Jump to content

Desert Island Discs


GA!

Recommended Posts

So we all know the concept of Desert Island Discs...

Quote

Each week a guest, called a 'castaway' during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings (usually, but not always, music), a book and a luxury item that they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island, whilst discussing their lives and the reasons for their choices.

You know what to do: pick eight recordings, a book, and a luxury item and explain why for each. Try not to discuss your life because tl;dr

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off the top of my head...might edit in reasons for some later, as really there's not much more thought behind many of this songs beyond "I like them a lot".

1. Mariachi El Bronx - 48 Roses
2. Eliza Carthy - Romeo
3. World's End Girlfriend - Breath or Castle Ballad
4. Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
5. David Bowie - Lazarus
6. The Walker Brothers - Nite Flights
7. Captain Beefheart - Observatory Crest
8. Sage Francis - Make 'Em Purr

 

Book: "The Gormenghast Trilogy" by Mervyn Peake

Luxury Item: This is where I struggle. So I'm going to steal Terry Pratchett's answer, and say "The Chrysler Building".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Spun this album for like a solid 6 months straight when it first came out. Loved it, still love it, some great songs like "Shakey Dog", "Kilo" and "The Champ". 
2. Metallica - Master of Puppets
My introduction to heavier music. Still holds a place in my heart just for that reason.
3. Common - Be
Another one that I played for months straight after it was released, it's just such a good, uplifting album.
4. Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels
5. Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
6. Townes Van Zandt - For The Sake of the Song
List wouldn't feel right without Townes, and this album has two of my favorites - Tecumseh Valley and Waitin' Around To Die.
7. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
8. the Mountain Goats - Tallahassee



BOOK: This one's tough because there's a lot of books I can think of, but maybe The Hobbit? Or maybe, and this is probably recency bias, Rhett & Link's Book Of Mythicality. It's a fun book / autobiography that I think I could read a bunch and not really get tired of.

LUXURY ITEM: a smartphone. stereotypical millenial >_> I know how nonsensical it is, but I figure if I can be careful about its use I can draw at least a few hours of entertainment out of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most just happen to be top 2-3 favourite songs by favourite bands, but some get a little explanation:

1. Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
2. The Doors - Light My Fire
3. David Bowie - Life on Mars?
4. Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody
5. Marvin Gaye - Heard it Through the Grapevine - I always liked this song a lot anyway, in the last year its taken on extra significance as it was a favourite of my mum's and it's a song that will always remind me of her.
6. Europe - The Final Countdown - another one for remembering; in this case remembering being a lot younger and going to the same club with the same group of friends each week and this always playing and becoming the groups "song." Then we all got old and responsbilities...
7. Limp Bizkit - My Way - Limp Bizkit were the very first "alternative" (I.E non top-40 chart) act I ever got into, so I'll always like them far more than any rational person ever should. A lesser point, the Wrestlemania X7 hype video for Rock vs. Austin to this still sets the hair on my neck on end
8. Aerosmith - Dream On

Book - This is  a hard choice because a favourite book isn't always something you could read frequently over and over. Instead I'm electing to take a book I've owned for a while and never read as the sheer size and small print is intimidating; in the hope all the free time will encourage me to read it - Charles Dicken's Bleak House.

Luxury Item - Paper and Pens. Or a phone with signal and limitless data.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎9‎.‎1‎.‎2018 at 00:03, Big Daddy T said:

a phone with signal and limitless data.

After 16 years on the island you fondly remember that one day when you still had enough battery to use it. And maybe wish you had picked a volleyball instead.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Music

  1. "Out of Exile" by Audioslave. Literally a song about being lost on an island (metaphor for being alone before the love of a woman, but still), and my favourite song by my favourite band to boot.
  2. "Asthenia" by blink-182. One of my favourite songs from my teenage years, and one about loneliness to lean into because let's face it - you're going to be feeling that a lot on a desert island.
  3. "You Are My Sunshine" by Elizabeth Mitchell. The song that reminds me of my cats, I sing it to them all the time, especially when I'm feeling low.
  4. "Hey Ya" by OutKast. If I was going to describe the perfect pop song, this would be it. Catchy, fun as hell, but also some surprisingly insightful lyrics in there.
  5. "Mamma Mia" by ABBA. Another upbeat pop song so keep my spirits high. ABBA remind me of my mum.
  6. "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits. Classic song, and it reminds me of my dad.
  7. "Let It Go" from Frozen. Reminds me of my nieces.
  8. "Uptown Girl" by Westlife. One of my favourite covers, and reminds me of my sister.

Book

I could be cheap and say a survival guide, which is absolutely what I'd choose, but since that's a cheap answer - probably some collected Buddhist texts. It's the faith that most speaks to me and I imagine being alone I'd probably feel the need to talk to someone, even if I'm not sure I believe in that sort of thing, and let's face it - I'd have plenty of time to meditate.

Luxury Item

Bathing items. Cause seriously, I feel gross if I don't wash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ohh, that's a good choice for a book actually, Benji. Traditionally, on Desert Island Discs, you were given a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare and a Bible, and got to choose an additional book - I remember there was some fuss a couple of years ago about them possibly dropping the Bible, but in the past they had allowed castaways to trade it for another religious text.

If we're permitting that, I'd like to add the Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is to my list, in lieu of a Bible.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/01/2018 at 04:57, lari said:

After 16 years on the island you fondly remember that one day when you still had enough battery to use it. And maybe wish you had picked a volleyball instead.

Or, you know I'd use to to ensure my rescue >_>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Big Daddy T said:

Or, you know I'd use to to ensure my rescue >_>

We all know you'd just use your phone to post on EWB.

There might also be rare Pokemons on that island, who knows...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Antonin Dvorak - Symphony #9 in E minor.

2. Belle & Sebastian - The State I Am In

3. Bob Marley - Zimbabwe

4. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of this Country

5. Jacques Brel - La Bière

6. James Taylor - September Grass

7. John Philip Sousa - Hands Across the Sea

8. Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque

Book - Au Bonheur des Dames by Émile Zola

Luxury - a cafe

Edited by metalman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  1. Sylvester, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)": Sylvester is not a "great singer". His voice is not perfect. It cannot reach the highs and lows of what a great voice should. But on this song, he owns the entire track. It is the feeling of giving someone 5 minutes to belt their heart out to one of the best songs ever. The second I hear this song I want to dance. I want to feel as fabulous and mighty as Sylvester does. It puts a smile on my face every time I hear the song. 
  2. David Bowie, "Space Oddity": this song twists and turns every time you hear it. Every instrument and moment sounds different each time I listen to it. Sometimes I pay attention to Bowie's backing vocals. Sometimes I pay attention the snares. But every time the climax hits, I take off to another planet. 
  3. The Clash, "London Calling": it is sinister. It is punk. It is thoughtful. This movie reminds me of staying up late with my dad talking about punk music. It reminds me of listening to vinyl at 19 years old and realizing the brilliance of the Clash. 
  4. Refused, "New Noise": This song is brilliant, because the first time you hear it, the first minute and a half is so fascinating till it gets loud. The second, tenth and hundredth time you heard the song, it's an institution. "Can I scream?"... of course. 
  5. Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance": the best pop song ever released. It is captivating and fun. I remember when I was 25, we would have parties with 25-30 people and we would sit around and watch Lady Gaga's newest video ... sometimes 3 times in a row. 
  6. N.W.A, "Fuck Tha Police". It is raw. Homophobic. Sometimes misdirected. But N.W.A. represents my youth. Posturing to bigger and more important than I was. Trying to present that I was smarter than what I really was.
  7. M.I.A., "Sunshowers". This song formed who I was. I spent many years of my life trying to be as punk as M.I.A in 2005. Agitate. Stir the pot. Piss people off. Repeat. 
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/8/2018 at 15:58, MaGazz P.I. said:

My Luxury Item would be Ray Mears.

Michaela Strachan for me ;)

Songs are hard. Generally the guests pick them over their lifetime rather than their faves right now. That makes it a little harder. It also means that I would have some very weird techno/IDM tracks from my 1999-2004 era. Let me think.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will just try and pick songs as I would pick them now though.

1. "Monkey Man" by Toots and the Maytals - my eldest's (5 y/o)favourite song and my youngest (2 y/o) loves singing along to it in the car now.

2. "Bone Machine" by Pixies - 'cos it's frankly the most amazing song ever recorded. Also when I'm drunk on fermented coconut milk this is what I'm stubbornly swaying to and shouting out into the soulless ocean.

3. "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite - the best cheesy dance song there's ever been....and it has Bootsy Collins.

4. "Saints" by The Breeders - Just one of the very very best feelgood tracks. It means Kim Deal gets double booking on my list....Which she should.

5. "Motorcycle Drive-By" by Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind were one of the first bands I truly discovered totally for myself. Emo as anything but beautiful. Also Stephen Jenkins sings in the same register as me so it's infinitely singable into the night. I'd also consider "God of Wine", "Wounded" or the full lyric version of "Slow Motion".

6. "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead - just 'cos it's beautiful really with a hint of hope towards the end. Like "Let Down".

7. "The Answer" by Savages - they're the best band of the last decade. This is their best song.

8. "If it is the Deep Sea I can see you there" by Melt Banana - far from their most well known. I just love this album track 'cos it's quirky as.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/01/2018 at 04:39, RPS said:
  • The Clash, "London Calling": it is sinister. It is punk. It is thoughtful. This movie reminds me of staying up late with my dad talking about punk music. It reminds me of listening to vinyl at 19 years old and realizing the brilliance of the Clash. 

Reminds me of The Riots. "Cause London is drowning, and I live by the riveeeeeeeeerrrrr."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. To learn more, see our Privacy Policy