Desert Island Discs. Eight pieces of music that would keep you going if you were stranded on a desert island. Compilations and playlists not permitted.

Believe it or not, prior to 1997 I was a very keen fan of music of almost all types and there would hardly be a moment when I did not have music of some sort playing.  Between 1994 and 1998 I had a partner who was also mad keen on music and HiFi. We shared some common tastes, but sadly he had an obsession with Neil Diamond. I cannot think of any music I like less than Neil Diamond’s. After 3 years of Neil Diamond I could not bear to hear music of any kind at all – it was, I suppose, a sort of revulsion therapy … a very effective sort!

In the last few years, perhaps about 5 or 6 years now, I have gradually become more able to listen to music again, but often I only have to play an odd one track and that’s enough, I need a break of several months again.

This leaves me in a bit of a quandary over what my eight pieces of music would be if I was to be invited onto Desert Island Discs, but thankfully there are some pieces of music which I do still love and which I would take with me to my island, although I can’t guarantee I’d play them all on a daily basis. Possibly surprisingly there are, in fact, so many pieces that narrowing it down to just eight is still quite a task.

1. 1.Tears for Fears: Shout! This takes me back to driving North-West out of Boston (Lincs) at sunset in January 1993 after a Beatties stock-take. It’s also a fantastic melody and has a defiant beat. I find that it gives me hope and inspiration.
   

2. 2.Widor: Toccata from Symphony No. 5. I love the pipe organ, and this piece has such a wide dynamic range that it certainly puts the instrument (and the organist) to the test. It’s also great for making the unsuspecting listener jump as there are such sudden changes from soft to loud. On a practical level, certain moments in the work would double as a good fog-horn, which may be handy on the proverbial island.
   

3. 3.The Associates: Party Fears Two. I’m actually not massively keen on this discordant song, however the main refrain was used as the signature tune for Weekending on Radio 4 for many years and is undeniably jolly. More significantly, as far as the Desert Island is concerned, Weekending was always so hilariously funny that the tune would bring to mind some of the many funny moments and raise a smile.
   

4. 4.Rainbow: Street of Dreams. Simply a great song with a brilliant riff from the days when we had brilliant music in the charts. (The live version I’ve linked to this is actually played too fast and isn’t the best rendition, but it’s an unusually clear video of Rainbow playing live.)
   

5. 5.Simple Minds: Don’t you (forget about me). My greatly loved and sadly missed friend Mark’s favourite song, which was all too appropriate given his death at such a young age. Also very apt when stranded on a Desert Island.
   

6. 6.Janacek: Sinfonietta. From which the 4th movement (Adagio – Presto – Andante – Presto - Prestissimo) is the signature tune for ITV’s “Crown Court”, which I not only loved, but so did Grandma, so it would evoke many good memories. (The performance in the linked video seems to have been played when the orchestra were ina  great hurry to go for a pint ... either that or they were running a marathon in their heads .. but I could not find a better performance on YouTube. Shame there is not one of The Halle and Mark Elder, that would be at a decent pace!)
   

7. 7.Handel: Zadock The Priest. There are many pieces of classical choral music which I love, but very few which I could easily listen to over and over again over a fairly short period of time. If I’m to be limited to just 8 pieces of music repeat listening is assured and this is something which I could hear day in and day out and still enjoy (at least I think I could!).
   

8.The Weather Girls: It’s Raining Men. Where do I start?! Poptastic in Sheffield City Hall Ballroom. Via Fossa on Canal Street in Manchester. (Pretty much any other venue on Canal Street!) Queer as Folk on TV. Missing in Birmingham. Climax at Sheffield Uni Students’ Union. Any decent club night I’ve been to has involved this euphoric disco classic. And besides, on a desert island, rain of any kind would be welcome once in a while!