Above: an early draft for the cover of what was intended to be Arthur No. 26, originally scheduled for release in Spring 2007.

This issue was delayed til the fall amidst the publication’s ownership transition; by that point, some of the pieces scheduled for publication were no longer available, and Yoko Ono was no longer the cover subject. A real shame.

My biggest regret of all is we lost our massive salute to Sly and the Family Stone, which had been timed to coincide with the Spring 2007 re-release of the band’s entire catalog. The Seth Man had worked so hard, on an insane deadline, to cover it all with his customary sensitivity, scholarship and enthusiasm. Oh, the loss!

In any event, the Seth Man’s pieces appeared in some form later in the year on Julian Cope’s relentlessly inspirational Head Heritage website. Here they are:

LIVIN’, LOVIN’, OVERDUBBIN’ … Sly Stone: The Slippery One Who Got Away (main feature)

Dance to the Music (1968)

Life (1968)

Stand! (1969)

There’s a Riot Goin‘ On (1971)

Small Talk (1974)

Sly Stone Stone Flower singles (1970)

— Jay Babcock