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Generation terrorists Pete Towshend and Roger Daltrey are back and as vital as ever. From Live8, the internet and Pete Doherty to the dramas and tragedies they've survived and their own explosive relationship - the Sixties icons talk candidly to Simon Garfield about what drives them forward. Who and when |
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Creature of the night Through Merlin Bronques's lens, New York nightlife looks more sexy (and sleazy) than at any other time for 20 years. So what happened when OMM brought the creator of hit website lastnightsparty.com to London for the first time? By Caspar Llewellyn Smith. |
Jinxed: the curse of the Bhundu boys
The Zimbabwean group first flew into Britain 20 years ago, and became stars overnight, world music pioneers who supported Madonna. But their fall was equally dizzying - as tragedy wiped out the band. Founder and survivor Rise Kagonga tells a story of optimism and despair to Graeme Thomson.
Let's stick together
For most musicians, their closest relationship is not with a member of the opposite sex or narcotic habit ... it's with their instrument. Neil Spencer speaks to five of the world's most distinctive talents to discover why strings and skins make them go weak at the knees.
Drawn from memory
Tom Cox's Lost Tribes of Pop gathered a cult following in this magazine. Now his funny and painfully accurate portraits of musos, biz insiders and fans have been published in expanded form as a book. Here's one excerpt - wince if you spot anyone you know.
Surgical strikes
They weren't happy with their looks, writes Sarah Boden. Some of them, no doubt, are even less happy now.
The 10 best CDs
Sam's Town | Modern Times | Forever Polida | Tuesday Wonderland | Blood Mountain | The Letting Go | Ta-Dah | The Captain and the Kid | Kelis Was Here | B'Day
Other releases
Evita Peron, a one-time England cricketer and other unlikely stars vie for your attention.
For better or for verse
Phil Meadley joins the Brighton band, top-ranking clergy and a TV detective to honour the quirky English poet's centenary.
Books
The tale of the public schoolboy turned punk has never before been told in such an illuminating, epic style, writes Sean O'Hagan.
Singles
The shocking return of Amy Winehouse, plus the rest of this month's top tracks.
Recommended
The book, the website and the DVD.
This Gadaffi won't shock you: it's just shockingly bad
Paul Morley: Asian Dub Foundation's Gadaffi: A Living Myth, alas, is not a musical version of this no doubt extraordinary event.
Max Clifford
The outspoken former publicist for the Beatles and the Beach Boys is still rooted in the Swinging Sixties. Paul Mardles attempts to interest him in the modern world.
OMM readers recommend
Sounding off
Forget MTV and shows like Jackass, they tell us - the future for the pop video lies with YouTube. Oh, does it, asks Miranda Sawyer.
Soundtrack of my life: Jamelia
Britain's homegrown R&B star says her tastes are a bit strange. But it's her footballer boyfriend who has most to worry about from her choice of tunes, she tells Will Hodgkinson.
Flash forward
For several years, Beta Band founder Gordon Anderson lost touch with reality. Now his new outfit, the Aliens, sound wonderfully not of this world, says Chris Campion.
Flashback: September 1969
The Archies hit the top in America with 'Sugar Sugar', marking a first for cartoon pop. Ron Dante reminisces.
The blog
More fine dining and light evening music in excerpts from the Observer blog.
A postcard from ...
... Jersey
Barometer
Uppers and downers
Letters & emails
Letter of the month | Brand on the run | No Stone unturned | Bringing smoulder back | St John's disappearance | Great vocal delivery
Your call
Will you celebrate the return of rave?
