Music
Amsterdam's Milkshake festival is a queer dance party paradise
No shits given — Queer nightlife is a vital part of the LGBT community, a chance to escape and find freedom in the night. But at Milkshake festival in Amsterdam it ascends from darkness, taking centre stage in all its glistening glory.
Written by: Michael Segalov
Shaun Ryder: The hilarious life lessons of a cultural hero
Pills, thrills and bellyaches — As the face of ‘Madchester’, Shaun Ryder had it all, lost it all, then repeated the cycle just for fun. But after getting clean and mending some wounds, he’s ready to take another crack at cementing his legacy.
Written by: Cian Traynor
Esther Joy on singing out the darkness within
Confronting Samgel — In her upcoming LP, Pyschic Tears, London-based electronic musician Esther Joy uses sounds to come face to face with the darkness that accompanied her for so many years.
Written by: Biju Belinky
Faith No More's Roddy Bottum on learning to love Bigfoot
A monster of motivation — The first openly gay man in hard rock has set himself a new challenge: turning some giant life lessons into Sasquatch: The Opera!
Written by: Cian Traynor
What does it mean to be an Afropunk today?
‘It's not about colour’ — As it returns to the UK for the second year, photographer Theo McInnes captures the crowds at Afropunk – Brooklyn’s iconic black arts festival.
Written by: Dominique Sisley
The photographer who helped define music's greatest icons
Shooting stardust — From Bowie to Gaga, Daft Punk to Snoop, Mick Rock has shot them all and lived to tell the tale – just about. Now that a film has been made about his life, he talks life after death, Phil Lynott's murder brag and Lou Reed's love of cats.
Written by: Cian Traynor
How to stay sane while making your own music
Tips from Hiatus — Electronic musician Cyrus Shahrad sees electronic music as an emotional outlet. Releasing his songs tracks the moniker Hiatus since 2010, he knows very well how draining the process of making something good can be – but now he wants to share his own tips on how to carry on moving forward, even when all seems lost.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad (Introduction by Biju Belinky)
Celebrating the enduring legacy of ’90s rave culture
Never turn down — Partying for free and getting smashed in a field was a rite of passage in 1990s Britain. Then the police came in and tried to spoil the fun – but people are still raving. Even Facebook can’t commodify this wayward social network.
Written by: Scott Oliver
This musician embraced the fear of failure and ran with it
Jumping the shark with Alex Cameron — On his first album, Alex Cameron created a grandiose alter-ego as a way of dealing with his anxieties. Now he’s taking on apathy – and forcing us all to listen.
Written by: Biju Belinky
Cosey Fanni Tutti: fearless provocateur, ultimate outsider
A life less ordinary — Branded a ‘wrecker of civilisation’ by the establishment, Cosey Fanni Tutti is a creative force who ripped up the rules in the realms of sex, music and performance art. Now the rest of the world is finally catching up to her.
Written by: Cian Traynor