RETROSPECT: elvis costello

an appreciation of one of the decade’s great songwriting talents; could you match them?

The latest from the musical frontline

Aphex Aural Exciter Type C2

Aural Excitement complete with the new 'Big Bottom' bass enhancer. A veritable feast of sonic titillation.

Recording Drums

Part 8: David Mellor explains several techniques for taming that most difficult of instruments to record - the drum kit.

An interview with the man who helped start it all.

An Australian composer accepts a brief to provide music for an exhibition of pottery - the catch is that all the sounds should be sampled from the exhibits. Sandra McLean talks to the man who makes pottery sing.

The Prefab Spirit

the screening of Steve McQueen

Ramsa WM-S1E, 2E, 5E and 10E Mics

Dr Simon Bateson delivers a fair and detailed report on a rather unusual range of microphones.

DrumCheck

Bob H bounces back, with a lacquered-finish kit that costs less than you'd think

IBM PC Software

This combined sequencer and tone editor for the IBM PC will work happily with Roland's MT32 and LAPC1. Ian Waugh looks into a serious PC music system.

Paul Tingen takes a look behind the scenes with Mai Tai production duo Eric van Tijn and Jochum Fluitsma — and finds out about songwriting, recording and home-made samplers.

Steve Cogan talks to J.J. Jezalik about life, the universe and sampling car doors

Fancy following in the footsteps of Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret and Chick Corea? Robert Irving did, and now finds himself doing just that, playing keyboards with Miles Davis. Tim Goodyer reports.

People, Gear, Events, Gossip

happening people, gear, events, gossip

Software for Apple Macintosh

Passport's Encore Mac scorewriting software aims to optimise music entry, playback and printing in one program. Mike Collins checks out the dots and the dot matrix.

Drumcheck

"With this new Pearl," claims Bob Henrit," the word could be your oyster."

Tony Banks talks to Kendall Wrightson about his new solo album, Technology, and the latest chapter in the book of Genesis.

It may sound like something out of a Dr Who plot but this British electronic patchbay system attracted enormous interest from pro studio users at this year's APRS show. David Mellor got hold of a Matrix to find out just what all the fuss is about.

Guitarcheck

French, Japanese, Dave B takes them all on

SMPTE Sync/MIDI + Audio Patchbay/Mac Interface

Combining MIDI and audio patchbay functions and putting them under software control could be an important studio breakthrough. Ian Waugh looks at the SMP16 and studio sophistication.

Muse & Steinberg software.

Working again after two years of legal trench-warfare, The Spands talk about their comeback album, the defiantly-titled Through The Barricades. Observation post: Chris Maillard