Original video locatedhere. Accessed 16th September 2018
Song title: Going Home (Local Hero theme)
Artist: Mark Knopfler
Year: 1983
Why I like this song:
Well how else are you going to end a playlist of driving songs? A no-brainer true but you can’t argue with one of the greatest build ups ever crafted for a song – one that eventually gives way to an instantly recognisable saxophone. A victory theme if ever there was one, this is a great song to listen, as the title suggests, on a return journey. In addition, particular mention must go to the drums and the bass that conclude the song.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 23rd November 2014
Song title: Lonely Stretch
Artist: Triffids
Year: 1986
Why I like this song:
Continuing with the theme of barren roads and journey’s into the foreboding unknown, we come to the Triffids. Although Wild Open Road is perhaps the quintessential driving song (a title I will not contest), I actually find this more compelling. The horror of being lost and all alone in a barren landscape brought about by taking wrong turn…
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 8th August 2011
Song title: Jump in My Car
Artist: Ted Mulry Gang
Year: 1975
Why I like this song:
Again, a song that everyone enjoys seeing on a driving playlist. Maybe it’s decreed by law that this song is a mandatory inclusion but who cares: It’s a rocking song with a hilarious narrative and far better than the horrible cover done by David Hasselhoff.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 10th December 2017
Song title: Rearview Mirror
Artist: Pearl Jam
Year: 1993
Why I like this song:
Again, the title says it all. I’m not one to endorse aggressive driving but this song really fits the bill of wanting to get out of a bad situation – which is most likely what Eddie Vedder intended.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 10th December 2018
Song title: Magic Carpet Ride
Artist: Steppenwolf
Year: 1968
Why I like this song:
Born to be Wild may be synonymous with Harley Davidsons but what do you do if you don’t have one? You settle for this instead. Not that it’s a bad thing of course. Mind you, considering the music geek in me, perhaps it isn’t surprising that this song is included on this playlist. As stated in the opening line: “I like to dream / right between my sound machine”
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 6th December 2018
Song title: Leave Home
Artist: Chemical Brothers
Year: 1995
Why I like this song:
The driving bass line (pun well and truly intended) and the pounding beats make this song practically made for driving. Come on, it’s called Leave Home! How can you not listen to this when in the car!
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 10th January 2017
Song title: One of These Days
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year: 1971
Why I like this song:
I like songs that just grab and maintain one’s attention through a gradual, multi-layered build up. And this song is an excellent example of this principle: It’s a growling bassline with sharp bursts of organ that eventually gives way to an aggressive explosion of noise with Dave Gilmour going berserk on the guitar. Ideally, this should be played on a highway travelling across a barren stretch of land…..
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 10th July 2016
Song title: The Journey
Artist: Tommy Emmanuel and the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra
Year: 1995
Why I like this song:
For this month, I want to write about music through the eyes of the motorist. I really enjoy driving so combining two things I like may make for interesting ramble.
The car, I have found, is actually quite an effective tool to bring people aware of music. It isn’t just a case of rocking up to the lights at an intersection with something booming on the stereo. Oh no: Traveling in car with a group of people means being in confined space whilst looking to someone in particular, the driver, to whom you are dependent upon and whose life may lie in their hands. This places the driver in a position of power (in addition to being, you know, the owner of the vehicle).
This sense of power stretches all the way to every aspect of the car including the stereo. This is indeed important on two fronts: Being a key source of entertainment whilst driving along seemingly endless stretches of road and being a source of communication. And in the sense of communication, this presents a golden opportunity to educate any passengers on new music. And this may be the most effective way yet with the listeners a) having nowhere to run or hide and b) in a position where they can’t complain. Thus, the driver chooses what music they like and if the passengers don’t like it, well, it sucks to be them.
Thus control over the car stereo is a highly desirable position: It relies on the dictations of whoever is in charge and anyone who complains has to sit through it no matter how painfully. But as this position is highly sought after, it’s not one given away freely. It all relies on who’s holding the steering wheel and, if there’s more than one driver in the car, there is the knowledge that the person who isn’t driving has to endure the right over the stereo being taken away from them.
Really the control over the car stereo is so important that, in all honesty, anyone who tries to accommodate the tastes of the passenger is being too soft. We as humans must all have that secret desire of being in a position where everyone else has to do exactly what they say and, for some, the car stereo presents the perfect opportunity for that desire to be satisfied.
So what do I listen to my car? Mostly compilation discs built up from past Triple J Hottest 100s. True most of them date back to the nineties but it’s great to hear music I hadn’t heard in a while and escape to an age where music was great and the tag of ‘alternative rock’ actually meant something. Still, the 2000 discs also have a degree of charm to them, even to the point of making me aware of stuff I may have missed the first time around (as is often the case in my life).
However I do have a favourite list of driving songs. As with many lists of this calibre, these songs have been assembled with much trial and error and provide a sense of ‘feel’ to them. You know what I mean: Songs that evoke senses of traveling, journeys and stepping into the unknown. Sure there’s no denying the appeal of playing loud metal music or hip-hop beats on a sound system but I favour music that sets moods for particular tasks – such moods tend to last longer.
So what songs make up this playlist? Well, to start there's this….
The title says it all: A great piece of music that should be playing for anyone going somewhere (funny that…). I particularly like the live version with a complete orchestral backing that can make any car journey seem epic. Listening to this in the car and suddenly driving down to the shops to buy milk comes across as being absolutely monumental.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 13th May 2014
Song title: Parachute
Artist: Falling Joys
Year: 1990
Why I like this song:
I'm listening to, and enjoying, Wish List - an album from 1990 by the Falling Joys. Great songs on there - not least of which is the immortal Lock It. Funny thing is, in order to get this album, I had to order it from Germany. Yes, to get a classic Australian album I had to order it form the other side of the world. How does that work?!?!?
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 22nd November 2010
Song title: Mr Natural
Artist: Mental As Anything
Year: 1995
Why I like this song:
Earlier this year I got to see Mental As Anything.
Its always fascinating to know a band you followed as a child only to see them as an adult. Granted they may look different from when you originally knew them but that can be forgiven should they deliver live. And that should be an easy task given these songs are immortal right?
Well, they looked older, there were two left of the classic lineup (Martin and Greedy) and the audience present was older than me. But they delivered a great show - Greedy had an energetic presence and looked like he was having the time of his life. I knew all these songs from my youth and it was wonderful to hear them in a live environment. Funny how veteran acts tend to do better live - but then again I guess they have had much more time to sharpen their live act.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 16th June 2011
Song title: Bohemian Like You
Artist: Dandy Warhols
Year: 2000
Why I like this song:
Earlier this year I got to see the Dandy Warhols live.
They were pretty good and great fun to watch. It was indeed a surprise that they would come down here to Hobart but here we are. And it was indeed satisfying that I got to see a band that I adored in my late teens.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 25th October 2010
Song title: Birds of Tokyo
Artist: Plans
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
..........It grew on me I can imagine this was a surprise to those who first heard it: For those already familiar with Birds of Tokyo this would've been a shock to hear them pursue a more radio-friendly sound. For newcomers they would've had the thrill of hearing something new.
For me, this works as an ode to nostalgia and moving on with life during sunset on a summer's day....
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 28th November 2010
Song title: What a Wonderful World
Artist: Louis Armstrong
Year: 1967
Why I like this song:
It seems that this song has become more associated with being treated in a sarcastic manner: I have certainly seen it being used to accompany footage of war, death, explosions and other calamities (best known example being in the movie Fahrenheit 9/11).
But if divorce ourselves from such a perception, this song has a degree of timelessness that truly makes it immune to the ravages of time and being heard countless times. Not many songs can do that. And even less can rise above years of cynicism.
Besides give this song credit: It gave Satchmo a number one hot in several countries when he was in his late sixties. What have you done?
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 6th July 2014
Song title: The Model
Artist: Kraftwerk
Year: 1978
Why I like this song:
So much has been written about Kraftwerk being pioneers of electronic music, inspiring countless musicians, spawning new genres and utilising a simplistic but effective approach to song-writing. So is there any more I can add?
Personally this works as a great pop song and it's one I will never tire of hearing. It exists within it's own space in pop music, impervious to the march of time, and is all the better for it.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 6th October 2010
Song title: One
Artist: U2
Year: 1991
Why I like this song:
Is this U2's best song? I think it could well be. It has Bono giving both his best performance and his best lyrics. Again, this is one of those songs that still has power no matter times one hears it. Truly magnificent.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 4th October 2010
Song title: Wish You Were Here
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year: 1975
Why I like this song:
Its a given that Pink Floyd are album artists. It's not often one singular song stands out in their repertoire but when it does, it knocks it out of the park. What I get out of this song is just how weary it sounds - It must be that ascending guitar riff. I suppose it's fitting given this song is about the collapse of brotherhood but that doesn't make it any less heart-breaking. Truly a gem.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 27th September 2010
Song title: (It's Not War) Just the End of Love
Artist: Manic Street Preachers
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
Damn, what a way to open an album. Its an exhilarating listen, showing the Manics still have gas left in the tank. Favourite line: 'You weathered the storm but sheltered the loss'
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 21st December 2016
Song title: Imagine
Artist: John Lennon
Year: 1971
Why I like this song:
What's there left to say about this one? I know it, you know it. And it may well be John's masterpiece.
Is it naïve? Maybe. But somehow this song transcends such criticism and keeps on being magnificent. Last year, this song was playing on the radio whilst Kathleen and myself were sitting down to dinner. And then, without any cue whatsoever, we both started singing this song. It's that powerful.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 15th September 2010
Song title: Everybody Hurts
Artist: R.E.M.
Year: 1992
Why I like this song:
Sometimes a song along that hits you like a truck. Then it becomes overused to the point of parody. But this song has somehow, against the odds, managed to escape such a fate. It still resonates nearly two decades later. What makes it stand out for me is that this is a song built around an emotion that is hardly ever addressed in pop music: empathy. Can anyone name a song that reaches out to the listener that may be going through some tough times in such a manner? It may be easy to lash out at some former former partner but to take an empathetic approach is indeed a feat in itself. I can only wonder how many lives this song has saved over the years....
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 30th October 2015
Song title: A Day in the Life
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1967
Why I like this song:
Is this the best Beatles song? A tough call considering their monumental output. But, even with the passage of time, it still sounds like nothing else.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 8th September 2010
Song title: Crackin' Up
Artist: Hoodoo Gurus
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
I recently got my claws on the Hoodoo Gurus' new album Purity of Essence. This is the opening track and pretty sets the tone straight out: A veteran act determined to not only prove there's plenty of gas in the tank but to show the young pups how it's done. And Gurus pull it off with style. Top stuff all the way.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 13th March 2021
Song title: Overwhelmed
Artist: Mental As Anything
Year: 1989
Why I like this song:
I recently got a hold of the Mental As Anything album Cyclone Raymond. This album has an interesting placement in the Mentals' history: It's their seventh and came at the end of a decade where they racked hit after hit. As such, one would think that the Mentals would be running out of puff. It is this reason, I believe, that Cyclone Raymond tends to get overlooked. Don't know why though: I found Cyclone Raymond to be a fantastic album and easily among the Mentals' best. And the above song is one of Greedy's highpoints in his songwriting career (which is indeed saying a lot). Indeed, I recall hearing this when I was seven and thinking it leaving quite the impression on me. Seems I was right all along.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 8th August 2014
Song title: Skin Deep
Artist: The Stranglers
Year: 1984
Why I like this song:
Lately I've been listening to the Stranglers.
This band has an unusual legacy: They were a punk band who utilised keyboards and had experience on their side. They were a bunch of trend-chasers. They could write some snappy pop songs. They managed to garner respect from audiences and fellow artists alike.
And I'm in the camp that says they could produce some great songs. Indeed, I would argue that the further they got from their punk roots, the more interesting they became. And this song is a solid example of such a notion. Superb use of the synths and a great build of atmospherics
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 9th August 2010
Song title: Friday I'm in Love
Artist: The Cure
Year: 1992
Why I like this song:
This is my favourite song of all time. No competition. I will never tire of it no matter how many times I hear it. It sits atop my list of most played songs, picking it's teeth with the bones of many a would-be challenger.
So what makes this song special? Simple: It make me happy.
Of course such a statement is a loaded one so lets unpack shall we?
This song is by a band who have built a career out of being touchstone for gothic music. After all, it was only a decade prior when they released the Pornography album. An album that had the opening line of: "It Doesn't Matter If We All Die!" But there is an appeal to me that a band with such a dour reputation would turn around do something so cheerful. Uncharacteristic maybe but that's part of the charm.
Going further with the dual nature of the song, the lyrics fascinate me: They tell the story of a guy who is miserable throughout the week - that is until Friday comes along. Granted this is a universal feeling (who doesn't wait for Friday to do something fun?) but these are real grim lyrics for such a cheerful sounding song. Does it fit? Maybe but when one utilises such the exuberance one can get away with anything.
I will maintain that when Robert Smith can put his mind to it, he can churn out a winner of a pop song (see: High, Just Like Heaven, Inbetween Days). And this is that theory in practice; It has more hooks than a fisherman's tacklebox, boasts an instantly recognisable intro and some winning guitar figures. Indeed, it's not hard to hear this and smile.
Finally, it seems that Robert has an odd relationship with this song: One on hand it still gets played live and he certainly doesn't appear embarrassed by it. But on the other hand, he did declare that it isn't representative of The Cure as a whole. Well I have enjoyed The Cure at their gothiest but that doesn't stop me from enjoying their poppier side.
So perhaps it's the dual nature of the song that really clicks with me: I myself consider myself a powderkeg of contradictions so may it is fitting that I would adore a song that is in itself a powderkeg of contradictions.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 6th August 2010
Song title: Lust For Life
Artist: Iggy Pop
Year: 1977
Why I like this song:
This is punk, no question about it. Some may argue it doesn't sound punk but that is missing one crucial detail: Punk is all about attitude and this has it in spades. It's the song that blasts down doors and has enough swagger to turn any listener into the most charismatic dude in the room.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 28th January 2017
Song title: Kashmir
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Year: 1975
Why I like this song:
An eight and half minute epic, combining Middle Eastern exotica, some stunning strings, superb guitar work, some of the most powerful drumming I have ever heard and the sense of the world coming to an end. Many emotions come through when I hear this: Danger, Journeying, and the image of marching to a battlefield knowing thy time hath time. I listened this a lot during my first year of University and it is still mind-blowing to hear it now.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 2nd February 2010
Song title: Anarchy in the UK
Artist: Sex Pistols
Year: 1977
Why I like this song:
The benchmark for all punk bands to match and the inevitable conclusion of my teen years spent being interested in punk rock (as teenagers tend to do). Raw power in full-flight accompanied by some guitar work that is demented, chaotic and full of maniacal glee. Throw a lead singer roaring his way with glee and staking a claim of being the Antichrist that no one can argue, and you have something that no one has been able to match since.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 2nd January 2019
Song title: What's My Scene
Artist: Hoodoo Gurus
Year: 1987
Why I like this song:
Recently I saw the Hoodoo Gurus live. This had been a long time coming as I wanted to go to their farewell tour back in 1997 but was unable to so so I was interstate at the time. But not this time!
And it was truly worth the wait: The guys delivered a blistering live show with the vibe of seasoned professionals. They delivered the hits and even threw in a few lesser known songs. And it was crazy to see the audience go nuts for these songs.
When I was a kid I was a big fan of the Gurus but I didn't know anyone else at the time who was also into them. But to be the same room as a bunch of like-minded folk is indeed reassuring.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 6th April 2019
Song title: Through the Clover
Artist: Stonefield
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
Four sisters who sound like they've been listening to a lot of seventies hard rock? Fine by me. Some may write this off as derivative but who cares? Whatever these gals are doing they're doing it well
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 12th July 2010
Song title: Somebody to Love
Artist: Jefferson Airplane
Year: 1967
Why I like this song:
Some songs come across as timeless and this is one of them. Top performances all around but Grace Slick is indeed the real star, delivering a performance akin to a force of nature.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 3rd March 2011
Song title: Young Blood
Artist: The Naked and Famous
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
It may be bombastic with its synths but that's part of it's charm. One could say it was custom made to go off at festivals but hey, if that is the case then I don't doubt its potential
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 5th July 2010
Song title: Eclipse (All Yours)
Artist: Metric
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
I can't say I have any love for the Twilight franchise but I will say the soundtrack has some great songs on it. And this is truly a gem. It's a song that encapsulates teen love in a breezy pop song. Sure such a scenario has been many times in pop song history but this is still manages to be a standout.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 23rd November 2023
Song title: Its Only Rock and Roll
Artist: Rolling Stones
Year: 1974
Why I like this song:
Hello again. I'm back to work on another note, proving that when it comes to crossing barriers, the written word can succeed when the spoken word cannot. For today, I'm going to revisit sharing my views and experiences all based on modern music - A subject I am passionate about to no end.
It would seem the greatest revolution to happen in popular music would be the advent of the mp3. Now, music is readily available and can reach a lot more people in a remarkably short space of time. ipods are widespread as people can hear, and share, music with greater ease than ever before. Having a enormous mp3 collection is a source of bragging rights and people even have separate hard drives on their computer dedicated to music alone.
Me, I had only become aware of mp3's when the revolution was in it's early stages (the late nineties). At first I wasn't that interested, but within time I began to see the benefits of having music readily available and it being able to reach a lot of people when the other methods fail. Now, ten years later, I have my entire CD collection backed up on mp3, I am able to discover new types of music I never would've thought of and have realized that there truly is no such thing as genre.
Of course, having a large mp3 collection is now becoming quite commonplace with both music lovers and computer geeks - and beyond. Yes I have one but I enjoy it from a different perspective: That of a librarian.
For those not in the know, I work as a librarian in a secondary school. It is my job to obtain information and resources, preserving it and making it readily available to anyone whenever they want it. However, what I do for a living can easily be applied outside of my place of work. Scoff you may but I have found many of the skills I have picked up in training as a librarian can just as easily be put to work to my mp3 collection (and hey, when you're out of a job you need to apply your skills somewhere).
Lets start with my own experiences: As stated earlier in this series, I grew up in the eighties which was a really strong time for Australian rock. I heard and grew attached to many names during this era. However! It was only years later that I realized that the eighties was a strong for alternative rock: At the same time, there existed an large number of bands that I'd never known about through radio airplay (then my primary source of musical education) and were subsequently a cut above what was ruling the airwaves at the time. Here was something well-written, sometimes raw, and, in many cases, a breed apart from the excessive, heavily produced rubbish that was being heard everywhere. Indeed, hearing such undiscovered gems was a breath of fresh air. And from that point on, it is those principle(s) of the grass being greener on the other side & going back and finding out what I missed the first time around, that has influenced my tastes in music downloads.
In recent months I have been looking back over the early Triple J Hot 100 of all time Lists (1989-1992) to find inspiration to what to listen to. This has made me find some acts that I have never heard of and give me an insight into what many people before me were listening to. Indeed, the continued existence of the Hottest 100 compilation CDs is actually rather handy, thus enabling people to discover - I recall being in my final year at High School (circa 1997), hearing the very first Hottest 100 CD (1993) and hearing a bunch of great songs for the first time.
Indeed, it is that sense of discovery that keeps me going with my musical tastes. And this is where the strength of the mp3 can be evident. It can give long-gone and forgotten acts a second lease of life. It can make heroes turned villains back into heroes. It can bring weird names into a place of distinction (Not Drowning Waving is made of Win). It can find some buried treasure in areas where one wouldn't have thought to look the first time around. It can reach many other ears when other methods fail and, through the strength of one song alone, can restore one hit wonders with a degree of credibility.
Now let's talk preservation. With my mp3 collection everything is sorted by artist and their albums. Individual songs by the one artist are collected together in the one folder, determined via decade. It may all sound uniform and organized to the point of mind-boggling but I'm a librarian: it's my job.
Anyho, I have noticed, and I'm certain I'm not alone when I say this, that the folders containing music from the past two decades (1990-2009) are certainly the most populous.
From a preservationist perspective, this is due to the mp3 revolution making material now easy to get a hold of: new music can be found as it happens without too much difficulty. So it may not be a surprise to find someone who has a detailed mp3 collection going right back to the late nineties.
But what about before then? As the 1990's/2000s folders in my collection are large indeed, the folders dedicated to the three preceding folders, 1960s/1970s/1980's are nowhere near as big. And this makes an interesting case for the preservationist. The size of my folder really says a lot: Not just about my tastes in music but in music history. Furthermore I make it a point to, seeing as everyone can have the same mp3's, not have the biggest mp3 collection but the most unique.
If my 1960's folder is kinda small, I think it is because in that time a lot of the rules were being written out and a lot of new ideas were constantly being brought to the table that would influence musicians for generations to come. Thus I have found the individual songs from that time are the type that have stood the test of time Examples: What a Wonderful World, My Girl, Happy Together, Wipeout, Brown Eyed Girl, Stand by Me, Unchained Melody, Somebody to Love - the fact that I've listed all those is proof enough of the staying power of a great song. Similarly, the albums I have are the type that have endured the destructive nature of time and still sound great to this day (The Beatles and the Rolling Stones).
The same could be said for my 1970's folder. Although the 1970's folder is the smallest out of 'the three', it too contains material that has lasted even when it's decade of origin has long gone. But in whereas individual songs are slim in number, the amount of albums in my mp3 collection are larger. Thus the 1970's, in my mp3 collection, represents something of a flipside to the 1960s. Now I've found the music of the 1970's interesting - this is due to me growing up in the nineties, discovering material from two decades earlier and seeing it's imprint all over the than current music. And in that sense, the art of preservation through mp3 is important. Although the seventies happened long before I was born, it is interesting to go back and see what happened then - and it is fun to notice that the first half was dedicated to the art of making albums (an art sadly lost in the mp3 age) whilst in the second half, a shift happened where individual songs suddenly picked up in prevalence (well, in my mp3 collection at least).
And then there's the 1980s folder: It was the decade I entered this earth and experienced my childhood. Thus it should come to no surprise that the 1980's folder is the biggest folder of 'the three'. What makes up that folder is a mixture of material that a) I heard once and left something of an impression and b) I heard years later and thought 'Whoa! Where was I when this happened?!'. As I've experienced the time where these songs had their day, it is indeed easy to recall this material and preserve it as a place in time. Yet looking back at what I experienced and what came later, it does come across as a curious mix: The former is a mixture of the cheesy (however I may find it enjoyable) whilst the latter has a bit more muscle and staying power - as if they were existing on separate planets. And that's where the preservation is important: What got passed over the first time can live and continue to thrive. As long as someone remembers it, and it can be found, anything can get a second shot.
Yet if the eighties represented music existing on separate planets then the nineties was when such barriers were broken, with the alt.rock explosion, spearheaded by Nirvana (as history maintains). This being the era that I spent most of my teens, not to mention the starting point of the mp3 revolution, so now a lot of music remains fresh in my memory (indeed, the Triple J Hottest 100 has continually been a major inspiration in this field) and it now has a method of getting a hold of with little trouble. And it is that principle that the 2000's have expanded on. Thus, in my collection, the 1960's and 1970's are a collection of great songs that have stood the test of time, the 1990's and 2000's is a recollection of music as it happened and the 1980's is the bridge between the two eras. But that is just me: If someone two decades older than me made a similar mp3 collection than their seventies folder may be bigger, as they would simply download the songs they recalled.
Considering that the mp3 has made music so easily available and distributable, it makes me wonder what current mp3's are going to stand the test of time. Similarly, I have found that some great songs I had heard years earlier are now sometimes difficult to get a hold of. I have explained how beneficial that sense of discovery is and how preservation can be utilized to great effect - Thus it makes me wonder why people download the Pussycat Dolls or some crap when some long-forgotten buried treasure still exists. With music so readily available anything can be deleted and forgotten about just as easily as it can be found. Thus, it makes me wonder what's being played today will last in the 2020's.....
As I said before, I'm not for a big mp3 collection - I want the most unique collection. I want people to pick up on what I'm listening and wonder with curiosity piqued 'What's he listening to?". I am for the mp3 being a form of musical preservation, because as long as something reaches at least one person, it is a success.
And as long as it exists, music will last forever.
Original video located here. Accessed 5th May 2018
Finally, to wrap this up, one of the pioneers of modern music. Much like Kraftwerk, This band for me represents another point in time: it was relocating to Melbourne and spending an incalculable amount of time on the train - where I listened to the Stones a lot (and boy was I spoiled for choice!). Listening to them, it seems to encapsulate everything I had picked up before coming to them. The energy and mischievousness of punk, the boldness of experimentalism, the application of atmospherics, snappy lyrics, the usage of exotic instruments and world music and the power of a growling guitar riff. It seems everything I have learnt has brought me here and yeah, I’m happy for it.
Key Album: Exile on Main Street (1972) It starts through the best opening trio of songs I have ever heard and carries on through excellent song after excellent song. Listening to it, I can’t help but think that Bob Seger was right: “Today’s music ain’t got the same soul / I like that Old Time Rock N Roll”
Original video located here. Accessed 18th June 2010
This band for me represents another point in time: it was when I moved to Melbourne. I had finally got a job and, eventually, my own apartment. I was learning to do a lot for myself and I’d experienced a change in character that was for the best. I was spending lots of time riding on a train listening to my mp3 player and I was making new friends. Indeed, it was spending those long times on the train that I listened to Kraftwerk a lot. Considering I have held a long-standing interest in electronic music, it is indeed a natural progression that I should eventually come to the fore-runners of the genre. Indeed, Kraftwerk made a perfect soundtrack to train journeys: With the processed drumming, the well-crafted songs, and the rhythmic structures, I will always associate those nutty Germans with the sight of watching the scenery of Melbourne drift past. They may have written songs about Europe but to me they could be about anywhere.
Key Album: The Man Machine (1977) From the same country that brought you Rammstein! I could have picked Trans-Europe Express but instead I went with this: it's their most accessible album but it strikes a delightful middle-ground between conventional pop songs and some fantastically realised soundscapes. Plus it has the immortal The Model which by itself is worth every cent.
Original video located here. Accessed 30th April 2014
2008 was a year I commenced a romance with a woman named Kathleen. Throughout the year it went through its share of ups and downs, touching each emotion one can think of. Indeed, this is what one would expect with romance and for me this was an engaging step into a field which has always been a consistent disaster area for me. Being with Kath felt, for me, like a mute person being given a voice and saying everything they’ve always wanted to say. And like any romance it had its soundtrack in the form of David Gray. Each of the emotions touched in his music struck a chord with this growing romance and was a delight to behold.
Key Album: White Ladder (1998) It seems as I get older I can’t recall exactly what compelled me to pick up certain albums. This album may seem an unlikely choice considering what I’ve referenced before but this is one album I’m glad I got into (whatever it was that got me there). For the beauty of this album lies primarily in Mr. Gray’s ability to convey genuine emotions without any treacle, falsity or sappiness. And to do that in a pop song is a feat in itself. The songs on this disc run from joy, optimism to genuine feeling seamlessly. I particularly love This Year’s Love: Now there’s the perfect track for any romantic.
Original video located here. Accessed 14th June 2010
For those not in the know, Dan Rumour was the lead guitarist in seminal Australian rock band The Cruel Sea. For some years I have had an interest in the Cruel Sea, drawn to them buy the guitar work, the fantastic musicianship, the ability to take the listener’s mind away to places, and being able to provide the ultimate soundtrack for a summer’s day (whether spent chilling out or not). That being said I often found their instrumentals more interesting than Tex Perkins (sorry ladies). So when I heard that Dan was releasing an album made up exclusively of instrumentals, I quickly sought it out. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed. Like the Dirty Three, this is a shining example of how an instrumental can say more than any song with lyrics and also represents, for me, a sign of how my tastes in music is maturing.
Key Album: Dan Rumour and the Drift (2007). This album came out at an important moment in my life: I’d got my driver’s license, I got my very first car and I was learning to live by myself. Thus, I will always remember going for a spin in my beloved Spike-mobile, the summer sun shining high and the gliding guitar taking my every step of the way. It’s a still a pleasure hearing it now even though every time I do I feel like dropping everything and heading for the beach (not easy to do when one now lives in Melbourne).
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 26th April 2015
And with the arrival of 2006 (a ‘bad’ year) a new phase in my life came with it. In this case it was the commencement of a gamer geek phase. Yes, 2006 was the year I got off my arse and did something I’ve been wanting to do for a while: Buy a Sony Playstation. This gave me long hours of entertainment, became a talking point among friends and even helped in social situations. Why I remember bringing along my PS2 to a LAN and it getting a lot of usage through Soul Calibur 3 matches. All of this has nothing to do with the Go-Betweens but it does say a lot about what I was feeling in 2006: It was a time of pure elation. A number of things were going my way and a lot of the Go-Betweens’ music represented that fact. Once again, going into the Go-Betweens felt like natural extension from my years of interest in punk music. But here, what appealed were superb songs with deeply romantic themes, some great guitar interplay and a very sunny disposition. Indeed, it certainly came as a sweet relief during the frustration of unemployment.
Key Album: 16 Lovers Lane (1988) Widely regarded as their greatest album. What was been said about 16 Lovers Lane that hasn't been said before? Well, for me I started listening to it the same time I was involved in my first true romance with a woman named Red. Thus 16 Lovers Lane became pretty much the soundtrack to the entire relationship - from the joy of Love Goes On! to it's conclusion with Dive For Your Memory. Indeed, I recall listening to the latter many times after the romance ended with the knowledge that Robert Forster sung like he understood everything.
Original video located here. Accessed 7th June 2010
2005 was a year of changes: My phase as an anime geek was coming to it’s conclusion, I made a long-lasting friendship with fellow writer/Games Workshop nut called Andy, and I went back to University to study a post-graduate course. During this phase, it was perhaps fitting that I listened to the same kind of Britpop I was into when I originally started University. But in this case it was reaching into it’s roots (in a sign perhaps of everything coming full circle?). And for me, the Stone Roses represent those changes and taking a step into the real world. Indeed, it was that time when I had made some serious considerations towards my future and worked to get there.
Key Album: Stone Roses (1989) That’s the joy with bands that release one good album: That’s pretty much all you need. The best thing about this album, I’ve found, is in its instrumental prowess. Indeed, this represents everything I have liked, and picked up, about musicianship. It has a bass that’s constantly pushed to the front, it has a talented guitarist in the form of John Squire and it has an equally talented, not to mention spontaneous, drummer with Reni. Indeed, this philosophy is best represented in that stunning epic closer I Am the Resurrection (listen to it and you’ll understand). Again, I consider this album essential listening for spending a nice summer day outside, whether it be in the car or going to the beach.
Original video located here. Accessed 21st April 2010
In this life I will not be confined to just one interest: I want to experience as many things as I possibly can in my time. Thus I have been many things and have been involved with many things that have been outlets to satisfy my varied interests. I make it a point to let these individual interests succeed as separate entities and not try and mix them up. That being said, being in the middle of an anime geek phase does not mean that anime music influenced my tastes in ‘normal’ music. There was one exception however and Masterplan was it.
Masterplan are a power metal band from Germany whose (English) lyrics deal with (mostly) uplifting themes. So how did an anime geek became aware of them? Well, their best known song, Spirit Never Dies, used for a fan-made music video. Although the video was stunning by itself, I was taken by the music and how it exhibited a sense of motivation and inspiration I have not in any metal band whatsoever. Considering this was married with the power and energy from metal, this was a shot in the arm. It made me want to go out and do things. Thus, it became a major source of motivation and inspiration in 2005 when I went back to University to study post-graduate. More significantly, when I conquered my personal demons (chronicled in essay no.2), I listened to this album, with it’s lyrical themes and punching music, constantly afterward. Really, I can’t explain the emotional weight in singing each and every word to Spirit Never Dies like you mean it.
Key Album: Masterplan (2003) This is the sound of five musicians, each from other metal bands, having the time of their lives. This, along with the lyrics, have always struck me as the most significant thing about this album. Like the Dirty Three I use this album as an antidote to the whinging emo bands around (who avoid a sense of well-being like the plague). Also, it shows a degree of experimentalism metal bands rarely show and plays up on keyboards (which are usually disregarded by metal bands). Additionally, I have fond memories of singing the words to this album with my best friend Sammi.
Original video located here. Accessed 2nd June 2010
Like most people I first became aware of Nick Cave through his Murder Ballads period – or to be specific, his collaboration with Kylie Minogue, Where the Wild Roses Grow. Stumbling upon, I was freaked out about hearing this disturbing tale of a romance ending with the woman being bludgeoned to death. Since then, it has been difficult to listen to and, as such, it took me a while before I could take that man with the scary voice seriously.
For me, Nick Cave will forever represent a time in 2004: I was out of Uni and into the fun world of unemployment. I'm not sure why I picked his Best Of compilation disc but in retrospect it certainly seemed a good time to as he delivered the superb Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus later that year. Musically, Nick succeeds with his understanding of punk and the blues, his use of my old friend atmospherics (particularly on Tupelo), his willingness to try new things beyond the basic formula, his talent of creating something resembling total utter chaos (The Mercy Seat) and his ability to do something different with each album. He also has the benefit of being surrounded by talented musicians in the form of the Bad Seeds. Likewise, lyrically Nick sets a standard few can touch. He understands the power of an opening line, he can construct a compelling narrative, he populates his songs with the most colourful of characters and he incorporates the blackest of humour. But for me Nick succeeds on his love songs. Some of them convey so much emotion that they are staggering. Beautiful, intimate and jaw-dropping – Nick’s romance songs does all of these. And as a poet, one who’s always told his strengths lie in HIS romantic material, I take my hat off to Mr. Cave. Best of all, whereas other artists in their fifties tend to slow down, Nick is instead cranking it up a notch.
Key Album: the Boatman’s Call (1997) That’s the problem with prolific artists: they have released so many albums it’s hard to choose one. Yet whilst Tender Prey, Let Love In, Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus and Dig Lazarus Dig!!! are all excellent albums in their own right, I have decided to go with the Boatman’s Call. Whilst many die-hards loathe this album, I instead feel it best represents Nick’s ability to craft the finest of love songs. Also intriguing is Nick singing about such personal matters without flinching. And so I give Nick his due for few can write the persona of a broken-hearted man convincingly. Fewer still can do it without the audience yelling: “Get over it!”
Original video located here. Accessed 31st May 2010
2002 heralded the commencement of my anime geek phase. At this time, my tastes in music expanded into unknown, and unlikely, territories. It may seem a bit odd that I started listening to anime soundtracks at this time but I was actually surprised by the usage of genre and the ability to create snappy and memorable tunes. But whilst new frontiers were begin forged that’s not to say my attention was directed in that direction. For 2002 was also the year I started listening to Australian Rock icon Ed Kuepper.
It is indeed a shame that Ed never really got anywhere further beyond being a Triple J favourite. Lord only knows why. The strength in Ed’s music is his ability to write a song based on a simple chord progression and adding all types of layers on top. Also noteworthy is his use of muscular drumming and some killer guitar work. Indeed listening to Ed Kuepper feels like a natural progression from my interest in both The Cure and Midnight Oil. But what makes Ed in a class of his own is his willingness to try something new with each album and his guitar work: Acoustically, he tries some of the most unorthodox methods and tricks. Electric, he roars like nothing else.
Key Album: Honey Steel’s Gold (1991) I’ve already described Ed’s strengths and this album, on his best, really encapsulates them all. I love the fact that he has the balls to have a multi-layered opener that lasts for ten minutes (!), the atmospherics used throughout, the stunning guitar work and, of course, his signature song The Way I Made You Feel.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 28th May 2010
Song title: Time to Wander
Artist: Gypsy and the Cat
Year: 2010
Why I like this song:
Listening to this, I get some major MGMT vibes. I guess that happens: one act gets successful and a whole of soundalikes emerge in their wake. But who cares? This is great! The synths are great and it gives the vibe of going of on a journey (hence the title). And if said journey sounds this fun then who wouldn't want to head out into the unknown?
Original video located here. Accessed 26th May 2010
Another constant through my University years, Salmonella Dub also represents an unusual reggae flavour to my tastes in music. I’ve always liked the structure of reggae in that the guitar puts down the changes in the music, the drums and bass are pushed to the forefront and given the freedom to do what they want and many more colours are added on top. What makes Salmonella Dub interesting is that they incorporate many other genres into the mix: Rap, Electronics and a general chill-out vibe throughout. They also deliver a spectacular live show.
But what Salmonella Dub represent for me was yet another progressive step in my musical tastes. At the time, 2001, my brother Cameron had packed his bags for Melbourne. As he had been a key source of musical encouragement and the means of getting me into numerous bands, I was on now my own but still able to make my own decisions on music.
Key Album: Inside the Dub Plates (2001). As well as the fusion of genres I’ve described above, I love this album for its atmospherics, making it another ideal soundtrack for chilling out to on a summer day. Also I perceive this album to be the perfect soundtrack to go wandering through the Tasmanian wilderness in. This perception is best represented by the track Push on Thru: A magic moment inspiring images of going on a journey, a sunset behind you and no one else around.....
Original video located here. Accessed 22nd December 2022
I like music in all forms - even to a point of going out and exploring unfamiliar territory, Yet metal has always been approached with caution. Sure there have been flirtations (like Led Zeppelin, Queen and to a lesser extent Pink Floyd) but all else came across as intimidating. When I was in Primary and High School it struck me that all the tough kids listened to metal and with good reason. Indeed, it has been said, in order to describe the genre, that 'When drinking blood be sure to have it chilled or else it will curdle". That being said, as Metal attracts the types who approach their love with disturbing seriousness, insisting that the evilness of metal should remain that way (thus making the controversy of Elvis' hips in the 1950's seem tame by comparison). Why, I remember being nine years old, hearing Metallica's Nothing Else Matters for the first time and thinking: 'Who's this?! This song's absolutely fantastic!' - but since then, NEM has been looked down upon by die-hards. Coupled with the disdain the metal community have for posers, it thus isn't hard to see how a card-carrying music geek like myself can be intimidated (additionally, hearing a singer sound like he's channeling Cookie Monster doesn't really help).
Which now brings me to Dragonforce: back in 2002 my friend Al got me to listen to this mp3 he'd gotten a hold of insisting that it rocked. Reluctant at first, I eventually agreed - but what happened next was something I wasn't expecting: Thunderous music accompanied with masterfully executed guitar work, a lead singer who can actually sing and lyrics that dealt with positive and inspiring themes. This was Power Metal in all it's glory and I think I liked it. Finally, here was a metal band that actually made sense! Since then I have heard more metal bands but I owe those walls being broken down to Dragonforce. Plus I have the satisfaction of saying I got into them before Guitar Hero was even invented.
Key Album: Sonic Firestorm (2004) Ridiculous and inspiring in equal portions. Al described it as Battle music and indeed this really does work best as a soundtrack to a video game. Sure that's pretty much it but it does it's job and it does it well. What more can you ask for?
Original video located here. Accessed 31st March 2012
And so, come 2002, I left my goth phase behind in favour of taking up the mantle of an anime nerd. But I did give that particular phase of my life a glorious send off in the form of the Dirty Three. Interestingly enough, as I got older, my tastes in music matured. Whilst I used to enjoy lyrics (particularly if they were angry and had the forbidden swear words in them), I then became interested in the other side of the coin: the instrumentation. This seemed a progressive step as punk music is based on the minimal use of musical chords.
However, through musicianship I gained a new appreciation of instrumentals. Because in some cases, an instrumental can say more than any lyrics-based act could ever hope to. And this theory is best exemplified with the Dirty Three. A three piece of guitar, drums, violin and no singer, their music touches so many emotions. And once again this is music that demands full attention in order to get the most out of.
Key Album: Horse Stories (1996). Regarded as their best album and rightly so. There are some great songs on this but the album itself is best defined for the fourth song: I Remember a Time When Once You Used to Love Me. In the space of over six minutes it goes from despair to rage in the blink of an eye. It sounds like a demented waltz one would hear when loading up the shotgun to kill a unfaithful wife. Indeed, I like to use this album as a point to show up any emo bands as the whimpy, whinny, emotionally bland rubbish that it is. This album has rage, fury, sadness and hope. And all of this without a word being spoken. Beat that My Chemical Romance!
Original video located here. Accessed 19th May 2010
During my University years, my CD collection was growing in size. At this time, I was listening to a lot of Britpop music (Doves, Gomez and Travis) so I went out looking for something a bit tougher and meaner. Enter the Queens of the Stone Age. What made them for me was that they satisfied my need f or some hard rock whilst showing an experimental, and indeed different, side many similar acts lack AND they swelled my keenness in atmospherics, proving that sometimes it can be found in the unlikeliest of places. Like Led Zeppelin, the Queens taught me that metal can do a bit more than roaring guitars and brutal lyrics. Likewise, they showed a strength in creating a sense of mood which is again a largely untouched zone for metal. Such was my admiration for the Queens, and their willingness to take risks and disregard the metal rulebook, that they followed my throughout my University years and beyond. They rock live too.
Key Album: Songs for the Deaf (2002) Whilst I may not remember the year 2002 fondly, I do however recall this album for it's role in keeping me on the rails. Again, this is one of those great albums that has no dud songs. I particularly love that nightmare of a closer A Song for the Deaf. Now some songs are bad but this one is just plain evil.
Original video located here. Accessed 17th May 2010
I thought Gomez were a bit odd to start off with. But within time I came around and saw them for the great band that they are. What makes them special? Several things: One, it’s their modern take on blues music. Two, it’s their ability to work on a structure of a pop song. Three, it is their ability build up a song around a simple guitar hook played out on an acoustic guitar. Four, it’s the guitar playing that ranges from searing and aggressive to playful and fun. Five, it’s the use of bizarre sound effects and pounding percussion and finally it’s the use of three singers of three different qualities – a drawback one might think but it still manages to make Gomez sound like Gomez (something that really needs to happen more often).
Key Album: Bring it On (1998) Along with Lost Souls and Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia, this was part of the ‘big three’. It was these three albums I listened to throughout my first year at University and pretty much defined that particular time and place. It’s also great listening for chilling out on a hot summer’s day
Original video located here. Accessed 31st March 2015
Aside from being one of the best years of my life, 2000 was also a turning point: I was in University, I had hit age eighteen and I was entering adulthood. Subsequently, my interest in punk music, the musical genre that had propelled my teen years, was grinding to a close. Still, there was always room for one final grand gesture: Along with the afore-mentioned Sex Pistols, there were these guys: Joy Division. In a way it was fitting because, historically, Joy Division were more post Punk: They were taking the lessons learnt from the punk bands from that era and doing something more with them (which is always a winner in my book). Indeed it was the end of Joy Division that effectively ended the punk era – both historically and for me. Plus there was Love Will Tear Us Apart: one of those timeless songs that still pleases no matter how many times one hears it.
Key Album: Closer (1980) I was listening to Joy Division at the height of my ‘Goth’ phase. I was drawn to them initially as they were highly regarded by the Goth crowd. But then again so was Marilyn Manson (at the time) but I can tell you Closer is a different beast from Mr. Warner and essential listening for any true goth. With Closer Joy Division’s strengths are evident: The use of the bass and the drums in a dominating role and the afore-mentioned use of punk rock into something new. Also, there is the surprising use of synthesizers and its effective use (thus pinpointing the band’s evolution into New Order). But there’s also the final three songs: The triptych of Twenty Four Hours, The Eternal and Decades: A harrowing glimpse into the fractured mind that was Ian Curtis. No other band would have the balls to close an album with these three. No one but Joy Division.
Original video located here. Accessed 31st March 2013
I came into David Bridie through buying his first solo album, Act of Free Choice, on a whim. Funny thing how whims turn out: I went in not knowing to expect and was subsequently blown away with what I was hearing. Here was something restrained, without bluster and somewhat curious. I have since gone to explore David’s earlier work and emerged quite impressed. I love Not Drowning Waving’s fusion of world music, multi-layered percussion, unrestrained bass and mind-blowing guitar. I equally love My Friend the Chocolate Cake’s use of acoustic instruments and modern take on the chamber music concept. But it was David’s solo work that got me there.
Key Album: Act of Free Choice (2000) Previously, I found the Whitlams and the Cure to be perfect soundtracks to a rainy day. But Act of Free Choice still comes out on top. It really has the best atmospherics and really goes to show that sometimes the right environment can work for the right album. Aside from the great production techniques used throughout, the interesting use of samples and noises, and the use of my beloved atmospherics. I really find a sense of wonder with this album. It’s like peering into a world that one never knew existed. Which is my philosophy on music to a tee. This album, along with it’s follow up Hotel Radio, was a constant listen throughout my University years.