The Wire 231. May 2003

Matthew Herbert Electronica's self-styled mechanic of destruction has matured from sampling the sounds of domestic bliss to programming critiques of capitalism and social injustice. But where does the brass band fit in? By Rob Young Invisible Jukebox: The Cramps In Los Angeles, everyone's favourite kitschabilly twang couple Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorshach get trashed trying to identify tracks by Alex Chilton, Guitar Wolf, Les Baxter, Suicide and more. Tested by Richard Henderson Eddie Prévost "No sound is innocent," declares the AMM drummer, improvisor and Matchless label owner, after 35 years reinventing percussion with an Improv roll-call including 'the new Jesus Christ,' Keith Rowe. By Julian Cowley The rise of Mego In Vienna, Ramon Bauer, Tina Frank and Peter Rehberg tell the story of their iconoclastic label, which has followed its debut EP of fridge tracks with everything from Evia laptop inventions to Black Metal noise. By Edwin Pouncey Nonesuch Explorer Series Overseen by a classical pianist, the mid-60s launched Explorer series was one of the first labels to collect the planet's indigenous sounds, documenting Buddhist chants, Indonesian gamelan and more. By Richard Henderson Jaga Jazzist The Norwegian big band meld a myriad of reference points as well as instruments to make an idealistic clatter. By Rob Young Steffen Basho-Junghans The German guitarist channels the spirits of the past masters to make the steel-string more relevant than ever. By David Keenan Sarah Peebles The Toronto-based composer tells Marcus Boon about the real micro sounds. Akio Suzuki David Toop reveals some of the Japanese acoustic trickster's secrets and uncovers a new approach to sound art Global Ear Thom Bailey on a second Velvet Revolution in Prague's musical underground Epiphanies Ben Watson gets inspiration information from Sugarcane Harris's funky fiddle Print Run Painful But Fabulous: The Lives & Art of Genesis P-Orridge, by Douglas Rushkoff, Carl Abrahamsson, Julie Wilson et al; György Ligeti: Music Of The Imagination, by Richard Steinitz; Varèse: Astronomer In Sound, by Malcolm MacDonald; King Jammy's, by Beth Lesser; Solid Foundation: An Oral History of Reggae, by David Katz; Spiels Of A Minuteman, by Mike Watt; The Cartoon Music Book, edited by Daniel Goldmark & Yuval Taylor; Belfast Songs, edited by Stephen Hackett