You Spin Me Round

 ”Like a record, baby”

 

 Here at Rip Her To Shreds we love rifling through other peoples record collections. It brings out the voyeur in us. This week we asked….

 “Which record in your collection…”

Makes you want to hit the dancefloor?

At the moment, probably ABC The Look of Love. Trevor Horn, who I worked with on my album produced it, and its absolutely inspired and feel good. ABC recently performed the whole Lexicon of Love album in its entirety and Trevor introduced it. It made me realise how well crafted that album is. I highly recommend it.

Has a vocal so good it gives you goosebumps?

When I first heard I Drove All Night by Roy Orbison it knocked me out. I’d heard a Cyndi Lauper version and thought the song was ok, but Orbison really clicked with me when I heard his version. There’s probably a better Orbison vocal somewhere else, like In Dreams or something, but for me, when you compare his version of I Drove All Night to all the other versions, you realise how great he really is.

Transports you back to days of teenage angst?

Well, I was a little chav early on, who liked Drum & Bass and Oasis. I discovered Pearl Jam when I was about 13 and it all went a bit angsty and drug friendly from then on. So, probably Pearl Jam Ten, Oasis Definitely Maybe or The Ganja Kru Super Sharp Shooter.

Did you love, lend, and never get back?

I lent a John Frusciante album to someone who I can’t remember now, except I know I had to buy it again, and I think I even stole the original off a mate. It’s his heroin years album, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-shirt. Its actually 2 albums, but they have a pretty similar feel and come packaged together. It was really hard to get hold of (which is why I stole it), and was a big influence on me. Its all recorded on a cassette 4-track and is a very weird album. I was never a Chili Peppers fan, but this is something altogether different and unique.

Was the first record you ever bought?

Well, I was given Michael Jackson Bad on Cassette, but my first memory of buying my own was Michael Jackson Black or White cassette single. I think I bought The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff Boom Shake the Room that week too. First album was Michael Jackson’s Dangerous on Cassette

 Makes you marvel at the musicianship or creativity of the artist?

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks. Lyrically its incredible, and musically its inspired. I saw him play it recently at The Albert Hall, but it just emphasised how unique this album is. Even he can’t recreate anything near it, it literally is a moment in time that will never happen again. Its what I love about recorded music.

Did you play to death, then never listen to again?

Probably my First and Second EPs. Last year I released two EPs, and was in a really tough place. I had bad people guiding and supporting me, and I feel like I lost my way creatively and mentally. I was drinking constantly and doing a lot of drugs, and lost control of myself. I’m not very happy with either of those EPs, and shouldn’t have released them. There are good tracks on both, but I have got on top of things now and know what I’m capable of.

Makes you want to pick up the phone and speed dial the one you love(d)?

Probably Madness It Must be Love, or Bruce Springsteen Dancing in The Dark. I supported Madness a while ago, and had a very funny drunk call to my now fiancee throughout that song. It always reminds me of that. I fell in love with her to Dancing in The Dark though, so probably that.

Still sounds better on vinyl?

I’m not really into the whole vinyl sounds better thing. If you put Iglu & Hartly on vinyl, they’d still be shit. Astral Weeks still sounds incredible on CD.

Changed your world in some significant way?

Tom Petty’s back catalogue. I’m a huge Petty fan, and when I discovered Tom Petty it changed my outlook and approach to music. They are incredibly well crafted records, played by an incredible band. The Heartbreakers are not a cutting edge, ground breaking band, but they can play the most simple things insanely well. Tom Petty writes great songs, and everything about the recordings serves to support the song. As I’ve learnt from experience, the slightest drum fill, or guitar noodle too much and you can stop listening to the song. For anyone wanting to start somewhere, I’d say Damn The Torpedoes. Its an incredible album.
(Interview – Eden Lloyd)

Kid Harpoon’s forthcoming single Stealing Cars is released on iTunes and 7″ on June 15th. Listen to it here.

© Rip Her To Shreds 2009