It’s that time that no one except me looks forward to: yes, it’s my Friday morning iPod shuffle. Here, uncensored and unembarrassed, is a random selection of my music!
1. Jambalaya (on the bayou) by John Fogerty. From the first and quite magnificent Blue Ridge Rangers album, which is actually all Fogerty, including all instruments and voices.
2. Smile (backing vocal montage) by the Beach Boys. The epic Smile album was finally released a few years ago and it included a lot of music from the original sessions, including this stunning montage of Beach Boys voices. Lots of Heroes and Villains here. Beautiful.
3. Blowin’ In The Wind by Stevie Wonder. A cover of Dylan’s classic, performed in classic Motown style by the great genius that is Stevie Wonder.
4. Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel. If you haven’t got Bridge Over Troubled Water you are not alive! So many styles, so much great music.
5. Burn by Deep Purple. Few bands have ever come up with more great riffs than Purple and here’s a classic. Not Gillan on vocals but Coverdale in his pomp.
6. The Tempest by Pendulum. This is from the excellent Live at Brixton record. I understand the drum and bass label for the band, but I them far more as dance/rock. Anyway, effing wonderful!
7. Roadrunner by Junior Walker and the All Stars. Not sure which Motown Chartbusters record came from but it doesn’t matter because they are all brilliant.
8. Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys. From the 1973 “In concert” album which nailed the myth that the Boys couldn’t cut it live.
9. Shake Your Foundations by AC/DC. Very average album filler from a very average AC/DC record, with Brian Johnson’s vocals ludicrously low in the mix.
10. Welcome to the Real World by Mr Mister. From the album of the same name, oh so slightly, no actually, very Toto, classic American rock. Nice.
