Behind the smile

A new frontman. Unmasked Ghouls. And a bombastic sixth album that’s going all existential on us. Welcome to the era of Papa V Perpetua

Three decades after Sparks asked, a touch forlornly, When Do I Get To Sing My Way?, it seems we may finally have an answer. No, pop’s favourite Dadaist siblings haven’t suddenly decided to give us the

IQ

With The Who he wrote some of the great songs from the first wave of pop, then went on to conquer the rock world. In recent years he’s mostly been involved in solo work. In the 60s he famously wrote the lyric: ‘ Hope I die before I get old .’ Thankfully he didn’t.

DUOPHONIC UHF DISKS/WARP