I contributed to Wire magazine’s ‘Epiphanies’ book.
A new anthology of essays reveals music’s transformative powers
Epiphanies: Life Changing Encounters With Music is a new anthology of essays drawn from the monthly Epiphanies column which has been running in The Wire magazine since January 1998.
The book includes more than 50 essays in which a diverse cast of musicians, authors and critics detail their personal experiences of music’s transformative powers.
The contents include poet Ian McMillan on Captain Beefheart; singer Robert Wyatt on Ray Charles; Black Atlantic scholar Paul Gilroy on The Voices Of East Harlem; musician Jerry Dammers on Sun Ra; author Barry Miles on The Beatles’ hive mind; novelist Michel Faber on a Hungarian spontaneous music ensemble; film maker Chris Petit on the transcendental poetry encoded in disposable pop lyrics; and comedian Stewart Lee on the links between stand-up comedy and experimental music.
The book also boasts contributions from many of The Wire’s regular contributors, all acclaimed critics in their own right, including Ian Penman on Jimi Hendrix, Brian Dillon on Kate Bush, Nina Power on Fugazi, Simon Reynolds on Scritti Politti, Adam Harper on Cornelius Cardew, Geeta Dayal on the joy of drones, and Sukhdev Sandhu on fanzine culture.
Other essays describe sonorous encounters with South Africa’s World Cup vuvuzelas, noisy street protests, and the deathly silence inside an anechoic chamber.
The book has been edited by The Wire’s Editor-in-Chief & Publisher Tony Herrington and designed by the magazine’s Art Director Ben Weaver, with illustrations by Sculpture’s Reuben Sutherland.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube