New Order - Face Up

I have no real associated memory with this song, no specific sentimental reason, though it does have emotional resonance (well I suppose any music you like would have to really). It's just a good song.

My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realise"

'So why do you love it? '.... I saw the video on telly when I was around 10. It just blew me away.. never heard anything like it & then I suddenly lost my fascination for Michael Jackson & Shakin Stevens.

'When did you first hear it? Did it have an immediate effect on you or was it a grower?' (see above!)

'Did you ever hear it performed live?' .. yep - I saw them when they played in McGonnigales. Had tintenitus for about 2 weeks after.

'Do you play the song yourself?'... the first band I played in was a total MBV rip off & we covered this song. Our 1st gig was in the school hall, during the break at a performance for parents by the school orchestra. The parents were not too pleased by the white noise. They were even less impressed by the death metal band who went on after us!

'Is there a definitive version, or is it just the song itself? ' ... you can't beat the original recording.

'Are there any sentimental or nostalgic attachments to the song, or is it purely the music?'.... see above (again!)

'Where's the best place/time of day to listen to it?' ... In the car, bombing along the N4 / pre-going out song.

'How does it compare to your everyday taste is music?' ... it fits in nicely alongside Sonic Youth & rubs up smoothly against Rhianna!

i can't choose one song... so i'll choose one new order song instead...

your silent face

Three posts in and New Order are already two-up. Go Bernie!
starbelgrade, great post. Will check out the vid when I'm out of work.

Think mine would be California Stars by Wilco & Woody Guthrie

Love it because of Woody's beautiful lyrics, Wilco being my favourite band and Jeff Tweedy's voice being truly outstanding on it.

First heard it one Sunday years ago when I was working in a large music store chain and a co-worker dumped Now 524 out of the cd player and threw on Mermaid Avenue. I remember slagging him off for liking 'country s**te' (now v embarrassed), but the album grew on me and made me what I am today!

So therefore, a grower.

Have been lucky enough to hear it live twice, but its a treat Wilco rarely play.

The song itself as appears on Mermaid Ave is perfect.

Best time of day is anytime you wanna listen to a perfect and wistful song.

As mentioned before, that album completely changed my tastes in music and opened me up to a whole new chapter in my music loving life.

Good thread Peejay

Elliott Smith' - The Biggest Lie

So why do you love it? - It's a lot to do with the nihilistic themes that run through the song. I spend far more time than is probably healthy wondering "what's the point?"

When did you first hear it? - I was in my first band. Someone in the band, the bass player/shed provider in fact, brought in a tape of the Elliott Smith album belonging to his older brother as he wanted us to listen to it in order to cover Needle in the Hay. I liked what I heard and "borrowed" the tape after our practise. I was listening through and then I heard the opening chords and it just caught my attention.

Did it have an immediate effect on you or was it a grower? - It hit me like the train he's waiting for I suppose. I spent alot of that weekend pressing rewind...

Did you ever hear it performed live? - Nope, wasn't that lucky/old enough.

Do you play the song yourself? - I can do, haven't in a while though. *makes mental note to do so this evening.

Is there a definitive version, or is it just the song itself? - The original is still the best for me

Are there any sentimental or nostalgic attachments to the song, or is it purely the music? - Oh yeah, when you're a teenager and you hear a song like that you think, wow, he knows exactly what I'm going through. Not much really changes as you get older; your problems may evolve in seriousness, but the soundtrack tends to remain similar.

Where's the best place/time of day to listen to it? - On your own with something you can use as percussion.

How does it compare to your everyday taste is music? - I listen to quite a bit of Elliott Smith, but not on the same scale as I used to. My Key Notes "work" (ha!) has me listening to quite a bit of Irish music and that has drifted away from the singer-songwriter phase and is very much about rock music again, even if there are too many New Order (3 mentions!) wannabes.

Big Mouth Strikes Again - The Smiths

No other song upon first listen has made me go, wow, like really, WOW!

Just missed out on the whole Smiths 80's first time around, was early 90's when I heard this @ a friends house at uni in England. To this day, its been my fav song, if I had to opt for one. The jangly Marr strumming at a quare and sustained pace (its hard to play it start to finish, my rythmn ends up in the hedge along with my wrist muscles).

Was working during the summer of 94 or 95, wee office job to pay off my overdraft...faxed (before regular emailing) to the Simon Mayo show on radio1, snippet called 'your 3 @ 11:33'(fav song of the 80's, fav song of the 90's and fav current song). I sat beside the tape recorder everyday during the 11:30 news(blank tape at the ready for about 6 weeks) then one morning the opening chords of Big Mouth came busting out of the wireless..still ranks as a main moment in my life (sad perhaps!)..

The original will always be best. Although I heard Placebo doing a cover on Nancy Boy CD single or something, probably ranks as the worst cover of all times!

Have never heard it live, have seen Moz a few times,never played it... but maybe the Marr guitar imprint is so strong on this tune, the big guy wont play it..or maybe he has, not sure

my fingers hurt

PQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5CltsEN8DQ

PS, my fav song of the 90's was the manic's - 'motorcycle emptiness' (that feile feeling was still lingering) and perfume 'havent seen you in a long time' was fav current tune

Transmission - Joy Division

Twas the first Joy Division song I heard. I was sitting in my bedroom when I was 15 tryin to work my way through my Junior Cert Art project and I'd just discovered Spectrum FM (who went on to become Phantom about 10 years later!). It came on the radio and I remember stopping for the whole song and being in complete awe. That was the song that change my musical direction completely and shaped pretty much everything I listened to from then on. Never seen it live for obvious reasons but I have seen New Order play it a few times which is ok - but sure he's no Ian! I play ti myself muckin around on my bass. It's a simple but brilliant tune and its best listened to very loud and possibly accompanied by beer and cigarettes!

Ps. Great Balls of Fire is a close second!

The Flamin' Groovies - Slow Death
A couple of years ago Mojo did a drugs issue and attached a CD of drug related songs, one of which was this. I didn't know who the Flamin' Groovies were, and I still don't really know a whole lot about them. What I didn't realise at the time was, Mojo had the good sense to use a scrappy demo version of the song rather than the official album track (maybe it was just cheaper to do it this way).

Anyway, this song jumps out at you right from the start. As 70s guitar riffs go, its a killer and the murky sound of the demo matches the overall tone, a song about the torture of looking for your next fix. When Little Richard was talking about Hendrix in an old documentary, he said whenever he heard Jimi's music his big toe would shoot up in his boot. That's exactly how I feel when I put on this song, an instant reaction that I can't really explain. The dual-guitars sound phenomenal, one of them plays a piercing slide-guitar part. The lead singer has to scream to be heard over the noise of the band, so most of the lyrics get swallowed up, but his screaming adds to the whole thing far better than what the lyrics actually mean (visiting a doctor then visiting a priest). Its just exhilarating to listen to, the pace is raised with a blistering guitar solo and then the bridge brings it all back down again. A brilliant, brilliant piece of rock & roll.

After hearing that song, I picked up compilation called Groovies Greatest Grooves. The proper album version turned out to be an over-produced weedy sounding pale imitation of what I had. They really must have been on crack to release that one instead. A bit of good sense prevailed though and the golden demo was released on a rarities album called Grease back in the early 70's. I managed to get my hands on a CD copy of this, but I still go back to the Mojo "Feed Your Head'' comp more often. I've listened to it so many times now I kind of feel like I need to ration it a bit, but everytime I put it on my big toe shoots up and I let out a flamboyant Little Richard shriek (er, not really)

There's a few clips on YouTube but as they're the album version, I'll skip it.

this would be one of my favourite songs as well...

Probably Hole - 'Rock Star'. It's a genius work; simultaneously disjointed and together, post-modern and classic, strange and familiar. It's the perfect ending to 'Live Through This'.

Totally uncool I know, but The Police's Message in a Bottle would be my choice. I first heard it over 25 years ago and it still sounds as brilliant to me today as it did then. The album version is the one for me. Why do I love it so much? Three brilliant musicians at the top of their game, a cracking guitar riff, great lyrics...I could go on all day about it.

Heard it live when The Police played Leixlip Castle in 1980 and then last year in Croke Park and Twickenham.

Have tried to learn how to play it over the years but that riff ain't easy.

How does it compare to my taste in music today? Very well I think. A good song is a good song and I think Message in a Bottle stands up very well beside Smells Like Teen Spirit and Pearl Jam's Jeremy (two of my other all time faves.)

Not uncool at all. Animal Tune. Stewart Copeland is a legend.

Ill have to think more about my choice. Tis a real toughy!

It's what you feel in the bottom of your heart. You just need to look deep into the depths to find that hidden gem.

(sound of puking)

Well what a question... my mind changes every fart's end on this one so I might as well go with what's in my head now.

And that's Bell Bottomed Blues by Derek and the Dominoes (though I could have picked any of the songs from that golden era by Neil Young, the Stones, the Byrds, Stephen Stills...).

I first heard it on the b-side to a re-release of Layla back when I was doing my GCSEs... so I would have been 16. So 1990. Wow. That long ago. It had an immediate effect though that sense of wonder that a song could be that full of emotion never left me. For those of you who don't know the song, it's on Layla and Assorted Lovesongs and features Clapton, Duane Allman and others at the height of their powers. It's just beautiful.

I've never heard this song... nor Clapton ever play. He's not in the same place he was back then.

The definitive version is on the album... I've heard a few live versions. But hearing Clapton and Allman playing round each other on the record is a pure joy. I don't play the song but I can't help singing along at the top of my voice every time I hear it. The best time to listen to this song is with a loved one... sit both of you on the sofa, turn out the lights, hold her hand and play it as loud as possible.

Here's a Youtube with the original song...

I wouldn't be a fan of the album, but that is an exceptional song. When he surrounded himself with talented people Clapton was brilliant.

Gargantuan question, really. Probably A.I.M. or Blind Pilots by The Cooper Temple Clause. They were one of a few bands around recently making really heart-stoppingly good music. It hurt a lot when the broke up.

"Search and Destroy" - Iggy and the Stooges

I think I'd have to go with dylan, right now this second it would probably be this one...






A simple twist of fate.