John & Yoko/ Plastic Ono Band Power ...

Ash Ad Astra FIERCE PANDA Northern ...

IN THE LAST 25 years, Joe Bonamassa has dropped 16 studio records. That’s a lot of music, meaning it’s hard to keep things fresh — and his latest, Breakthrough, despite its title, doesn’t even try to

A manifeste of musical and spiritual freedom, Axis: Bold As Love was JIMI HENDRIX ar his most exploratory, utopian. But as a new box set explores, notes of unease and psycho-autobiography cut through the Aquarian haze and freaky, proto-stereo FX, as the Summer of Love entered its more conflicted autumn. "It was all vivid colour," peers and Fhu tell MARK PAYTRESS, "with Jimi at the height of his powers."

NEIL YOUNG contains multitudes. In a career spanning six decades, many different Neils have emerged – Neil the loner, Neil the activist, Neil the superstar, Neil the country singer, Neil the bandleader and Neil the rebel among them. Ahead of Young’s 80th birthday this month, STEPHEN STILLS , GRAHAM NASH , EMMYLOU HARRIS , NILS LOFGREN , PATTERSON HOOD , THURSTON MOORE , MICAH NELSON , RANDY BACHMAN and MARGO PRICE offer their highlights of a fearless, single-minded artist, one driven to spontaneous creation and rapid emotional responses. “He radically changes his mind and his direction, to the shock of everyone,” says one of his oldest compadres. “But then, he’s done this all his life.”

An array of contemporary artists delve into our cover star’s incredible back catalogue for this unique collection