Soul man Geno Washington promises to get the party started, while Suggs plans a classical 'Baggy Trousers'
Anna Calvi, singer-songwriter (performing 16 June)
What do the Kinks mean to you?
I remember my dad putting on "Waterloo Sunset" and being struck by what wonderful songwriters they were. They had this punk aesthetic yet all their songs were beautifully crafted. And they had so many different styles going on! The delicate tunes and crazy bass lines of songs like "Sunny Afternoon" versus the pure rock'n'roll of "You Really Got Me".
What new music are you listening to?
A band called the Invisible, who were nominated for the Mercury prize in 2009. They're excellent and should really be more recognised. And I love Alice and the Cool Dudes ? another really fantastic group.
If you were to curate your own Meltdown, who would you invite to perform?
Tom Verlaine from Television. He's a truly great guitarist. The records of Antony and the Johnsons have really affected me over the years, so I'd have to put them on there too. I'd also invite Wild Beasts and Animal Collective.
Suggs, Madness frontman (17 June)
What did the Kinks mean to Madness?
They really inspired the way we wrote songs. They specialised in making poetry and cinema out of everyday life, all expressed in their own vernacular. We never tried to approximate their sound but I think it shines through in some of our records. We've also got Muswell Hill roots in common!
What will be in your Meltdown show?
We're going to do something special. It'll be a little less frenetic than a conventional Madness concert ? a touch more introspective. We'll be trying some different arrangements like a classical version of "Baggy Trousers". It sounds a bit like Lou Reed gone wrong with an accordion! We're also doing a cover of "Lola" in homage to the Kinks.
Any new artists you'd recommend?
I love the soul singer Aloe Blacc ? particularly the song "I Need a Dollar". My daughter has told me great things about his live show. He's definitely one I'll be checking out at Glastonbury. Man Like Me are a fantastic London band and have been doing the rounds for a couple of years now. I'm sure they'll break big soon.
If you curated your own Meltdown bill who would be on there?
I'd get lots of soul and Motown artists on there: Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Ruffin, Martha and the Vandellas and the Miracles. And Aloe Blacc, of course, to represent the new generation. I'd get the Blockheads, and Althea and Donna for some reggae. Of recent music, I really rate Dizzee Rascal and Tinie Tempah. I'd also get Slava Polunin, Robert Wyatt, Scarlett and Viva, Ray Davies, Georgie Fame, Eddie Piller, Deaf School, Count Arthur Strong, Jerry Dammers' Spatial AKA Orchestra, Tim Minchin, the cast of Oliver!, Paul Morley, my mum, Fergus Henderson and his dad and Diarmuid Gavin.
Geno Washington, legendary US soul and R&B singer (11 June)
What did the Kinks mean to you?
We used to do shows together in the 60s. Ray and the boys became good friends of mine. My favourite song of theirs was "You Really Got Me", which I think was stylistically different from the rest of the stuff they did.
How would you describe your musical style?
It's rocking the house, basically! I specialise in creating positive energy with soul music and getting the audience involved. I like a party atmosphere.
Who are your musical heroes?
Artists from the Stax record label. People like Otis Redding and Rufus Thomas. I love their stuff and brought it over to the UK. I guess I helped popularise their music over here.
Who'd be on your bill if you created your own Meltdown?
Carl Douglas, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck? I'd recreate the kind of time we used to have at the Bag O'Nails bar on Kingly Street back in the 60s. It was full of rock stars and singers playing together after hours.
Lydia Lunch, poet, singer and actress (18 June)
What did the Kinks mean to you?
The Kinks were a bit before my time but they were an important influence on the rock music that followed. Their sound was rough, raunchy and delightfully amateurish.
How would you describe your musical style?
Rock music with some blues thrown in. Big Sexy Noise [Lunch's band] does exactly what it says on the tin: we're a coarse, unglamorised rock band.
Do you have any recommendations for new music?
I love Baba Zula, a band from Istanbul. I also love female sax player Jessie Evans, JG Thirlwell and Dax Riggs.
Who'd be on your bill if you curated your own Meltdown?
My choices would include Carla Bozulich, Evangelista and Mexico's Le Butcherettes. There'd also be a strong UK element with We Are Birds of Paradise and Shock Headed Peters.
John Cooper Clarke, English performance poet (15 June)
What do the Kinks mean to you?
For me, hearing the Kinks instantly conjures up the past. I'm a 60s guy, so hearing the persistent riff of songs like "You Really Got Me" takes me back. I loved them for their clever mix of rock'n'roll and erudition. Their music is the anti-melody, but Ray always sung it so melodically. And their lyrics are clever, full of social comment and wry observation. For anyone who writes lyrics, it's a huge honour to be asked to take part in something by a legend like Ray Davies. He's the guvnor!
Who are your favourite new artists?
I've just bought the new album of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. They're a relatively new band from Austin, Texas and play old-school blues, or what we used to call R&B in the 60s? not what it's come to mean now! I think Cee Lo Green has a terrific voice, and Eminem is a great lyricist.
If you were to stage your own Meltdown, who'd be on the bill?
What a question! Well, definitely the New York Dolls ? they're still the best band on the planet, after the Stones. And yes, the Rolling Stones! I'd put in the Fall, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, James Hunter, Question Mark and the Mysterians, and you can't ever go wrong with Etta James. She wrote the book ? her and James Brown. If I could do what they do and did, I wouldn't be doing this!
What's your greatest achievement?
The twin peaks of my career are having my lyrics on the penultimate episode of The Sopranos and Ray Davies asking me to do Meltdown. If you're talking about validation, it doesn't get any better.
The Observer is Meltdown's media partner
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