Black Sky Thinking

Wreath Lectures 2010: We All Play Synth – 2010 In Analogue From Hipsters To System Engineers

Frances Morgan looks back at the numerous ways in which old synthesizers and attendant technology have played an essential role in creating new music

“What Are You Doing In There?” The Rise and Fall of Bedroom Music

"I'm gonna start a revolution from my bed," once sang Noel Gallagher. Tim Burrows, on the other hand, argues that those bedroom-dwelling music makers who were hyped to change the face of music in 2010 aren't as ground-breaking as many first thought...

Jay-Z Vs Big L: Both Deserve Better Than Weak Reissues & Posthumous LPs

Ringo P. Stacey looks at the releases of Jay-Z's The Hits Collection Vol 1 and the late Big L's Return Of The Devil’s Son and finds them to be sadly lacking

Reformation Culture In 2010: Why We Should Welcome Returning Heroes

Think reunions are inescapable, undignified and generally a bad thing? Noel Gardner disagrees, as long as you welcome them with the right spirit

From Robyn To Janelle Monae: 2010 & The Rise Of The Fembots

In the first of our Wreath Lectures, Sian Rowe looks at the female artists who've used robot aesthetics to transcend feminine norms in pop

Dr Johnson Defines & Scrivens ‘Pon Christmas Music Divers

Twitter's @drsamueljohnson writes for The Quietus on the Vexatious & Timely topick of Christmas music

Sam Herlihy Of The Northwestern Defends Jamie Oliver

In this month's column, Sam Herlihy explains why the much derided TV chef should be clutched to our bosom. Photograph by Barney Britton www.photoinsensitive.com

Silence! Why John Cage’s 4’33” Is No Laughing Matter

The Quietus is always happy to see the excellent charities CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), the British Tinnitus Foundation and the Nordoff Robbins Trust given publicity. But, says David Stubbs, stop treating John Cage's 4'33" like a joke...

Does Noise Rock Still Shock? Melt-Banana & The Decline of Noise-Power

With his favourite live band Melt-Banana recently returning to play in the UK, Daniel Ross ponders whether noise rock is now comfortable rather than confrontational

Let The Red Rag Fly: In Defence Of Simply Red’s Picture Book

The Quietus battens down the hatches and prepares for a storm as Wyndham Wallace risks all to defend Simply Red’s debut album, _Picture Book_, on its 25th anniversary…

Anika On Why Bristol’s Stokes Croft Offers A Vision Of A Better Future

Invada Records artist Anika is also a political journalist who divides her time between Berlin and Bristol. Here she writes about how community action in Bristol gives the lie to ideas of an apathetic Britain

End Of Play 2010: A Hip-Hop State Of The Art Report

Neil Kulkarni rages about mainstream hip-hop and cowardly criticism in his end-of-year report, as well as telling you what you should be listening to

My Favourite Miles Davis Album By Lydon, Nick Cave, Wayne Coyne, Iggy & More

As Bitches Brew turns 50 John Doran asked Iggy Pop, Jim Sclavunos, Jason Pierce, Mike Patton, Paul Weller and many other musicians to tell us about their favourite albums by Miles Davis

At The End Of The Grosse Freiheit: The Beatles In Hamburg

Fifty years ago last month The Beatles first arrived in Hamburg, hungry, sleepless and unprepared (for what they found there, and what it led to), says Taylor Parkes

John Moore Prepares His CV & Meets A Famous Record Company

Our man John Moore is worried he's turning into a couch, but finds time to tell us why he isn't rich and doesn't have a very good CV

An Extract From Dr Johnson’s Dictionary Wherein He Defines Hip Hop

Noted Twitterer @DrSamuelJohnson recently published his first new dictionary in 250 years. To celebrate this remarkable feat, we today present the section where he passes definition upon the genre of hip hop

Classified X: Race & Kings Of Leon’s ‘Radioactive’ Video

"Woah-ho! This cross is on fire" Kings Of Leon's new video for 'Radioactive' flirts with dangerous aspects of racial stereotyping, argues John Tatlock

The Curious Case Of Edgar Allan Poe & The Rapper Eminem

They might by separated by craft, years and the grave but Eminem and Edgar Allan Poe have more in common than you might think, argues Lewis G. Parker

Janelle Monáe: A New Pioneer Of Afrofuturism

Against a pop climate beset by fraudulent marketing plans on two shiny legs, John Calvert argues that Janelle Monáe brandishes the acetylene torch for radical Afrofuturism

iPad Therefore I Am: Why John Robb’s New Device Is The Apple Of His Eye

John Robb explains why you can be a punk _and_ like Apple's latest shiny gadget - indeed, they actually go hand-in-hand...

Why President Wyclef Jean Is The Last Thing Haiti Needs

Wyclef Jean's bid to be President of Haiti looks to have fallen at the first hurdle. This is no bad thing for the people of the Island, argues Lewis G Parker

Bauer Failure: Why Stuart Williams Is Wrong To Blame Music For Mag Decline

Publishing exec Stuart Williams reckons that a dearth of good music is to blame for the decline in magazine sales. Luke Turner counters by arguing its the like of Williams himself who are responsible.

Sam Herlihy Of The Northwestern: The Age Of Austerity

"I know they look like Skeletor's fingers but give 'em some time and they taste like real chicken, not like breast implants and doom". Sam Herlihy brings you a guide to bargain shopping. Photograph by Barney Britton www.photoinsensitive.com

Why George Formby Was The First Modern Pop Star, By John Robb

Forget Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard - it's our homegrown legend, the banjolele-wielding George Formby, who was the world's first King Of Pop

John Moore Is Cheered By Port Eliot & Luke Haines Being Nice

After a spell in the doldrums, our man Moore heads to the West Country for the fruity extravaganza of the Port Eliot Literary Festival, where he plays some songs and Mr Haines does a reading

The Inevitable Rise And Fall Of The UK Film Council

Last week's decision by the Coalition Government to close the UK Film Council offended many. But, argues Austin Collings, it was an organisation that represented the worst side of London-centric English culture under New Labour

Never Mind The Mercury Prize, It’s The Quietus Jovian Bow Shock Award 2010

Yah boo! Mercury rubbish etc blah splurge until the internet pops. It matters not one jot in the mighty cogs of the Universe, but here's tQ's Alternative Mercury Prize 2010

When Athletes Attack: Musical Sporting Idols

Sport and music: whose bright idea was that? With the World Cup nearly over, Wyndham Wallace looks back at some of the more unusual attempts to bring the two together…

Eazy Eavis – Glastonbury Finally Embraces The Urban

Melissa Bradshaw didn't think Glastonbury was for her... until the sun-blissed 2010, when Snoop, Joy Orbison and Hyperdub ruled the parched fields. Images thanks to Georgina Cook.

Black Breath And The Loss Of Inculcation

Jamie Thomson takes a long hard look under his sleng teng while listening to Black Breath's excellent Heavy Breathing album and finds we've lost something essential in the hyper-accelerated way we consume music...

John Moore Remembers His Friends Mr Horsley & Mr Wojas

Why Glo-Fi’s Future Is Not Ephemeral

Yesterday we had the cold, now it's time for Ross Pounds to look at chillwave, and argue that this is a genre that's here to stay