Wire Magazine – Issue 438

August 2020

Inside this issue:

Cosmic Guitars: A ten page survey of the state of de- and retuned fingerpicking guitar music, featuring Marisa Anderson by James Toth, Robbie Basho by Jennifer Lucy Allan, Davey Graham by Val Wilmer, C Joynes by Bruce Russell, Sarah Louise by Abi Bliss, Gwenifer Raymond by Claire Biddles, and Glenn Jones on the key matter of tuning

Invisible Jukebox: Caroline Kraabel × John Edwards: The UK improvisors have a moment together with The Wire’s mystery record selection

Lonnie Holley: The singular songs and vibrant assemblages of the 70 year old Alabama born singer, songwriter, musician and artist speak to the power and fragility of beauty. By Emily Pothast

Primer: DJ Tools: A user’s guide to the unsung essentials of the DJ box: the purpose made records that have kept the dancefloor moving since the days of disco. By Michaelangelo Matos

Unlimited Editions: High Focus Records

Unofficial Channels: Music Notation Is Beautiful

MC Yallah: The Uganda based Kenyan rapper brings rebellion to multiple genres. By Stephanie Phillips

Eric Frye: Deep explorations of perception and communication from the Minneapolis composer. By Derek Walmsley

Bob Vylan: The London duo hammer out a new future for protest punk. By Joseph Stannard

Mosquitoes: Percussive purging from the UK trio. By Jennifer Lucy Allan

Global Ear: Our regular column continues to report on music in the time of pandemic. This month: clubbing in Paris and supporting young people in Glasgow

The Inner Sleeve: DeForrest Brown Jr on Drexciya’s The Quest

Epiphanies: How school days, B movies and an encounter with the blues informed the artistry of Shirley Collins