ON THE COVER: Melvins - The unpredictable California based quartet intersperse neo-Metal albums with art film soundtracks, avant garde provocations and audience baiting antics. By Phil Freeman
STUCK ON THE COVER: The Wire Tapper 16 - Free 21 track CD with tracks by Califone, Pansonic, Derek Bailey, The Slits, Alan Vega and more
FEATURES: John Surman, Texan Hiphop, Marc Ribot, Charles Atlas, Steve Mackay, Reanimator, Hisato Higuchi, Beat Furrer
ON THE COVER: Joanna Newsom - On her new orchestral album Ys, the Californian harper's epic tales have been enhanced by collaborations with Van Dyke Parks, Steve Albini and Jim O'Rourke. By Rob Young
FEATURES: Lasse Marhaug, Haunted Audio, Christof Kurzmann, Invisible Jukebox: Om, Cross Platform: Mika Taanila, Victor Gama, Colleen, Tovah Olson
ON THE COVER: Pere Ubu - After 14 albums and several line-up changes, David Thomas's group continue to map out America's ghost towns and lost highways. By Phil Freeman
FEATURES: Rafael Toral, Invisible Jukebox: Chris Corsano, Once Upon A Time In Melbourne, Cross Platform: Jayne Parker, James Blackshaw, COH, Little Annie
ON THE COVER: Kool Keith - Hiphop's premier streetwise satirist and scatologist, Dr Octagon, is back - just one of the former Ultramagnetic MC's raft of comeback projects in 2006. By Peter Shapiro
FEATURES: Charalambides, Primer: AMM, Merce Cunningham, Invisible Jukebox: Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Cross Platform: Ira Cohen, Digital Mystikz, Excepter, Jason Lescalleet
ON THE COVER: Smegma - Three decades of free rock mayhem hasn't dimmed the enthusiasm of the LA freakout troupe who have worked with Wild Man Fischer, Richard Meltzer, Merzbow and Wolf Eyes. By David Keenan
FEATURES: Dabrye, Invisible Jukebox: Biosphere, Akio Suzuki & John Butcher, Die Trip Computer Die, Cross Platform: Brian Eno, Philip Samartzis, Leopard Leg, John Wiese
ON THE COVER: Current 93 - David Tibet explains
how his music is shaped
by his apocalyptic religious visions and nightmares of black ships.
By
Keith Moliné
FEATURES: Die Tödliche Doris, Invisible Jukebox:
Kode9, Cross Platform:
Annea Lockwood, Boxcutter, FM3
STUCK TO THE COVER: The Wire Tapper 15: All copies worldwide of this month's issue comes with a free 20 track CD, the latest volume in our ongoing series of new music compilations. The CD features tracks by Leafcutter John, Yannis Kyriakides & Andy Moor, Dub Trio, Herbert and more
ON THE COVER: Sonic Youth: The veteran New York rockers tell Nick Cain about the raw power of 'Rather Ripped', and give us an update on their myriad activities, past, present and future
FEATURES: Ekkehard Ehlers, Yellow Swans, Primer: John Fahey, Invisible Jukebox: Rob Mazurek, Terry Day, Harry Rag, Cross Platform: Jutta Koether
ON THE COVER: AGF - Word processing in Berlin with polystylistic laptopper and digital 'poemproducer', Antye Greie. By Keith Moliné
FEATURES: Scott Walker, Conrad Schnitzler, Ryoji Ikeda, Invisible Jukebox: William Parker, Scatter, Mattin, David Rothenberg
ON THE COVER: Tom Verlaine: On the eve of his first new album in 13 years, the reclusive Television guitarist allows Alan Licht a rare audience
FEATURES: Spring Heel Jack, Invisible Jukebox: Burnt Friedman, Primer: The Fall, Linder, Mouthus, The Knife, Ned Sublette
ON THE COVER: Phill Niblock: At 72, the pioneering American 'loud music minimalist' and film maker is at the top of his game. By Dan Warburton
FEATURES: Once Upon A Time In San Francisco: Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Ballroom Scene, Mat Maneri, Invisible Jukebox: The Bug, Wooden Wand, Tape, Keith Berry, Max Eastley
ON THE COVER: Edan: The Boston DJ/MC/producer trawls widely, from Old School hiphop to 60s freakbeat heroes. By Hua Hsu
FEATURES: Derek Bailey 1930-2005, Invisible Jukebox: Steve Reid, Bardo Pond, Battles, Birgit Ulher, Sleeparchive
ON THE COVER: Rewind 2005: Eyes down for The Wire's annual selection of the year's best music, plus critics' and musicians' reflections
FEATURES: Noah Howard, Invisible Jukebox: Nurse With Wound, Volcano The Bear, Tetuzi Akiyama, Burning Star Core, Dan Wilson, Yannis Kyriakides