Mojo Magazine 2015

Beyond Saturn is a collection of cosmic tunes that wilfully cut across time, space and, indeed, genres. 15 mindblowing cosmic tracks approved personally by Paul Weller, including Panda Bear, TOY, Public Service Broadcasting, Neu!, Charles Mingus, Ryley Walker, Syd Arthur and more.

"In our imaginations, John was Buddy Holly and I was Little Richard." So said Paul McCartney many moons ago, admitting the key influences on both himself and John Lennon in terms of the pair’s initial vocal styling. In fact, Messrs Holly and Penniman were just two artists whose impact on The Beatles was evident from the band’s choice of cover tunes. Indeed, all of the tracks featured on this bespoke Mojo compilation were covered by John, Paul, George and Ringo during the band’s formative period.
Our 15-track collection starts with The Isley Brothers’ uproarious 1959 hit, Shout. The Beatles themselves first cut their version at London’s IBC Studios on April 19, 1964, for inclusion in Jack Good’s TV extravaganza, Around The Beatles. The latter was broadcast in the UK on May 6 and November 15 in the US…

15 of our [Mojo Magazine's] favourite new tracks of the year thus far. Starring Courtney Barnett, Ezra Furman, Jonathan Wilson, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Goat Girl, Natalie Prass and more.

In the 32 years that elapsed between Syd Barrett’s last unproductive visit to a recording studio in 1974 and his death on July 7, 2006, much was written about Pink Floyd’s former creative leader, most of it based on pure conjecture. Barrett’s retreat away from his former life méant that, as his myth grew through his absence, he was effectively viewed through the fragments he presented of himself in his recordings. This bespoke Mojo collection seeks to present that elusive sense of what can only therefore be described as “Sydness”.
Included are tracks by artists that influenced Barrett-era Floyd (fellow sonic adventurers AMM alongside Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, the two bluesmen who gave the band its name), as well as Syd’s contemporaries (Soft Machine, Gong, Hawkwind, Frank Zappa, the Bonzos, Kevin Ayers)…