Influences Playlist - Pt. 2

Cont...

While looking at how to do some Flash programming for a project at work, I stumbled upon FineTune a fancy flash playlist site (see right --> ).  So after a little thought I put together a playlist and called it Influences, and here, now, you can find how I made the choices I did... read on. . .

Sugarcubes - Birthday:  I'm not 100% where I first heard the lead singer from the Sugarcubes ( Sykurmolarnir) - Mark Radcliffe evening show on BBC Radio1 or while leaving for college on GMTV - but hearing "Birthday" being screeched out made me sit up and listen.  I thought it was the most beautiful, spine chilling thing I had ever heard (and still to this day).  I'd be surprised if anyone these days remembers the Sugarcubes, or will even atest to ever hearing of them, but the raw bundle of waif like, pixieish energy that was their lead singer - Bjork - is a more popular figure, and it was her vocals that I heard all those years ago.  I still have "Birthday" on vinyl along with various other 12" vinyls on display in the spare room.  There are two other tracks on this list 'Blue Eyed Pop' and 'Coldsweat'.  I chose these other tracks as they captures some of the dynamic elements of the band, as opposed to the solo artist.

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here:  It is with sadness and prolly a whole load of derision from those of you Floyd fans reading this, that I only came to Floyd through 'The Wall'.  I think it was a 'Red Triangle' film being shown on Channel4, and so sneakily remember watching it on an old black and white portable tv with the sound almost off in my bedroom.  While it was more stimulating visually on that first viewing, a second viewing later when I rented the video from 'Thirkells' made me aware of the exceptional aural quality of the movie also.  So, this led me to Floyd proper.  I have added here, my favourite track of theirs.

The Magic Numbers - This Love:  This is my favorite 'lights off' and 'glass of wine' group.  Do I have to say more?  I also have 'Which Way to Happy' on this list, which was the first their songs I remember hearing.  I have different 'lights off' music, but this is for the end of those long days when you just want to float for a while.  Some other 'lights off' music for a totally different state of mind is. . .

Nine Inch Nails - Something I Can Never Have:  Yes... maybe not everyones choice for 'lights off' music but what can I say - I'm complicated.  I 'got into' NIN through a t-shirt.  Yes, fashion victim forever, I saw tie-died, long-sleeved, t-shirt with this fantastic pink-purple design on the front and 'Pretty Hate Machine' written down the arms.  I had no idea to what it was making reference to... for months... I just liked the shirt.  Until I bumped into an old-school friend of mine, Alison Foster, while I was wearing this shirt and tells me how much she likes NIN.  I smile, nod politely and agree, and after we say our goodbyes and passing numbers back and forth, I head to the Central Arcade and pick myself a copy of 'Pretty Hate Machine' and fell mesmerised into a state of semi shock upon my first listening through of the CD.  I never went passed 'Pretty Hate Machine' much tbh, with the exception of 'Broken' and 'Fixed'.  This track is prolly the one I play most.  Also on this list I have 'Head Like a Hole' and 'Happiness in Slavery' from 'Fixed'.

Influences Playlist - Pt. 1

While looking at how to do some Flash programming for a project at work, I stumbled upon FineTune a fancy flash playlist site (see right --> ). So after a little thought I put together a playlist and called it Influences, and here, now, you can find how I made the choices I did... read on. . .

Arctic Monkeys - Cigarette Smoker Fiona: This is a recent addition to my life, and to be fair it shouldn't be in this playlist, and especially not one called Influences, as it hasn't, or at least not yet. But what it did do was make me remember some of my more memorable influences. You can usually find an Arctic Monkey CD box lying around somewhere in the house, but very rarely playing now. I love how strong the accent comes through into the song, and along with the lyric of any, but especially a song like this one, always makes me think of inner city life.

Coldplay - Green Eyes: The first time I heard this was about 5yr ago while swarming some internet radio channels in realplayer. They were doing a live session (or was a recorded live session) for some US radio station. I'd heard Yellow and the whatever was current in the chart at the time, and thought that CP were going to be a flash in the pan, but remember listening to CP all the way through being pregnant with Callum. Strangely, Callum can now spot a CP song within the first 10 bars now, and screams of "Mam, mam... Chris Martin!", whenever he sees him on the box... poor bairn.

Elvis Costello - Accidents Will Happen: Now this is a strange entry. This is here not because of the song, but because of the cover for the 7". I remember when living at home, my brother's record player and vinyl collection was his pride and joy, and he always bought all the songs in the Top 10 every week, and always getting picture covers. The cover for this appears to be totally white. But then you notice on the lip of the cover, the artist/title details etc., and then when you look inside you see the cover... Printed and then glued inside out; Accidents Will Happen, pure genius I thought.

Franz Ferdinand - Auf Achse: The first time I heard FF, I fell in love with their sound, and remember waiting for the CD single to launch, and the album and buying them both the same. Again they reminded me of the energy of the punk that I loved so much growing up. This particular song has no special reason for being the one I chose for the list, other than reminding me of my sister's recent German GCSE and the fun we had talking over MSN in german.

Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark: Again another one of those bands where I could of picked handfuls of tracks to put on. IM first impacted on me when I was 15-16. I remember one day at school one of the lads bringing in some painted Warhammer miniature figures, and I was stunned at the detail. This was my introduction to D&D, and since then have played role-playing games in one form or another. So, to cut a long story short, two or three times a week, four of us would meet up to play D&D in one of the lads houses. This always involved preening on the lads part, music, eating and playing. The music became the prelude to the gaming as a rule. We always tried to bring something different everytime. Some of the bands from then that I remember; Smiths, Sigue-Sigue Sputnik, Art of Noise, Frankie Goes To Hollywood. But I always remember the night Chris brought round Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden. I have loved the sound of Bruce's voice ever since. Also I fond memories of a house party I was at in Pelaw the first time I saw Live After Death. Fear of the Dark, as well as being an epic from the point of view of the music, but I love the vocal, also a favorite of mine live.