Aug 22: My Desert Island Discs

A few months ago, I posted about Desert Island Discs and invited people to share their choices. One person has responded to the request so far - thanks!

I've been thinking of my music choices. These are subject to change of course, but at the time of posting, I reckon I would take the following:

Piece 1: Ommadawn Part One, Mike Oldfield - the GOAT 

Tubular Bells is the one that people always talk about when considering the work of Mike Oldfield, and his debut certainly had an impact, and launched the Virgin empire. This, his third album involved working with a wider range of musicians, and once again lots of overdubs and multi-instrumental virtuosity from Oldfield. There are also guests such as Paddy Moloney from the Chieftains who played the uillean pipes, and Les Penning.

There were some issues when recording. He faced a serious technical issue several months in: having almost finished recording side one, the recording tape started to shed its oxide layer, causing irreparable damage. Virgin delivered a machine so that copies of the master tape could be made and Oldfield could carry on working, but the same problem recurred, leaving him with no choice but to start again using a new brand of tape. Pierre Moerlen also played on this album.

Piece 2: Ará Batur - Sigur Rós

This is one of those pieces that builds and builds to a huge crescendo and I was fortunate to have been in the Royal Albert Hall when it was played live for only the 2nd time (the first time had been the night before...) There are several recordings of this moment online.

Piece 3: Headlights on the Parade - The Blue Nile

From the classic album 'Hats'. They remain one of my favourite live memories.

Piece 4: The Road not Taken - Bruce Hornsby

Unrequited love in the Appalachians, with a nod to Robert Frost's poem.

Piece 5: Close to Home - Lyle Mays

The final track from Lyle Mays' first solo album, released in 1986. 

Piece 6: Goodnight America - Mary Chapin Carpenter

An excellent version of this song from the 'Songs from the Movie' album which I first heard on the radio one evening driving back home. I saw Mary play this song live a few years after that.

Piece 7: The Lake - Mike Oldfield

No apologies for including a second long Mike Oldfield instrumental. This one was released in 1984, and later that year I made my first visit to Norway.

I had it on cassette on my Sony Walkman (remember those?), and listened to it while sat by a lake in the sun.

Piece 8: The Garden - Rush

The final track from their final album made with Neil Peart.

It's a perfect piece of music.

In terms of books, I am going to have to go with J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'. I have a special Deluxe edition of the book which I was given for a birthday present over well over 40 years and is worth anything up to £2000 apparently.... it dates from 1979 and has gold leaf on the front cover and came in a special box.

And my luxury of course will be a stash of single malt whisky, specifically this one:

Please let me know your own Desert Island Discs.

I will share more contributions later in the year hopefully.