Another month gone and another issue of State is ready and waiting to make an appearance.

On the cover you’ll find Gemma Hayes, taken from our exclusive photo shoot by Roger Woolman. Inside she gives us the lowdown on life in LA, working with Kevin Shields, Paul Noonan and others as well as how losing her record deal was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Republic Of Loose have been through similar trials and tribulations but seem to rise above them to keep getting stronger and stronger. We join Mick Pyro and co to hear just how a band from inner city Dublin became so versed in American urban music.

Billy Bragg tells us just how he came to make a record of classic soul, as does new boy Jamie Lidell. The National reflect on their extraordinary ascent, Neon Neon get all nostalgic for the -80s, Daniel Lanois talks about working with some of the greatest names in rock music and Mick Jagger gives us the run around in London and Berlin before finally giving him an insight into what took the Rolling Stones back to New York to work with Martin Scorsese. Looking to the past, Hank Shocklee reminisces on how Public Enemy changed the face of hip-hop and how maybe Chuck D is not quite the genius that everyone considers him to be. On the domestic front, the likes of Fugazi, Chumbawamba and Leagues O’Toole help tell the story of Hope, the late -80s independent promoters who put Ireland on the international punk and hardcore map.

Looking forward, we discover how the future of the music industry might just be in the hands of the video games manufacturers and the teenage boys who play them. All of this plus the Fence Collective, Persian clubbing in Dublin, our view on the Madonna album, Johnny Vegas, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Lykke Li and the glory of Adam & the Ants can be yours, nation and worldwide, from Thursday May 1st.

We’ve also made a streamable mixtape or muxtape of 12 tracks from artists featured in Issue 03. Have a listen.