This month the cover stars are Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of Pet Shop Boys, who talk to RC about their past, present and future: their 40 years (they released their first ever single, West End Girls, in April 1984) as Britain’s foremost pop duo, about their brand-new album, Nonetheless, and about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the pair and the wider pop world. Then we broaden out the conversation to take a more detailed look back at 1984: the year PSBs emerged, when Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Wham! and Duran Duran ruled the UK charts and American behemoths – Bruce, Madonna, Prince – walked the earth. We choose the 50 best albums and 10 best singles of that pivotal year and recall the impact on vinyl and cassette of the new format on the block: the compact disc.
Elsewhere in our features, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, currently Top 10 worldwide with his latest solo album, is The RC Interviewee, Lucy O’Brien recalls the moment Karen Carpenter went solo, we meet metalbashing pioneers Einsturzende Neubauten, Bananarama talk through their career album by album and we spend 33 1/3 minutes with Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie.
The other sections of the magazine have had an equally busy month. In Reviews, we assess “new-old” and “new-new” records from T.Rex, Deep Purple, Michael Head, Sun Ra, Fat White Family, Broadcast and Beth Gibbons. Gered Mankowitz’s Rolling Stones book is assessed, as is the new Amy Winehouse biopic and recent concerts from 10cc, Ash, Judas Priest and The Who are reported on by our witnesses.
In News we consider how vinyl made it onto the consumer price index and Taylor Swift’s role in vinyl’s current resurgence. RC Investigates is a cannabis special. The featured Collector is Icelandic songwriter Sunna Margret. In Value Added Facts Ian Shirley answers questions about David Bowie’s late 70s output while Diggin’ For Gold unearths The Four King Cousins and Most Wanted features a KLF stamp, AC/DC on splatter vinyl and a Miles Davis art print. Readers Services include Shop Of The Month, our classified listings, subscription special offers and our gig guide, with a tour-related chat with Rain Parade’s Matt Piucci.
Keep reading right to the back of the magazine because we have a wealth of intriguing articles there. We go Under The Radar with Heidi Berry, and into The Engine Room with Sandy Posey. Drummer extraordinaire Chester Thompson reveals his life-defining records. Bruce Hornsby details his 10 best collaborations. There’s a chance to win Yardbirds and Deep Purple vinyl in Competitions & Crossword. Finally, we pay tribute to the sadly departed Steve Harley and Karl Wallinger among others.
We’re already hard at work on the sixth issue of 2024. We take a deep dive into Pink Floyd’s 1975 opus Wish You Were Here and compile a Floyd ’74-5 discography. There’s an interview with, and discography of, metal legends Judas Priest. And we meet a typically RC-ish wide variety of artistes: Liverpudlian legend, Wah! Heat’s Pete Wylie, renowned rock photographer Gered Mankowitz, unsung pop tunesmith Jackie DeShannon, “Take The Weather With You” hitmakers Crowded House and returning goth-ish 80s band Xmal Deutschland. You won’t want to miss it.
RC can be purchased from your local newsagent, our loyal army of record shop stockists, or you can start a subscription or buy individual copies from our shop. Meanwhile, check out our latest offering of super-rare vinyl in the form of Euclid’s 1970 LP, Heavy Equipment
See you next month,
Paul Lester
Editor
“THE BEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS, STORIES AND DISCOGRAPHIES – EVERY FOUR WEEKS”
