With The Housemartins

What a nice, ordinary, loveable bunch of geezers they are, Paul Trynka declares

The first of three personal views of a nation that's revolutionised the development and manufacture of hi-tech musical equipment. Hugh Ashton checks out the gear and the music.

Selected releases

Miro DC1

Go gabba with a video grabber

What is networking and how can it be of use to the musician using MIDI-equipped instruments? Harvey P Newquist III investigates the working relationship between machine and machine.

A Merseyside duo with a fresh approach to pop arrangements are currently making some of the most inventive music in the British singles charts. Tim Goodyer chats to them.

Monsters of the vid

Your passport to future worlds

Valves

the detailed where and how of replacement

Contrary to popular belief Canadian electro-poppers Trans X have a bizarre and fascinating history that takes in cosmic electronic music. Annabel Scott reports.

swiss rock 'n' roll - or pop with a precision movement

Just the ticket? How to do it yourself explained by Richard Walmsley

From their initial sampled success with 'E=mc2' Big Audio Dynamite have gone on to further explore the use of dialogue and sound effects in pop music. David Bradwell talks technology and photography with keyboardsman Dan Donovan.

Taking the hard option... everything you need to know about hard disks - and then some. Ian Waugh is your guide.

An interview with the man who helped start it all.

Robert Plant's right-hand man and technology-fiend talks to Tim Goodyer about samplers, studios and dischords.

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

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

The Camden Cowboys are back with a fresh outlook and a new IP on the way. Jonathan James investigates

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

From penthouse to pavement and back again, Heaven 17 have seen pop finance from both sides. Will their latest album, Pleasure 1, put them back in the black? Tony Reed opens the account...

all publicity is good publicity - and even with limited funds, your band can still have a great image

Mike Collins reports on what's new for Macintosh owners at the recent Mac World show in the States

ROCK WEEK

preposterous pop

Tip from the topmost of twang

Studio Layout & Acoustics

PART 7: Badly positioned equipment in your home studio can mean the difference between a good working environment and a bad one. This month, David Mellor provides some useful guidelines to help make your home studio as efficient as possible.

This month’s information bulletin board