As senior columnists and musicians complain that younger generations are no longer both musically and politically engaged, David Stubbs argues that rock and pop have never been the defiantly countercultural revolutionary corps that many claim
Ahead of their show at this year’s Skaņu Mežs festival, Jack Barnett of These New Puritans takes Claire Biddles through an eclectic Baker’s Dozen, taking in everything from flamenco and Greek traditional music to Steely Dan and Bob Dylan
Elvis Costello tells Paul Stokes about his lockdown life and new album Hey Clockface as he guides us through Baker's Dozen tales including being taken under the sinful wing of Iggy Pop and the time he nearly joined Blur. Costello portrait by Ray Di Pietro
As Simply Red release a new album, Mick Hucknall talks about what he considers the “perfect and complete” albums that inspired him, defined his approach to making music, and taught him how to be in a band. Also, about how he thrilled he was to be cock-blocked by Miles Davis. Photo by Dean Chalkley
As well as being the lynchpin of suited rock howlers Gallon Drunk, James Johnston has played with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and PJ Harvey - but we're not going to hold the fact that he's picked both of them for his Baker's Dozen against him. Portrait by Steve Gullick.
With The Brian Jonestown Massacre's UK and Ireland tour in support of recent LP Revelation starting in Brighton on Saturday, the band's frontman shirks the album rundown request, opens up his DJ bag and gives Julian Marszalek a top 13 songs mixtape
Visit Estonia’s Tallinn Music Week – now in its fourth year –and you will find an event that is very much ahead of the curve, in a country where the power and political significance of music is not to be underestimated or forgotten. Zoë Howe writes. Photo thanks to Mari Kadanik
Land Observations comes to the Kingsland Road on Friday for a set at Drill:London. Here, writer Roads Martin Holman muses on the roads that the Romans built in Florence in an essay to be read as you listen to the Land Observations LP
Before their appearance at Desertfest at the Camden Underworld this weekend, uber-heavy bass guitar maestros James Bryant and John Atkins of Palehorse salute their favourite bass albums with Kiran Acharya (and even include one that has no bass guitar at all)