Since it was founded in 1982, The Wire magazine has covered a vast range of alternative, experimental, underground and non-mainstream music. Now some of that knowledge has been distilled into The Wire Primers: a comprehensive guide to the core recordings of some of the most visionary and inspiring, subversive and radical musicians on the planet, past and present.
Each chapter surveys the musical universe of a particular artist, group or genre by way of a contextualizing introduction and a thumbnail guide to the most essential recordings.
A massive and eclectic range of music is celebrated and demystified, from rock mavericks such as Captain Beefheart and The Fall; the funk of James Brown and Fela Kuti; the future jazz of Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman; and the experimental compositions of John Cage and Morton Feldman. Genres surveyed and explained include P-funk, musique concrète, turntablism, Brazilian Tropicália, avant metal and dubstep.
The Wire Primers is a vital guide to contemporary sounds, providing an accessible entry point for any reader wanting to dig below the surface of mainstream music.
Stewart has written a chapter on The Fall for this book.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, 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
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus