The Wire 187. September 1999

Ectomorph Detroit electro-fetishist Brendan M Gillen thinks there’s not enough sex in electronic music. So his Ectomorph trio plunders the Booty sound of Detroit Bass to get back to the raw. By Simon Reynolds Joe Gallivan The veteran, nomadic drummer and electronics pioneer has literally been in the wars, from rumbles with the Klu Klux Klan to freedom fighting with Larry Young, Gil Evans and Powerfield. By Edwin Pouncey Invisible Jukebox: John Paul Jones The former Led Zeppelin bassist and multi-disciplined composer gets dazed and confused by our mystery record box, includin tracks by the Butthole Surfers, T Rex, Berio, Blue Cheer and more. Tested by Mike Barnes Undercurrents #9: Automating The Beat A series of articles uncovering the hidden wiring of 20th century music. This month Peter Shapiro tracks the mechanisation of rhythm, from New Orleans military tatoos through disco to the beatbox Augustus Pablo The career of the late dub explorer and melodica virtuoso spanned the evolution of Jamaican music from rock steady to dancehall. David Katz recalls the life and music of an original rocker Gang Starr The ten-year HipHop reign of DJ Premier and Guru has seen their dextrous cut-ups and content enriched raps become a touchstone for producers worldwide. By Sasha Frere-Jones