Issue 61

We're celebrating 40 years since the first UK Independent Chart in this month's issue of Electronic Sound. Independence Day – 19 January 1980 – was a key step in the unfolding DIY revolution that followed in the wake of punk, as Ian McNay from Cherry Red and Geoff Travis from Rough Trade, two of the most important independent label bosses, explain in our cover story. Ian McNay is the man who originally came up with the idea for the chart.

We also have a very lively interview with Spizz, the man behind Spizzenergi's 'Where's Captain Kirk?', the record that topped the first indie chart. 'Captain Kirk' was Number One for seven weeks and stayed on the chart for the whole of 1980. As well as recalling the making of his famous track, Spizz talks about growing up on sci-fi TV programmes, drinking tea with Mick Ronson's mum, playing guitar in Heaven 17 (just for a few days), riding his bike with a broken leg, and having injections into his eyeball. You really don't want to miss this.

Elsewhere this issue, we have other interviews with Nicolas Godin (from Air), Patrick Moraz (ex-Yes), Money Mark, Hula, The Home Current and Mark Radcliffe, while one-time Tangerine Dream legends Peter Baumann and Paul Haslinger introduce their Neuland project. Plus, of course, all of our regular columnists and more album reviews than can possibly be good for you.

To accompany this month's issue, we are reissuing the seven-inch single that took the Number One spot in the first Independent Chart chart – Spizzenergi's unforgettable and totally awesome 'Where's Captain Kirk?'. The record, which topped the indie chart for seven consecutive weeks, comes with its original B-side, 'Amnesia'.