The Spit's musical director and composer of the cretinous Chicken Song, Phil Pope, coughs it all up for Jim Betteridge

could your instruments stand Jam Science?

Akai S1000KB Sampler with DAC R4000 Syquest Drive

The S1000 has been with us for almost two years now, and the removable Syquest drive has become the most popular way of accessing a large library for it. But suppose you put them both in the same box with a weighted keyboard? Paul Wiffen discovers to his joy that someone has!

Leonard Chess

Studio sage and onion Leonard Chess on the turntable.

Been to the flicks recently? Impressed by the sound system? Thought not. Tim Goodyer looks at the current plight of cinema sound and some of the digital alternatives.

Philip Bashe and Don McLeese stop a lone Stone stateside

BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Radiophonically speaking

how to stay at the top for two decades, and still not get noticed

What's Hot - Not What's Not!

Clarke, Radcliffe & Marlow

Casio CZ-1

Since the release of their diminutive yet ground-breaking CZ-101 synth, Casio have been steadily improving the facilities of their Phase Distortion keyboards with each subsequent CZ product. The culmination of those efforts is now manifest in their best-ever synthesizer, the CZ-1, a truly professional performance instrument. Chris Jenkins says 'welcome'.

Gary Cooper asks embarrassing questions. Dan Smith (Fender's Guitar Chief) has the answers — or has he?

Designer of the revolutionary Prophet 5, prime mover behind MIDI and now one of Korg's chief designers, Dave Smith's career is unique in hi-tech music. Simon Trask conducts the exclusive MT interview.

Bryan Ferry

You know all those classic sixties and seventies songs you keep hearing on TV ads these days? Well, almost every one you hear is not in fact the original recording but a completely new version. To give you an idea of how such reconstructions are produced, Nigel Beaham-Powell of Streets Ahead Music Productions recounts how he went about reproducing a Bryan Ferry track.

The anti-christ of studio recording, Dave Goodman, talks to Chas de Whalley

Exclusive words and pics

...while Paul Gallotta discovers how bass got its top end from the Yes man

the Roland story

Aphex Aural Exciter Type C2

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

Ken Scott muses on his journey from Bowie to Kajagoogoo. Chas de Whalley listens attentively

Guitarcheck

Plug in, lean back, legs apart — and sound like an accordionist. Tony Mills taxes the axe

An interview with the man who helped start it all.

Life on the road with a successful pop band, described in graphic detail by King keyboardsman Mick Roberts. Interview by Tim Goodyer.