My Desert Island Discs

Written by Jim S.

Back in the day, the long-gone Tower Records used to publish a free magazine called Pulse. I’d pick it up whenever I was in there which was fairly frequently. They always had a Desert Island Disc* section wherein people would write to the magazine and advise what their discs were. I found a lot of them to be fairly esoteric and I wondered if some of them were just trying to impress each other. (The world has far too many low self-esteem people.)

So I’m stealing the idea which is this – You are stranded on a desert island. Or, more to the point, you know you’re going to be stranded. And you can bring 20 albums (CDs, vinyl, cassette, etc.) with you. Since you don’t know how long you’ll be there, you’ll want to bring ones that bear repeated listening. (Pulse said ten but come on. If I say ten you guys will crucify me. (“They’re gonna crucify me.”)

Now I am going to apply some rules because if If don’t you’ll all be sending Box sets to maximize it. No way. You get a maximum of two (2) box sets, one (1) compilation or Greatest Hits and two (2) live albums. The rest should be either single or double albums.

Should these be your favorite albums of all time? They could be. But for me these are ones that are A) largely great and B) bear up on repeated listening as I could be stranded here for quite some time. Hopefully, I can bring as many changes of clothes as the people on Gilligan’s Island did for a three-hour tour.

What follows is my list (with comments and a few selections). If you feel like playing, do so when you comment. But please, spare me the “I can’t pick only 20 albums.” I left at least 10 equally good albums off of here. You bloody well could do it if your feet were to the fire. Plus it’s only a game. No one’s really stranding you on an island. Yet.

Music Enthusiast Desert Island Discs

  • Exile on Main Street – Rolling Stones – My favorite album ever. I listen to it all the way through about every 6 -8 weeks. This is my idea of rock and roll and why, frankly, much current rock leaves me cold. It just doesn’t sound like this.

Spotify link

  • At Fillmore East – Allman Brothers Band – Have you actually ever read my blog?
  • Citizen (box set) – Steely Dan – My first box choice. The one to have.
  • My Aim is True – Elvis Costello – I almost went with his second album but I really love this one.
  • Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd – Please.
  • Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues – Buddy Guy – Blues at its finest.

Spotify link

  • Led Zeppelin I – Crunch ‘n blues
  • The Four Seasons – Vivaldi – I like classical quite a bit but don’t write about it as I am hardly the expert. But if I’m stranded on a desert island, this would be nice.
  • The Essential Bob Dylan – ’nuff said.
  • The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle – Bruce Springsteen – Those romantic young boys. All they ever wanna do is fight.
  • Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs – Derek and the Dominos – The pain of unrequited love at its most searing
  • Chicago Transit Authority – Chicago – I could be happy with the second one too.
  • Playback (box set) – Tom Petty – More good stuff than you can shake a stick at.
  • Santana III – Could have been 1st or Abraxas. But I must have some early Santana.
  • The Koln Concert – Keith Jarrett – My second live album. When I sit and contemplate how and why I got stuck on a desert island I’ll turn to this.
  • Abbey Road – Beatles – The Beatles were a possible box set choice but there is some early stuff I cannot listen to anymore.
  • Texas Flood – Stevie Ray Vaughan – A bluesman who channeled it from somewhere.
  • Arthur – Kinks – I wanted Kink Kronikles compilation but I ran into my stupid rule. Life without Kinks is not worth living
  • Pearl – Janis Joplin. I’ll need to hear a female voice and for me it’s Janis all the way.

Spotify link

  • Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet – With John Coltrane. From 1956. Great jazz, straight up.

There it is folks. Give me those and I’m pretty happy for a while.

*My understanding is that the BBC does or did this as well.

156 thoughts on “My Desert Island Discs”

  1. Dang, that’s a cool concept. You picked a lot of good ones, by the way. I would really have to think hard about this if I were to chose 20 albums on an island.

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        1. Sure, if you’re a jazzer. I was going for enough variety in my list to reflect different moods I might be in. I wanted some smokin’ jazz and that one fit the bill.

          Liked by 1 person

  2. Ok, I’ll play. First, I’ll comment on your list. If I were on a neighboring island to you, and I heard CHICAGO, I’d be winging coconuts like a madman to destroy your turntable (assuming we have electricity on our islands). However… if I then heard “Exile on Main Street,” I’d forgive you and even invite you over for piña coladas (assuming we’re also stocking rum).

    (Gee, I would never guess you’re a fan of the Allman Brothers.) 🙂

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    1. Ha! No electricity, no music. Not a Chicago fan, Pete? Not even their early stuff? Surprised. Their early stuff is, IMHO, tremendous. As to the Allmans, it’s all an act so I’ll look cool. Anyway, I look forward to trashing, er, um, seeing your list. 🙂

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    2. I noted to one other commenter that I screwed up. My list should have had a particular Miles Davis album. So that’s on there, Tubular Bells, alas, is off .

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  3. A lot of great stuff on here, Jim. And since of course I’d like to be a good sport, here’s my list – pretty much in random order, though it starts with my all-time favorite band! 🙂
    1. Beatles Complete Box Set (first box set) – not sure it’s still around; I got it on vinyl as a teenager (possibly, the best Christmas present ever!), and it includes all of their regular studio albums.
    2. Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers Live At The Fonda Theatre (first live album) – in addition to gems from my favorite Stones album, this album includes a few other classics. While this is from a 2015 show and was only released last year as part of the “From The Vault” series, I think the Stones have rarely sounded as fresh as on this record!
    3. The Who – Who’s Next – an awesome album from one of my all-time favorite 60s and 70s rock bands. These guys just kicked ass!
    4. Neil Young – Decade (compilation)- While I’ve listened to Neil since my teenage years, I’ve come to appreciate him even more over the last couple of years. I generally prefer his early phase, which this compilation beautifully captures!
    5. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Damn The Torpedoes – can’t have this list without Tom Petty. And if it comes down to selecting one of his many great albums, I would go for this one.
    6. John Mellencamp – The Lonesome Jubilee – this record marks the beginning of Mellencamp’s transition from straight rock to more Americana-oriented and eventually stripped back music.
    7. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run – it’s tough to select one from the Boss, but if I had to, this would be it!
    8. Carole King – Tapestry – one of the very first records I ever listened to when I was 10 years old or so. My sister had it on vinyl. To me it’s a collection of beautiful tunes that are simply timeless. The singer-songwriter genre doesn’t better than this, in my humble opinion!
    9. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – while over the years, I’ve come to appreciate that Fleetwood Mac is much more than “Rumours”, when it comes to that band, I’d still go with this 1977 gem
    10. Eagles – Hotel California – one of the definitive 70s rock albums!
    11. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Deja Vu – another record I first listened decades ago and still love to this day. Their harmony singing is just outstanding, at least among white artists, and perhaps can only be matched by the Beach Boys
    12. Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon – gotta have Floyd in the list. I also could have selected Wish You Were or Meddle
    13. Cream – Disraeli Gears – I love blues rock, and Cream was the ultimate blues rock power trio. Since I’m starting to run out of space, this selection will have to take care of Clapton as well
    14. The Allman Brothers – At Fillmore East (second live album) – and of the best live albums ever and simply a must!
    15. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On – when it coms to black artists, I don’t think it gets much better than Marvin Gaye. I just love his voice and smooth delivery, though that particular album is actually quite heavy when it comes to the lyrics. Sadly, the topics Gaye tackled on the album continue to be relevant to this day, especially under the current completely incompetent and dangerous leader of the “free world!”
    16. Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life – another exceptional artist I wouldn’t want to miss from my list
    17. Buddy Guy – Born To Play Guitar – another artist where it’s almost impossible to pick one album only. “Whiskey, Beer & Wine” with its Jimi Hendrix swagger is one of my favorite Guy tunes
    18. Steely Dan – Aja – this album is sheer perfection, and I literally love each and every tune on it!
    19. Deep Purple – Machine Head – holy cow, when I came to no. 19, I realized I was almost out of space and didn’t have even one hard rock album. To me, “Machine Head” is the definitive 70s album in that genre!
    20. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV – “Stairway To Heaven” perhaps is the ultimate rock song, if it’s even possible to pinpoint one. That in and of itself was sufficient reason for me to select this album. Plus, there are many other gems on it, such as “Black Dog”, “Rock And Roll” and “The Battle Of Evermore,” to name some!

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    1. I’ll comment more in depth in a bit but a quick glance there is not one album here that I do not like. I also took Tubular Bells off and replaced it with a Miles album I meant to put on there. I’ll be back.

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    2. Ok. That’s enough thinking. As mentioned, all excellent choices. There are three here that, while I like them, I wouldn’t take because I’m more of a second-tier than first-tier fan. Those would be Neil Young (yes, I know, heresy), Mellencamp and Carole King. I had Cream “Wheels of Fire” on my first list but sadly, had to pull it for something else. So “Layla” became my Clapton (plus 2nd Duane. Heh!) “Machine Head” is an inspired choice and would make me rethink. Neither of us put Skynyrd! “Songs in Key of Life” was on an earlier list but I had gotten tired of it and needed a break. If I’d chosen Fleetwood Mac it would probably be Peter Green era. And as towering an album as Who’s Next is, I’ve heard it too much.

      But all that said, if we were on neighboring islands I would most happily swap with you periodically. And apologies to Jeff Beck (“Blow by Blow”) and Rod Stewart (“Gasoline Alley,”)

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      1. Not to include Derek And The Dominoes in my list probably was a mistake!

        If “Stairway” is the ultimate rock song (overall), as I touted, I also could have called “Layla” the ultimate rock guitar riff – of course, ultimately, these things are highly subjective!

        I think I like your idea to periodically swap, so all we would need to ensure is to end up either on the same island or on neighboring islands that are easy to reach with a simple raft – I’m not exactly the engineer type! 🙂

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        1. Or set up some sort of big slingshot and shoot albums, CD’s, back and forth. Then use coconuts and trees to build a raft when we need to “get out of the house.”

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        5. I mentioned to Pete and I’ll mention to you that you should re-visit over the next couple of days when yo get a chance. Read other commenters. Very, very interesting choices and stuff I gotta listen to.

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      1. It looks like CB’s master plan is to show up on the island with nothing but his .. CD player in his hand and then borrow everybody else’s stuff.

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        5. I was in your fine country last in (ouch) 1987 and British cuisine was, er, um, interesting. Let’ say I ate a lot fish and chips!

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        6. Id hope cuisine has improved since then. There’s a few places near here that do a really good fish and chips that being said

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        9. Yes, well, less for the food value, quite a bit more for the naming value. We in the States would NEVER be that direct. We would call it flambe du pois or soft peas or something like that. And in the non-food category, people in the UK will say they need to use the toilet, we say we have to “go to the bathroom” despite whether or not there is a bathroom involved. We get a kick out of the “tell it like it is nature.” ‘Ere you go mate, ere’s your gruel, mushy peas and day-old meat.” 🙂

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        10. Blimey. I think a refresh of both culinary and linguistic delights is required, sir. The other day I heard someone tell his (I assume) wife “I need to find the shitter”

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        11. We are Puritans here. Sex, e.g., is to be had and enjoyed but not discussed. And women may, one assumes, do it but neither talk about it nor enjoy it.

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        12. There you go using those ten dollars words on me. CB is a bad guy to take down that road. Remember I read Ellroy and like his style. So you know where my heads at. You can bring the mustard and beans. Oh yeah and some tunes.

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  4. These aren’t in any particular order, except maybe the first two:

    Beatles, Beatles VI: this won’t be on anyone else’s list, and it’s not an official EMI album, but I love good ‘B’ sides, and this is the greatest ‘B’ side collection ever (with a few ‘A’s thrown in). It’s also the 2nd rock/pop album I ever bought, and it takes me right back to my favorite period of 1965-‘66
    Beatles, Rubber Soul (U.S. Capitol version): the official EMI Rubber Soul is great, too, but this has the nod for nostalgia value, plus it has “I’ve Just Seen a Face” and “It’s Only Love,” two of my faves
    Beach Boys, Pet Sounds: the perfect desert isle album; great if you’re happy, and great if you’re bummed
    Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited: Basement Tapes and Bringing It All Back Home are also up there, but this was my first Dylan purchase and I still love it. Not one bad song. Timeless, mysterious
    Burt Bacharach, The Look of Love (box set): three CDs worth of musical bliss by a legend
    Neil Young, After the Goldrush: my favorite “bummer” album. If I were on a desert island, I’d get lonely occasionally, so this (like Pet Sounds) would help, especially “Don’t Let it Bring You Down”
    Velvet Underground, White Light/White Heat: more suited to a Bowery basement than a desert island, but this and the first VU album are where art rock, industrial noise, heavy metal, rap, punk, alt-rock and more all started. Blew me away when I first heard it. “Sister Ray” towers above anything before or since, by anybody
    Doors, The Doors: has my favorite song, “Light My Fire,” and it’s maybe the greatest debut album ever. A dark concept album that flows seamlessly into “The End,” with not one bad cut. Oh yeah…the mesmerizing voice, and spirit, of one-of-a-kind Jim Morrison
    Miles Davis, Kind of Blue: just a beautiful record. I’m not a big jazzbo, but they say this is the greatest studio jazz album ever, along with Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, and I can’t argue
    Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon: so far, it’s unanimous. My only regret is that Syd Barrett didn’t participate. But he’s there in spirit…in every note and lyric
    Small Faces, Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake: a personal pleasure. It’s one of the first “concept” albums, with beautiful, mature arrangements, and a lot of fun to listen to
    Love, Love: Forever Changes is the one that critics usually pick. I love the chiming guitars, folk-rock sound, and touch of acid here. Takes me right back to the ‘60s
    Hank Williams Sr., 40 Greatest Hits (compilation): gotta have one country LP, and Hank is the king of country, in my opinion. They don’t make ‘em like Hank anymore
    Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers (box set/compilation): speaking of kings. The poet of the blues, and his guitar playing still defies logic. Without him, there would be no Rolling Stones or Eric Clapton, among others
    Steely Dan, Katy Lied: hard to choose one Dan album, as all six are good (I don’t include the reunion stuff). Pretzel Logic competes with this. I guess I like this ‘cause it seems “deeper” than the others, and still has more of a New York than L.A. atmosphere
    Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street: Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers could also be here. But this one is just so down and dirty, and it’s two discs’ worth. Just the way you want the Stones to sound
    Genesis, Foxtrot: I must have one prog-rocker on my list, and this is one of my faves, back when the great Peter Gabriel was in the band, and highlighted by the classic “Supper’s Ready”
    Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland: this is the album that turned my head musically. Don’t listen to it much anymore, but I owe Jimi a lot for… wait for it… literally changing my life
    Kevin Ayers, Joy of a Toy: another personal pleasure. If you haven’t heard it, you might be surprised
    Byrds, Mr. Tambourine Man: tough to round out a Top 20. But the Byrds are a national treasure, with McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker, Crosby’s beautiful harmonies, and Gene Clark’s great songwriting. This, their first album, may be their most consistent. The Byrds were America’s Beatles, not the fricking Monkees

    Whew. Ok, Jim, I lay myself open to your cat ’o’ nine tails (and anyone elses’).

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    1. You won’t get it from me. At a quick glance, very nice list. I need to do a few things, digest this, then I’ll come back with more thought-out comments. Thanks. And BTW, listen to the Chicago tune I posted. If you still think it sucks, so be it. But I feel compelled to try.

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    2. OK, thoughts: I’m happy (very happy) to see you’re a Beatles fan. Not everybody in our generation is. Christian, our other contributor, is a raving Beatlemaniac as well as being King of the Tribute bands.
      As to the Beach Boys, I like them but I am nowhere near as great a fan of them or this album as so many others seem to be. Although I admit that their stuff is perfect for the beach. Or well, maybe Jimmy Buffett’s is more perfect.
      -I came thisclose to putting Highway 61 on my list but went with ‘Essential.’ Dylan is a must.
      -As much as I like Bacharach, not a DID for me.
      -Neil Young and Velvet Underground, good choices just not Desert Island for me. I did, however, consider Lou Reed’s ‘Rock n Roll Animal.’ But I’d have to slog through 8 minutes of ‘Heroin’ to get to the good part..
      -Robert Johnson, S. Dan – no argument.
      -I do like the Doors but you will hate the following statement – I can’t listen to ‘Light My Fire’ any more. I have an idea for a post called ‘Songs I Once Loved that I can’t listen to any more.’ If it’s any consolation, ‘Statesboro Blues’ by ABB is on there.
      -I needed a prog-rocker and had the Yes Album on here but swapped in a classical. If I’m on that island, that is a complete mood-changer.
      -An earlier list had ‘Axis: Bold As Love.’ I probably pulled it because I’ve heard the songs – all his songs – too much. But we are 100% on the same Hendrix page.
      -I heard about Ayers from maybe you and definitely others. I’ll check that out if you listen to Chicago Transit Authority or Chicago II. 🙂
      -I know all the Byrds songs, like ’em, just not a big fan.
      -I had ‘Kind of Blue’ on my list but I practically have it memorized. So I went for something else from that era.
      -Bottom line – If I had to take the majority of these with me, I would not be unhappy. Exception – Hank Williams. The closest I get to country is country rock for the most part. I mean “Dead Flowers?’ Come on! Thanks for putting yourself out there. ME appreciates the time investment.

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      1. Jim, I’ve already listened to Transit Authority, as a college freshman, because my roommate played trombone and loved Chicago (had all their albums). It’s probably my favorite of theirs (though that’s not saying much). Smokin’ version of “I’m a Man,” but too long-winded and not even close to Spencer Davis Group’s tight, original version with Stevie W. I thought “Does Anybody Know What Time it Is” was great commercial pop. Will have to give that album another try, though. I’ll plug my ears when Peter Cetera sings lead.

        Do you mean you like or dislike “Dead Flowers”? I think Jagger’s vocal mannerism on that song is embarrassing. White Englishmen can do American blues well, but not country. I just love Hank’s purity. Next time you’re driving through the rural South, give him a shot.

        Lastly, I don’t worship things, but if I were to worship anything it would be The Beatles. There will never be another!!!

        (Thanks for the fun with this)

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        1. My biggest problem with Cetera was those wanker love songs. But I liked his (and Kath, Lamm) singing early on. But geez, I loved their early stuff. Later when they got all love-songy I moved on. But I dug them. I guess we’ll agree to disagree on them.

          Actually I like “Dead Flowers.” I think Jagger has tongue firmly planted in cheek in songs like this and “Country Honk.” Certainly no match for Hank Willams. As to the South, about the only time I can listen to country is when I’ve been down there eating ribs (Texas.) Then it sounds fine. Otherwise it just doesn’t get me where I live. I wish it did but you can’t love everything.

          As to the Beatles, we saw McCartney a few years back at Fenway. All you could hear was “Paul I love you” and “Paul please marry me.” And that was just me!! 🙂

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        2. BTW, you’re welcome. This is great. I anticipate a list or two (hopefully) more and then I’ll listen to the stuff I don’t already know. Including (and especially) Nuggets.

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    3. BTW, if you get a chance, visit again in the next day or so and if you haven’t, read the other commenters. Very interesting choices.

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      1. Yes, I love personal desert-isle and favorites lists. I make lists all the time while on the loo. (Seriously.) I’m already on to check out some choices from you and Christian. I just dislike the “Rolling Stone”-styled “Greatest” lists that so many people cite. I think you already know why, so I won’t elaborate!

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    4. This is great. Thanks for starting the “Island album lending library. CB is good for late charges. Lots of good ones to borrow. Thanks for bringing Hank. I’ll start with Foxtrot, Electric Ladyland (just to freak out the neighbors), Doors … I’ve just got into the Ayers guy after all these years so I’ll be borrowing that one. Love these personal lists. Peek into peoples tastes.

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  5. I must say, boosting the bar to 20 will be most helpful on this island.
    2 boxes:
    Willie Dixon, the Chess Box.
    If the list was limited to only 1 item only it might be this. BDixon, Muddy, Wolf, Diddly, etc so many essential recordings.

    Ken Burns Jazz Soundtrack
    Again, so many essential recordings covering many decades of the greatest jazz players ever.

    2 live albums:
    ABB Live at the Fillmore. Is this on everybodys list? Should be.

    Little Feat, Waiting for Columbus. I haven’t listened to this for a while but I need to have it with me at all times.

    1 Compilation
    Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Original Psychedelic Era. I’m going to need something to listen to with my coconut fermentation experiments. These tunes will keep me sharp.

    15 standard albums.
    Pink Floyd, Piper at the Gates of Dawn – when Nuggets isn’t enough.

    Dylan, Blood on the Tracks – His best IMO, and I’ll need his company when I’m lonely and bitter.

    Mose Allison, I Don’t Worry About a Thing – Personal favorite. I may jus listen to this over and over on the island.

    Kinks, Muswell Hillbillies – On second thought I might just listen to this over and over.

    Johnny Cash With his Hot and Blue Guitar – Cash’s Sun records with the Tennessee Two are amazing. Must Have.

    Big Star, Third – I never travel far without a little Big Star.

    Elliott Smith, Either/Or – Better than every Beatles album. Seriously. I’ll need this.

    Beatles, Hard Days Night – who am I kidding? Gonna need some Beatles.Torn between this and Help!

    Springsteen, Darkness on the Edge of Town – it doesn’t have Fire or Because the Night but manages to be great anyway.

    Bowie, Low – This scratches many itches that nothing else can. Necessary.

    Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul – Soul music is necessary.

    Temptations, Cloud Nine – Additional soul music will be necessary.

    Sly & the Family Stone, There’s a Riot Going On – I require lots of soul music even if it’s a snow blind mess of an accidental masterpiece.

    Wilco, A Ghost is Born – I had physical manifestations of anxiety chosing just one Wilco album. This might not work.

    Radiohead, In Rainbows – I need to have the song Weird Fishes and this might help ease the Wilco-withdrawl DTs.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Terrific collection. Much to unpack here:

      -Willie Dixon, Dylan, Kinks, Sly, Temptations, Bowie, Springsteen, Ken Burns (inspired choice!), ABB, Little Feat – big yes. Nuggets I’ve heard of, don’t know. I know the Floyd album but would prefer ‘Dark Side,’ ‘Wall’ or ‘Wish You Were Here.’ Re the Beatles choice, for me, easy-peasy, ‘Hard Day’s Night.’ I chewed up the vinyl on that thing. Don’t know the Elliott Smith or Big Star ones but I like Big Star and need to post someday.

      I like Mose, Wilco and Radiohead but don’t know those albums as well as I probably should. Damn it I am so remiss on my Radiohead. The pass for me here would be Johnny Cash. Don’t dislike him but that’s too much alone time. If you get a chance, check out some of the other commenters. Very interesting. I think the ‘winner’ thus far is ‘Dark Side’ with ‘At Fillmore East’ second. Nice job. Thanks for playing.

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      1. You really must get a copy of Nuggets. Especially the original Electra from ’72 or the ’76 Sire reissue. Rhino reissued a series of Nuggets CDs many years later but the original collection is essential. You’re probably familiar with many of the tracks. Curated by Lenny Kaye with input from Dave Marsh and Lester Bangs, this is a collection of b-level American garage bands from 65 – 68, like the Standells, the Count Five, the Electric Prunes, etc…all the greats! It’s a shockingly great collection.

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        1. Count Five. Psychotic Reaction. Great tune. I can picture the cover. I probably saw it in friends’ record collections or cut-out bins at record stores. I figured it was a collection of shite. But now you’ve got me intrigued. I’ll have to find that. Hell, for all I know there’s a copy buried in my vinyl collection somewhere. Either that or my music junkie sister has a copy. 🙂

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    2. Oh God, how could I forget the original double LP, Nuggets, compiled by Lenny Kaye? Excellent choice, L to R. Jim, please remove, uh… well, don’t remove anything from my list, just make it 21. This is not only a great compilation – maybe the best ever – but it filled a yawning gap in rock music history appreciation when it was released (1972?).

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    4. BTW, I’m a Sly fan too. Have you ever heard their Live Fillmore album? It came out maybe a year or so ago. Great stuff. It really cooks like their stuff at Woodstock.

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  6. Only 20? Don’t they have streaming on that island? Probably not my favorite destination then. While I’m still a bit overwhelmed with the sheer choice of always having millions of tracks around, I wouldn’t want to miss it any more.

    And discs? What are those again? Haven’t touched one in years.

    But I like the concept. Let me think about it. About to start a 12h plane flight so have some time for it.

    By the way, if you want a particularly good version of the 4 seasons, take Rachel Podger‘s latest recording. It’s outstanding.

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    1. Yes, well, if you’re washed up on a desert island, I would think the least of your problems is whether or not you can stream tunes. But no. You are washed ashore along with your CD player, turntable (pick one) or whatever. And so yes, you have to get “primitive.” If we don’t put limits on this game, we’d all be listing 800 records. As I mentioned earlier, this game forces you to make choices and clarifies the mind.

      I think Podger may be the one I listened to as per your recommendation.

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      1. I was joking obviously, and I get the challenge of the game.

        And am working hard mentally on the list (though the jet lag doesn’t help). I promise it’s coming.

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        1. Well, get hoppin’, man. There’s already a bunch of quality lists out there. BTW, new rule. No jazz, no classical. Joking. Obviously. 😂

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        2. That’s a nice challenge, let my try that.

          I already have my 25 Essential Classical and Jazz Albums listed on my site anyhow, would just have to strip those down.

          So here we go instead beyond Jazz and Classical:

          The beginning is easy:

          Genesis Foxtrot
          Genesis Trespass
          Genesis Nursery Crime
          Genesis Selling England By The Pound
          Genesis The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
          All of those are a must. To me among the most brilliant music ever written. Weird I know.

          Cowboy Junkies The Trinity Session – beautiful acoustic folk, minimalist recording

          Dire Straits Debut
          Dire Straits Making Movies
          Dire Straits Love Over Gold

          Yes I like my early Knopfler

          Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene
          Jean Michel Jarre Equinoxe

          Grew up with this and still like it. Had a home studio with 7 synthesizers in the late 90s together with a friend, controlled by a Commodore Amiga

          Huey Lewis And The News
          Sports
          Fore

          Again, stuff I grew up with (a friend of mine saw Huey live a gazillian timea), since my early twenties I barely ever ventured outside of classical and Jazz

          John Lee Hooker: The Healer

          For the occasional dose of Blues

          Monty Python The Best Of
          Just because…

          Daft Punk Random Access Memories

          I could have taken several other albums by them as well. But one is enough here

          While I’m France, thinking of some newer French Chanson like Benabar or Benjamin Biolay. Can’t decide though which one in particular.

          I don’t think I’ve hit the 20 yet but will stop here, maybe something else comes to mind later.

          But just to clarify: Id be seriously depressed without my beloved classical and Jazz. I know you can survive without Bach, Mozart or Jarrett, but what’s the point?

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        3. Interesting. You knew I was joking but decided to take the challenge anyway. Ok. Thoughts:

          I’m not unsurprised by your love of both jazz and prog-rock. The guy who is largely responsible for turning me onto jazz also got me into Yes, King Crimson and ELP (who we saw a gazillian times.) I like Genesis but you are way more into them than I. Cowboy Junkies, hmm. I never took them all that seriously. I do like Dire Straits quite a bit, perhaps not to Desert Isle level. Jarre’s name is familiar and that’s about it.

          Huey Lewis! Another blogger and I were talking about the wide swings in the lists. There’s one out of left field!

          By my unofficial count you’re now at 17. And if you want to stop there, who would say no? But now if you wanted to add jazz and/or classical in. And you were allowed, say, one Bach, one Mozart, one Jarrett – what would they be? Maddening game isn’t it?

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        4. Ok, let’s shoot from the hip: Bach: the Goldberg Variations, probably by Pierre Hantaï. Mozart, let’s take Cosi Fan Tutte, not sure which one, maybe Nézet-Séguin as one of the latest recordings. And the Standards vol. 2 by Keith.

          And yes, Huey isn’t very high-brow, but just a lot of fun. Real feel good music for me

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        5. Wow. Quick response on that one. I thought for sure your head would explode just trying to pick three. As to Huey, yes the opposite of Downton Abbey music. But that’s exactly why I’m bringing Four Seasons. I love blues and rock but I need a palate cleanser and so Jarrett and that one do it for me on the classical side. Jazz-wise the list is endless.

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        6. Nice to see another Gabriel-era Genesis fan (Cincinnati Babyhead is another devotee). I’m one of the few who also likes “From Genesis to Revelation,” although they’re still developing their sound at this stage. The first two with Collins out front (“Trick of the Tail” and “Wind and Wuthering”) are also special.

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        9. Don’t forget this is all my b-list. Without the restriction to my non core genres this would look quite different. That said, I really love all 5 of them.

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        11. Well, they are all great. But then again, if you don’t like one of them, it’s relatively unlikely you like the others as they have a certain style that one either likes or not, different from all other prog rock I’ve sampled.

          That said, I don’t think you’d waste your time, it is in any case pretty great music.

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        12. Sure. Well, I’m not totally unfamiliar with them by any stretch. They also seemed to over there in my consciousness while I was over here (if you will) listening to something else. It’s their early stuff that either I don’t know or I’ll say, Oh yea, I know that.

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        13. BTW, it didn’t occur to me to mention this but while I never really got into Genesis per se, I quite like Peter Gabriel’s solo stuff and have a long-planned post coming some day. Not sure how you feel about that stuff as I suspect it’s way more commercial than Genesis.

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        15. Yeah, it’s different for sure. He was clearly going for a more commercial marketplace. But I like his stuff, dig his voice, like prog-rock. My not being more into Genesis is a mystery. There was so much good stuff in the early ’70s you just could not keep up with it all.

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  7. Hi from the UK Jim, you are absolutely correct, the BBC did, and still does have a Desert Island Discs Radio Programme.
    The first broadcast was in January 1942. Hell! That was before even I was born!
    The original idea which still continues, was for the guest ‘castaway’ to choose what they would like to have with them should they find themselves in the unfortunate dilemma of being stranded on a Desert Island.
    The BBC format differs in the fact that on their D. I. You can only choose 8 recordings
    Hmm, only 8.
    To compensate, you also get to choose
    1 Book
    1 Luxury item
    There has never ever been a shortage of ‘castaways!
    With well over 3’000 episodes being broadcast.
    Politicians, actors, sportsmen and sportswomen, and of course musicians!
    Have all chosen to find themselves washed up (metaphorically) on this Island.

    Eric Clapton, Keith Richard, Bruce Springsteen have all been ‘castaways.
    Along with Yoko, Tom Hanks, David Beckham, Hitchcock Schlesinger and countless others

    Still, to return your Desert Island.
    I’m working on my 20 😎
    For the sake of convenience, I’m going for CD’s
    Easier to get the sand off than vinyl I recon 🤨

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hmmm. One book. The problem with that is, unlike music, how many times can you read it? I suppose in that instance I’d take “War and Peace,” simply to have something that will last a while. As to a luxury item, maybe a flare that I could shoot up once I saw a cruise ship go by. Look forward to your choices. You will find that it will seem easy. Then come the difficult choices…..

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  8. Crikey. Great post, great selection. I’m gonna give this some thought and give it a whirl.
    Yes: the BBC did and still does this, they started doing so back in 1942. You get 8 (yeah try whittling that list down) recordings, a book and a luxury item.

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    1. Gordon clued me into that as well. For a book, I’ll pick something from of your blog tours. Luxury item? Crown Jewels. Your list? I’m guessing 10 Pearl Jam, 10 Springsteen but I could be way off here, mate.

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      2. Ok so I’ve given this some thought and a dedicated page in the music-lists notebook and here’s where I’m at right now:
        1. Jeff Buckley – Grace: an all-time favourite
        2. Nirvana – Live at Reading: one of the best live albums in my collection, intense and tight performances and a near-perfect setlist.
        3. Gary Clark Jr – Live: his studio albums might not be as good as they can be but this guy excels live and I can never sit still listening to this and with nobody to see me doing so on my island I’ll be up and Dad dancing every time
        4. Mogwai – Central Belters: six slabs of solid Mogwai gold make this an easy first box set choice
        5. Bruce Springsteen – Tracks: box set two was almost Playback but there’s three five and one four star discs on this of peak-Bruce
        6. The Replacements – Don’t You Know Who I Think I Was: my into to the ‘Mats and a great compilation
        7. Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, The Innocent… not my favourite Springsteen album but it’s an un-impeachable Side B and I couldn’t not have NYC Serenade
        8. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Hard Promises: The Waiting, Something Big, The Insider, The Nightwatchman and every other track on here is pure gold.
        9. My Morning Jacket – Z: another album that’s been on constant rotation since release
        10. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
        11. Pink Floyd – DSOTM: I like the idea of being stranded on an island with an album about the descent into madness
        12. Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed: because it would be a sad island indeed without Monkey Man or Gimme Shelter
        13. Led Zeppelin – IV (or whatever you wanna call it)
        14. Pixies – Doolittle
        15. Buffalo Tom – Let Me Come Over: especially if I can bring the 25th anniversary issue which is a right remaster with a killer live disc added
        16. Pearl Jam – Vs: not my favourite (a spoiler on my series) PJ album but their most straight ahead and consistently aggressive and I’ll always want to hear Leash
        17. Pearl Jam – Ten: I couldn’t pass up the idea of hearing Oceans while stranded on an island
        18. Elliott Smith – Either/Or
        19. Explosions in the Sky – The Earth is Not a Cold Dark Place: some post-rock wouldn’t be good if isolated and stranded but there’s a lightness and sense of beauty to this which would make it perfect for those sunsets over the sea and raising the spirt
        20. George Harrison – All Things Must Pass: this might be disallowed as it’s tectonically a triple but a) my version is on two cds and b) I’d happily sacrifice the “Apple Jam” (holy shit I just got that joke) disc to trim it down to a double.
        If we’re keeping the Desert Island Disc notion I’d also take Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita as I’d have to time to re-read it at last

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        1. What I’m finding fascinating about this exercise is the unexpectedness of people’s lists. Not that I don’t know in general terms what people like after following them for a while. But the surprises in choice when feet are to the fire.

          Thoughts – Two Springsteens. Tracks is an inspired choice. And I wonder if my harping on E Street might not have had a subtle influence. I have to spend more time listening to the Replacements. Ditto Elliott Smith. You are the 2nd one and I know nothing about him. My version of post-rock would be jazz and classical. I haven’t been able to get into Sonic Youth.. Harrison is also a solid choice but given the choice, Beatles first, solo stuff second. But as we discussed separately, triple album is fine as long as it’s not a compilation. Dark Side, so far, wins.

          Anyway, a solid list. I’m going on vacation soon and in addition to a big history book (Hamiton, I have tix to the play) I am going to try to listen to as many of these albums from posters as I can.

          And you doubtless know that Master and Margarita was Jagger’s inspiration for ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’

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        2. I will be borrowing heavy from your pile. Pearl Jam, Pixies, Replacements, Nirvana, Sonic ….That’s some good stuff especially those albums. I know most but the few I don’t i will check out.

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        6. Monk is like the Duke to me. They can play one note and they have me and I want more. That’s’ the truth. The opposite with some music, I cant get it off fast enough. Monk just does it for me.

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        7. That’s the way I am with Miles. I’ll have to listen to more Monk. McCartney has a song called ‘Monkberrry Moon Delight.’ Can I get credit for that?

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        8. I remember that song. Is it a nod to Monk? I’ll have to listen to it again. Like for years I didn’t know Sir Duke was a nod. CB is a little slow on the uptake sometimes. What’s the comment count up to?

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        11. Once I’m out of my current series I’ll be checking out a fair few from these lists – a pretty diverse selection coming in

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        12. Agreed. I’ve already started doing that. Someone mentioned a collection of tunes from the Sixties called ‘Nuggets.’ It says it’s from the ‘psychedelic era’ but thus far, there’s nothing psychedelic about it. As Listening to Records indicates, this is garage rock stuff, early white guy R&B like the Yardbirds. And it turns out that yea, I do know a lot of the tunes. Be sure to check out all the comments before you start. I think we have or 8 or 9 lists at this point!

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  9. “I can’t pick only 20 albums”. But I will for you Doc. Like Pete I’ve read these lists before in commercial/mainstream mags and they bore the shit out of me. Already your listeners are doing the opposite. I’ll chime in later. I’d like to comment on some of the lists and i will give you a quick 20. I always find it interesting looking a peoples choices. Hey I already live on an Island so I get to keep all my records.

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    1. Does the Island of Misfit Toys really count as an Island? Anyway, look forward to your comments on the comments. There’s some pretty good stuff there. And as to your list, here it is – Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Rush, The Band, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen, Oscar Peterson, the Guess Who, k.d. lang. For the grand prize, what do all those bands have in common?

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        1. Nope. They’re all from Zimbabwe and their primary instruments are the zither and the didgeridoo. But. I’m thinking of charging a small ($100 month) fee to read ME and as consolation prize, CB will get six months free.

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  10. As to your list. I like the lending idea. We will have a few sames and I will borrow your Steely Dan, Stevie Ray, Buddy. Keith ..hell I’ll borrow them all. I’ll even give that Chicago album a go. You’re taking some good listening. I’ll also borrow Layla, Exile, Miles, Yoko (oops!), Petty, Kinks ……

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  11. Fresh Cream – My first exposure as a young snot nosed CB. Shaped things to come.
    John Mayall : Turning Point – Another early shaping experience for a younger CB
    Zep I – See above
    The Who : Live At Leeds – I wanted to be there.
    Blind Faith – Melding of people I dug and they came up with this. Still sounds good.
    Santana I – Couldn’t resist this sound
    Pink Floyd : Meddle – My intro into their music. Still get off on them doing Echoes at Pompeii.
    Springsteen : Wild, Innocent, E Street Shuffle – Big musical moment for a young CB.
    J.J. Cale : Naturally – Naturally
    The Band/Dylan : The Basement Tapes – Kill two birds with one stone.
    The Who : Quadrophenia – Simply one of my favorite records.
    Tim Buckley : Greetings From L.A. – I still get off on this one
    Duke Ellington: At Newport – Close your eyes and grab any Duke. I would kiss the man if I could.
    Miles Davis : Bitches Brew – See Ellington above. Minus the kiss.
    Monk : Complete Blue Note Recordings – Are you kidding me? Nope. Essential
    Coltrane : JC Retrospective The Impulse! Years. Same as Miles and Duke. I take this out a lot.
    CCR : Green River – I had to pick one
    The Blasters – Listen to some American Music
    The Kinks : Greatest Hits (1971) Gotta have it
    Van Morrison : The Best Of VM. Have to take it.
    Merle Haggard : Big City – I would eat sand and go nuts if I forgot Merle.

    There you go Doc. My contribution to your exercise. It was fun. Ask me tomorrow and it will probably be 20 different ones. I could close my eyes and grab from my pile and I’d be good. Next post “Songs From Hell”

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    1. I could do all of these except (I think you know) Merle. Although, that said, you can slingshot it over to my island and I’ll give it a listen. “Live at Leeds” was under consideration by my panel of judges. As to ‘E Street Shuffle,’ yay! I didn’t pick up that that one was your fave so we are on solid ground there. Jazz-wise you win by two over the leading contender who was … me. Those will be in heavy rotation in the lending library. I like JJ Cale. I’m tempted to do a post one day. Van Morrison gives you that sound that no one else gets. And I saw your late addition of At Fillmore East. I haven’t done the final tally but i think Floyd and ABB are tied. Blind Faith is a loss and I’m still bemoaning that I have no Who or Cream. Excellent list. Keep checking in. I have two more who have promised lists. I will wind up purring these together in a follow-up post which will afford us all some fine listening for some time to come.

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      1. Yeah I’ve put the word out to a couple hip people so they might chip in. They are probably a little like CB as far as joining in but this is a little different. More personal from people. Not just throwing down the old warhorses.
        Traffic is one I tried to sneak in. Huge with me. I could go on. Here’s the funny thing Doc. I have the Allmans on the brain. Right now I’m probably listening to them more than anyone. They were one of the first bands I thought of and I just took for granted they were on my list. Brain freeze. Stay tuned for tomorrow. Great response on this.
        One last thing. Some of the peoples choices have big swings. That always interests me. It’s all about the personal connection and how it moves us. Good stuff!

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        1. Yeah, I think the swings are, in part, because if you’re stuck on a desert isle you want variety. A change of pace. That’s why I put a classical album on mine but it wouldn’t necessarily be on my favorite albums list. Even though it’s great.

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        2. There’s a few albums that pop up on peoples lists a lot that I just don’t get. No matter how much I try it won’t take. But I do get the different strokes for different folks thing.
          You do know I was a big Springsteen freak for a long time. I still dig him. One of the things that got me was Clarence’s extended solos. But long before he was blowing like crazy Dukes boys were doing it. Gonsalves on the ‘Newport’ album I chose. I was just listening to ‘Festival Session’ today and Gonsalves does it again on the cut Copout Extension. I love this shit Doc. I guess it’s as close as I get to classical. Swing city.

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        3. I know what you mean about certain music not taking. But consider what we grew up with vs. what’s out today. I saw a blues band tonight that I’ll post about later. It was at an outdoor festival and this guy was playing blues and Hendrix and a whole bunch of people of different ages, races, etc. were totally grooving to it. And then listen to some of the processed horseshit on the radio today. Point being if you think you see lists (here or elsewhere) that you can’t fully understand, try getting into the head of the average 18-year-old and his or her music. It’s a fallacy that they all love “boomer music.” They love hip-hop, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Ariana Grande and God knows who else. Blues? Jazz? Say what?

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        4. Good point. I can still usually get something out of that stuff. I missed the mainstream “horse shit” of our day. I’m double missing the”horseshit ” of today. But it’s like Woody Guthrie said (I think it was him) We have that kind of music around so we know what’s good.
          (Curious on who you saw)

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        5. I’ll post either on that festival soon or maybe in some other roundup. I have a brief video and I’m gonna see if it’s worth posting. Either way it was good stuff and I was pleased to see this large, diverse audience digging it.

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        7. Ha! Only if you give up another live one? That’s a great album. I had to give up Big Brother’s Cheap Thrills so I could have ABB and Keith Jarrett. We have an interesting new list BTW.

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        8. You are strict. I guess I will have to pay off someone else to drop something. I can’t do it. I’m still hurting on the Blind Faith thing. And just a little salt in the wound I heard a BF song yesterday. Some kind of sign.

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      1. Man. I listened to that Duke today and Baker had to be influenced by his drummers Sam Woodyard and Jimmy Johnson. It’s that obvious even to CB’s untrained ears.
        What a bunch of food for thought you created.

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        1. Without really meaning to. You never know what will pique people’s interest. Can’t wait to put all these albums into one post and then listen to a bunch of ’em.

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  13. I love seeing some of these off-the-wall choices, like J.J. Cale, John Mayall, Isaac Hayes, Elliott Smith (I need to research him), Big Star (love their first album), Buddy Guy, etc. Someone mentioned Joni Mitchell, and I’m shocked she’s not on anyone’s list so far, including mine.

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    1. I know not much about Smith. Big Star, Cale – I want to post about them, There is a relative dearth of women singers in all the lists. I’ve got Janis on mine but yeah it would be nice to see Joni on there. And not necessarily to say they would provide a list of female singers, but all the contributors have been guys. I wish more women would contribute. I know that a good percentage of readers of this blog are women but their contributions – other than likes – are sadly, few and far between.

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      1. Right. Music appreciation shouldn’t be gender-restrictive.

        I’m surprised you don’t know much about J.J. Cale, since you’re a Clapton fan. I know you know that he wrote “After Midnight” and “Cocaine.” He’s really in a class by himself. Country-rock is the closest genre I can link him with, but he’s way different from the Eagles or Gram Parsons. CB’s “Naturally” is a good LP choice, as is “Troubadour.”

        Big Star, led by Chris Bell and ex-Boxtop Alex Chilton, never got played on the radio, and recorded on a minor label (Ardent) which is why they’re obscure to most rock fans. Older critics drool over them. Superb “power-pop,” with sparkling guitar and melodies. Bell died in a car crash after “#1 Record,” but all three of their albums are treasures (tho I haven’t heard “Third” yet).

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        1. Actually let me rephrase that. I do know about Cale and Big Star but not – as I usually do when posting – enough to just blurb on them from the top of my head before I have to do some serious research. I’m probably familiar with each to the level you mentioned and again, Smith not at all. I know that Knopfler was a big Cale aficionado.

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        2. Cale is an american treasure (to CB anyway) and Bell and Chilton are definitely worth lots of time). JJ is probably Clapton’s hero from what I gather and the Knopfler stuff is obvious where he got a lot of his inspiration.

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        3. My Cale knowledge is mostly second-hand with others doing his songs. (We forgot Lynyrd Skynrd who tore up ‘Call Me the Breeze’ the other night.

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        4. That’s funny because for me it was always JJ first. There are some real good covers and that allowed (made some dough) him to keep a low profile which was his style. Skynrd and Clapton were good for JJ. He’s one of my top guys.

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        6. Talk about a guy that couldn’t get away fast enough from the spotlight and all the crap that goes with the machine. One of the reasons I like him. I seen a documentary and there’s a scene with him and Eric. There is so much respect coming from Clapton you can feel it. Sincere. Plus Doc I love Cales guitar playing. Being a guitar player you’d appreciate it. EC talks about it but it’s musician talk. Different lingo for CB, Also exact opposite from the ABB’s . Short cuts that could be stretched out.

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        7. The funny thing is that as a young man, Clapton could not get enough of the blues. I think Cream burned him out. Then when he heard The Band he suddenly wanted that sound, which was much less intense. Then he found Cale, etc. So while he continues to play blues, he very much wants to be Cale and wanted to be IN the Band. (By his own admission.) Me, I’m still trying to be Clapton. Laid-back guitar does nothing for me. I wouldn’t even play if that’s all there was. Nice for a break every now and again. But give me screaming intensity. I’ll take Free Bird every single time.

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        8. You know more Cale history than you give yourself credit for. Yeah I like the “screaming intensity” also. That’s cool that we still get off on it.
          With JJ it was more his dicking around with his guitar to get a certain sound. You’d understand it better than me.

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    1. Well, I’ve been blogging pretty consistently for almost three years. So there is some level of community. But the number of comments I got on this post is highly unusual. Sometimes I get as few as 2, typically the average is 15 – 20. I think I just tapped into something of great interest to a wider community.

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  15. I’d probably actually take 20 acclaimed classical works, and use the time to get acquainted with them. My top 20 is pretty played out, and I barely have any box sets.

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    1. Interesting thought. Rather than land there with a bunch of “bored with these” discs, bring a bunch you haven’t heard. In that case I’d probably bring a bunch of jazz, a few classical and some rock I have a level of confidence I’d probably like. (Jack White, Black Keys, etc.)

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  17. Hi Jim, okay, probably had material enough for 2 islands in the end, but 20 it is.
    Not chronological.
    Led Zeppelin III, i noted your comments on this album 😊
    Immigrant Song and the tour de force that is ‘Since I’ve been loving you’….
    Plus, this was a gift from my girlfriend at the time, happy happy times.

    Electric Warrior T Rex. Huge here in the UK, not so much stateside I don’t think.
    Get it on,bang a gong! Different times, different times!

    Every Picture tells a story Rod Stewart. The Rod go to album for me.
    Aside from Maggie, Mandolin Wind and Rod/Faces covering the Temps I’m losing you!!!

    Something Anything. Todd Rundgren at his best, I saw the light, great single. By now head over heels with above girlfriend (it will obviously end in tears)

    Motown Chartbusters volume 3 compilation here in the UK what a compilation though! 16 tracks
    Marvin, ‘Grapevine, Martha ‘Dancing’ Temps Get ready, Junior, Roadrunner so it went on glorious.

    Speaking of Marvin.
    What’s going on. Marvin Gaye groundbreaking, breathtaking.

    Another voice we have lost.
    Off the Wall Michael Jackson/ Quincey Jones a Music combination that really worked.
    Possibly edges Thriller for me.

    All things must pass. George Harrison. Yes, of course I loved the Beatles.
    This album moved me on a level. Granted the third ‘Jam’ album didn’t get played over much!

    Fire and Water. Free. At their peak, with Paul Kossof. All right now, Mr Big. Great rock music.
    Saw them live too.

    If only I could remember my name. Dave Crosby. Yes, of course I also loved CSNY.
    I’m taking Music to the Island that really resonated with me, not just albums/ bands that were favourites (so played too often 😎)

    Live and Dangerous. Thin Lizzy. Really loved this band from when I first heard Whiskey in the Jar.
    The twin guitar sound, the rock ‘swagger’ Phil managed to keep just the right side of parody.
    All their best stuff on this album ✌🏻

    Silk Degrees. Boz Scaggs. What can I say, 🤨 soulful, smooth, silk for the ears.

    Abraxas. Santana. Totally loved the first three albums. Couldn’t choose, went down the middle.

    Transformer. Lou Reed. Around this time there was a club in Manchester we used to visit.
    One room used to play Roxy, Bowie Lou Reed and other cool stuff. A walk on the Wild Side with some great friends. There of course comes a time when you have to grow up!

    So, to prove that I did, and to show that I escaped the 70’s 😎

    Jordan the Comeback. Prefab Sprout. Not sure how well their music transferred across the water either. A favourite of mine and my daughter at the time of its release.
    Looking for Atlantis, We let the stars go. Stand out tracks for me.

    Fleet Foxes. Fleet Foxes. Their debut album. I was really drawn to the whole ‘sound’ that these guys were making. Nothing quite like it at the time. (Personally speaking)

    Design for Life. Manic Street Preachers. Not sure what impact this band had in the US.
    A game changing album for the band at the time. Well worth a listen if you are not that familiar with them.
    Saw these with my son around 97.

    California 37. Train. I really have enjoyed listening to all their albums, couldn’t decide in the end so went for this one. I have seen them live on 3 occasions, this time with my daughter.
    They have also re-recorded the whole of Led Zep ‘2’ and released it! Take a listen. A brave or foolhardy venture possibly.

    Next up, with both son and daughter, we head off to Paris and Amsterdam to follow some bands
    That they listen to. Coheed and Cambria, Yellowcard, New found glory and a couple of other bands whose names have escaped me. While I still liked most of what my kids listened to.

    The album that I listened to constantly on that road trip.
    Where our Love Grows. Swing out Sister. A smooth soulful sound, and a really great live band.

    Last, but by no means least.

    Songs about Jane. Maroon 5. Another band that my daughter turned me onto.
    A really strong album, and one I have very fond memories of.
    Saw them live in Manchester, they did a note perfect cover of Don’t look back in Anger the Oasis tune.

    Like I say Jim, sat on a beach, I’ve picked albums that I have enjoyed but also special memories that go with them.
    Just need to keep an eye out for that cruise liner. 👍🏻

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    1. You had me on this list right up through ‘Transformer.’ I’ve either written about those artists or just like them and their stuff (or those albums.) I was an outlier on T. Rex and for that matter, Slade. I was maybe one of two people in the US who liked them both. The rest of them I can’t comment on as I know some of their names but if I’ve actually heard them, wouldn’t have known it. The exception is Maroon 5 who I can mostly take or leave except for that one song “Harder to Breathe.” I’ll add those albums to my “need to catch up” list. I hope you had a chance to check out some of the other lists. Some really fine stuff. Led Zep shows up everywhere and you are the second ‘All Things Must Pass’ voter.

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  18. That was a great wander down memory lane Jim.
    I have made some notes re ‘stuff’ to have a listen to, both from your list and fellow contributors.
    Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day 🤨
    If you get a moment yourself, The Manic Street Preachers who I referenced, got together in 1986 in Wales.
    Certainly had a ‘punk’ edge when they started. Mellowed a touch later. As a guitar fan yourself, check out ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ taken from their album Generation Terrorists.
    James Dean Bradfield is the guitarist in question.
    Delighted to hear you were a T Rex/ Slade aficionado 👍🏻
    The whole ‘Glam Rock’ (as it became known in the UK) thing, now there’s a topic

    Keep up the great work Jim

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    1. Yeah, this has by far been my most popular post. As to the other submissions, yeah, I want to listen to them all. If these are items people would take to a desert isle, how bad can they be? I’ve already started listening to ‘Nuggets,’ the garage rock compilation. I’ll probably move on to Genesis as I’ve neglected them far too long. I haven’t gotten to Slade yet but I did do a post on ‘The Slider.’ Great album. Thanks for the feedback. We aim to please.

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      1. Yes, great piece Jim, we should all go and find another island 🌴 in a year or so’s time 😎
        Like I say, I recon I have another 20.
        Chicago T.A, for sure on that one.
        Happy to have supplied a slight feminine presence musically.
        To be fair, Carole K’s Tapestry made it to the top 25.

        Now then, let’s go and check on some of the other guys ‘tunes’

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        1. Hmmm. Don’t know about a retread of this. For me, this idea is somewhat of a one and done. After that it just becomes, I think, “more of my favorite albums.” Carole King! I completely overlooked her presence on Christian’s list. Yay! Let’s hear it for the ladies. Where would we be without them?

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        2. Where indeed! Okay, you’re the skipper Jim 👍🏻
          One off it is.
          I did spot Tapestry on Christian’s list when going through everyone’s lists.
          Swing out Sister’s lead vocalist is female also.
          The song that you possibly may know from them is ‘Breakout’.
          Which I know charted in the USA around 1987 if memory serves.
          (Not altogether that reliable these days to be fair)
          The album I chose is worth a listen, I think you will like her voice 😊
          Later Jim 😎

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    1. Well, you’re too late anyway. :-0 All the excitement is over and I’ve already published the follow-up. The number of comments was phenomenal, probably 6x the average.

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  20. Late to the party – great lists from everyone – here’s mine (without commentary)

    Ryan Adams – Gold
    Neil Young – After the Gold Rush
    Justin Hayward & John Lodge – Blue Jays
    Dire Straits – Making Movies
    Derek & the Dominos – Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
    The Who – Quadrophenia
    Dawes – Nothing is Wrong
    Calexico – Algiers
    Lucinda Williams – Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
    The Mavericks – In Time
    Neil Young – Tonight’s the Night
    Dave Mason – Alone Together
    The Beatles – Rubber Soul
    Mark Knopfler – Golden Heart
    The Byrds – Sweetheart of the Rodeo

    BOX SETS:
    Tom Petty – An American Treasure
    Rolling Stones – GRRR!

    LIVE ALBUMS
    Kinks – To the Bone
    Van Morrison – It’s Too Late to Stop Now

    COMPLIATION
    This Is The Moody Blues

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    1. Yes, but only by 1 1/1 years. 🙂 Better late than never. Seems like we have only one intersection which is ‘Layla.’ I am not familiar at all with Dawes, Calexico or the Mavericks. Overall, though, a solid set of bands and some stuff I’ve been meaning to get around to.

      One of the commenters had suggested we do a part two. I guess we could that by treating it like Gilligan’s Island. We get stranded, rescued, and stranded again. I may just do that.

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  21. I think when it comes to these kinds of lists, they’d be somewhat different almost every time you sat down to do it, so why not? You know you’ll get action, too. This post is also great for suggestions on new things to listen to…

    Reading more of your posts, I can see you aren’t so much a folk rock/americana fan, so I’m not sure you’d register on Dawes or Calexico (and the Mavericks are even further away, I’d expect – they’re hard to categorize – elements of country, latin, rockabilly and a dose of Elvis/Orbison/Isaak)

    If you want a one-song taste of Dawes, try Youtube for “If I Wanted Someone” and for Calexico, try “Splitter”. Calexico also does a great version of “Alone Again/Or”. Both are great newer bands, IMO.

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    1. Those aren’t my sweet spots but I’m always open to giving anything a listen. I’ll check that stuff out, let you know.

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    2. Well, here’s something you’ll find of interest. I gave “If I Wanted Someone” a spin and liked it quite a bit. So then I looked up Dawes and found out that Taylor Goldsmith was the chief songwriter. How do I know him? Go to my search bar and type in his name.

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  22. Heh – time does pass – that New Basement Tapes album is almost six years old already. I had forgotten that Taylor Goldsmith was part of it. I tend to think of that album mostly as Jim James and Marcus Mumford.

    If you can catch Dawes on Austin City Limits (from early 2014), you’ll also see that Goldsmith is a really good lead guitarist – sneaky good, like Jason Isbell. It’s such a shame that the ability to solo like that has become so undervalued that no one even talks about it. Seems to me it’s all about the singer and the song now – musicianship is an afterthought.

    A couple more Dawes songs to check out if you are so inclined: “A Little Bit of Everything”, “When My Time Comes”, “Time Spent in Los Angeles” and “When You Call My Name”

    Your blog is intelligent and really well-written. You’ve got a talent with words and for turning a phrase. I hope you keep it up.

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    1. And Elvis Costello. If you happened to see the TV documentary they made of its production, it’s interesting to see those who were able to just whip songs out and those who struggled under those circumstances.

      I like to hear good lead guitar so yes, I will track that Austin City Limits (what a great show) episode down. You being a DJ will appreciate that I have more on my “to listen” pile than I can get to. So rather than track down individual cuts, I think I’ll give your Desert Island Disc a spin.

      Thanks for the kudos on the blog. I will definitely be keeping it up. I started over four years ago with a list of 300 things to write about and figured I’d run out by now. I hardly ever even look at it ‘coz I got so much else to say.

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  23. I didn’t see the documentary, but I’ll bet it was interesting. And yes, I have a ton of new stuff to listen to all of the time also. I try to find ways to multi-task while I’m doing it, but I need to go through a lot of tracks each week. No complaints though – that’s what keeps me involved and listening to new things.

    Did you know about the Woody Guthrie thing with Wilco and Billy Bragg (the Mermaid Avenue project)? It was something like a precursor to the Basement Tapes – similar in the way it was done with unused lyrics.

    I picked up your Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett albums. I always use instrumentals to close out my shows late at night, and jazz is part of that. My favorite jazz closer is “Stars Fell On Alabama” from “Cannonball and Coltrane” (originally called “Cannonball Adderley Quintet ‎– In Chicago”).

    I made some notes for some of the the albums listed by others, too, and picked up the Kevin Ayers album that was mentioned.

    It’s a super obvious thing, but if you just google “best songs by XX” or “best unknown songs by XX” you can get to the heart of the deal for artists you may not be familiar with. There’s a ton of info out there like that and I often use lists like that to help me find new tracks for my show.

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    1. The Showtime special on New Basement Tapes seems to have disappeared but you can find a few clips on YouTube if interested.

      Yes, I know about the Woody Guthrie thing. He’s been on my “to-blog” list forever and the Wilco thing would be part of that.

      I actually do Google “best songs by.” Good but of course you often find six lists that converge only somewhat. But a good source of info for sure.

      I am also a total Spotify junkie. Similarly I use their “This Is XX” compilations to bring myself up to speed on an artist. They’re usually pretty good, sometimes not so much. Case in point is a band I love, Chicago. Theirs is full of those wimpy Peter Cetera love songs and even a disco song they apparently did. So much good stuff and they lean on that crap.

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  24. Whoever programmed the Chicago compilation obviously doesn’t get that the first three albums are the only ones that a rock fan would listen to (and they’re great, too). Two different animals.

    I wonder how much difficulty they had with Fleetwood Mac? That’s a band that should have at least three or four separate names 😀

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    1. Yeah, no clue. Your question on Mac had me intrigued. I checked. “This is Fleetwood Mac” has 46 songs, 100% from the Nicks/Buckingham era. Morons. Not in any way, shape or form to be trusted.

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