Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Leon Russell and our 2017 preview all feature in the new issue of Uncut, out now.
Cohen is on the cover, and inside, David Cavanagh examines the life and work of rock’s late master poet, while Cohen’s collaborators share their intimate memories.
“A day at Leonard’s always started the same,” remembers producer and songwriter Patrick Leonard, who collaborated with Cohen during his last decade. “He would greet you at the door and he would say, ‘Have you eaten?’ At first I’d say, ‘Yeah, I just ate.’ Then I realised that wasn’t the answer. The answer was ‘No, I haven’t.’
“We would sit in the kitchen and he would make scrambled eggs or chop some salad or put a mozzarella ball in some chicken soup… It was always really special to have Leonard cook something really simple and sit and eat.”
In our Instant Karma section, we talk to David Bowie‘s long-time bandmates about the tributes they have planned for 2017 – the year that would have seen Bowie’s 70th birthday – and to the makers of the upcoming BBC documentary, David Bowie: The Last Five Years. “It’s not just about the last five years,” explains director Francis Whatley, “it’s about how the last five years relate thematically to his whole career.”
Uncut pays tribute to the late Leon Russell with a previously unpublished interview in which the great collaborator looks back at his extraordinary life.
We also survey some of 2017’s most anticipated releases, featuring The Jesus And Mary Chain, Paul Weller, The Waterboys, Peter Perrett, Depeche Mode, Fleet Foxes and more.
In this issue, Uncut also looks at 50 of the finest modern protest songs, from Bob Dylan and Neil Young to Jarvis Cocker, Julian Cope and Janelle Monáe.
Mike Oldfield answers your questions ahead of the release of his new album Return To Ommadawn, while Ty Segall takes us through his most important releases, including his strong new self-titled record.
Billy Bragg recalls the creation of “A New England”, written after a night in the pub in 1980 – “No fucker was writing music I wanted to hear,” he tells us – while Tift Merritt takes us through eight of the most important records in her life.
In our reviews section, we feature new albums from Japandroids, Mark Eitzel, The xx, Michael Chapman, Julie Byrne, and archive releases from The Doors, the Grateful Dead, Gene Clark and Mose Allison.
We catch Wilco and Hiss Golden Messenger live, and review films and DVD releases including La La Land, Rules Don’t Apply, Danny Says and more.
This issue’s free CD, Protest Now!, includes songs by Ezra Furman, Kevin Morby, Ry Cooder, Roy Harper, Richard Thompson, Bright Eyes, Father John Misty, Jason Isbell and Jarvis Cocker.
The new issue of Uncut is out now.