We are all different and nobody is “right” but if my Desert Island played only your three choices on constant repeat, I’d walk naked into the surf and say “it’s been nice but now I have somewhere to go”.
Senorita Pracatan was a new name for me @hubert.rawlinson….
In his own sardonic style, James once told viewers that Pracatan’s skill was in “taking some of the world’s most recognisable songs and making them seem unfamiliar, new and strange”. He added: “She never lets the words or melody get in her way. She is us, without the fear of failure.”
1. Kate Bush
2. Steven Wilson (as its whole recorded work it would include all the Porcupine Tree stuff as well – that’s at lot of music to keep me going)
3. XTC
If I could sneak XTC under the SW umbrella through his remixes, then would be Pink Floyd or Genesis at #3
I’ve got my faves firmly lodged in me noggin, so maybe it’ll be good to hear stuff from those I quite like from the little I have heard and have an appetite to hear more.
Van der Graaf Generator (preferably including Hammill’s solo albums)
King Crimson (preferably including Mr Fripp’s solo and offshoot albums)
Miles Davis
…and Ella Fitzgerald for bedtime listening.
I haven’t included any classical composers or material, trying to stick to the spirit of the OP – but arguably there’s a parallel thread (what three composers’ complete works, maybe?)
Why? The op refers to bands/artists. Artists in the musical sense is all encompassing despite there being some who wouldn’t know art if it bit them on the arse.
Don’t get me wrong I couldn’t care less. I must be odd in what I choose to listen to for pleasure that’s all. I wasn’t aware that there was a special music reserved for leisure and as all my time now is spent on leisurely pursuits with the exception of household chores I’m finding that ‘non-leisurely’ music is taking up much of the space I may once have reserved for listening to The Rubettes. 😉
Hey, man, I don’t set the parameters – it’s not my thread. You do you, as they say.
I just thought we had scope for yet another fun-packed thread, exclusively on classical composers on the desert island.
No matter.
Given the wild freedoms being expressed by others, I now realise I have also got all of Blowzabella, Leveret, Topette!!, Simpson Cutting Kerr, the Imagined Village and all of Chris Wood’s solo output. Woohoo.
conversely Kraftwerk is a bold choice as (let’s assume you only get to take official releases – you’ve got a mere 34 ish tracks to choose from, plus live and remixed versions).
On the basis that I’d want music that cheered me up and gave me the energy that comes through dancing, my first two choices would be New Order and Systema Solar.
For length of catalogue and having a complete challenge of new language to become familiar with, the 85 albums of Fairuz would take some beating.
Every record that the following have played on please:
1. Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young & McCartney
2. Greg Leisz
2. Leland Sklar
3. Bill Frisell
Plus, if I may, a smuggled copy of Jimmy Giuffre’s “The Train & The River” – altho’ I assume there will be no customs queues on the shores of the island.
I have an LP by a band he was in called “Funky Things” (with Jules Shear, Richard Stekol and Jack Tempchin) from 1976 which is when I first became aware of him, and his name on the credits of many subsequent albums has pushed me towards buying them: https://www.discogs.com/master/382315-Funky-Kings-Funky-Kings
Here he is with Jackson Browne (and the equally wonderful Val McCallum):
1. The Church (Predictable I know but they do have an extensive back catalogue.)
2. Sparks. See above
3. The Fall. See above, see above.
I was out on Saturday listening to a John Robb talk which was fun. Second part of the talk was a chat with Paul and Steve Hanley which was equally excellent. It reminded me that, while some of my most fun gigs were watching the Fall, I don’t actually have that many of their albums in my ‘collection’ so this isolation would be a good time to remedy that.
But my brain says Brian Eno, plus collaborations and productions, because I could no doubt do with the occasional change from the strummed guitars of the first two, plus there’s a hell of a lot of it, much of which I haven’t actually heard yet, so that’d be nice.
my initial thought would be:
Supertramp
UFO
Waterboys
We are all different and nobody is “right” but if my Desert Island played only your three choices on constant repeat, I’d walk naked into the surf and say “it’s been nice but now I have somewhere to go”.
But that will no doubt change…
UFO?
No
Beatles I suppose
Would it surprise anyone if I said Stiff Little Fingers plus associated solo works.
Failing that, it’s The Beatles … plus the solo outings.
The Jam take 3rd place
Jackie Leven
XTC
Oysterband
Sigur Ros
The National
Teenage Fanclub
Apart from Sigur Ros and The National that’s spot on!
I worry that we are 33⅓% the same.
The Beatles
Cowboy Junkies
R.E.M.
I’d be ok with that. Shall we get married?
Paul Simon
Nina Simone
Taj Mahal
Margarita Pracatan
Jeremy Hardy
Florence Foster Jenkins
Senorita Pracatan was a new name for me @hubert.rawlinson….
In his own sardonic style, James once told viewers that Pracatan’s skill was in “taking some of the world’s most recognisable songs and making them seem unfamiliar, new and strange”. He added: “She never lets the words or melody get in her way. She is us, without the fear of failure.”
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/26/margarita-pracatan-obituary
I remember her popping up on his show, but can’t recall whether she understood that he was gently (or maybe not so gently) mocking her.
Either way, a unique, erm, talent.
I saw her at the Reading Festival, afternoon slot, early 90s. Wearing a bowl of fruit on her bonce, if I remember correctly (drink had been taken).
Easy …
Van Morrison
Neil Young
Teenage Fanclub
Paul Simon (inc Gunfarkel)
Bob Dylan
Little Feat
The Beatles
Tonight
Neil Young
David Bowie
Beatles (inc solo)
No wait
Stones
Van the Man
Kinks
Oh hang on
Broooce
Wilco
Bob Dylan
(Edit) how could I forget The Beach Boys?
At this very moment it would be….
1. Kate Bush
2. Steven Wilson (as its whole recorded work it would include all the Porcupine Tree stuff as well – that’s at lot of music to keep me going)
3. XTC
If I could sneak XTC under the SW umbrella through his remixes, then would be Pink Floyd or Genesis at #3
Marillion
Arcana
Pink Floyd
Leonard Cohen
Van Morrison
The Fall
A close fourth place
Teenage Fanclub
Elvis Costello (with Attractions and Imposters)
Paul Simon (and with Garfunkel)
Natalie Merchant (and with 10,000 Maniacs)
On another day
Leonard Cohen
Ron Sexsmith
Miles Davis
Miles Davis (plenty of Coltrane & others in there)
Brian Eno, including his productions, of course.
Joni Mitchell
I’ve got my faves firmly lodged in me noggin, so maybe it’ll be good to hear stuff from those I quite like from the little I have heard and have an appetite to hear more.
The Fall
Jake Thackray
Philip Glass
Steely Dan
David Bowie
Herbert von Karajan (heh)
Van
Beatles
Blackadder (but not the first one)
Shostakovich.
Maria Callas.
Keith Jarrett.
And for the weekends.
Fela Kuti.
Stereolab.
The Necks.
The National
Afghan Whigs
Cathal Coughlan inc. Microdisney, Fatima Mansions, and assorted collaborations.
…even Bubonique?…
Ha ha – could use the discs to reflect sunlight to attract passing ships …
Van der Graaf Generator (preferably including Hammill’s solo albums)
King Crimson (preferably including Mr Fripp’s solo and offshoot albums)
Miles Davis
…and Ella Fitzgerald for bedtime listening.
I haven’t included any classical composers or material, trying to stick to the spirit of the OP – but arguably there’s a parallel thread (what three composers’ complete works, maybe?)
Why? The op refers to bands/artists. Artists in the musical sense is all encompassing despite there being some who wouldn’t know art if it bit them on the arse.
Fair enough – but equally, why not? After all, it’s just leisure time, isn’t it?
Don’t get me wrong I couldn’t care less. I must be odd in what I choose to listen to for pleasure that’s all. I wasn’t aware that there was a special music reserved for leisure and as all my time now is spent on leisurely pursuits with the exception of household chores I’m finding that ‘non-leisurely’ music is taking up much of the space I may once have reserved for listening to The Rubettes. 😉
It’s just a quote from Soft Machine, nothing deeper.
Peace – out!
My apologies. My anorak is in the wash.
Well, before I got to your post, I had already decided:
Joni
Ravel
Chris Wood & Andy Cutting
Good. But not clear what my post has to do with the price of fish…
Your mention of not including classical composers.
Hey, man, I don’t set the parameters – it’s not my thread. You do you, as they say.
I just thought we had scope for yet another fun-packed thread, exclusively on classical composers on the desert island.
No matter.
Given the wild freedoms being expressed by others, I now realise I have also got all of Blowzabella, Leveret, Topette!!, Simpson Cutting Kerr, the Imagined Village and all of Chris Wood’s solo output. Woohoo.
To actually address the question in the OP: I’d think carefully about it for a fairly long time.
Good point, well made…
I was thinking that.
Today …
Kraftwerk
New Order Joy Division (can this count as one?)
Yer Beatles (and solo)
Jonathan Richman including the Modern Lovers stuff
Brian Eno plenty of variety and moods there.
David Byrne including Talking Heads and other collaborations.
The Waves.
Not the band.
Just the waves.
The Beatles
Bob
Genesis (though some of the later albums are going straight into the sea)
Frank Zappa
Pat Metheny
Todd Rundren
Difficult one as so few artists are consistently great across their careers. Pushed, it would be these and I’ll put up with the odd downside
Steely Dan
Beatles
Bowie
If I could choose a time range from the artists i.e. a run of their albums, I’d be hard pushed not to include Little Feat somehow
The Jayhawks
Teenage Fanclub
HMHB
Thinking practically, ones with a big catalogue would make sense..? I’m going for…
Dylan
Beatles
Beach Boys
conversely Kraftwerk is a bold choice as (let’s assume you only get to take official releases – you’ve got a mere 34 ish tracks to choose from, plus live and remixed versions).
I make it about twice that (72), counting the first few albums (that Ralf doesn’t like)
I take it this island gives you access to vintage vinyl options for your chosen artists.
New Order
David Bowie
REM
though am tempted @black-celebration by the 31 studio albums of The Fall.
That was partly why I went for them. A very large back catalogue to go through.
On the basis that I’d want music that cheered me up and gave me the energy that comes through dancing, my first two choices would be New Order and Systema Solar.
For length of catalogue and having a complete challenge of new language to become familiar with, the 85 albums of Fairuz would take some beating.
Bob Dylan
Van Morrison (who seems to be getting a lot of votes here)
And to contrast, The Beatles or The Stones. Oh Ok, The Beatles it is.
Alternatively Beethoven, Shostakovich and Mozart would keep me occupied.
Surprised at no votes yet for Buckethead.
Another vote for Jackie Leven
Neil Young
Richard Thompson
Can I include bands they have been in?
Every record that the following have played on please:
1. Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young & McCartney
2. Greg Leisz
2. Leland Sklar
3. Bill Frisell
Plus, if I may, a smuggled copy of Jimmy Giuffre’s “The Train & The River” – altho’ I assume there will be no customs queues on the shores of the island.
Greg Leisz is now a regular on Martin Simpson records. Which is nice.
His discography as a sideman is astounding @retropath2:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Leisz
I have an LP by a band he was in called “Funky Things” (with Jules Shear, Richard Stekol and Jack Tempchin) from 1976 which is when I first became aware of him, and his name on the credits of many subsequent albums has pushed me towards buying them:
https://www.discogs.com/master/382315-Funky-Kings-Funky-Kings
Here he is with Jackson Browne (and the equally wonderful Val McCallum):
Oops – they’re not Funky Things, they are Funky Kings.
Here they are with Jack Tempchin’s “Slow Dancing:
Decent harmonies, awful lead vocal.
It’s tricky!
1. The Church (Predictable I know but they do have an extensive back catalogue.)
2. Sparks. See above
3. The Fall. See above, see above.
I was out on Saturday listening to a John Robb talk which was fun. Second part of the talk was a chat with Paul and Steve Hanley which was equally excellent. It reminded me that, while some of my most fun gigs were watching the Fall, I don’t actually have that many of their albums in my ‘collection’ so this isolation would be a good time to remedy that.
Hang on, a reserve choice, The Chameleons.
Madness
Air
Elbow
Predictably enough for here:
Dylan
Teenage Fanclub
My heart says Felt
But my brain says Brian Eno, plus collaborations and productions, because I could no doubt do with the occasional change from the strummed guitars of the first two, plus there’s a hell of a lot of it, much of which I haven’t actually heard yet, so that’d be nice.
Joni Bob and the Beatles
Bob? You mean Little Bob Story, I assume?
This took some time:
Warren Zevon
Madonna
The Rolling Stones
Thin Lizzy
Squeeze
Miles Davis
Steps
Take That
Gentle Giant