Tinker Tailor Soldier John

John le Carre converses with Mark Lawson about his fragmented childhood, life in the diplomatic service, working with Alec Guinness and his book A Most Wanted Man. Le Carre worked as an intelligence officer in the 1970s before turning to writing full time. His personal experiences during the Cold War informed a string of best-selling espionage novels including The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. He also wrote the corporate corruption thriller The Constant Gardener, which became a Oscar-winning film.

Westbound's remarkable catalog reissue campaign continues apace with yet another long-lost gem from the label's forgotten corners. Album was the sole full-length release by Detroit quintet Assemblage, and although the 1971 set kicks off with a cover of the Stones' "Satisfaction"—a seemingly obligatory move for bands during this time—this record is nonetheless full of surprises. While '70s Detroit was legendary for an incredibly fertile scene that blurred the lines between soul, funk, rock, and proto-punk and was home to a disproportionate number of iconic musicians, Assemblage were among quite a few acts and players that completely slipped under the radar. Featuring just one "notable" member in the form of future Bob Seger keyboardist Robyn Robins, the other four musicians hit their career peaks with Assemblage, which, considering that Album has been out of print and not reissued since its original release, indicates exactly how high that peak was.

Westbound's remarkable catalog reissue campaign continues apace with yet another long-lost gem from the label's forgotten corners. Album was the sole full-length release by Detroit quintet Assemblage, and although the 1971 set kicks off with a cover of the Stones' "Satisfaction"—a seemingly obligatory move for bands during this time—this record is nonetheless full of surprises. While '70s Detroit was legendary for an incredibly fertile scene that blurred the lines between soul, funk, rock, and proto-punk and was home to a disproportionate number of iconic musicians, Assemblage were among quite a few acts and players that completely slipped under the radar. Featuring just one "notable" member in the form of future Bob Seger keyboardist Robyn Robins, the other four musicians hit their career peaks with Assemblage, which, considering that Album has been out of print and not reissued since its original release, indicates exactly how high that peak was.