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.

Jul 14: 1986

Forty years ago, what new music was emerging...

I previously (back in May) shared details of the Peter Gabriel album 'So'. This was a real highlight of 1986 and I still listen to this regularly today.

This was a year when I started training to be a teacher having spent the first part of the year completing a computer science course back in Rotherham. I'd graduated but wasn't sure what to do, and luckily graduated at a time when that was less of an issue than it is for young people

Here's Gabriel's own reminiscences of the album.

And the first track on the album is epic.

The hi-hat really makes this one come to life... from Stewart Copeland of the Police.

Sledgehammer was the real break out hit with its video made by Aardman animation studios.

The dancing chickens were animated by Nick Park, who later won several Oscars. 

I went to the premiere of the latest Chicken Run movie at the London Film Festival a couple of years ago and he walked past me.

The album that I remember most of all from this year though was Bruce Hornsby and the Range's album 'The Way it Is'.

The title track was all over MTV and used as music for several TV programmes. There are some classic tracks on this album, which doesn't really have a duff song on it...

Pierre Moerlen's Gong made a 'Breakthrough'... I had this on vinyl... great percussion as always from Pierre Moerlen...

Steve Winwood has a distinctive voice, and this year he was 'Back in the High Life' again....

What were you listening to back in 1986?

Jan 17: Environmental Songs #1: 'Look out any Window' - Bruce Hornsby

There are many songs which feature environmental problems and concerns about what humans are doing to the environment. I'll be sharing these on the blog...

One that immediately springs to mind for me is from Bruce Hornsby and the Range's second album: 'Songs from the Southside'.

From the lyrics:

There's a man workin' in a field
See's the rain and it's burning
He's saying this can't be real
As he sees the color of the fields turning
Far away the men too busy getting rich to care
Close their eyes and let it all out into the air
Hoping nobody else would care
Look out any window
Look out any open door
Look out any window
See what's going on in the world around you

The song references some actions of businesses, leading to acid rain and pollution of the oceans affecting fish catches.

The Bruuuce website is a goldmine for any Bruce Hornsby fans as it includes all sorts of content including the meanings of the lyrics to songs.

Here's a live version with the Noisemakers... he reinvents his own songs in every concert that he plays...

come back to the UK soon Bruce!

If you have an idea for another song with an environmental theme, please add your suggestion into the comments....