Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan, Don Henley and Courtney Barnett all feature in the new issue of Uncut, dated December 2015, in UK shops now and also available to buy digitally by clicking here.
The late Nirvana frontman is on the cover, and inside Uncut get an exclusive insight into the hours and hours of unheard material Cobain recorded on his own, some of which is now being released as The Home Recordings.
Montage Of Heck documentary director Brett Morgen guides us through the revelatory archive to tell the story of a more private and playful Cobain. “The audio album works as a companion to the film, but I believe the album exists as its own listening experience – it is its own journey.
“These were the moments when Kurt seemed to be most content – when he was by himself creating. A lot of this stuff was incredibly personal, and reflective of his state of mind.”
Bob Dylan‘s The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol 12 is reviewed at length by Allan Jones in our reviews section – “this is astonishing,” he writes. “[It’s] the sound of Dylan moving at warp speed into outer space.”
Don Henley revisits his colourful career solo and with the Eagles, as he releases a new album taking him back to his country roots. Uncut heads to Henley’s homestate of Texas – “I’m a country boy,” Don tells writer Andy Gill. “If anybody has the right to do a bona fide country album, it’s me.”
Elsewhere, we travel to Belgium and the Netherlands to meet Courtney Barnett, the staunchly independent Australian singer-songwriter, to discover just how this quiet artist is coping with worldwide attention and a summer of sweaty festivals.
“I think you’ve just got to do what feels right, without compromising your morals,” she explains. “Maybe something I’m saying is different somehow.”
PJ Harvey‘s return to live work, performing new poems and songs alongside filmmaker Seamus Murphy, is reviewed in our live section, alongside Stevie Wonder at Toronto’s Air Canada Center.
Wavy Gravy, Mountain Girl and other key players recall the Merry Pranksters‘ infamous ’60s psychedelic experiments 50 years after the first “acid tests” took place in San Francisco, while in our Audience With piece this month, Noddy Holder discusses Slade, sausage sampling and Robert Plant‘s sex life.
Neko Case takes us through her back catalogue album by album, while Spooner Oldham recalls playing with Dylan, Neil Young, Percy Sledge and Alex Chilton, and Manfred Mann recount the creation of Ready Steady Go! theme tune “5-4-3-2-1”.
Our front section includes Jimi Hendrix, Arlo Guthrie, Richard Hell, Arthur Brown and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, along with our usual Uncut Playlist.
In our 41-page reviews section, new releases from The Chills, Thunderbitch, ELO, Jeffrey Lewis and Guy Garvey are reviewed, alongside archive offerings from Dylan, Van Morrison, John Coltrane and Sun City Girls.
Elvis Costello, Lou Reed and Morrissey all feature in our book reviews, while Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top recounts the records that changed his life.
Last but not least, the issue’s free CD, Here We Are Now, includes some of the month’s best new music, including Thunderbitch, Rocket From The Tombs, Beat Happening, Kelley Stoltz, Ryley Walker and Bill Ryder-Jones.
The new issue of Uncut is out now.
The History Of Rock – a brand new monthly magazine from the makers of Uncut – a brand new monthly magazine from the makers of Uncut – is now on sale in the UK. Click here for more details.
Uncut: the spiritual home of great rock music.