Who are the music biz' management, and do you really need them? David Bradwell talks to the people who take care of the stars and their affairs.

Rohan Heath of The Urban Cookie Collective

words for the musician

Hybrid Technology's Music 500 synthesizer for the BBC B micro gains a '0' and a whole host of new features. Phil South states the facts and wonders why more musicians don't know about the power of this system.

Vintage technology strikes back

...including The A-Z of Analogue

Your passport to future worlds

Brian Robinson

This month's glimpse over the horizon

More soft poop scoops from the investigative mind of Adrian Deevoy

Studio Sound Techniques

Tape echo techniques for reel-to-reel machines.

The month - this month

Fela Kuti And King Sunny Ade

The King and the President of Nigerian music explain the effect Juju and Afro-Pop have had on white Rock music. Report by Michael Shore

A complete history of record production accompanied by quotations and anecdotes from no fewer than 18 of the world's leading producers.

The Diary of Samuel Deevoy takes yet another turn for the perverse

Readers' replies to the second half of our survey, analysed by David Ellis.

There has been an enormous upsurge of interest in African music of late. Artists as diverse as Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads and Brian Eno have acknowledged its inspiration on their work. But there is little information around that explains the fundamental concepts behind it and how a musician can incorporate the sounds and ideas into their own work if they wish to. Kofi Busia suggests a few ideas.

In the first instalment of a two-part article, UK synthesist Ian Boddy gives budding EM performers the confidence and advice you need to take your show on the road.

Two effects units evaluated

Two sparkling summer concerts, by Ultravox and Michael Nyman.

Microphones