The Wire 219. May 2002

John Oswald
Canada's prince of plunderphonia recalls his battles with the majors for his artistic right to reclaim his sound environment from the noise pollution of pop by recycling it through his plunderphonics system. By David Keenan

Shirley Collins
One of the great English voices is experienceing a resurgence of interest in her skeletal, haunting, quasi-medieval songs, over a career that spanned post-war 'industrial folk' to 70s folk rock. By Mike Barnes

The Fall
Simon Ford travles back in time to mid-70s Manchester and witnesses the difficult birth of one of Britain's most uncompromising groups in basement arts clubs and a flat on Kingswood Road

Invisible Jukebox: El-P
The ex-Company Flow rapper and head of Def Jux sustains fantastic damage trying to identify tracks by EPMD, Alejandro Jodorowsky, BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Goblin and more. Tested by Peter Shapiro

The Primer: The Old, Weird America
From yodelling cowboys and Arcadian accordion players to Civil War fife and drum bands and croaking gospel singers, Richard Henderson has the lowdown on hillbillies, hoedowns and hellcats of a strange New World

Jewelled Antler Collective
Taking in artists such as Thujua, Loren Chasse, Blithe Sons and Skygreen Leopards, this loose-knit California troupe reconnect with nature and childlike wonder by channeling the spirit of AMM and Swell Maps. By Jim Haynes

Mission of Burma
Nearly twenty years on, the Boston group have found a new lease on life and a new audience to appreciate it. By Philip Sherburne

Mick Beck
Ben Watson meets the bassoonist with a notion to get something new out of the instrument, including collaborations with the likes of Derek Bailey, Matt Wand, Paul Hession, and Squarepusher.

Vinko Globokar
The composer who belongs nowhere has his own take on immigrant songs. By Philip Clark

Global Ear
Malu Halasa witnesses the struggle between custom and modernity in Aleppo, Syria

Epiphanies
Dave Tomkins has his balls and his booty bounced by Miami Bass