This issue of Thriller examines the Latest Greats.  Here, “late” doesn’t mean dead.  Instead, these interviews focus on artists who currently give us hope for the future of music.  The first volume examines three of the latest greats:  Nels Cline, Nick Thorburn and Joe Kwon.

Cline is the guitarist for Wilco, a band that has consistently pushed boundaries, redefining the way a song can be structured and giving the world two back-to-back masterpieces (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born), and one of the greatest live recordings ever made (Kicking Television).

Thorburn is the lead singer/songwriter of Islands.  Formed when his other band (indie darlings, The Unicorns) broke up, Islands’ first album took its cues from Paul Simon’s Graceland.  Amazingly, it not only stood up to one of the greatest albums ever made, but also brought it into the 21st Century.

Finally, as cellist for the Avett Brothers, Joe Kwon has a very interesting perspective on how the group works.  Although not an Avett brother himself, Kwon has been welcomed into the group’s inner circle.  The Avett Brother’s recent album – I and Love and You – debuted at 16 on the Billboard Top 100 chart and the group’s popularity is steadily rising.

All three artists have new albums out this year, and all three have some fascinating things to say about how they stay ahead of the curve.