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.
