"It's an overlooked record I think. They were in the midst of breaking up. They were writing separately, and here you can really tell the differences between the Lennon–McCartney and George Harrison songs. What I find really interesting about the record is how it's not really polished. 'Glass Onion' is as unique a song as I've ever heard, and with self-reference: 'I told you about Strawberry Fields', 'the walrus was Paul'; I mean all that stuff! It refers to things the fans were talking about. It's a spectacular album. It doesn't connect like Abbey Road or Let It Be anywhere near as fast because the songs are all over the place. In the days when album covers and packaging meant so much, it was just a brave statement to say it doesn't have a title and leave it white. There is no title anywhere on the record, that's fantastic! Just the solo photos of the band inside. It's a strange record."

"I was later than James on Public Enemy, he’d be copying all the raps. You’d go down his house and he’d be rapping ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions’ to the record, like I’d be singing along to Ian McCulloch, which was really disconcerting - he really nailed it. I guess <>i>Fear Of A Black Planet is the bigger, more obvious album but it just felt like the rap equivalent of London Calling to me. It was really extensive and scattershot, obviously ‘Fight The Power’ was the main point of entry, but ‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ and ‘Who Stole The Soul?’ in particular are some of the best angry lyrics ever written. It felt like some sort of peak. I love the idea of NWA being the nihilistic, horrible Sex Pistols and Public Enemy being The Clash. I always loved those comparisons, and that album reminded me of a time when you thought things were possible. Before you were defeated."

"When my eldest was a baby, I'd take her on tour, and this album was an important part of the kit. There'd be a battle after the gigs to get her into the car and I'd be all, "Put Tumble Bee on quick! Put Tumble Bee on before she kicks off!" And then everything would be alright. So I'd like to thank you, Laura, for saving my life a few times [laughs]. 

This is a really wonderful album for children, well-crafted and beautiful, that doesn't dumb things down. I still listen to it now, quite happily, without the kids. Becky and Niopha have babies now, and we had them on tour with us when they were both about six-months-old. That time in my life is very much done, but it was really lovely. I remember Becky standing backstage, and breathing out, going, ‘Oh my God, I'm in a quiet room with a clean dress on'. I remember that feeling too [laughs]."

"I'd loved the previous albums but then Attack & Release came out and they'd worked with Danger Mouse, who is one of my favourite producers and was doing great stuff around then with Gorillaz and Martina Topley-Bird, and he'd done The Grey Album thing too, and I think Gnarls Barkley came just after this. Quite an unusual choice of producer for them, because they'd been doing quite hard stuff before that. Not rock rock, but y'know. It was just an amazing blend. Danger Mouse has got a real swing to the stuff he does, and he'd put a surrounding swing to it, combining two quite raw musicians - and an amazing vocalist - and it's just this incredible album. I've seen them a couple of times - and I think I built my expectation of them up too much - I mean, they were amazing, but I think I was expecting it to be the pinnacle of all gigs."

"This 1971 album by Hollywood arranger Jimmie Haskell is a rare case of the Topographical Album. It reimagines a future sovereign state of California in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake along the San Andreas fault - creating a gigantic inland lagoon where most of So-Cal sits today. If you're a Mapster that's into Maps - then this is the record for you - and from that perspective this has the greatest sleeve ever made. (Folds out into a giant map of said post apocalypse America). For heritage rock completists: this record features a cover of the Band's 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and Joe Walsh ( who would soon be joining the Eagles) features heavily on a couple of tunes. Generally though, Approach with caution - even though it's a fun record and a bold attempt at a new musical micro-genre, it also has the faint unwelcome smell of the rock opera."

"It’s a toss up for me between this album and Exile On Main Street. They’re both great. But Sticky Fingers wins out. I recall going into Andy’s Record Shop in Lowestoft and seeing this in the bargain bin. I thought, ‘What the hell? It’s so cheap I can’t go wrong buying a copy’. And I loved what I heard. “It’s never easy to pick a favourite Rolling Stones song – how do you do that with so may to choose from? But Can’t You Hear Me Knocking from Sticky Fingers would be my choice. “There’s also another reason to go for this. It brings back memories of Frankie (Poullain, Darkness bassist) and me driving around in a Volkswagen van in Costa Rica, climbing up the side of a volcano. And we listened to this all the time. It was perfect for that trip. So, if you are planning to go climbing up a volcano, then this is the album to take with you"