"Finding Fela" is my personal memoir of a journey to Lagos, Nigeria, to film the legendary African musician and political firebrand Fela Kuti, the "Black President." In 1983, Fela was Africa's best-known performer: he mixed radical politics and pop music as they have rarely been mixed before. As a white man from Chicago, I experienced extreme culture shock and even got arrested and jailed. Eventually, I lived near Fela's commune, talked with him several times, became friends with many of h...

The Who were one of the most memorable and influential of the 1960s British Invasion bands—memorable because of their loudness and because they destroyed instruments during performances, and influential because of their success in crafting “Power Pop” singles like “My Generation” and “I Can See for Miles,” long-playing albums Live at Leeds and Who’s Next, and the “rock operas” Tommy and Quadrophenia. The themes that principal songwriter Pete Townshend imparted into The Who’s music drew upo...

Every culture on Earth has music. Every culture that's ever existed has had it, but we don't exactly know why. Music is not like food, shelter, or having opposable thumbs. We don't need it to live, and yet we can't seem to live without it. Glenn Dixon travels the globe exploring how and why people make music. From a tour of Bob Marley's house to sitar lessons in India, he experiences music around the world and infuses the stories with the latest in brain research, genetics, and evolutionar...

The Essays of Michel de Montaigne are contained in three books and 107 chapters of varying length. Montaigne's stated design in writing, publishing and revising the Essays over the period from approximately 1570 to 1592 was to record for the 'private benefit of friends and kinsmen ... some traits of my character and of my humours.' The Essays were first published in 1580 and cover a wide range of topics. As Essai is French for "trial" or "attempt", so Montaigne attempted to explore his tho...

Strings Attached is the much anticipated authorised biography of John Williams, one of the most accomplished and celebrated musicians of his generation. From his childhood in Australia to his stellar career in London and around the world, John Williams has lived an extraordinary life. Master of the classical repertoire, he took the guitar to a wider audience with the band SKY and by his championing of the music of South America and Africa. William Starling came to know John Williams throug...

Interactive Composition empowers readers with all of the practical skills and insights they need to compose and perform electronic popular music in a variety of popular styles. The book begins by introducing all of the tools involved in creating interactive compositions through the software Ableton Live and Max for Live. The following chapters then put the tools to use by both describing particular musical styles and also teaching readers how to compose and perform within these st...

James Allen, the author of As a Man Thinketh, guides us to a greater understanding of how to achieve lasting prosperity. Allen helps us understand the eight pillars that are the foundation of true and lasting success. These pillars are Energy, Economy, Integrity, System, Sympathy, Sincerity, Impartiality, and Self-Reliance. A life changing book.

Have you ever hated a song until you saw the music video? Delve into visual pieces which attract the attention. Bon Fet Lamizik, we celebrate Music Day with a momento to the occasion. Ohio Marching 110's trombonist Kyle Arnott talks to us about their trip to Europe. Open your mind to equality and explore how music can be a medicine for mental health. Discover the story behind Miel de Botton's French chansons album with producer Andy Wright. Read our Eurovision review and find out how to cu...

Actress and artist Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff discusses her new single and reveals how music inspired her jewelry line. New Southstar DJ and model Queen E talks attraction not promotion. DJ Kicks checks out a few collaborations between Reebok Ventilator X Kendrick Lamar and Adidas Originals X Pharrell Williams. We guide you to the best spots in London for beer and good music. Find out why Raindrops FM is the new destination for chilled music. And as always, check out the freshest sounds from th...

April 2015 Issue 12 features exclusive in-depth discussions with Neev, MC Vapour and Lauren Neko. Get set for Tomorrowland with the new EP from Josh Lasden, Mon Frere and Saytek take Dance music to the live crowds.

Charles Darwin has now taken his place as one of the great scientific innovators of all time and has changed for ever the way we see ourselves, and our place in the universe. Even those who hold to the biblical account of creation and see Darwin's theory as a profound error can no longer take for granted that their beliefs are beyond question. Yet, the debate between the Creationists and the neo-Darwinians continues in full fury. One outcome of this has been to see Darwin's theory become e...

In Spirit Song: Afro-Brazilian Religious Music and Boundaries, Marc Gidal investigates how and why a multi-faith community in southern Brazil utilizes music to combine and segregate three Afro-Brazilian religions: Umbanda, Quimbanda, and Batuque. Combining ethnomusicology and symbolic boundary studies, Gidal advances a theory of musical boundary-work: the ways music reinforces, bridges, or blurs boundaries, whether for personal, social, spiritual, or political purposes. Gidal focu...