ON THE COVER: In Praise of the Riff. Celebrating The Wire's 250th issue, we present a guide to rhythm, repetition, loops and trance, including Chris Sharp on riffs breaking away from rock and David Toop on the riff in free jazz.

FEATURES: Invisible Jukebox: Marshall Allen, The Finnish underground, John Peel RIP, Greg Davis, irr.app.(ext.)

PLUS: The Wire Tapper 12: This month's free cover-mounted 40 track double CD is available in shops worldwide and features tracks by Daniel Biro & Rob Palmer, Githead, Andy Moor & Yannis Kyriakides, Burnt Friedman & The Nu Dub Players, Chas Smith, Ascoltare, Ergo Phizmiz, The Fall, Cul De Sac/Damo Suzuki, Milky Globe, Andrew Pekler, DJ /Rupture Featuring Sister Nancy, David Grubbs & Nikos Veliotis, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney and more

ON THE COVER: Wolf Eyes. The noise-crazed feral trio hotwire Metal, hardcore and electronics to jumpstart the US underground. By Alan Licht

FEATURES: Albert Ayler, Alvin Curran, Matthew Bower, Invisible Jukebox: Simon McBurney, John Butcher, Paolo Angeli, Blevin Blectum, , Thomas Ankersmit

ON THE COVER: Zeena Parkins & Ikue Mori. Steve Smith hears strange fruit from the harp and drum machine of downtown NYC's hardest working women

FEATURES: Henry Flynt, Mats Gustafsson, Primer: Psychedelic Soul, Invisible Jukebox: Jennifer Herrema, Radian, Juana Molina, Comets On Fire

ON THE COVER: Derek Bailey - Free improvisation's wittiest and wiliest thinker has been rejuvenated since his move to Barcelona. By David Keenan

FEATURES: Tim Barnes, Jac Berrocal, Invisible Jukebox: Chris Watson, Kenneth Anger, Mira Calix, Felix Kubin, Thomas Melchoir, Text of Light, Björn Olsson

ON THE COVER: Wilco - Chicago's alt Country stars crack the cocoon of success to release the spirits within. By Edwin Pouncey

FEATURES: Phil Minton, Invisible Jukebox: Asian Dub Foundation, Primer: Noise, Margareth Kammerer, Beth Anderson, Hang On The Box

ON THE COVER: Alvin Lucier - Sitting in a room on the eve of his UK tour, the Connecticut composer talks to Christoph Cox about a life in feedback

FEATURES: Damo Suzuki, Ellen Fullman, Devendra Banhart, Invisible Jukebox: Sunn 0))), Bark Psychosis, Dengue Fever, Mark Leckey

ON THE COVER: Fennesz - Rob Young's rendezvous with Vienna's laptop prince finds an artist immersed in the beauty of disintegration

FEATURES: Eric Dolphy, Philip Corner, Invisible Jukebox: Vinicius Cantuária, Primer: Oriental woodwinds, Susan Philipsz, PG Six, Henrik Rylander, Sixtoo

PLUS: The Wire Tapper 11 - free CD featuring previously unheard gems by Arthur Russell, Albert Ayler, and more

ON THE COVER: The State of Song - Our survey of songs that break the mould, from Art Ensemble of Chicago to Hans Zender and 58 points in between

FEATURES: Hafler Trio, Invisible Jukebox: Buck 65, Takehisa Kosugi, Jem Finer, Nautical Almanac, Oxbow on Dino

ON THE COVER: Ghost - The Tokyo psychedelic speedfreak scene's most otherworldly group tell Edwin Pouncey spooky stories

FEATURES: Rammellzee, Invisible Jukebox: Luc Ferrari, Jack Rose, Primer: Cecil Taylor, Bill Fontana, Dean Roberts, Pelican, CocoRosie

ON THE COVER: cLOUDDEAD - anticon's central trio ponder their disenchantment with HipHop and life under Schwarzenegger. By Rob Young

FEATURES: Györgi Ligeti, Art Bears, Mars, Invisible Jukebox: Four Tet, Olga Neuwirth, Double Leopards, Bernhard Gál, A Hawk And A Hacksaw

ON THE COVER: Einstüzende Neubauten - David Keenan meets the perpetually mobile German wrecking crew in their Berlin hometown

FEATURES: Sun City Girls, Joe Boyd, Primer: Charles Mingus, Invisible Jukebox: Greg Tate, Anthony Pateras, Portable, Davis Redford Triad

ON THE COVER: 2003 Rewind - The Wire's crack writing squad select the year's best records; plus critics', singers' and players' pros and cons

FEATURES: Arthur Russell, Jerome Noetinger, Paal Nilssen-Love, Matt Rogalsky, Invisible Jukebox: Damon & Naomi, Basil Kirchin, Matthew Bourne