Nick Hasted

A new exhibition in June will belatedly mark Lou Reed’s 80th birthday. But what can we expect from a man who rarely wanted to discuss his past? We dig through the boxes of bar tabs, bootleg albums and… swords!

Half a century ago, what drew four sun-loving Californians to a frozen UK?

Isbell on Otis Redding, REM, Vic Chesnutt and Cat Power

Prime Mingus back on primo vinyl

As a new boxset celebrates the ’Mats earliest recordings, we return to Minneapolis at the start of the ’80s to explore their (im)modest beginnings. Join us in the basement of 3628 Bryant Avenue, where things are about to get loud

Death puts the Men in Black in sombre, elegiac mood.

The inside story of a masterpiece

The guitarist looks back at his old band's formative years

From the Uncut archive: a rare sighting of the legendary drummer at home

The Stax group recall how they recorded an instrumental classic