Guardian Music — Koko, LondonMatthew Ward is set to bid farewell to his cult status. After a decade spent forging a solo career in the cosy backwater of the US alt-country and indie-folk scenes, the singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon, saw his seventh album, A Wa... more info

Guardian Music — Last of the original line-up of the chart-topping 1950s vocal quintet the PlattersWith such international hits as Only You and The Great Pretender, the Platters were the most famous African-American vocal group of the 1950s. Bridging the gap between ... more info

melophobe — The end of Sasquatch! is always the most bittersweet. 2012 had seen some flat-out phenomenal performances, and it felt more difficult than ever to trudge back to the campground after Beck closed up the festival. Apparently there had been some outst... more info

Guardian Music — 1971: At the start of a new decade, one record pointed to one possible future for pop music - one in which the past would be endlessly re-exhumedGet It On was as much a sign of the musical times as it was a blast from the past. With its crude rumblin... more info

Guardian Music — Scoff all you like at the song – but have you ever featured on a No 1 hit? No? Pipe down thenHere's a quiz question: which Chuck Berry single was the only one to go to No 1 in the UK? Was it Maybelline, No Particular Place to Go, or Johnny B Goode?... more info

KEXP Seattle — Don’t call JD McPherson “retro.” Though the Oklahoma native rocks a mean 50′s styled rhythm & blues, on his official label debut (out next Tuesday on Rounder Records), he’s as likely to pull influences from The Smiths and Wu-Tang Clan as fr... more info

Guardian Music — Singer and harmonica-player who gave a fresh rinse to the bluesDespite its connotations of misery and bad luck, the blues is no less flexible a medium for humour, satire and topical commentary. Few artists in recent times have demonstrated this more ... more info

Guardian Music — Before heroin sapped his talent, Johnny Thunders was capable of moments of sloppy, ragged rock'n'roll brillianceJohnny Thunders was the living (just about) link between New York punk and its UK version. He had been lead guitarist in New York Dolls, t... more info

Guardian Music — Hackney Empire, LondonIt's a bit of a caricature, but in the world of art, there are two types of practitioners: first, the artist who leaps from one subject to another, mixing media, restlessly looking for the next new thing. Then there are those wh... more info

Stopcryingyourheartout.com — The Who legend has told Xfm he reckons Liam and Noel will be reunited within four years....Talking to Xfm's Gordon Smart on Smart on Sunday Roger Daltrey said he has no doubt that the band will be back together sooner than we think."You know damn wel... more info