This was probably the first Springsteen song I ever heard: it’s the opening track of his breakthrough album Born To Run. And still one of his best.

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Today I must tip my imaginary Stetson to my pal Craig Poland Smith for unearthing this gem for me by the literally named family quartet Southern Raised.

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I love a musical collaboration and this one is about as out-there as you could ever imagine – Jamaican roots reggae and Polish folk music.

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Michael Rose recorded a solo version of his song before joining Black Uhuru and re-recording it with the band, becoming one of their signature songs. (more…)

Last night’s incendiary set by The Prodigy is the last one I watched at this year’s Glastonbury – and the first where I really wish I was there.

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Motown songwriting legend Eddie Holland wrote, sang and produced the soul song that would one day become Motorhead’s debut single.

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White Noise Sound are the long-forgotten Welsh wizards of droney psychedelic shoegaze, and they are long overdue for a revival.

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Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar, with an unusual “single note” style of playing.

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For a while in the early Seventies, just after Glam’s holy trinity of T. Rex, Slade and Sweet had peaked, Mott The Hoople were my favourite band.

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This exuberant disco-funk anthem completely passed me by at the time. I was listening to very different music when it came out in 1981.

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