescapably runs the risk of being seen as hokum – which is no doubt why Eggers has loaded the film with scholarly seriousness (lines in Old Norse and Slavic, amid Nordic-accented English dialogue) and given it a spectacular visual polish. Jarin Blaschke’s photography, mixing bursts of colour in among tones of earth and metal, has an extraordinary textured sheen, making The Northman seem not just a film but a rigorously architectured monument. The result demands a leap of faith, and many viewers will happily make it, but the grandiose mythification of the war impulse and male violence sit oddly with today’s cultural mood. The Northman may not be fascistic by intent, but it more than flirts with an iconography that’s uncomfortably, let’s say, Wagnerian. Its magnificence is THE NAVALNY REVIEWED THIS MONTH MURINA CASABLANCA NORTHMAN BEATS Directed by PLAYGROUND Directed by Directed by Daniel Roher Antoneta Directed by Opens April 12 Directed by Alamat Robert Eggers Cert To be Laura Wandel Kusijanovic Nabil Ayouch confirmed Starring Maya Starring Gracija Starring Vanderbecque, Filipovic, Cliff Starring Anas 7/10 Günter Duret Curtis Alexander Opens April 22 Opens April 8 Basbousi CertTo be Cert 15 Skarsgård confirmed Opens April 29 8/10 Opens April 15 10/10 Cert 12A CertTo be 7/10 confirmed 6/10 104 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

Robert Eggers has ALSO OUT... loaded his film with a scholarly THE GREAT MOVEMENT seriousness OPENS APRIL 14 Abel (Günter Duret), who also attends the school, handsome price to his former employer Javier From director Kiro Russo, a is there to reassure her. But he can’t take care of (Cliff Curtis), an American millionaire who’s due hallucinogenic trip through her all day, and anyway it looks uncool for him to pay a visit. Ante dances unctuous attendance Bolivian capital La Paz, as seen by to have her trailing him. Right from the start, on Javier, to his daughter’s disgust – although visiting miners and a homeless the film has us worrying about fragile-looking she’s fascinated by the new arrival, and begins man with a visionary streak. Nora – but soon enough she’s settled in and is to fantasise about him as an alternative father confidently thriving. As it turns out, it’s Abel figure. But Javier has some unfinished business ONODA: 10,000 NIGHTS who’s the victim of bullying and Nora who does with Julija’s mother Nela (Daniela Curcic), who’s IN THE JUNGLE her utmost to protect him. The film’s French only too aware of the loss of her own youthful title is Un Monde – A World – suggesting that a dreams and possibilities. OPENS APRIL 15 playground is a universe apart, ruled by its own Ambitious French-made drama morals, politics and often merciless battles, A very tight psychological drama rippling with tells the story of Hiroo Onoda, the with grown-ups not always able or willing to transgressive desires and hostilities, Murina Japanese officer who stayed at intervene. As urgent and immediate as any adult has the claustrophobic feel of Roman Polanski’s his island post for 29 years after drama, Playground is made with extraordinary water-bound drama Knife In The Water and of World War II. insight and empathy, which Wandel achieves the French 1960 Patricia Highsmith adaptation by keeping the camera at Nora’s height and Purple Noon – not to mention the deceptively The Unbearable never leaving the boundaries of the school. balmy unease of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s recent Weight Of Stylistically close to Belgium’s great realist The Lost Daughter. Filipovic is a fantastic find, Massive Talent masters the Dardennes, Playground takes their sympathetic, sly and tenacious, her character as insights and pushes them somewhere new. It’s slippery as the eels she hunts. Like Gyllenhaal’s THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT an intensely involving film, and simply one of the film, it’s shot by Hélène Louvart – dark, dark OF MASSIVE TALENT best – and truest – ever made about childhood. feelings under blazing blue skies making for a very intoxicating combination. OPENS APRIL 22 MURINACroatian drama Murina is sun-kissed, Nicolas Cage goes meta. He soaked in Mediterranean blue and rippling CASABLANCABEATSDirector Nabil Ayouch plays himself as a star paid to with a certain glamorous energy – which only has been a leading presence in Moroccan cinema attend a billionaire’s birthday makes it all the darker and more unnerving. since the late ’90s, his output including the street and facing characteristically Executive-produced by Martin Scorsese, this children drama Ali Zaoua and 2015’s terrific Cagey situations - to the break feature by writer-director Antoneta Alamat Much Loved, about Marrakech sex workers. a’dawn, presumably. Kusijanovic is a female coming-of-age drama In Casablanca Beats, he turns his attention to that’s also a ruthless psychological thriller Moroccan hip-hop, in a story about a young HAPPENING about desire, teenage revolt and erotic rivalry. man, Anas (Anas Basbousi, also known as Its title refers to the moray eel, a creature seen rapper Bawss), helping a group of young people OPENS APRIL 22 slipping in and out of numerous underwater liberate themselves through rap. Audrey Diwan’s Venice prize- shots, and the prey of the spear-diving jaunts winner, adapted from Annie undertaken by teenage heroine Julija (Gracija Starting as straight drama, this soon morphs Ernaux’s novel, follows a student Filipovic) and her dad Ante (Leon Lucev). The into a musical built around the students’ (Anamaria Vartolomei) as overbearing, ill-tempered Ante lords it over performances, intermittently bursting into she tries to get an abortion in an island in the Adriatic – a beautiful prime staged fantasy sequences, such as the mass the forbidding climate of property that he’s convinced he can sell at a dance-off between secular youth and hostile early-1960s France. fundamentalists. There’s a sometimes faintly corny touch of Dangerous Minds melodrama, as THE VELVET QUEEN: THE no-bullshit Anas coaxes variously rebellious, SNOW LEOPARD despondent or marginalised kids to pull themselves up by the laces of their Nikes and OPENS APRIL 22 voice the grievances of a young nation. A photographer and a travel writer search for an elusive beast: The film draws authenticity from being set in a starkly ravishing nature doc the actual cultural centre that Ayouch helped with music by Warren Ellis and create in Casablanca district Sidi Moumen, Nick Cave. where its young talents actually trained. The Arabic lyrics address sexual politics, poverty, DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE repressive parenting and religious pressure MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS – all the issues we see the teenagers face in their daily lives. Ultimately, it all has a slightly OPENS MAY 5 unstructured feel of community theatre, but it’s Benedict Cumberbatch’s super- the varied cast of young rappers – and a terrific sorcerer returns. With Sam Raimi junior beatboxer – that really make the film. directing, there’s every chance Only viewers able to follow the Arabic rap will of this fully channelling the know whether Kanye and Kendrick should be lysergic spirit of the original having sleepless nights, but there’s a buoyant Steve Ditko comic. dynamism here, making this a lot more edgy than Morocco’s Got Talent. JONATHANROMNEY JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 105

The young emerges as a dizzingly skilled multi- Bennett, an instrumentalist with a songwriting abundantly sensibility to match. Tweedy is gifted talent impressed. As Ken Coomer observes, Bennett was a “catalyst to a world WHERE ARE YOU, estranged wife, mid-set, to salute that Jeff didn’t really live in”. JAY BENNETT? their anniversary. She hangs up without a word. Live footage from the subsequent WIENERWORLD LTD. Being There tour looks joyfully Bennett instead settles into a chaotic, the band an excitable mess 7/10 deeper funk of booze and drugs. He of new possibilities. When it comes catalogues the pain of separation to the first volume of Mermaid Thoughtful, revealing portrait of the across two 2004 studio albums Avenue, Wilco’s Woody Guthrie anti-hero of Wilco legend. By Rob Hughes (not by accident do the chords of project with Bragg, the latter notes one song spell out ‘D-E-A-D’), while that Bennett was very much point JAY Bennett’s prodigious teenager to early band one commentator compares 2006’s man on the entire project. reputation never Titanic Love Affair, through Wilco The Magnificent Defeat to solo Paul quite recovered and on to a solo career that yielded Westerberg, its message “almost like By 1999’s Summerteeth, Tweedy from the battering it half a dozen albums. There are a self-defeating prophecy”. and Bennett are co-writers, shifting took in Wilco. Sam plenty of talking heads (mum Janis, Wilco towards layered, sophisticated Jones’ documentary brother Jeff, Wilco’s fellow Yankee… Yet for all the darkness that pop. The Beach Boys’ Smile is a I Am Trying To casualty Ken Coomer, Billy Bragg, seemed to consume him in the constant backdrop on tour, with Break Your Heart: Nora Guthrie and so on), though the immediate post-Wilco years, the the sumptuous “Pieholden Suite” A Film About Wilco, about the absence of further Wilco players is film also carries a lightness of the keenest expression of Bennett’s complex, lengthy gestation of noticeable. Tweedy himself appears spirit. Home videos show a young Wilson-esque fancies. The album is 2002’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in often only in very brief snippets from the Bennett, all flying hair and wild a masterstroke, but the rest of Wilco painful detail, portrayed a band audiobook of Let’s Go (So We Can Get gestures, teaching himself how are already feeling sidelined going slowly pulling itself apart, with Back), the first extract merely a fluff to play The Boomtown Rats’ “I into Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tweedy chief songwriters Bennett and Jeff comment about Bennett’s fondness Don’t Like Mondays” on piano. and Bennett’s reliance on painkillers Tweedy its twin opposing forces. for ketchup. Invited into Wilco by Tweedy as puts a crimp in the atmosphere too. The implication being that Bennett touring guitarist in 1994, he quickly was a headstrong, intractable figure Nevertheless, this is a well- Bennett reflects on his dismissal, responsible for most of the discord. intentioned portrait of a man who On stage one via voiceover, sometime later: “Jeff He was sacked as soon as the album was probably easier to admire than night, he tried to make Wilco the Jeff Tweedy was done. love. Even frequent collaborator phones his solo band. I tried to make Wilco my Filmmakers Gorman Bechard Edward Burch, as close an ally as estranged band. I was up against greater odds.” and Fred Uhter seek to redress the Bennett ever had, concedes that his wife mid-set Meanwhile, his own inner struggle balance on Where Are You, Jay “fussy precision” could sometimes appeared to be irreconcilable. He Bennett?. A feature-length study be maddening. Bennett doesn’t craved being in a band, yet was such of an abundantly gifted talent, the always help himself either. On stage a studio perfectionist, teeming with doc traces Bennett’s journey from one night with Burch, he decides ideas, that his maximal visions could it’s a good idea to phone his only be fully achieved as a solo artist. Bennett died in May 2009, aged just 45. Awaiting a hip replacement, a faulty Fentanyl patch leaked into his system accidentally, proving lethal. The added tragedy was that life finally seemed to be on the up, with Bennett, clear-headed at last, energised by the prospect of a new album. Chasing glory had become unimportant. Ultimately, as one former bandmate maintains, he just wanted to be understood. This doc goes some way to realising that ambition. Extras:6/10. Further interviews with Billy Bragg, Ken Coomer and the filmmakers; commentary from co-director Gorman Bechard; Jay Bennett tribute gig; deleted scenes. 106 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

THE ANDY WARHOL JOHNNY HALLYDAY: Nick Cave: CHARLIE GRAY DIARIES BEYOND ROCK from satanic ceramics to NETFLIX NETFLIX the quasi- sacred with 9/10 7/10 Warren Ellis Poignant rendering of the Pop Five-part biography of France’s very THIS MUCH I idol’s inner life own King Rocker KNOW TO BE TRUE Warhol started his The commonly applied TRAFALGAR RELEASING diary in 1976 and “French Elvis” soubriquet continued until suggests Hallyday’s 8/10 his death in 1987. nuclear impact on his Published in 1989, homeland’s cultural Another highly crafted doc it was a sensation landscape, but doesn’t about Nick Cave’s life and art – thanks to the truly capture the monstre parade of famous sacré who started out ANDREW Dominik’s second documentary faces dissected in before Elvis, performed about Nick Cave begins with a feint worthy encounters everywhere from Studio like Iggy Pop mutating sweatily into PJ of This Is Spinal Tap. “I’ve retrained as a 54 to Oscars night – and a revelation, Proby, and was still taking unexpected ceramicist,” Cave tells the camera, deadpan, lifting that famously blank exterior to detours (Jean-Luc Godard movies) long “because it’s no longer viable to be a musician.” reveal a fragile humanity. Narrated by after the King split. Hallyday, who died a deadpan AI simulacrum of Warhol’s in 2017, posthumously narrates his wild And it’s true. Inspired by his collection of voice, director Andrew Rossi’s pulsating ride in this thrumming documentary, Staffordshire pottery, Cave has diversified into series puts even more flesh on the lonely collaging five decades of drugs, drink, trinkets. Not just any trinkets. After a flawed bones, exploring the artist’s tormented divorces, riots, car crashes, suicide attempts attempt to cast a mantelpiece ornament of a sexuality and doomed affairs. Come and generally crazy scenes. DAMIENLOVE saint boiling in oil, Cave has moved on to a series of 18 figurines for the catty name-dropping, stay for telling the story of the Devil. Here is the (unglazed) Devil as the haunting undertow of ineffable SONGS FOR DRELLA a baby. Here he is “growing up and doing bold, dangerous sadness. DAMIENLOVE things”. Does the camera linger when we get to the Devil MUBI killing his first child? It does, then it’s on to the Devil becoming ENNIO separated from the world through his transgressions, then his 9/10 remorse, and on – spoiler alert – to the Devil bleeding to death DOGWOOF in a lake of blood with white swans, “goat-like things” and Simple, stunning restored performance women holding torches. 6/10 of Reed and Cale’s Warhol elegy The ceramic devilry in this Repair Shop-style interlude reflects the influence of Covid restrictions on Cave’s touring Exhaustive eulogy to the master of It’s a sign of the deep activity. This Much I Know To Be True is a continuation of the movie soundtrack affection with which Cave/Dominik’s 2016 documentary One More Time With world-class curmudgeons Feeling, a haunting film that allowed Cave to address the Paying lavish tribute to Lou Reed and John Cale tragic death of his son Arthur, and showed how he channelled one of the indisputable still held Andy Warhol despair into creativity. The intimacy between director and geniuses of 20th-century that they united in 1989 musician remains intact. The core of this film is the creative music, featuring an for the funny, bitchy, journey from Ghosteen (grief turned into myth) and Carnage extensive interview touching elegy Songs For (lockdown isolation, creative communion between Cave and with the man in his Drella, one of the peaks the musically dominant Warren Ellis). Ellis talks of reaching a palatial Rome residence, of their post-Velvets discographies. Now “meditative state” that “clicks into something transcendent” contributions from fans notable as Todd Haynes’ DoP, Ed Lachman as he experiments with fractured sounds. Cave puts his more and collaborators from was commissioned to film a performance traditional songs aside to respond to Ellis’s wild energy. Bernardo Bertolucci to Quincy Jones, and at Brooklyn Academy of Music by Channel The musical sequences are impeccably rendered. running to almost three hours, Giuseppe 4. The footage, long presumed lost, was Cinematographer Robbie Ryan (who also filmed Cave’s solo Tornatore’s documentary somehow rediscovered during research for Haynes’ lockdown event, Idiot Prayer) has a circular track surrounding manages to be significantly less than the 2021 VU documentary, and is now restored in the musicians, and after the enforced isolation of Idiot Prayer sum of its parts. Though there’s plenty of a radiant print with restored audio mix. there is a communal feel to the performances with Cave and biographic detail of academic interest, Ellis, plus an expanding group of players and singers, reaching Bruce Springsteen is not alone in struggling STEPHEN TROUSSÉ an intensity that summons peephole glimpses of religiosity. to convey the wonder of the music, reduced Marianne Faithfull makes a suitably domineering cameo, to simply sighing of its “deep emotion”. removing her oxygen supply to read May Sarton’s Prayer Before Work, an intervention that serves to highlight the way in which STEPHEN TROUSSÉ Cave’s vocal style has become almost spoken word, fluctuating between sermon and stream-of-consciousness. JIMMY IS PUNK: Cave is entirely in control throughout, of course, but he uses an THE STORY OF PANIC interview sequence in the back of a taxi to suggest – or possibly confess – that his life now has “a real sense of meaning” that is DOC’N ROLL TV not dependent on his work. “I’m much happier than I used to be,” he says, sounding freshly amazed. ALASTAIRMcKAY 7/10 JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 107 Highly entertaining doc concerning supercharged Dutch punks The name Panic won’t spark recognition with anyone but the most dedicated rock trainspotters, but for a night in 1978, these Dutch punks were one of the most entertaining live turns on the planet. Most of this 50-minute doc is given over to a live set of supercharged pub rock that sees a little venue in Gouda all but razed to the ground. The footage is great; the story rather light. But the band getting dressed down by an irate venue owner is worth the price of admission alone. LOUIS PATTISON

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HAVING quit Buzzcocks The definitive gaze His spiky tonal that enjoyment, that thank you, I’ll sing after their 1977 “Spiral of John McGeoch, palette would that motherfucker till the day I die.” Scratch” EP, singer Howard London, 1978 be endlessly Devoto was seeking a new imitated in SUCH crowd-pleasers abound in Bob collaborator when sleeve REVIEWED the 1980s Stanley’s colossal Let’s Do It: The Birth designer Malcolm Garrett told him: “The THIS MONTH Of Pop, the Saint Etienne boffin’s bold guy I share a house with can play all the entertainers before they were rebranded attempt to rescue pre-Elvis song from the parts to Marquee Moon on guitar.” As THE LIGHT POURS as 1960s hitmakers by Motown’s Berry landfill site of history. As he adventures it happened, John McGeoch could do OUT OF ME Gordy. Clean-cut but soulful, The Four through New Orleans jazz, Broadway and more than ape Television. His work with Tops enjoyed huge success, and even Fakir bobby-soxers, he draws lines that link Devoto’s new band Magazine and later RORY SULLIVAN- was amazed by the extent of their golden Ivor Novello to Ray Davies and Morrissey, Siouxsie And The Banshees established a BURKE touch. He was unconvinced by 1966’s and makes a bold claim for “In The Mood” spiky tonal palette that would be endlessly colossal “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” – “I bandleader Glenn Miller being the David imitated in the 1980s. “He played like OMNIBUS, £20 didn’t even think it would sell six copies” Bowie of his age. no-one else,” says Mogwai’s Stuart – and says that the band only put out Braithwaite in Rory Sullivan-Burke’s The 7/10 their winning take of “Walk Away Renée” Pre-1950s pop can seem appallingly Light Pours Out Of Me: The Authorised after Gordy played them The Left Banke’s inane, but Stanley strives to show how the BiographyOfJohnMcGeoch. “I hear I’LL BE THERE: original, and said: “I’m going to bet you giants of the shellac age could be edgy too. his influence everywhere.” MY LIFE WITH that you can’t record that same song and Bing Crosby was a radical when it came THE FOUR TOPS make it a bigger hit.” Sure enough, they did. to working with audio tape and ended up Born in Greenock, McGeoch moved having over 400 hits (as Tony Bennett put to Essex as a teenager – taking guitar DUKE FAKIR The Four Tops’ torrent of smashes it: “He was like 15 Beatles”). Once arrested lessons from Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler relented in the 1970s, but they reverted for sitting next to a white woman on a bus, at Loughton Tech – before he headed for OMNIBUS, £20 to Plan A by becoming premium-grade Louis Armstrong took a stand for civil Manchester to study fine art and find his entertainers. Now 86, Fakir is the last rights by refusing to play in New Orleans musical calling. His signature sound 7/10 living original member, but if there is after the city banned integrated bands. impressed the cognoscenti on Magazine’s sadness at his lost comrades, I’ll Be There first three albums, but McGeoch focuses more on his gratitude at the life he More than anything, Let’s Do It shows yearned for more tangible success; a continues to lead. Doing cabaret turns may how important this now-alien music was spell moonlighting with Visage proved seem like a comedown, but Fakir never in its time, chivvying the public along lucrative before he became a Banshee for tires of belting out “I Can’t Help Myself”. through world wars and depressions. goth-pop touchstones Kaleidoscope, Juju As he puts it: “As long as I see that respect, Ukulele hero George Formby inspired and A Kiss In The Dreamhouse. such huge public affection that 150,000 turned out to pay their respects at his A public, alcohol-fuelled breakdown funeral in 1961. Their times can seem during a 1982 show in Madrid ended that distant (wince as a well-meaning golden age, and McGeoch never quite reviewer calls Duke Ellington “an African recovered. Devoto and Siouxsie Sioux Stravinsky”), but Stanley retouches these attest to his good nature, but the Skids’ fading icons skilfully. From another age, Richard Jobson – who drafted McGeoch but just like us. JIMWIRTH into his band The Armoury Show – is not the only associate who regrets failing to confront the guitarist’s bad habits: “I was too in awe of him to sit him down and say, ‘John, you’re fucking up, mate. You’re ruining your life and you’ve got to do something about this or it’s all going to end in tears.’” McGeoch had a fractious spell in PiL before becoming an Alzheimer’s nurse for a while. His family explain how he battled to be a good father but still died young, aged 48, in 2004. A shortage of contemporary interviews mean McGeoch can seem like a distant figure in his own biography, but The Light Pours Out Of Me at least catches some of the heavily flanged echoes the consummate sideman left behind. DUKE Fakir’s mother never quite LET’S DO IT: ADRIAN BOOT forgave him for passing up a university THE BIRTH OF POP scholarship to pursue a musical career with The Four Tops. As he phoned her at BOB STANLEY home in Detroit to give a positive report of an early club date, she called him out: FABER, £25 “You singing that devil’s music? No good can come of it.” 8/10 His memoir I’ll Be There: My Life With The Four Tops refutes that theory. The extraordinary harmony quartet led by Levi Stubbs aspired to be mainstream JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 109

Not Fade Away Fondly remembered this month… BOBBIE NELSON piano prodigy”, Family Band pianist Bobbie married at 16 1931 2022 and duly became part IN February 1973, Willie Nelson called on of her husband’s band, his elder sister Bobbie to help him cut a gospel album in New York. “For years Bud Fletcher And The I had wanted her in my band, but life circumstances had kept that from Texans, with Willie on happening,” explained Nelson in his 2015 memoir My Life: It’s A Long Story. “Bobbie vocals and guitar. She anchored me, in memories and faith, in a way that no-one else could.” With pianist Bobbie worked for a time as an joining Doug Sahm and other players in the studio, The Troublemaker was cut in two days. in-house demonstrator Bobbie subsequently featured on a number of key Nelson albums over the decades, among them for Hammond organs, Shotgun Willie, Red Headed Stranger, Stardust and 2021’s dynastic The Willie Nelson Family. before moving to Bobbie’s improvisational style was an ideal Nashville in 1965, after complement to Nelson’s intuitive approach on guitar. Growing up in Abbott, Texas, the pair had the collapse of her first played together in church and various school functions. Cited by her brother as “a genuine third marriage. Bobbie Nelson Bobbie became an in 2008: brother Willie’s piano integral member of player and anchor Willie’s Family Band from the early ’70s onwards. The two of them issued four duet albums over the years books, 2020’s Me And My Sister Bobbie: True Tales Of The Family Band and last year’s Sister, (spanning 1986’s I’d Rather Have Jesus and Brother, Family: An American Childhood In Music. “Without my sister, I’d never be where 2014’s December Day: Willie’s Stash, Vol 1), but it I am today,” Willie wrote in the former. “I’ve always needed her.” wasn’t until 2008 that she finally recorded a solo album, the boogie-woogie-led Audiobiography. More recently, the siblings co-authored two GARY MILLER/FILMMAGIC TAYLOR HAWKINS DONALD ‘TABBY’ Can’t WeLive Together”,written in Motown prompted a number of Funk SHAW responsetothe Vietnam War.Ithit Brothers reunion shows. Foo Fighter the BillboardTop3,sellingovertwo 1955 2022 million copies and was later sampled BOBBY RYDELL 1972 2022 by Drake for “Hotline Bling”. FITZROY ‘BUNNY’ Rock’n’roll pin-up Taylor Hawkins officially joined SIMPSON MIRA CALIX Foo Fighters in March 1997 as the 1942 2022 replacement for original drummer 1951 2022 Sonic explorer William Goldsmith. He remained in Teen idol Bobby Rydell enjoyed situ for the next quarter-century, an Mighty Diamonds 1970 2022 a string of major hits after 1959’s infectious, versatile presence that co-founders “Kissin’ Time”, most prominently Dave Grohl lauded in his memoir as South African-born Chantal “We Got Love”, “Wild One”, a “best friend and partner in crime”. Formed in Trenchtown in 1969 by Passamonte, better known as Mira “Swingin’ School” and “Volare”. Previously the touring drummer schoolfriends ‘Tabby’ Shaw, ‘Bunny’ Calix, initially worked as a publicist The run ended with 1963’s “Forget for Alanis Morissette, Hawkins Simpson and ‘Judge’ Ferguson, for Warp before recording her first Him” (supposedly the inspiration occasionally sang lead for the Foos the Mighty Diamonds perfected album for the label, One On One, for The Beatles’ “She Loves You”), and instigated a number of side a mix of Motown harmonies and in 2000. Her bold, innovative work which coincided with his film debut projects, most recently NHC with reggae rhythms. After coming to encompassed electronica, classical in Bye Bye Birdie. The school in Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro and prominence in Jamaica by recording music and sound art, collaborating Grease, Rydell High, was named in Chris Chaney. sides for Bunny Lee, Pat Francis and with such institutions as the his honour. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, they enjoyed London Sinfonietta and the Royal JORDAN some crossover success when Shakespeare Company. JIM MILLER signing to Virgin for their 1976 debut Punk seditionary album, Right Time. The Mighty JOE MESSINA Western Centuries Diamonds went on to release more co-founder 1955 2022 than 40 albums. ‘Tabby’ Shaw was Funk Brother shot dead in a drive-by shooting on 1953 2022 As alter ego Jordan, the outlandish March 30, with ‘Bunny’ Simpson 1928 2022 Pamela Rooke became punk’s dying three days later. Beginning in the late ’80s, singer most identifiable female style icon, Previously part of ABC TV’s studio and guitarist Jim Miller made five working at Vivienne Westwood and TIMMY THOMAS ensemble, guitarist Joe Messina albums with folk-roots outfit Donna Malcolm McLaren’s infamous SEX became a founder member of The Buffalo. He went on to record boutique and hanging out with the Anti-war hitmaker Motown’s in-house band, the with Mike Seeger, Dirk Powell, Jim Sex Pistols. She briefly managed Funk Brothers, in 1959. His most Lauderdale and Tim O’Brien before Adam & The Ants in the late ’70s 1944 2022 memorable contributions include moving to Seattle and forming and memorably appeared as Martha & The Vandellas’ “Dancing Western Centuries with Cahalen Amyl Nitrate in Derek Jarman’s Having played with Donald Byrd and In The Street”, the Four Tops’ “I Can’t Morrison and Ethan Lawton. Their Jubilee. An autobiography, Defying Cannonball Adderley, keyboardist Help Myself” and Stevie Wonder’s free-roaming Americana spawned Gravity: Jordan’s Story, was Timmy Thomasbecame a Memphis “For Once In My Life”. The success of three albums, most recently 2020’s published in 2019. session player in the late ’60s. His 2002 doc Standing In The Shadows Of Call The Captain. solo career took off with 1972’s “Why 110 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

GAVIN MARTIN the paper before joining the staff in 1980. Through Gavin Martin the ’80s and much of the ’90s he remained one of in 2013: a Music journalist NME’s mainstays, fierce in both enthusiasm and precocious criticism. Among a welter of memorable features talent 1961 2022 was his interview with Marvin Gaye shortly before the singer’s death; an on-tour profile of Depeche warm, authentic presence, ever committed to the IN the summer of 1977, the teenage Gavin Mode fearlessly describing Dave Gahan’s drug- romance and transcendence of music and life, Martin instigated a riot of his own when he sodden lifestyle; and an interview with the late widely loved and now hugely missed. and his friend Dave McCullough founded Brian Jones, conducted through a psychic. Gavin’s Alternative Ulster, a fanzine whose title obsession with Van Morrison led the irascible NEIL SPENCER posited an identity beyond the grisly singer to describe him as “a monkey on my back”, troubles besetting Northern Ireland. It gave its though he later relented. name to the debut single by Stiff Little Fingers (originally intended as a flexidisc for the ’zine), After NME, Gavin wrote widely for rock who became one act – alongside The Undertones, mags – including Uncut – and national papers, Boomtown Rats, U2 and more – that would furnish becoming the Daily Mirror’s music critic. His the island of Ireland with a new, self-confident restless creativity delivered an irregular live identity, of which Gavin himself was a part. event, Talking Musical Revolutions, that included Among his wide musical interests, Pop Hibernia readings, performances and screenings, and remained a perennial favourite. which lent its name to an album in 2017. Two years later another arrived, Utopia, a collaboration with Gavin was a precocious talent. At 13 he had a musician Martin Bell. Then there was poetry, letter published in NME, and with Alternative lots of it. And always there was Gavin himself, a Ulster as his calling card was soon freelancing for PHILIP JECK RON MILES Wanted in 2009. The boyband plus The Royalettes’ “It’s Gonna MARTIN DIVER topped the UK charts with debut Take A Miracle”. Avant-garde adventurer Jazz cornetist single “All Time Low”. After three albums and further hits, they split in WILLIAM HURT 1952 2022 1963 2022 2014, upon which Parker went solo. Oscar-winning actor Multimedia artist Philip Jeck Classically educated jazz cornetist, CALVIN MARK LEE explored the connections between trumpeter and composer Ron Miles 1950 2022 painting and sound. In tandem debuted with 1987’s Distance For Bowie associate with Lol Sargent, 1993’s celebrated Safety, the first of a dozen albums as Hurt was a promising New York Vinyl Requiem was written for 180 leader. He was also an in-demand 1936 2022 theatre actor prior to establishing turntables, various slide projectors collaborator, working with the himself in Hollywood with Ken and two film projectors. Jeck likes of Bill Frisell, Ginger Baker, As A&R man for Mercury, London- Russell’s 1980 sci-fi horror Altered composed for dance and theatre, Madeleine Peyroux and Joe Henry. based Californian Calvin Mark Lee States. He won an Oscar for his recorded 12 solo LPs (beginning with helped David Bowie land a new intense performance in 1985’s 1995’s Loopholes) and collaborated CW McCALL record deal in 1969 by organising psychological prison drama Kiss Of with Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit, demo tapes for his US bosses. Lee The Spider Woman, while his other Gavin Bryars and more. Truck-drivin’ man had introduced Bowie to future roles included Body Heat, Children wife Angie Barnett after a show Of A Lesser God and, more recently, FRED JOHNSON 1928 2022 at the Roundhouse the previous 2005’s A History Of Violence. September. Bowie and Lee (credited “Blue Moon” bass Creative director William Dale as “CML33”) also co-designed the BARRY BAILEY Fries Jr invented the CW McCall sleeve of 1969’s David Bowie. 1942 2022 persona for a TV ad in 1973, leading Southern rock guitarist to trucker-themed hits like “Black JIMMY KARSTEIN Singer Fred Johnson co-founded Bear Road” and “Wolf Creek Pass”, 1948 2022 Pittsburgh doo-wop outfit The co-written with Chip Davis. He Tulsa shuffler Marcels in 1959. The quintet hit became an international star with Lead guitarist Bailey had already big two years later with a cover of 1975’s “Convoy”, a novelty hit that 1944 2022 served with Roy Orbison by the time Rodgers and Hart’s “Blue Moon”, sold over two million copies. he co-founded Atlanta Rhythm powered by Johnson’s deep bass Drummer Jimmy Karstein was one Section in May 1970. He remained intro. The song topped the charts on ROLAND WHITE of several Oklahoma musicians who with the Southern rock sextet for the both sides of the Atlantic, shifting brought the unique Tulsa sound to next 35 years – a period that included over a million copies. The Marcels’ Bluegrass veteran LA in the ’60s. He started out with late-’70s peaks A Rock And Roll other major success, later in 1961, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, but Alternative and Champagne Jam. was “Heartaches”. 1938 2022 made his name with fellow Okies Leon Russell and JJ Cale, with whom PETE ST JOHN JIMBEAU HINSON Singer and multi-instrumentalist he recorded and toured until his Roland White formed The Country death in 2013. Karstein also played Dublin-born balladeer Nashville songwriter Boys – later renamed The Kentucky with Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and Colonels – alongside brothers Eric Buffalo Springfield. 1932 2022 1952 2022 And Clarence, in the early ’60s. After a stint with Bill Monroe, he then BOBBY WEINSTEIN Irish singer-songwriter Pete St Hinson was just 16 when Loretta served as Lester Flatt’s mandolinist, John made his name with 1979 folk Lynn secured him a publishing before reuniting with his siblings in R&B songwriter ballad “The Fields Of Athenry”, deal in 1968. The following year, 1973 as The New Kentucky Colonels. set during the Great Famine. Later Anthony Armstrong Jones scored 1939 2022 adopted as a national football a big success with his “Sugar In TOM PARKER anthem, it’s been covered by The The Flowers”, after which Hinson Alongside Teddy Randazzo, Dubliners, The Durutti Column co-wrote country hits for The Oak The Wanted singer Weinstein wrote a string of R&B and many more. Other noted Pete Ridge Boys (“Fancy Free”), Brenda hits in theearly’60s,chiefly Little St John compositions include “The Lee (“Find Yourself Another 1988 2022 Anthony And The Imperials’ “Goin’ Ferryman” and “The Rare Ould Puppet”), Patty Loveless (“I’m On Out Of My Head”, “Hurt So Bad” and Times”, a huge Irish hit for Danny Your Side”) and more. Previously a member of a Take “I’m On The Outside (Looking In)”, Doyle. ROBHUGHES That tribute act, singer Tom Parker successfully auditioned for The JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 111

Email [email protected]. Beatles bums: Or tweet us at twitter.com/uncutmagazine Fab plaques in Plymouth MICHAEL PUTLAND/GETTY IMAGES; GERALD CLEAVER 300 NOT OUT! He loves to anything else. My musical lifetime of the magazine. I guess for boogie: Marc touchstones are much the same me the top spot would be between Your list of the 300 greatest albums Bolan on tour at 71 years of age as they were at 21 High Violet and Funeral but I since the start of Uncut makes in 1972 (Beatles, Dylan, Joni, Miles). wouldn’t argue about Gillian Welch enjoyable reading, but I’m sure at No 3. I wonder which of the free you’re not surprised that some of provoke feedback from angry old I’m sure I won’t be the only reader CDs would get the vote as the best your readers will have differing miseries like me, I do feel I have to who chips in with albums you one? I suspect the Sounds Of The views on some of your selections – point out some glaring omissions. missed out. So for what it’s worth, New West would be a popular as well as some obvious omissions here’s five of mine: choice, although I am a fan of the and, of course, the order. I started reading Uncut in 2001 Peter Buck selection [Take 99, when Uncut’s album of the year no 1. Joni Mitchell’s Travelogue, a August 2005]. I found some very interesting less was Ryan Adams’ Gold. I have late-career masterpiece choices in the lower half of the list. twice now scoured your Top 300, I hope that you can keep going However, I have an issue with The which includes countless second 2. The Blue Nile’s High, the only through the next 25 years although Strokes being well above any of the rate works from Macca, Neil and one of theirs that’s eligible that might mean you outlive me!! White Stripes albums. McCartney III Bob, but no sign of young Ryan! Mark Osborne, long term at No 27 seems a nostalgic choice – And that wasn’t even his best – as 3. Maria Schneider Orchestra’s subscriber, via email as indeed may be placing Bowie’s coming in at your No 8 one year The Thompson Fields. A Cadogan Thanks to everyone who wrote in excellent Blackstar as the best of all! earlier was his Heartbreaker album, Hall show several years ago was one about the 300 Greatest Albums List. again nowhere to be seen. About of the best concerts I’ve attended in It’s become something of a talking I loved seeing some unexpected as weird as the measly three-star more than 57 years of gig-going point among you – as it should be. selections – Beachwood Sparks, the review you gave The National’s Mark, keep an eye on Uncut.co.uk early Comets On Fire album. Robbie Boxer on its release. That album 4. William Parker’s I Plan To on May 1: you’ll find some news Fulks’ Georgia Hard is another strangely enough did make your Top Stay A Believer, The Inside Songs there that will interest you. [MB] surprise, deserving its spot. 300 despite that original rating. It Of Curtis Mayfield; as uplifting as should of course have been No 1! anyone could wish for – its bedrock …Congratulations on your 300th You overlooked a few excellent is free jazz but with a deep funk edge issue. I agree with Keith Richards. I albums released over this period – I have to point out that even the look forward to celebrating your no Iron & Wine, no Shins, no Felice late great John Peel recognised 5. Laura Nyro’s Angel In The 600th issue. Now to business. Your Brothers. There should also have Laura Cantrell’s 2000 Not The Dark, her posthumously released super piece on Paul McCartney been a place for the outstanding Tremblin’ Kind as a classic of its final LP, just timeless and wonderful turning 80 has one clear error. The Iris Dement album Sing The Delta as genre. On hearing it, he considered it picture of The Beatles sat on the well as Willard Grant Conspiracy’s possibly his favourite album of the By the way, if this was a 50-year grass in the South West of England superb Regard The End. Despite previous 10 years. Your Uncut timespan these five would still have while making Magical Mystery Tour these quibbles, it’s generated lively reviewer awarded it two stars! made it! How about an archive 100 is Plymouth. Not Newquay. There’s discussion amongst my circle of Again, nowhere to be seen in the Greatest Albums? even a plaque [see inset above] and friends and has resulted in us 300. And don’t get me started on Stewart Tray, Manchester four spaces on the grass so that we digging out albums we hadn’t heard The ’59 Sound! Grrrrr! mere mortals can sit where they sat!! in a while. A good read! …What a delight the 300th issue Gerald Cleaver, Chulmleigh David Towers, Johannesburg Anyway, good effort but perhaps was. I still have every Uncut edition room for improvement in 25 year’s stored in my garage and nearly all T.REXSTASY …Congratulations on reaching 300 time, when my 90-year-old self will the CDs, too! This is a constant issues! I’ve been reading Uncut since happily dictate my feedback to the source of ‘discussion’ between me In your review of the forthcoming Take 1 so I found your 300 Greatest carehome nurse. and my family who tell me T.Rex boxset, I was amused by the Albums fascinating. Yes, there were Richard Neville, Maur, Switzerland (obviously incorrectly) there is a far comment that the band were The notable absences, but there were better way of utilising the space! Beatles for a generation too young to enough albums from Uncut’s distant …Enjoyed your 300 list. I have to experience Beatlemania. On my 10th past to keep an old reader like me confess I’ve heard fewer than half I am sure that there will be much birthday in 1962, I inherited my first happy. I realise times and tastes of them, but that’s probably more to debate about the 300 greatest record player from a cousin. Initially change – and perhaps some of the do with my advancing years than albums of the period during the a big Cliff and The Shadows fan, the writers who voted aren’t as schooled emergence of The Beatles changed in Americana as others – so this was everything. However, the love of a list that honoured your illustrious more guitar fuelled music meant that past and was also up to date with the Stones and Yardbirds were as some of the newer artists you’ve important to me as The Beatles. My championed. Was there too much first live gigs in 1965 and ’67 were Dylan? Should Bowie have been at typical packages of the era featuring No 1? Why no Richmond Fontaine? the Stones, Hollies and the Spencer In a way, it doesn’t matter. A list is always going to generate talking points. At best, lists direct the reader towards new discoveries – why haven’t I heard Myriam Gendron before? – and for that it continues Uncut’s “ongoing mission” to bring us new music. Thanks again. Nick Phillips, Deal, Kent …Whilst I realise that lists such as your Top 300 are there purely to 112 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

Davis Group. As a Yardbirds fan, I CROSSWORD bought Led Zep’s debut on the day of release – and I was blown away. I One vinyl copy of Sharon Van Etten’s We’ve Been bought Electric Warrior, which to this Going About This All Wrong day I rate as a classic. So at the ripe old age of 19 I had lived through 1 234567 8 Beatlemania which makes the notion that T.Rex were for another 9 10 JUNE 2022 generation of music lovers EDITOR Michael Bonner ridiculous. My friend and myself saw 11 12 13 EDITOR (ONE-SHOTS) John Robinson T.Rex twice in 1971 and then again in ART EDITOR Marc Jones 1972. Unfortunately, the 1972 gig was 14 15 REVIEWS EDITOR Tom Pinnock the parting of the ways for the band CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sam Richards and myself. The fact that Marc 16 17 SENIOR DESIGNER Michael Chapman seemed uninterested in playing his PRODUCTION EDITOR Mick Meikleham guitar made the concert a damp 18 SENIOR SUB EDITOR Mike Johnson squib for me. This coincided with the SUB EDITOR Sean McGeady fact I found The Slider a poor follow- 19 20 21 PICTURE EDITOR Phil King up to Electric Warrior. I continued to EDITOR AT LARGE Allan Jones buy the excellent singles but wasn’t 22 23 24 25 26 27 CONTRIBUTORS Jason Anderson, Laura surprised when Bolan’s career Barton, Mark Bentley, Greg Cochrane, wilted. Unlike David Bowie, who 28 Leonie Cooper, Jon Dale, Stephen Dalton, killed the band after 18 months and Stephen Deusner, Lisa-Marie Ferla, went on to become one of the biggest 29 30 Michael Hann, Nick Hasted, Rob Hughes, megastars of all time, Bolan trod the Trevor Hungerford, John Lewis, April same path too long and paid the 31 Long, Damien Love, Alastair McKay, Piers price. JackHaynes,Manchester Martin, Rob Mitchum, Paul Moody, 32 33 Andrew Mueller, Sharon O’Connell, SET ADRIFT ON Michael Odell, Erin Osmon, Pete MEMORY BLISS HOWTOENTER Paphides, Louis Pattison, Jonathan Romney, Bud Scoppa, Johnny Sharp, Dave Thank you for another fine edition The lettersintheshadedsquaresformananagramofasongbyMilesDavis.Whenyou’ve Simpson, Neil Spencer, Terry Staunton, of Uncut (Take 299). I found your Graeme Thomson, Luke Torn, Stephen obituary for the electrifying Ronnie worked out what it is, email your answer to: [email protected]. The first correct Troussé, Jaan Uhelszki, Wyndham Spector (‘Farewell Little Fireball’) entry picked at random will win a prize. Closing date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Wallace, Peter Watts, Richard Williams, and your revisiting of Uncut’s 2016 This competition is only open to European residents. Nigel Williamson, Tyler Wilcox, Jim Wirth, interview with her deeply moving. Damon Wise, Rob Young Listening again to the songs she CLUESACROSS CLUESDOWN COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Don Hunstein talked about in the interview, I © Sony Music Entertainment relived some very happy memories 1 This planet has now witnessed the 1 “It was a cold and wet December day, THANKS TO: Johnny Sharp, Lora Findlay from my childhood. “Frosty The fastest disc at 33 1/3rd rpm by The when we touched the ground at JFK”, TEXT AND COVERS PRINTED BY Snowman” blasting joyfully out on opening line to 1988 Top 10 hit (5-2-6) Junior Choice from the huge Garrard Electric Light Orchestra (1-3-5-6) 2 Text Erica about an album from The Gibbons UK Ltd radiogram owned by my long- Fall (9) departed mum and dad was one of 9 Clear off. This is Chvrches. Or it might 3 The astonishing Kate Bush (3) PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS them. I was also reminded of the be Georgie Fame (3-4) 4 “What’d I Say” about this genius? (3-7) passing of two other musical heroes 5 He’d pay to remix number by Junior PUBLISHING PRODUCTION MANAGER – the magnificent Clarence 10 Who done remix of folk dance Jack that featured The Cure’s Robert Craig Broadbridge Clemons, whose saxophone rings number on Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Smith (2-4) out gorgeously on “Say Goodbye To 6 Echo And The Bunnymen album, so DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce (UK) Ltd, Hollywood” and the inimitable Joey Trilogy album (7) leaves them on (9) 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, Ramone, whose fingerprints are all 7 Peter Gabriel album issued in two London E14 5HU over Ronnie Spector’s superb 11 Dial back to James (4) volumes (3) version of his “She Talks To 12 (See 24 across) 8 Shadows’ No 1 hit – take your partner CLIENT SERVICES Rainbows”. Let’s hope they’re all 13 A very personal album from The (5-2) having fun somewhere. Mekons (2) 14+17A “And if you listen very hard, the SENIOR MANAGER, COMMERCIAL Tom Austin, Cambridge tune will come to you at last”, 1971 (8-2-6) & PARTNERSHIPS Paul Ward 16 Strokes bassist is not really fair and 15 “Walk Right Back” to these brothers [email protected] REVIEWING THE not really true (8) (6) SITUATION 18 “A _ _ _ _ above the city in the northern SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER 17 (See 14 down) chill, a baby being born to the overkill”, Charlotte Wort I buy Uncut magazine purely for 19 Confused Daniel heads east for alt-J from Aztec Camera’s “Somewhere In the album reviews; they include a performance (7) My Heart”(4) NME NETWORKS gamut of genres that is evolving and 21 (See 30 across) expanding. The quality of the 20 Metal beat on Japan album (3-4) 23 “In the _ _ _ _ _ of Borneo, and the CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER writing is of a high standard and 22 Get down, really down, to music from vineyards of Bordeaux”, from Ian Dury’s Meng Ru Kuok your reviewers seem knowledgeable David Bowie (3) “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick” (5) within their respective fields. 26 Fed up with Steve Marriott and CHIEF OPERATING & COMMERCIAL 24+25A+12A Suede admitting they Peter Frampton’s Humble Pie? (3-2) OFFICER Holly Bishop Where else could one read a sub- wanted to hog all the attention (2-3-3-4) 27 “Spent the last year up _ _ _ _ _ heading such as “Saskatchewanian Mountain Way, couldn’t get much AVP, NORTH AMERICA LEAD, minimalist’s second collection of 27 ’60s hitmakers Paul and Barry (4) higher”, Joe Walsh (5) COMMERCIAL & PARTNERSHIPS ambient Canadiana”? 29 “Desmond has his barrow in the 28 “Last night I dreamt that somebody market place, _ _ _ _ _ is the singer in a loved me/No hope, no _ _ _ _, just another Jesse Smith Keep up the good work. false alarm”, The Smiths (4) EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Iliyas Ong Steve Vanstone, Wolverhampton band”, from The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di ART DIRECTOR Simon Freeborough PRODUCT MANAGER Sofiana Ramli Ob-La-Da” (5) REGIONAL EDITOR (APAC) Karen Gwee SENIOR MANAGER, OPERATIONS & 30+21D Glastonbury headliners in 2007 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Amy Fletcher and 2013 (6-7) CONTENT PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE 31 Steely Dan album _ _ _ _ Lied (4) Billy Chua 32 Nanci Griffith made very heavy weather of recording this album (6) BandLab UK Limited, Griffin House 135 High Street, Crawley 33 Are Brighton indie rockers in panto West Sussex, RH10 1DQ yet (3) A Caldecott Music Group Company ANSWERS:TAKE299 33 Eater, 35 VU, 37+28D 14 ELP, 15 New Long Leg, ACROSS Strange Brew, 38 As Is 18 Labelle, 20 Ne-Yo, 21 All content copyright BandLab UK Limited 2022, 1+10A You’re The One Now Albion, 23 Elvis, 30 Tea, all rights reserved. While we make every effort to For Me, Fatty, 9+16D 32 DVA, 34 Ten, 36 Us Unknown Pleasures, DOWN ensure that the factual content of UNCUT 1+26A You’re So Vain, HIDDENANSWER Magazine is correct, we cannot take any 11 Enemy, 13 Genesis, 2 Unkle, 3+8D Ebony “Them Heavy People” responsibility nor be held accountable for any 15 Nyro, 16 People, Eyes, 4+19D Hungry factual errors printed. No part of this publication 17 Dolphin, 24 Lola, Heart, 5 Oh My God, 6 XWORDCOMPILEDBY: may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system 25+22A Beady Eye, 27 It’s EMF, 7 Oates, 12 Maps, Trevor Hungerford or resold without the prior consent of BandLab Late, 29 Rust, 31 Land, UK Limited. UNCUT Magazine recognises all copyrights contained within this issue. Where possible, we acknowledge the copyright. NME Networks is a part of Caldecott Music Group JUNE 2022 • UNCUT • 113

Fatoumata Diawara The Malian singer-songwriter reveals her biggest inspirations: “I listen to this music to get back my spirit” NINA SIMONE OUMOU SANGARÉ The Best Of Nina Simone PHILIPS,1969 Moussolou WORLDCIRCUIT,1991 I love Nina Simone, she’s one of the greatest artists I love every song from Oumou but especially ever. She changed my life, because when I was “Moussolou” because it was one of the first a child, I had a lot of experiences that I couldn’t songs that I really listened to when I was a kid. express. Every time that I wanted to speak out “Moussolou” means a woman, and it’s a song about my problems, my sufferings, it was like that was very important for me because I could I didn’t have a voice. I was like, “Who could accept this voice so low, so hear a female artist in Mali sing about how women are important in our heavy, charged by many energies?” And the answer comes from Nina society. And the melody and the way that she was singing the song was Simone. When I heard her voice for the first time, I thought that it was a so beautiful. Oumou is such an inspiring person – she’s a strong woman, man, I was shocked. I really appreciated that her voice could be as it is – no a survivor, one of those leaders like Miriam Makeba or Angélique Kidjo. fear, no trying to be somebody else, just be yourself. The way she sings, you It’s so hard to be a leader, more difficult than we can imagine. So I really can feel all the movement and energy inside her. respect all of these women. JAMES BROWN ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO I Feel Good! The Best Of James Brown Ayé MANGO,1994 POLYDOR, 2000 Angélique is just so incredible. Like Oumou, she is another giant of African music. I respect these After Nina Simone, I was willing to learn more women because they did it, and they keep doing it. about many songs from other black American And now I can realise what they’ve been passing artists. So my second most inspirational record is through to be where they are. “Agolo” was one of by James Brown. Again, I would have to choose the first hits that she did and the video was amazing – the whole of Africa The Best Of… because you get a real sense of everything he was about and discovered Angélique by this song. I had no idea of the meaning of this all his greatest songs in one place. The songs are so beautiful, so intense, song because she’s singing in Yoruba. I was more like, “Wow – how she’s so groovy, so funky, so full of energy. That voice and the movement in his dancing, how she’s strong, how she can control her voice.” I like to feel the dancing – he’s just the greatest teacher any artist could have. He gives songs and the meanings come later. everything when he’s on stage and that’s a very special thing. The song “I Feel Good” is very positive and the groove is amazing. ALI FARKA TOURÉ YOUSSOU N’DOUR Niafunké WORLDCIRCUIT,1999 Joko (From Village To Town) This is sucha goodrecord. I listentoAli a lot tohear COLUMBIA, 2000 hisguitar playing,hisstyleissoinspiring.You recogniseimmediatelyit’s himplayingguitar,he Youssou is one of the legendary African artists; adds hisowncolour to everything andthat’s very his music is so important to me and has really important. I’dloveto playlikeAli,buthehasalso influenced me. I listen to his records every day taughtme to stick with my own style, do my own thing, bemyself. Ali was and they always make me feel good, this album veryspecial – he’s one of the biggest artists we had inMali, one of the first especially. The song “Birima” is just incredible. It’s one of the bluesiest artists to have the Grammy. I never saw him perform because he was touring songs he’s done in his entire career, with a great guitar riff. The way he in EuropeandIwasinBamakoat thattime,Iwasyoung.SonowI’mwatching sings, the peace in the music, the maturity – no rush, you know? Senegalese him on YouTube and every time it’s like, ‘Wow, if I could have had a chance to music is very special – they use a lot of percussion, and sometimes it do something with this man…’ But his spirit’s still with us – I can feel it. is a style you have to appreciate. But “Birima” is really bluesy, it’s very Mandingo, so it was very welcome in Mali. It was a hit in Bamako. INTERVIEW: SAM RICHARDS. PHOTO:MARCO FERRARIO SAM COOKE ALI FARKA TOURÉ & TOUMANI DIABATÉ The Best Of Sam Cooke RCAVICTOR,1962 Ali And Toumani WORLDCIRCUIT,2010 In Mali, it was very difficult for me to get particular albums and so I would listen to compilations a lot This is the most amazing collaboration between of the time. That way I could get to know the artists two of the most influential and important African better. I love Sam Cooke because the melodies are artists of all time. It was such a shame that Ali died so strong and he’s got this baby spirit when he’s before the album came out. Listening to them play singing, very innocent. When I discovered him, I didn’t speak English at together is so incredible. The truth is in the music: the soul is there, the blues that time, I couldn’t understand what he was singing about. It was more the is there, the origin is there. I’m still fighting with the new pop music, so I feeling of being in touch with how a human being can transfer melodies listen to this classic music sometimes, to get back my spirit. I have to keep to somebody else. And with Sam Cooke that was very strong – he was very following these artists, keep playing instruments, keep composing. Not kind to me without understanding the words. “Wonderful World” is one of the easy music – keeping it real. And for that, I listen to these people a lot. my favourite songs. I really need them to survive and to believe what I’m doing. Fatoumata Diawara’s mini-album Maliba is on streaming services now 114 • UNCUT • JUNE 2022

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the debut album out now