Hit Singles

Hit Singles

Robert Wyatt: “I’m so somewhere else now…”

From Uncut’s March 2020 issue (Take 272). As Robert Wyatt celebrated his 75th birthday, he invited Uncut round for a chat. Over carrot cake, we heard tales of the Soft Machine, Pink Floyd and Wyatt’s own wide-ranging musical appetites. But will he ever make new music again..? “Occasionally, I hit the piano and go, ‘Ah, that would be good. I must remember that’…” Advertisement The tea is made, the carrot cake is ready to be sliced and Robert Wyatt has just slid his electric wheelchair under the edge of the dining table, when he realises he’s forgotten the cake knife. Uncut offers to fetch it from the kitchen. “No, it’s alright,” Wyatt says, reversing his chair. “I can get it without standing up, mate.” He returns with a huge knife – “It’s a bit Agatha Christie” – and proceeds to slice the cake. “It’s great, I can sit anywhere in town,” he adds, detailing one of the advantages of being wheelchair-bound, “while everyone else has to sit on a bench. It’s a bit toytown round here, like one of those imaginary places in train sets, but that’s no bad thing.” The town in question is Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds,… Read More →

Hit Singles

“Judas!” The fan who heckled Bob Dylan

From Uncut’s March 1999 issue (Take 22). We spoke to Keith Butler, the fan incensed by Dylan’s electrified performance at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall on May 17, 1966. “The anger just welled-up inside me… I really flipped.” Advertisement “Judas!” Nearly 33 years ago, on May 17, 1966, a young man famously hurled this insult at Bob Dylan. The young man was sitting in the balcony of Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. Dylan was standing down-stage right, wielding a black Fender Strat. Behind him, was a band. Soon to become, as most of us know, THE Band. Most of us also know that the moment has passed into legend. It’s a pivotal moment, which both fulfilled and defied expectations, audacious, impassioned, prescient, epochal… Dylan seized it, defined it. “I don’t believe you,” he spat, chewing at his guitar. “You’re a liar!” He cranked up the volume and, with a terse instruction, had the band crash into a stinging, sulphuric, sublime “Like A Rolling Stone“. Despite what the rest of us know and knew, the infamous heckler himself had no idea of the effect he’d had. No idea that for millions this moment was impossibly epiphanic. No idea, even, of his own notoriety…. Read More →

Hit Singles

Bob Dylan announces more tour dates

Bob Dylan has announced three more shows for 2025, including one in his home state of Minnesota. THE MARCH 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING WILCO, A FREE WILCO CD, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, PATTERSON HOOD, THE WHITE STRIPES AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW On January 22, Dylan announced a show in Tulsa for Tuesday, March 25. Dylan will now also visit Century II Concert Hall in Wichita, Kansas, on March 29, Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minnesota on April 4 and The Weidner-Cofrin Family Hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 6. Tickets for those shows go on sale from Friday, January 31; visit Dylan’s website for more information.

Hit Singles

Teenage Cancer Trust line-up confirmed

The line-up for this year’s Teenage Cancer Trust concerts has been confirmed. The week of shows runs from March 24 – 30 at its regular home, London’s Royal Albert Hall. THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement This year’s shows will feature two performances by The Who, along with Frank Carter and Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols plus The Corrs and James Arthur. A comedy night features Micky Flanagan. Frank Carter and Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols kick off proceedings on Monday, March 24. Says Jones, “After an incredible 2024, we are itching to get going again this year and what better way than on home territory at a venue that wouldn’t have let us near it back in the day! Albert will be turning in his tomb. It’s an honour to help this great charity.” Micky Flanagan leads a night of comedy on Tuesday, March 25. Advertisement James Arthur headlines on Wednesday, March 26 and The Corrs play on Friday, March 28. The Who, meanwhile, play two shows: the first one on Thursday, March… Read More →

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David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy musicians reunite for European tour

Guitarist Carlos Alomar and bassist George Murray – the two surviving members of David Bowie’s ‘DAM Trio’ who backed him on the Berlin Trilogy of albums – will tour together this autumn for the first time since 1979. Advertisement The Back To Berlin Tour 2025 – honouring David Bowie and third DAM Trio member Dennis Davis, who both died in 2016 – will also feature Bowie’s Live Aid guitarist Kevin Armstrong, singer Cunio, drummer Tal Bergman, keyboardist Axel Tosca and backing vocalist Lea Lorien. The audiovisual element of the show will be overseen by Bowie archivist and video editor, Nacho. The band pledge to faithfully perform songs from Low, Heroes and Lodger, some of which never found their way into Bowie’s live sets. “Where other bands have toured Bowie’s songs extensively since his passing, these songs haven’t been performed the way they were meant to be. Until now,” says Alomar. “The Spiders From Mars are well known, but the DAM Trio remains rock and roll’s best-kept secret. It’s time to honour our legacy, including Dennis’s. Advertisement “The fans we’ve met along the way are the ones who have driven this. We feel obliged to do it because they’ve waited so… Read More →

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The Band’s greatest songs – extra!

In this month’s issue of Uncut, we celebrate The Band’s 30 greatest songs. As a special bonus, here’s another 10 songs we didn’t have room for in the magazine, as chosen by Richard Thompson, Jim James, Nathan Salsburg, Amy Helm, Steve Wynn and more… THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement GOIN’ TO ACAPULCO(The Basement Tapes, 1975)TOM RUSSO, ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: Every now and then I return to The Basement Tapes, and this song in particular. On the face of it, the character Dylan paints is kind of desperate and pathetic, but the delivery and the ragged, soulful backing The Band bring to the song elevates his longing into something religious. You can feel the self-loathing hangover he is about to crash into once the tequila wears off. Obviously having Dylan as a songwriter doesn’t hurt, but The Band do something all great backing bands do – know your role and stick to it. They get out of the way of the vocal, and only step in with the lightest touches to help it take flight. No individual is doing… Read More →

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Candi Staton: “It’s just songs I like to sing”

The southern soul star on country music, champagne and covering the Stones… THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement UNCUT: You’re getting a lifetime achievement nod at the UK Americana Awards. Are you surprised to be categorised as Americana? CANDI STATON: Not really. I’ve been doing Americana music for 10 years or more. I didn’t know I was doing it, it’s just songs I like to sing. Presumably you would have heard country music on the radio when you were growing up in Alabama?Oh yeah. My mother wouldn’t let me listen to anything except country music and the Christian stations. We couldn’t listen to the blues – she thought it was the devil’s music. With country, the only thing different is the music. The lyrics say the same thing: let’s go get drunk, I’ll meet you on the corner. What my mother always liked was at the end of every country show, they sang a gospel song. She thought that made it OK. There are a few gospel numbers on your new album, Back To My Roots…We’re doing songs my sister… Read More →

Hit Singles

Send us your questions for Maddy Prior!

Now’s your chance to put a question to one of the great voices of British folk-rock. Maddy Prior, of course, is best-known for co-founding Steeleye Span – the band she still fronts today, 56 years on. In fact Steeleye Span are currently readying a new album for release later this year, and will tour the UK throughout April and May (see the full list of dates and buy tickets here). As well as also making numerous albums with The Carnival Band, June Tabor and Martin Carthy, Prior has collaborated with everyone from David Bowie to Mike Oldfield, Jethro Tull to Status Quo. And next month, she’ll make an appearance on the new Everything Is Recorded album, singing a song co-written by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. So please send your questions to audiencewith@uncut.co.uk by Monday (January 27) and Maddy will answer the best ones in a future issue of Uncut.

Hit Singles

The First Uncut Playlist of 2025

A surprising amount of good announcements and discoveries so far means a lot of stuff we’ve played thus far this year has been brand new. Key entries are Tobacco City‘s Cosmic Americana, Florist‘s rarified indie folk and Brown Spirits‘ super heavy kosmiche as well as Ex-Vöid‘s fizzy racket, Eiko Ishibashi‘s bewitching jazz grooves and Silver Synthetic’s easygoing choogle. Plenty of familiar faces, too – Throwing Muses, My Morning Jacket, Lonnie Holley etc – and a lovely cover of The Passions‘ “I’m In Love With A German Film Star” by Andy Bell, Dot Allison and Michael Rother, which has come a long way since the prototype version Andy’s been playing in his electronic solo project, GLOK. Please enjoy… TOBACCO CITY“Autumn“[Scissor Tale] Advertisement [embedded content] FLORIST“Have Heaven“[Double Double Whammy] [embedded content] BROWN SPIRITS“Fault Lines“[Soul Jazz] [embedded content] EX-VÖID“Down The Drain“[Tapete] Advertisement [embedded content] EIKO ISHIBASHI“Coma“[Drag City] [embedded content] THROWING MUSES“Summer Of Love“[Fire] [embedded content] DESTROYER“Bolognia [feat. Fiver]“[Merge] [embedded content] BROWN HORSE“Corduroy Couch“[Loose] [embedded content] MY MORNING JACKET“Time Waited“[Bella Union] [embedded content] HORSEGIRL“Switch Over“[Matador] [embedded content] NELS CLINE“The 23“[Blue Note] [embedded content] LONNIE HOLLEY“Protest With Love“[Dead Oceans] [embedded content] SAMANTHA CRAIN“Dart“[Real Kind] [embedded content] IMMERSION | SUSS“State Of Motion“[Sonic Cathedral] [embedded content] HAMILTON… Read More →

Hit Singles

Bob Dylan’s first live show of 2025 is confirmed

Bob Dylan has announced his first live show of the year. Dylan, who appeared to finish his Rough & Rowdy Ways tour last November at the Royal Albert Hall, has now announced a new date for the tour. THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Dylan will now perform at the Tulsa Theater on Tuesday, March 25. On the venue’s website, the show is branded with the Rough & Rowdy Ways tour logo. The “2021 – ’24” date stamp from previous tour literature has been removed, though, implying the tour is now an ongoing project. Tickets go on sale on January 25. It’s been a good start to the year for Dylan. The success of the A Complete Unknown biopic has given Dylan’s catalogue a healthy bump. According to Billboard, Dylan’s weekly streaming numbers have grown by roughly 150% since before the film was released in America in December.

Hit Singles

City To City: Introducing Bad Touch

As they gather round the corner table in Norwich’s Gonzo’s restaurant, it would be hard to mistake the exotic ensemble of big hair, bold hats, flouncy shirts and leather trousers sported by the various members of Bad Touch as belonging to anything other than a rock’n’roll band. “We have always wanted to be a feelgood rock band,” says lead singer Stevie Westwood. “You can be a sexy, moody rock band, or you can be a feelgood rock band. We are definitely the second.” Advertisement THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Formed in Norfolk by Westwood and guitarist Dan Seekings with bassist Michael Bailey, Bad Touch have recently taken on two new members – drummer Brad Newlands and guitarist Pete Lance. The band were inspired by a youthful love of hard rock acts like Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC, as well as the showmanship of local heroes The Darkness. The new lineup hits the road in March for an eight-date tour with The Dust Coda, which will see Bad Touch headline shows in Newcastle, Nottingham, Glasgow and their home city of… Read More →

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Sun Ra Arkestra – Lights On A Satellite

Alto saxophonist and bandleader Marshall Allen, member of avant-garde jazz ensemble Sun Ra Arkestra since 1957 and the group’s leader since 1995, turned 100 years old on May 25, 2024. Less than one month later, he entered the studio to record Lights On A Satellite with the full 24-member configuration. Pitched as a tribute to Allen and his remarkable tenure with the ensemble, the album is a fantastic ride along well-travelled spaceways, balancing Ra compositions with an eclectic mix of early 20th-century American music. THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement The Arkestra was formed in the mid-1950s by pianist/keyboardist Sun Ra, who would make a name for himself as a seriously prolific composer, tightly disciplined bandleader, explorer of experimental music and philosophy, and pioneer of Afrofuturism. He claimed to be from Saturn and was equally captivated by ancient Egypt and the Space Age. Both of these elements were brought to life onstage, where the Arkestra dressed in elaborate, science fiction-esque costumes inspired by his fascinations. Ra led the Arkestra, an ensemble fluid in both name and lineup, until his… Read More →

Hit Singles

The Last Poets – Africanism

For more than 55 years, The Last Poets have been documenting a dystopian world. Formed in the cultural mayhem that followed Martin Luther King’s murder in 1968, they quickly became legendary for their incendiary verses – from “Wake Up Nigger” to “White Man’s Got A God Complex” – which are always cited as an early incarnation of hip-hop. They were filled with witty, shocking and provocative lines, but the presentation was often deliberately austere. If their early disciple Gil Scott Heron would leaven his political diatribes with some soothing baritone crooning, The Last Poets denied us such bourgeois deviation: not once did they even hint at singing, and for a long time the only instrumentation that backed them was stark sound of a conga or djembe drum. THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement It fitted the rather joyless ideological zone they often inhabited. On their most famous poem, “When The Revolution Comes”, they describe a utopia where “guns and rifles will take the place of poetry and essays”; where “women will be women and men will be men”; where… Read More →

Hit Singles

The Band’s Garth Hudson has died, aged 87

Garth Hudson, the last surviving original member of The Band, has died aged 87. Advertisement THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW According to the Toronto Star, Hudson “passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning at a nursing home in Woodstock, New York”. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Hudson co-founded The Band in the mid-’60s, having previously played with Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Levon Helm in The Hawks. Advertisement Although he was best-known for playing the Lowrey organ, Hudson also played accordion, saxophone and range of other instruments. Hudson played on all 10 of The Band’s studio albums, their two albums with Bob Dylan (The Basement Tapes and Planet Waves) and their live albums, including Rock Of Ages and The Last Waltz. Speaking in this month’s Uncut, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers said, “I’m always trying to capture the magic of Garth’s Lowrey organ on my own Hammond… There’s a purity to [The Band’s] art, their vision, and you can’t overestimate the influence they’ve had on others.” Hudson also enjoyed a successful career outside The… Read More →

Hit Singles

City To City: Catching up with Therapy?

In partnership with Marshall Advertisement As Andy Cairns stands outside the Limelight club in central Belfast, he recalls a Therapy? show at the venue many years before. Cairns had come straight from his day job at a tyre factory and was changing out of his work clothes in the car park opposite, when his car was surrounded by the RUC demanding to know what was going on. That was par for the course in Belfast during the Troubles, and although the city has changed a great deal over the past three decades, the Limelight is still standing and so are Therapy?. That instinct for survival informed the name of Therapy?’s most recent album, Hard Cold Fire. Released by Marshall Records and recorded at the label’s studio in Milton Keynes, the title came from Belfast poet Louis MacNeice. “He talks about people from the north of Ireland having a ‘hard cold fire’,” says Cairns. “It’s a reference to the basalt that is indigenous to the terrain, but we thought it represented our longevity. Like Belfast, we have been resilient and determined and we have weathered with time.” Therapy? were formed by Cairns and bassist Michael McKeegan in 1989. Drummer Neil Cooper joined… Read More →

Hit Singles

ThankYouSmitt: Swagger, Vulnerability, and the Vision Behind “Baretta Everyday Chopper”

ThankYouSmitt is rapidly establishing himself in the hip-hop scene with his unapologetic style and captivating energy. His new video for “Baretta Everyday Chopper,” from his debut album Call God, perfectly shows this swagger, drawing viewers into a world defined by confidence, hustle, and raw authenticity. In an exclusive interview, he delved deeper into the creative process behind the video, the meaning of the song, and how he balances East Coast swagger with vulnerability. When it comes to creating visuals for his music, ThankYouSmitt emphasizes the importance of aligning the video’s vibe with the song’s emotion. “I often think about big production ideas,” he explains, “but simple, eye-catching videos can be just as effective.” For “Baretta Everyday Chopper,” he collaborated closely with his videographer, Swish, to focus on direct, no-frills shots that amplify the song’s message. “The goal was to emphasize the lyrics while being visually engaging,” he adds. The video opens with a fictional newspaper article chronicling ThankYouSmitt’s rise, a creative touch attributed to his videographer. “It reflects how he views me and his belief in my craft,” ThankYouSmitt says. He highlights the metaphor in the lyrics, connecting the Beretta with blessings, wisdom, and a divine purpose. “The Beretta is a… Read More →

Hit Singles

“80’s Travel” by El Chico: A Pop Journey Through Time

El Chico, the emerging artist blending vintage charm with contemporary soundscapes, has released his new single “80’s Travel“, and it’s a shimmering ode to a bygone era. Clocking in at just over two minutes, the track manages to encapsulate a sense of nostalgia. The song is so catchy, opening with a playful declaration: “Hey people, we are spectating a travel to the past, so buckle up, let’s goooooo!” From the very first note, it’s clear that El Chico knows how to hook his listeners. The melody is bright and infectious, drawing from the iconic rhythms and textures of the 80s. Yet, it never feels like a mere imitation. Instead, the track balances its retro influences with a distinctly modern sensibility. Lines like “Tell me if you want to / Come with me / Tell me / Know me / Judge me / Twist it / But you just need to know me” feel universal, reflecting the artist’s ability to bridge cultural and emotional gaps. This duality in language and theme makes the track accessible to a wide audience while remaining deeply personal. El Chico’s influences, which range from Kevin Kaarl to Cuco, are evident, but he isn’t merely mimicking his… Read More →

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Hear neil young and the chrome hearts’ debut single, “big change”

Neil Young has today unveiled the first single by his new band neil young and the chrome hearts, entitled “big change” (the accompanying press releases insists that “the band name and track title are in lower case”). Joining Neil Young in the chrome hearts are Spooner Oldham (Farfisa organ), Micah Nelson (guitar), Corey McCormick (bass) and Anthony LoGerfo (drums). The single has been co-produced by Young and Lou Adler. Hear it below: According to John Hanlon, Young’s long-term mixing engineer, “big change” is “in-your-face loud irreverent rock’n’roll paint splatter on the canvas in the vein of a Jackson Pollock painting.” No chrome hearts album or tour dates have been announced as yet, although the press releases also states that, “Once again, Neil Young is looking at all aspects of life in 2025, and working to find the way forward. Big changes are ahead. Go with him.”

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Tributes paid to David Lynch

The film director David Lynch has died aged 78. The creator of films including Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild At Heart and Mulholland Drive and, with Mark Frost, the TV series Twin Peaks, had recently revealed an emphysema diagnosis. THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING THE BAND, THE YARDBIRDS, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KEITH RICHARDS, THE VERVE, ASWAD AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Advertisement Lynch’s fellow filmmakers have paid fulsome tribute. In a statement, Steven Spielberg wrote: “I loved David’s films. ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Mulholland Drive’ and ‘Elephant Man’ defined him as a singular, visionary dreamer who directed films that felt handmade… The world is going to miss such an original and unique voice. His films have already stood the test of time and they always will.” On Twitter/X, Ron Howard wrote: Advertisement #RIPDavidLynch, a gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart & soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage, who starred in Wild At Heart, told Deadline that he was “a singular genius in cinema, one of the greatest artists of this or any time.”. He continued: “He was brave, brilliant, and a maverick with a joyful sense of humor. I never had… Read More →

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David Lynch: Film By Film

From Uncut’s May 2007 issue (Take 120). We spoke to David Lynch for our Film By Film feature, covering his classic movies from Eraserhead and Wild At Heart through Twin Peaks on TV and his late classics, including Mulholland Dive. “They say that films are like children,” he told Stephen Troussé. “And I love all of my children, except for one child named Dune.” Does the director of Wild At Heart and Blue Velvet look back over the past three decades and see a pattern to his career? “It’s weird, I see it as a year to make a film, a year in between films. Something like that,” he chuckles. “So I’m surprised when people ask my age, because I feel I’m much younger. They say that films are like children. And I love all of my children, except for one child named Dune.” Here he is, then, one of cinema’s true greats… Advertisement ERASERHEAD Lynch’s first feature, shot over a period of five years, was he said, “My Philadelphia Story”. An instant hit on the midnight movie circuit, it marked the beginning of long working relationships with Jack Nance and Catherine Couslon. LYNCH: I kept running out of money… Read More →

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Introducing…The Ultimate Music Guide: The Police

We already know their ubiquitous singles, and their world-beating albums. As you’ll discover in this new magazine, in addition to their artistic achievements, The Police must also have been the world’s most self-aware band. Advertisement As they freely confess in the classic interviews we’ve picked from the archive for you here, this wasn’t a band to keep their cards close to their chest or their motivations to themselves. Forming to take advantage of punk. Ditching their original guitarist when he couldn’t keep up. Frankly discussing the economics of the trio format. For all their unanimity of image – three good-looking blonde lads, a strong Breton shirt/suit jacket game – very quickly, their distinct characters emerge in print. Stewart Copeland, a garrulous American whose glib and cynical wit is clearly a gift to anyone holding a tape recorder. Andy Summers, a laconic older statesman whose wisdom encourages him to keep his own counsel, wryly teasing those he meets. And then there’s Sting, who has simply never encountered a moment’s self-doubt about his ability to do anything. Interestingly, this miraculously doesn’t make him obnoxious. Instead, Sting maintains a refreshing candour. Yes, he is ambitious. Yes, he wants to make the most of… Read More →