In the new Hot Press: Lisa Hannigan

While it may have taken five years, Lisa Hannigan's At Swim is more than worth the wait.

And, suitably, it's the first lady of Irish music who leads the way in the new issue of Hot Press. Inside, she tells Stuart Clark how the album came to be, as well as discussing the death of David Bowie, performing in private for Paul Simon, sharing a stage with The National, the importance of repealing the 8th, and plenty more besides.

Elsewhere, an chanteuse looking to follow in Lisa's footsteps reflects on a life-changing few months, as Áine Cahill chats to Colm O'Regan. On the agenda are her Glastonbury debut, her creative process, and getting rejected from the school choir. Two of the giants of French music appear in the new issue too, as Jean Michel Jarre and Laurent Garnier both open up in fascinating interviews.

No interview, though, will be as eye opening as the discussion that Jason O'Toole shares with Minister for Training, Skills and Innovation, John Halligan. In a fascinating Hot Press interview, he becomes the first government minister to back a successor to Enda Kenny, but also gives his thoughts on extreme pro-life campaigners as a “Mob” – likening them to ISIS terrorists – as well as the decriminalisation of drugs, legalising prostitution, and why he believes – or knows – that there is no God.

In Frontlines, Hannah O'Brien looks at how the removal of Maser's mural galvanised the movement to Repeal the 8th, Roe McDermott examines the legacy of Bobby Sands as a new documentary venerates the Republican rebel, and Ryan Diller provides a need-to-know guide to the man who would be Hillary's second-in-command, Tim Kaine.

Annie Mac, Rachel Goswell, Lera Lynn are just a few of the other musical luminaries interviewed in the issue; there's also Margot Robbie chatting about her role in Suicide Squad, and Declan Lynch reflecting on his new book The Ponzi Man. Add in all the usual news, views, reviews and previews, and it's another bumper issue of Hot Press – on sale now!

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