Blitzed 22

Our biggest issue yet lands with an exclusive interview with Nick Rhodes—Duran Duran’s synth polymath on recent tours, Danse Macabre’s Halloween spectacle, the fashion and visuals that define his world, and whispers of the long-anticipated “lost album.” It’s a proper feast for lovers of synth-pop, new wave and post-punk culture.

What’s inside

Headline interviews

• Annabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow) — life on the road and a UK tour preview
• Mark King (Level 42) — the joy of revisiting rarely played gems
• Stephen Mallinder — 50 years of Cabaret Voltaire and the legacy of industrial electronics
• Nik Kershaw — stories behind the new book and the craft of classic songwriting
• Gary Numan — candid reflections on Telekon as the album turns 45
• Midge Ure — the concluding part of our in-depth conversation
• Mark Moore (S’Express) — pop, production and fearless reinvention
• The Bluebells — from timeless hooks to modern stages

Features & deep dives

• Scott Walker — an elegant retrospective on a singular voice
• Bandcamp, unboxed — what the platform really means for independent music today
• Blitz Club at The Design Museum — previewing a definitive exhibition of the scene that started it all
• Classic reappraisals: Sting, Terry Hall and XTC
• The Breakfast Club — anniversary look at a cultural touchstone
• Paul Statham (B-Movie) — writing with The Dark Flowers, Simple Minds and Peter Murphy
• Mark Reeder — more Berlin adventures from a scene insider
• Jonathan Barnbrook — award-winning design, Bowie connections, and where music meets art
• Darren Laurence — an independent producer’s guide to the underground
• Tim Muddiman — a new column exploring the creative circuitry between art and music
• Spotlight: Mark Stewart (The Pop Group) — uncompromising sound, lasting impact

On the ground

• Billy Idol at Wembley — Rob Minter files the live report
• Ashes to Ashes: Cabaret vs Cancer — Paul Browne covers a very special burlesque event
• Behind the scenes at Smash Hits and a M’era Luna festival dispatch with Marc Massive

Plus: our regular columns, new artist reviews, and giveaways.