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The Beach Boy's Brian Wilson is an extremely talented musician, according to rock musician Sean Lennon, for whom Wilson is an idol. Lennon has also been influenced by Brazilian composer Carlos Jobim, as clearly reflected on the title track of his album 'Into the Sun.' The most enjoyable element in making this album was the session in which a live jazz ensemble was used for the recording of the instrumental 'Photosynthesis.' Musicians for this piece included trumpet player Dave Douglas and Brad Jones and EJ Rodriguez from the Jazz Passengers.

Music group Space, which was founded in Liverpool, England, is made up of singers Tommy Scott and Cerys Matthews, keyboard player Franny Griffiths and guitarist Jamie Murphy. The group's debut album, 'Spiders,' has sold more than 750,000 copies, and this placed all the members of the group under considerable pressure. The need to step back from the limelight temporarily in order to overcome stress allowed the group to focus on writing music for its second album, 'Tin Planet.' This shows considerable maturity, and should gain the group some critical respect.

Rock group The Stranglers performed to an audience of only 35 people when it visited Mount Alice, an army base located on West Falkland. There was a very unusual atmosphere there, but the performance was greatly enjoyed by the audience. The base is very isolated, so there was no need to be concerned about creating a disturbance. The group performed very energetically, and there were no restrictions on the behaviour of the audience.

Guitar band Travis has attracted considerable attention since it released an EP on its own Red Telephone Box label in Oct 1996. The band has now been signed to Independiente, a new record label set up by Andy MacDonald, formerly head of record label Go! Discs. A debut album has not yet been released, but the group has been working extremely hard in supporting roles. However, its members do not feel that there is any danger of them running out of inspiration.

It was very difficult to come to terms with the suicide of Kurt Cobain, according to former Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic. For some time after Cobain's death, he focused on becoming more politically active and overcoming his alcohol addiction. He is now returning to the music scene with Sweet 75, a trio which has a very wide-ranging musical style. The band has been focusing on writing and playing live, and will play its first gigs in the UK in Oct 1997.

Rock group Kiss has managed to retain its popularity since the mid-1970s, when it first came to public attention with its grandiose stage shows and music influenced by glam rock. The group's live performances attract large audiences, and its fans are not only those who are traditionally associated with hard rock. The stage show makes extensive use of extravagant sound and lighting technology, and audiences are also able to buy a wide range of Kiss merchandise.

Some music journalists believe that heavy rock band Reef will play a key role in reviving the rock music scene in the UK. The band has given a more fashionable image to heavy rock, and is particularly admired for the extremely mature voice of vocalist Gary Stringer. The band has now had three top 20 hits from its first album, 'Glow,' and is set to begin a UK tour in May 1997, having already undertaken a European tour.

The members of hip-hop group Cypress Hill were strongly influenced by Run DMC, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, among others. They have now in turn influenced over artists and sold over 15 million albums. They are particularly associated with marijuana and gun culture.

Blues pianist Malcolm 'Dr John' Rebennack indicates that his late father provided much of the inspiration for his new album, 'Creole Moon.' He states that voodoo practices allow him to communicate with his father.

Rock musician Perry Farrell believes that he has now become less hedonistic. He has adopted a new lifestyle, becoming more socially aware. He indicates that his new album, 'Song Yet To Be Sung,' took three and a half years to produce.

Singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks indicates that she is committed to her solo career, but that it will never be quite the same as Fleetwood Mac. She expresses nostalgia for the Fleetwood Mac era.

Music group Arab Strap's Aidan Moffat indicates that the group's music is intended to be beautiful, not sad. He states that he always writes from experience.

The music group Spooks, made up of four MCs and a chanteuse, has released its first album, entitled 'Spooks Is On some Other Script.' The group's members emphasize that they do not allow their business strategy to dominate over their music.

Singer Shelby Lynne believes that much of the appeal of her new album, 'I Am Shelby Lynne,' can be attributed to its innovative string arrangements, written by George Del Barrio. She believes that the death of both her parents when she was 17 determined how she became as an adult. She moved to Nashville, TN, only shortly after this event, but emphasizes that this was not a culture shock for her.

The live music scene in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is now beginning to revive following a period during which the city centre was cordoned-off at 6pm. The city has many new pub venues, and there has been a significant growth in interest in local bands. Johnny Davis of record label Bright Star, based in Belfast, looks likely to play a significant role in the revival of the city's music scene. He has many international contacts, and is therefore in a strong position to promote Northern Irish bands abroad.

The popularity of heavy metal music has waned in the UK over recent years. This seems to be the result of a natural evolution in rock music tastes, with traditional hard rock acts such as Iron Maiden being displaced by slightly softer sounds. Iron Maiden remains popular abroad, while its status in the UK has declined, even though it is still attracting more support than most other heavy metal groups. Iron Maiden is to tour in the UK from Nov 17, 1998.

It is becoming increasingly common for novelists to acknowledge the impact of pop music on modern society. US writer Pagan Kennedy's new novel 'The Exes,' for example, charts the rise of an alternative-rock band, while pop music has also featured in recent novels by Alan Warner, Irvine Walsh and Robert Newman. There is now a growing sense of fiction and pop music establishing positive links. Alan Warner, Nick Hornby and Pagan Kennedy have appropriated pop culture in a unique and mutually distinctive way.

The documentary series 'Rock Family Trees,' which is beginning a new six-week run on BBC2, is extremely well researched. However, it avoids being too deep by making clever use of anecdotal footage. The footage is linked with interviews, hand-drawn family trees of rock groups and montage of album artwork and memorabilia. The series makes particularly effective use of the tactic of allowing those who did not have the most prominent roles in well-known groups to make fun of their more well-known fellow performers.

The Dave Matthews Band has gained a strong following, and is even admired by a number of celebrities. However, the popular music press has been largely dismissive of the band's success. Some observers have likened the band to The Grateful Dead, but its mix of folk, jazz and world music is actually more complex than that of The Grateful Dead. The band's most recent album, 'Before These Crowded Streets,' is its strongest so far, with both song-writing and musicianship being extremely focused.

Musician Lisa Loeb feels that she is often seen as a vulnerable person whose image is being manipulated. In fact, she is very much in control of her songwriting and her performing. She is strong committed to her music, and shows considerable talent in the construction of her lyrical narratives. She regards men and women simply as people, and does not feel happy with portraying women as behaving in a particular way and men in a different way. However, she is also keen to give women a voice.

Drum and bass group Reprazent is seeking to promote self-belief and a positive attitude, according to Roni Size, who produces the group's music. The group has gained considerable international acclaim since it signed to Talkin' Loud in 1996. Some observers have criticized it for selling out to mainstream pop music, but Size believes that this move has been very positive, allowing the group to bring its music to people who would not otherwise have heard it.