Record Collector Issue 545 (June 2023) Sparks

Record Collector Issue 545 (June 2023) Sparks

SPARKS - Others have matched their half-century’s worth of longevity, and far outstripped their sales, but Ron and Russell Mael’s commitment to putting their own wilfully eccentric stamp on electronic pop – without compromise or trend-chasing – is unrivalled. Now in their seventies, the brothers show no sign of inspiration running dry
SIMPLY RED - A graduate of the Manchester punk scene, Mick Hucknall is now better known as a giant of British blue-eyed soul. Back with a new album, he flicks through his back pages with RC
GALEN AYERS & PAUL SIMONON - One of them is a rock blue blood, the other one of the most recognisable figures of the punk era. They found fertile creative common ground in France of all places...
FAMILY - At their peak at the turn of the 70s, Roger Chapman’s maverick outfit lurched from blues to psychedelia and prog via several points inbetween. Now it’s high time for history to give them their dues
SHAKIN’ STEVENS - While others of his vintage are focusing on the nostalgia scene, at 75 the Welsh rock’n’roll institution is confounding expectations with another highly personal album of self-penned songs
LINTON KWESI JOHNSON - The poet and activist has been a resonant voice in British Caribbean culture since the 70s. He tells us why he’s now ready to release his first ever book of prose
FROM THE VAULTS - Reissues and box sets from Tears For Fears, a-ha, Bowie, Sonny Rollins lead a stellar cast of releases in our regular overview
NEW ALBUMS - A big month for new releases as Noel Gallagher returns, and elder statesfolk Paul Simon, Graham Nash and Shirley Collins all drop new LPs
BOOKS - Bowie, CSN&Y and the late Cliff Burton of Metallica are among the subjects
SINGLES - One-shots spun from the likes of the Bodines, Orchids and Andrew Bird
LIVES - We’ve seen everyone from Rick Wakeman to Morrissey to The Searchers