Stewart Smith

No Stars In Krautrock: David Stubbs’ Future Days Reviewed

Getting stuck in to David Stubbs' more-than-just-an-index new book, Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany, Stewart Smith considers the unique egolessness and socio-historical peculiarities that gave rise to the enigmatic genre and Stubbs' effectiveness as guide

Ecstatic Impulses: An Interview With Death Shanties

Ahead of their performance at Supernormal this weekend, Stewart Smith meets mixed-media free jazz trio Death Shanties to discuss their fiery and weird debut album Crabs, "balls to the wall" improvisation, and exploding folk forms

Leman 24/7: Things Learned At Montreux Jazz Festival

Stewart Smith has a high altitude epiphany, induced by wondrous performances from the Daptone Super Soul Revue, Mavis Staples and Stevie Wonder among others, near the shores of Lac Leman...

LIVE REPORT: Wadada Leo Smith

Stewart Smith heads down to Café Oto to see jazz trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith perform last year's Ten Freedom Summers as part of the 2013 EFG London Jazz Festival

Life Of A Discaholic: Mats Gustafsson’s Favourite Albums

The prolific free jazz saxophonist, The Thing and Fire! member and crate digger extraordinaire takes up our top 13 albums gauntlet

Infuse, Confuse, Provoke: Mats Gustafsson Interviewed

Stewart Smith talks to sax master Mats Gustafsson about a flurry of activity surrounding his bands The Thing and Fire!

Complicated Sublimity: Evan Parker Interviewed

Following the recent release of two archive live sessions, Stewart Smith talks to the virtuoso saxophonist about his vast back catalogue of recordings and collaborations. Photograph courtesy of Caroline Forbes

New Wave Of Dutch Heavy Jazz: Dead Neanderthals Interviewed

Dutch free-jazz/metal/grindcore duo Dead Neanderthals bring their incendiary noise to the UK's shores this week. In advance of their shows, they speak with Stewart Smith about disjointed drums and a 'tongue-in-cheek' connection to jazz

The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips And Heady Fwends

After The Flood: The 13 Favourite Albums Of Howe Gelb, Aged 12-16

In a neat twist on our 13 favourite albums feature, Giant Sand's Howe Gelb talks Stewart Smith through his formative records from his teenage years in Pennsylvania

Counterflows Festival Preview

Stewart Smith speaks to organisers Alasdair Campbell of AC Projects and Hamish Dunbar of Cafe Oto about this multi-city music festival

Mangum Force: ATP & A Return To The Spirit Of Elephant 6

Stewart Smith praises Jeff Mangum's All Tomorrow's Parties for a return to the spirit of the Elephant 6 collective that surrounded his old group, Neutral Milk Hotel. Photographs thanks to Andy Ennis of Shot2bits.net

Whaur The Pig Gaed On The Spree

Alan Lomax's Scottish Recordings 1951–-57

‘It’s Just About The People’: An Interview With Tattie Toes

Stewart Smith speaks to Glasgow's geography and genre blurring ensemble Tattie Toes, about the influences behind their music and the importance of inclusiveness in music scenes

The Strange & Frightening World Of… The Thing

Stewart Smith takes you by the hand and leads you through the bewildering back catalogue of saxophonist Mats Gustafsson with special reference to his trio, The Thing

“We Had To Remake Ourselves”: Wayne Coyne Discusses The Soft Bulletin

Ahead of their Don't Look Back ATP show on July 1, Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne tells Stewart Smith all about the making of their classic LP The Soft Bulletin - including comparisons with Mercury Rev, the impact of his father's death and Steven Drozd's heroin addiction

The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne Chooses His 13 Favourite Albums

Wayne Coyne tells Stewart Smith about his 13 favourite albums, including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Yo La Tengo, Miles Davis... and the Wizard Of Oz soundtrack

Keep It Moving: A Quietus Interview With Howe Gelb

Stewart Smith sits down with Howe Gelb to discuss Giant Sand, a distaste for lyricism and the new album _Blurry Blue Mountain_

Drinking In The Beauty Of Howe Gelb & Giant Sand

Labelling Howe Gelb "the godfather of alt. country" is to damn him with faint praise according to Stewart Smith, who delves into the back catalogue of Giant Sand - as well as mooting a collaboration with Keanu Reeves