JJ Jeczalik And The Art Of Toys

Best known for his pioneering sampling work and his role in The Art of Noise, JJ holds strong views on the creative use and abuse of studio equipment.

Johnny Hates Jazz are in the privileged position of being allowed to produce their own debut album. David Bradwell talks to the band about their unusual situation, their techniques and their philosophies.

The future looks like this

The move from fashion model to pop starlet is many a young girl's dream but Lizzie Tear is already over halfway there. David Bradwell counts the remixes.

Is hip hop an unending stream of monotonous, empty rhythms, or the brightest star in the use of modern musical technology? Tim Goodyer cross-questions MC Tee and DJ Mantronik.

While many producers are content to work within one or two musical styles, Peter Collins casts a much wider net - using high technology to increase the number of possibilities open to him.

Producer, performer, catalyst. Richard Burgess has been a musical traveller most of his life - we finally catch up with him.

Visage's Rusty Egan reveals a change of face

"Tinderbox" talk with Severin, Budgie, Carruthers. New album, new chords.

SPK began by hammering away at anything from the scrapyard but now generate their metal beat on the Fairlight. We investigate the method in the mayhem.

Building his career on productions of Jennifer Warnes, Malcolm McLaren and the Communards, Stephen Hague has found his greatest success with The Pet Shop Boys. David Bradwell talks shop.

After spending four years recording The Seeds of Love, Tears for Fears are back and touring the world. Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal talk tears and technology with Dan Rue and Tim Goodyer.

We meet the trio of men behind the Frank Chickens.

...was the title of The South Bank Show's much-criticised electronic music extravaganza of a couple of months back. Here the programme's musical consultant, composer Tim Souster, argues the case in favour of the show's content.

The co-producer of Level 42's last two records has also lent his keyboard playing skills to the likes of Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, Mick Jagger and Talking Heads. He discusses his roles as programmer, synth player and producer with Paul Tingen.

Trevor Horn considered

Nominated by Steve Levine, Steve Lillywhite, Peter Collins, Hugh Padgham, Swain and Jolley

Jonathan Sorrell is one of a handful of session programmers working with the world's most sophisticated sampling keyboard - the Synclavier. Paul Gilby discovers how it came about.

If you've the tenacity to take on and beat the (ex-)GLC, then putting together an upmarket 24-track studio is a piece of cake! Tony Hastings visited this South London studio to glean the details of how it came to be and what it offers.

Part two, in which we meet the fifth Beatle, George Martin, and also brush with Trevor Horn's Fairlight.

Who you (the readers) voted as best musician, and what you (still the readers) voted as best gear. We shake the world.

Greater reliance on hi-tech instruments in the studio means there's more demand for people able to programme them. Paul Gilby spoke first to Karin Clayton about her recently formed agency that supplies programmers for studio sessions, and then to Fairlight programmer Simon Lloyd about his work.

through the year darkly with One Two

Band Aid

how they made music for Ethiopia