Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Music

I listen to a lot of music while I'm at work. The only radio station the comes in is 92.5 (The River) which gets old very fast. Getting an ipod really helped. I loaded most of our CD collection onto itunes, so now we have over 5,000 songs. Here is what came up yesterday when I hit random play:

The first 10 songs-
Lonesome highway……….Shane MacGowan & the Popes
50 ways to leave your lover..Paul Simon
Must I paint you a picture?..Billy Bragg
Prayers for rain……….The Cure
Surfin' Bird…………...The Ramones
Kid……………………The Pretenders
Orange ski……………Alexi Murdoch
Walk on………………Neil Young
Do the evolution (live)..Pearl Jam
Avenues and Alleyways…Rancid

Here is what I would call my 10 favorite groups with the essential CD from each.
My top 10……Essential album
The Alarm……Raw
Luka Bloom….Turf
Billy Bragg…..Talking to the Taxman about poetry
The Clash……London Calling
The Cure……..Disingtegration
Dropkick Murphy's…Live on St. Patrick's day
Green Day…..American Idiot
Levellers…….Zeitgeist
The Offspring..Americana
Waterboy's……Fisherman's blues

9 comments:

DoubleJ said...

My Top 10 Essential Albums (in no particular order):

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes (1991)
The Smiths - Meat is Murder (1984)
The Cure - Staring at the Sea (Singles 1979-1985)
Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991)
Ministry - Psalm 69 (1991)
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Joe Jackson - Night and Day (1982)
Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
REM - Chronic Town (1982)
Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (1987)

These are the albums I would take with me if I was stranded out in Western Mass or somewhere desolate like that ;)...

Scott Mason said...

You guys have pretty good tastes in music. I especially love London Calling and their single Radio Clash.

joe shairs said...

wow some crazy stuff with Jim, Tori Amos listed with Ministry.
I usually like the Talking Heads and a bit of The Pixies.

double-d Mountain runner said...

Cath and I were just discussing our musical tastes. She doesn't like the "heavier" stuff I listen to (Rancid, Offspring) and I don't like the "lighter" stuff she listens to (Dixie Chicks, Enya) but we meet somewhere in the middle.

DoubleJ said...

I like Talking Heads as well as Severed Heads. I also love the Pixies and Frank Black... So much great muzak...so little time...

Derrick said...

Dave,

Great taste in music. Funny, I've never said that to anyone before or never been told that myself.

Would agree with most of your top 10, but would have to add 'If I Should Fall From Grace With God' by The Pogues.

Need to also find room on your list for some great Canadian Punk and Celtic Punk...

DOA - Canadian Punk legends (not the fluffy pop band of the same name).
The Mahones - Started out as a Pogues tribute band but evolved into a really great band. A must see. Toured with DKM's and recorded together.

Also, re: Levellers...interesting choice with Zeitgeist. I was always partial to Levelling the Land as their best record.

Best Live show...
Shane MacGowan had just been kicked out of the Pogues while on tour. Was terribly disappointed to not see him at the time, but was thrilled that Joe Strummer from The Clash filled in for him. Fantastic show featuring the best of the Pogues and Clash. Saw Shane a few years later with the Popes which was great as well.

Derrick

double-d Mountain runner said...

I agree that the Pogues If I should fall from grace is a great album, maybe even better than my pick. I selected that album because it was one of those "turning point" albums for me. I remember shopping in Newbury comics and hearing the album over the sound system. Right away I had to have that album, it changed the course of my musical tastes. Same could be said for London Calling. I remember the first time Dave Quintal played the album and I was just floored. I saw the Pogues when Joe Strummer was lead singer and it was awesome! A lot of people in the audience were chanting "Shane", but I couldn't have been happier.

I definitely enjoy a lot of Celtic influenced stuff, heading out this weekend to see Enter the haggis

mueblerunner said...

DD
Thanks for giving me credit for the Clash influence. I was introduced to them by my older brother , John aka Kirby. It seems all my early musical tastes were influenced by my older brothers (Clash, The Jam, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Rockpile (Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe) among countless others. Music is a history lesson for me and I try to keep listening to new and old sounds to keep it fresh!
Today I have to be careful what I listen to because of the influence bad music has on my young children - I really despise rap and hip hop for its lyrical content but I know of its historical importance to music as a whole. That is why I listen to country music sometimes just to get away from the crap the young generation is listening to.
I know this sounds like I'm an old fart and a bit square but some country music is very uplifting and offers some spiritual connection. don't worry I still enjoy Clash City Rockers on full volume!!
DQ

Derrick said...

I find it interesting how other people have found that an early interest in punk has lead to greater appreciations for other types of music.

In my case, I was really into the Clash, Ramones, Sex Pistols. Then was smittened by the Pogues. From there it opened my eyes to traditional Irish/Celtic Music (Cheiftains), to Canadian/American folk to some alt. country and then even some old country and bluegrass (by way of STeve Earle and his diverse recordings).

DQ, I know what you mean about 'the music the kids play these days'. I struggle with it. I was very pleased that while my 13 year old son has more of an interest in metal, he likes some punk too. In fact, I took him to see DOA on their 30th year anniversary tour for his first concert. Very cool.