Possibly the best thing about music on the radio is hearing something for the first time you might well love for the rest of your life.
I imagine we all have these moments: What was that, who was that, can I hear it again? I have a few of these moments every week. Very often, these days, it’s because I hear something that’s been out for ages and I’ve just caught up with it. I was driving from Nashville to Memphis a few weeks ago and I heard Patty Loveless singing Howard Harlan’s ‘ Blame It On Your Heart.’
It’s a classic country song that makes you want to smile and sing and get on with your life. I think it probably came out quite a long time ago but due to my limited knowledge of country I’d only just heard it. It made me feel quite good when I discovered it was a massive hit.
The other great thing is when you hear something that you know your pals are going to love. My wife and I recently fell helplessly in love with Ryan Adam’s new single, ‘Two.” We got the chance to play it to some music-diggers who came round on Friday and it was lovely to see the smiles of approval on their faces. I guess that’s what you hope might happen when you play some new things on the radio. To this end I want you to hear some wonderful new things I’ve enjoyed recently. I hope to be playing new things by Midlake, Sufjan Stevens and Tobias Froberg. I’m also enjoying the new Rufus Wainwright album (something I couldn’t say since Poses.)
My producer Roslyn finds wee gems which surprise me too. We played Jamie Liddell and Candie Payne on the show in the last week then went home and bought them myself. Hey, that isn’t how payola’s meant to work!
It’s great when a new track jumps out and bites you from the radio or at a friends house or even a trendy clothes shop.
The last time that happened to me was with Madeleine Peyroux’s “Half the Perfect World”. Her voice and phrasing is out of this world. It’s easy to see why she is being compared to Billie Holiday and co. She’s even brave enough to do battle with the Sinatra classic “The Summer Wind”… and win.
I also “discovered” the Arctic Monkeys before my friends and kids. I don’t usually look good on the dance floor but I was pretty cool for a while after that!
Also Ricky, if you would like a little urban soul late in the show check out the Naked Music label from New York City: tracks like “Uptown” by Aya, “Give it Back” by Gaelle or “Grown Apart” by Lisa Cherry.
Your last line lead me down a side street of the information superhighway and on the way stopped-off at Alan Freed, Dead Kennedys, Payola$ and They Might be Giants. Your journey could start here too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payola
You could build a whole programme around this subject!
Indeed, it’s a beautiful thing to discover new music in this fashion. I used to work nights with just (Whispering) Bob Harris for company, and discovered any number of songs and songwriters as a result (Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin and plenty more besides).
Also, I make a point of passing songs I discover that seem pertinent to loved ones or that you know they’ll just love in turn, and it’s a very special gift to be able to bestow. Long live the compilation CD!
I’ll look forward to the “new things” you’ll be playing in the near future. I often find myself imagining as yet unrecorded collaborations between artists I respect, enjoy and whom I think would gel musically too; hence in part one of my choices for the “Two For Me, Two For You” segment I mailed in to the show the other day.
Hmm… Two For Me, Two For You… duets… now there’s a thought…
Another example from my experience that’s just occurred to me is one James Blunt, whose album I bought and shared with one friend in particular whom I knew would appreciate it.
And all this some months before he hit it big, due in turn to the fact I’d heard he’d been working with a certain songwriter of some repute on one particular song…
I too love introducing acts I have found to friends although I sometimes wonder if we are all descending into a kind of obscure find competition just to out do each other. When my friend suggested I check out Icky Snailjuice and the Muffin Top Orchestra I felt that was a step too far….
But it is amazing the places you can find new artists these days. For example my current fav is Djai Skjellerup. He is a virtual musician performing live at http://www.secondlife.com
He is absolutely bloody brilliant especially track Me and You. His tracks are available for download at http://www.myspace.com/djaiskjellerup1
Beats Icky Snailjuice hands down!
Listened to Monday’s show all the way through on Tuesday morning….why? Don’t ask, it’s 104 degrees F outside here in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ USA. Anything Jimmy Web, anytime…..and no, not even a Bradley tank can’t handle a tornado. Particularly due to the way they are maintained. ‘Nuff said about that.
Also thanks for “Moondance.” Onward.
I had one of those moments (for the first time), when a song called ‘Wages Day’ left me staring at the Radio in wonder about twenty years ago. Changed my life.
Funny, that’s the way I got to know Deacon Blue way back in 1990 (I think). I heard the orchestral track on the first disc of “Ooh, Las Vergas” on my way home after a week in a studio in Cologne. This music got me from the first moment. Ricky became one of my favourite composers. Sadly, the small Hamburg radio station that played the song is long gone.
I’m very happy rediscovering Deacon Blue and Ricky via web and seeing you’re all doing well…
Kind regards Mark
it just proves once again the impact that radio has
radio will never die.
it re-invents it’s self and crops up every where.
i can listen to you no matter how far.
although technically a pc is’nt a radio god bless it any way.
my first deacon blue song dignity was heard on the radio. i have loved it ever since.
it still has the impact even now when i here it.
it brought me into a whole world of ricky ross and deacon blue songs and albums.
songs on the radio are different to the ones you hear else where.
if you hear it in a salon or a shop cafe etc.
when your driving in your car it has a different impact. i remember reciently i kept hearing this song on the radio i loved it. but i either missed the dj say who was the artist or it was not mentioned. for weeks i sung along everytime i heard it. it took me ages to find out what it was.
it was infact james morrison you do something.
the same again for joshua kadison’s jessie.
i think the magic is it is this never ending duke box that does’nt come with the coin slot track menu etc. you never know whats coming next.
it opens you mind to things that you may never have tried before.
i have stopped playing cd’s in the car altogether as i started to miss this unexpected thing.
the times when the perfect tune came on that suited your exact mood.
long live radio