The Beatles, Beck, The Smiths and Woody Guthrie all feature in the new issue of Uncut, dated November 2017 and in shops from September 21.
The Fab Four are on the cover, and inside Uncut tells the full story of Magical Mystery Tour – from psychedelic and spiritual adventures, wild parties, tragedies and a surreal trip into the unknown – with help from the survivors who were there on the ground.
“I’m rocking the tape trying to find the right spot and [The Beatles] are all chattering away in the control room,” says engineer Ken Scott, recalling mixing and editing “I Am The Walrus”. “I had to just turn round and tell them to ‘Shut the fuck up!’ I was petrified. It must have taken me five minutes to build up the confidence to turn round and tell them to shut up. They immediately went quiet… too quiet!”
As he prepares to release his new album, Colors, Beck reflects on 25 years of “opening up the vocabulary”, and lets us into the creation of his new record – his Sgt Pepper and Thriller rolled into one. “People told me to stop,” he tells us, “but there is a power in momentum.”
In our reviews section, we delve into The Smiths‘ first ever deluxe reissue of The Queen Is Dead, unreleased demos, live tracks and all, over a forensic four pages.
50 years on from his death, we also examine the life and work of great American hero, Woody Guthrie, from an abandoned plot in Okemah, Oklahoma, to a new generation of protest singers channelling his indefatigable spirit.
Elsewhere, Uncut heads to Liverpool to meet Michael Head, formerly of Shack and The Strands, and discover how he’s finally kicking his run of bad luck and bad habits and made his first album in 11 years. “I feel like I’ve been in the freezer for 30 years,” he tells us.
Andrew Weatherall answers your questions on Primal Scream, clothes, the enduring appeal of dance music, and the power of drugs: “We took acid and sat on top of Silbury Hill. I don’t know how, but I ended up wearing a monk’s robe and I had a shepherd’s crook. Every time I raised the crook in triumphant psychedelic wonderment, thunder or lightning would occur…”
Meanwhile, Neil Finn takes us through his best albums, Billy Childish lets us in on his favourite music, and The Jacksons recall the creation of “I Want You Back”.
We review End Of The Road festival and The Necks live, alongside albums from Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Robert Plant, Margo Price, David Bowie and The Replacements, and films including The Death Of Stalin and Wind River.
In our front section, we investigate the KLF‘s comeback, speak to PP Arnold, Trevor Key and Ian McNabb, and introduce Bedouine.
This month’s free CD, Roll Up! Roll Up!, includes 15 tracks of the month’s best music, including cuts from Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Margo Price, Gregg Allman, PP Arnold, Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band and The Weather Station.
The new Uncut is out on October 21.