Union kid

The new April issue of Uncut, out now, features a fascinating look at the history of Sam Phillips’ Sun Studio, which brought the world Howlin’ Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and others. Elvis Presley was one future star who cut his debut recordings at the Memphis studio – and in this archive piece from the fourth ever issue of Uncut (September 1997), comedian Frank Skinner talks about the King’s early years and the huge impact the Sun recordings had on him.

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed lists to our Best Of 2011: Halftime Report blog – please keep them coming. I’m staying staunch, for the time being at least, and refusing to publish that list of disappointments you’ve been asking for; I guess you can probably figure a lot of it out, given what doesn’t appear in my Top 30 anyway.

British Blues mentor’s star-strewn first decade, over four discs...

Previously: 50-35

Find out what we think the greatest records of the Noughties are here

We count down from 100 to 51...

We count down from 150 to 101...see our choices here

The events take place in Chelmsford and Staffordshire this weekend

Shades of a masterpiece? Hunter’s on a roll heading into the Mott The Hoople reunion

An opulent, inessential boxset, with not one note remastered