Duglas' Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs

Original Desert Island Discs List
Taken from Heaven Sent Fanzine #8. Came with a beautiful Melons flexidisc. Well worth the look in second hand shops. "Jonathan Sings"(album) : Jonathan Richman My favourite Jonathon album! Featuring the wonderful "That Summer Feeling". This album is filled with real emotions , humour, tears and love. A truely beautiful and honest piece of work. Very soulful. "Pet Sounds"(album) : The Beach Boys The most perfect album ever. So many brilliant musical ideas here. This is the record that made Paul McCartney want to make "Sgt. Pepper". Again startling honesty and a whole range of human emotions. "Singing In The Rain Soundtrack"(album) : Gene Kelly and Cast Sheer joy! Brings back wonderful memories of dancing around Norman Blakes bedroom at 4am with umbrellas! Also a great movie! "I Never Dreamed"(track) : The Cookies This is what love should be about. That middle section brings a tear to the eye everytime! "I Saw The Light"(track) : Todd Rundgren He wrote i, sung it, produced it and played everything on it. This is an example of a perfect pop record. He's done so many extreme things - some brilliant, some unlistenable, but this is my favourite. "Manhattan Soundtrack"(album) : George Gershwin This is one of my favourite Woody Allen movies and Gershwin's music is astounding. Sixty years on he still doesn't sound dated. Much more radical than anything you'll find in the indie top 20. "Friends"(album) : The Beach Boys One Beach Boys album just doesn't sound enough! This is a lot lighter than "Pet Sounds", but a fantastic album. "Revolver"(album) : The Beatles You need something by the Beetles. For me the Beatles were the Picasso of POP (the Beach Boys were the Matisse of pop). They took pop things into dangerous territory - people trying to do the things they did but making a mess because they didn't have Beetles genius. "Here, there and Everywhere" is possibly my favourite on the album. "Alcoholiday"(track) : Teenage Fanclub This is a truely great song. Norman has a really special gift. "When You Were Sweet Sixteen"(track) : The fureys and Davey Arthur This record makes me cry. It's sentimental, almost corny, but I would kill to make a record this beautiful.

Recently (June 2003) Duglas asked me if he could change his Desert Island Discs selection. I wasn't expecting major differences but as you will read it is as refreshing as the first list he came up with. We'll forgive him for choosing 12 discs.
"Pet Sounds"(album) : The Beach Boys The sonic equivalent of being held in the protective arms of a loving mother. This is the record that made Paul McCartney want to make "Sgt. Pepper". Again startling honesty and a whole range of human emotions. "Singing In The Rain Soundtrack"(album) : Gene Kelly and Cast Sheer joy! Brings back wonderful memories of dancing around Norman Blakes bedroom at 4am with umbrellas! Also a great movie! "I Never Dreamed"(track) : The Cookies This is what love should be about. That middle section brings a tear to the eye everytime! "I Saw The Light"(track) : Todd Rundgren He wrote , sung , produced and played everything on it. This is an example of a perfect pop record. He's done so many extreme things - some brilliant, some unlistenable, but this is my favourite. "The Beach Boys Love You"(album) : The Beach Boys Brian Wilson's other masterpiece couldn't have been any more different than Pet Sounds. The angelic harmonies and carefully blended sounds from "real2 instruments are replaced with gruff vocals and chunky synths. The songs have a beautiful purity and are a lot more complex than they first appear. Lester Bangs summed it up when he said: "The Beach Boys "Love You" pulls off a feat that's eluded, say Pete Townsend and Mick Jagger - It's almost more juvenile than their original stuff, it's not self-conscious, and it sounds right up-to-date. It's joyous, roller-rink-in-the-sky sound that always made them the real American Music...and as far as I'm concerned it might be their best album ever". "Revolver"(album) : The Beatles You need something by the Beetles. For me the Beatles were the Picasso of POP (the Beach Boys/ Brian were the Matisse of pop). They took pop things into dangerous territory - after you would get people trying to do the things they did but making a mess because they didn't have Beatles genius. "Here, there and Everywhere" is possibly my favourite on the album. "Computer World"(album) : Kraftwerk When Kraftwerk started recording most people were still making 2nd versions of "Beatles" music. Kraftwerk originated something new and their influence is as great as the FAB 4. This is my favourite from them and it still sounds as modern as ever. "Jukebox Alarm" (album) : Stereo Total They are my favourite group in the world today. Their music is of the past, the future and of the now. Stereo Total= Sexy, dumb, clever, funny and beautiful. "Histoire de Melody Nelson" (album) : Serge Gainsbourg In Britain Serge is thought of as a one hit wonder but he created so much masterful and individual pop. This could be the sexiest concept album ever made and just the seductive sleeve alone would justify the price of admission. I'm the proud owner of a Serge Gainsbourg tattoo. Je T'aime, Gainsbourg! "The Tammys" (track): Egyptian Shumba Composed by possibly the most underrated figure in pop Lou Christie, this track seems to sum up everything I love in music. Someone compared it to what would have happened if Phil Spector had temporarily swapped brains with Sun Ra. And how's this for an opening line "Last night I dreamt I was on the Nile dancing with you in an Egyptian style"...really beautiful. "Argomenti" (track): Ennio Morricone/ Astrud Gilberto They are both brilliant individually but I think this could possibly be both of their's finest moment. "Did I Say" (track): Teenage Fanclub Norman is one of my best friends but it's not because of that this track is here. It's just one of the best songs by anyone ever.

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