Dan Peek of the English band that everyone thinks is American

With their debut album just released and a single high in the charts, these are busy times for the Beatmasters. Tim Goodyer braves a tube strike to find out what technology has done for them (and what they'd like to do to technology).

It's the talk of Paris' hep musical set, Peter Gabriel set up a new record label for it and Ray Lema is one of its greatest exponents - Simon Trask discovers hitech ethnic music is about to make its mark on popular culture.

Alphabet Coup

the importance of being alphabetical

After calling it a day with seventies’ supergroup The Band, and an interim period spent scoring soundtracks for Martin Scorsese films, guitarist Robbie Robertson has teamed up with Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel and U2 to create an impeccable first solo outing. Mark Prendergast lends the album an appreciative ear.

Philip Glass: Glazed expression

After inspiring a generation of experimental musicians to explore synthetic soundscapes, Tangerine Dream found new relevance in 1990's ambient house movement. Simon Trask enters the Dream state.

Justifiably unwilling to be written off as just another funk act, Loose Ends talk tactics, technique and technology into Tim Goodyer's Walkman mic.

The Fixx are big in American. Chris Holland-Hill, who's big in Hemel Hempstead, finds out why.

from america to russia and back again, rock 'n' roll puts the cold war on ice

Tony Oxley sneers commendably at commercialism in music.

Arriving on the world stage, the Dream Warriors' unique musical style is giving Canadian hip hop American-style exposure. Simon Trask talks musical sentences.

Mark Prendergast talks with trumpeter, composer, and synthesist Mark Isham about new technology, David Sylvian, Van Morrison, Windham Hill, and his solo career as one of Hollywood's more interesting film soundtrack composers.

Tracing past to future ventures with one of the world's keyboard greats, including: The first publication of his title music for ‘Inferno’, video and LP reviews and keyboard music to play

Despite an outward contempt for technology, Steve Reich has exploited it to create some of the century's seminal works of modern music, and will rely on the latest in digital electronics for his current project. Mark J. Prendergast tries to make sense of it all.

Part 2: Mark Prendergast continues his in-depth look at the formation of Eno’s new record company, Land Records, and the use of electronics in his music.

19 ways to the top: exclusive

Upcoming systems music composer chats to Simon Trask about modern technology, Renaissance music and Belgian pop.

Janet Angus talks to Jo about his enthralling past and his new studio where surfing is the most serious distraction.

Jon Hassell has been at the leading edge of new music for three decades, with major contributions to western avant garde and world music. Following the re-release of two classic albums from the early '80s, Mark J. Prendergast presents a retrospective of Hassell's work.

Still crazy after all these years? Devo mainstay Mark Mothersbaugh speaks of TV music, obscure American synths and lunchboxes that go boom, tink, boom,tink...

Four years on from the successes of The Flat Earth, Thomas Dolby has moved to LA for his follow-up LP, Aliens Ate My Buick. Tim Goodyer discovers that aliens have a lot to say.