Sweeping The Nation: Farewell and forthcoming
So that's the albums and tracks of 2022 completed and a whole year's worth of exciting newness lying ahead, but we probably should take a moment - well, we've made the list now - to remember those pop figures who died in the year just passing.
So, valete, in rough chronological order: R. Dean Taylor, Parliament-Funkadelic co-singer Calvin Simon, Burke Shelley of Budgie, Ronnie Spector...
...Detroit Cobras singer Rachel Nagy, Meat Loaf, The Ventures rhythm guitarist Don Wilson, Food Records founder Andy Ross, Norma Waterson, Syl Johnson, Betty Davis...
...King Crimson's Ian McDonald, The Sadies singer Dallas Good, Gary Brooker of Procul Harum, Jamal Edwards, Mark Lanegan, Nicky Tesco of the Members, Timmy Thomas, Taylor Hawkins, Philip Jeck, Mira Calix, Tabby Diamond and Bunny Diamond from The Mighty Diamonds...
...The Wanted's Tom Parker, Natty Wailer, The Marcels bass man Fred Johnson, C.W. McCall, guitarist with Motown house band the Funk Brothers Joe Messina, Chris Bailey of The Saints...
...Klaus Schulze of Tangerine Dream, Grandmaster Gareth from Misty's Big Adventure, Vangelis, The Move and Wizzard bass player Rick Price, Cathal Coughlan of Microdisney, The Fatima Mansions and Telefis...
...Alan White of Yes, Andy Fletcher, Ronnie Hawkins, Kelly Joe Phelps, Jim Seals from Seals & Crofts, Julee Cruise and later Angelo Badalamenti...
...Massimo Morante of Goblin, William Hart from the Delfonics, Happy Mondays bassist Paul Ryder, Monkees creator Bob Rafelson, Bob Heathcote of Suicidal Tendencies, owner of Rockfield Studios Charles Ward, Bernard Cribbins, Sam Gooden of The Impressions, Judith Durham from The Seekers, Pogues bass player Darryl Hunt, Lamont Dozier...
... Olivia Newton-John, guitarist with legendary session band The Wrecking Crew Bill Pitman, Darius, last surviving member of Buddy Holly's Crickets Jerry Allison, Jaimie Branch, Drummie Zeb from Aswad, Paul Sartin of Bellowhead, The Feelies drummer Anton Fier, John Hartman of The Doobie Brothers, Pharoah Sanders, Coolio, Loretta Lynn...
...Joyce Sims, Gregg Philbin of REO Speedwagon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro, Migos' Takeoff, Aaron Carter, Mimi Parker from Low...
...Nazareth singer Dan McCafferty, Garry Roberts from the Boomtown Rats, Gal Costa, Hawkwind's Nik Turner, Keith Levene, Mike Bryson of Bogshed, Wilko Johnson...
...Irene Cara, Christine McVie, Manuel Göttsching, Stax co-founder Jim Stewart, Hamish Kilgour of The Clean, Stranglers drummer Jet Black, Bertha Barbee-McNeal of the Velvelettes...
...Martin Duffy of Primal Scream and Felt, Terry Hall, Thom Bell and Maxi Jazz.
Forwards to 2023, then (this is a whiplash emotional turn, we know, but it's this or bother you twice), and the inevitable Here Are A Few Albums You Might Want To Be Excited About list. How many will you have forgotten about by the autumn?
13th January: Billy Nomates - Cacti
16th January: Pagan Wanderer Lu - Defunct Devices
20th January: John Cale - Mercy, Ladytron - Time's Arrow
23rd January: Sweet Baboo - The Wreckage
27th January: Mozart Estate (Lawrence of Felt/Denim/Go-Kart Mozart) - Pop-Up! Ker-Ching! And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping
3rd February: The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Part Two, The Go! Team, Hamish Hawk - Angel Numbers, Robert Forster - The Candle And The Flame, The WAEVE - The WAEVE, Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
10th February: Amber Arcades - Barefoot On Diamond Road, Quasi - Breaking The Balls Of History, Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
17th February: Anna B Savage - in|FLUX, dEUS – How To Replace It
24th February: Algiers - Shook, David Brewis - The Soft Struggles, Gruff Rhys – The Almond & The Seahorse Soundtrack, Gorillaz - Cracker Island, Miss Grit - Follow The Cyborg
3rd March: Jen Cloher - I Am The River, The River Is Me
10th March: H. Hawkline - Milk For Flowers
31st March: A Certain Ratio - 1982
Unconfirmed but rumoured: Animal Collective, Arlo Parks, Bat For Lashes, Black Country New Road, boygenius, Everything But The Girl, Janelle Monáe, Mclusky, My Bloody Valentine (yeah, again), The National, Patrick Wolf, PJ Harvey, Ride, Sparks, Squid, Wet Leg