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Desert Island Disks

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My wife and I were having a hotly contested debate whilst listening to music yesterday.

We were debating desert island disks and who would you take if you had the chance to take the body of work of one artist or band to an island. We narrowed this down by mandating that you had to have a band or artist but you couldn't have both i.e. you could have the Jackson Five or Michael Jackson but not both.

After much argument and wine, we actually ended up agreeing, which is novel. Much was discussed about the Beatles, Steely Dan, Kate Bush, Bowie, Dire Straits, Carpenters, Pink Floyd, ABBA and many of the greats who have stood the test of time but in the end we went with Fleetwood Mack.
 

Agree/disagree? 

12
 petemeads 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Surely J S Bach, but if not then Joni Mitchell...

3
In reply to petemeads:

> Surely J S Bach, but if not then Joni Mitchell...

Hmm, Joni was a contender but we hadn't included classical.

 Rob Parsons 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

> ... but in the end we went with Fleetwood Mack.

What - you like that band so much, that you can't even spell its name correctly?

7
In reply to Rob Parsons:

Oops, autocorrect got me and the edit time passed. Good UKC pedantry though.

Post edited at 10:03
1
 Harry Jarvis 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

> Oops, autocorrect got me an the edit time delay passed. Good UKC pedantry though.

In the spirit of which, it's 'discs', with a 'c', not a 'k'

Bach or Beethoven, hard to make a choice. Although I never tire of the Goldberg Variations. 

1
 Holdtickler 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

hmm... It would have to be cheerful enough to raise spirits but not so catchy that it would cause death by ear worm. Something I wouldn't quickly go off from repetition too.

You know, I might actually go for Jamiroquai just for those first two albums which are rich musical masterpieces and would give a lot of replayability. Not sure if that would keep me sane or have the opposite effect though... 

4
 Toccata 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I don't think there is one non classical artist I could listen to for a whole year. I'd also want to explore music I'm not so familiar with but know I'll like so for me Vivaldi. Tempting as Beethoven would be I'd want to hear new pieces. With Bach I'm sure this is possible but he also produced a lot of 'average' works (thinking particularly the cantatas).

1
 profitofdoom 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Rob Parsons:

> What - you like that band so much, that you can't even spell its name correctly?

That's right. It's Fleetwud Mark

 Wimlands 15 Nov 2022
In reply to petemeads:

Good call…Joni with a classical slant, here she is off Travelogue “covering” her own songs…

youtube.com/watch?v=oe3uyn8TlSw&

 Iamgregp 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I’ll go one better than that.  

It’s called Desert Island Discs, not Desert Island Disks.

3
 Darron 15 Nov 2022
In reply to petemeads:

JS Back shurley?

 Tony the Blade 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Fleetwood Mac is a good shout, even if you were only aloud a single album - Rumours.

I think I'd go for U2, hear me out, they have an pretty decent back catalogue with a range of styles that would keep me entertained whatever my mood.

12
 philipivan 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I could spend quite a while just listening to queen or pink floyd. Possibly radiohead although that might be a route to madness. 

3
 Doug 15 Nov 2022
In reply to philipivan:

Would probably choose Miles Davis although that's maybe cheating as his band changed so often over the course of his recording career. If only one 'incarnation' of his band maybe the classic 60s quintet (Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Tony Williams).

 tomrainbow 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Doug:

Guided by Voices, 36 albums in and still going strong. Some of them are even good!

 tomrainbow 15 Nov 2022
 Iamgregp 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Iamgregp:

Sorry, hadn't read rest of thread before I posted

Apologies Harry!

 Robert Durran 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Tony the Blade:

> Fleetwood Mac is a good shout........

I like Fleetwood Mac, But Fleetwood Mac versus Bach or Beethoven?!

....

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

For me - probably Van Halen. Not really for the songs, just the guitar playing. I have been listening to EVH since 1980 and am not remotely bored or tired of listening to him play the guitar. Could easily manage another 42 years

1
 Tony the Blade 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Robert Durran:

I've heard of Bach and Beethoven, but never consciously heard any of their music.

I have heard lots of FM though, so yep they still get my vote.

3
 Pedro50 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Pink floyd no contest.

1
 Iamgregp 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Tony the Blade:

Fleetwood Mac is a good shout - early Blues rock stuff is great, then followed by some stuff that in the early 70s that we'll not dwell on.  Then followed by some absolutely classic albums with a mix of vocalists and writers and styles so never gets too samey.

Plus Albatross.  Surely the best desert island track ever?

Post edited at 14:06
1
 philipivan 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Doug:

That would be a good choice given the volume and diversity of his work. I would call myself a fan but I doubt I've listened to a quarter of his records. 

 wercat 15 Nov 2022
In reply to profitofdoom:

John Peel referred to them as "Fleetwood Muck" after playing something panty

 OCDClimber 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

My favourite song by a huge margin is "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.  In particular the guitar solo at the end which was extended over the original for the Pulse concert and album. It tears at your soul and emotions. When I've had a couple of glasses of wine I usually end up in tears.  Very embarrassing for a rufty tufty 74 year old ex marine Yorkshireman.

If you have never heard it I thoroughly recommend you seek it out.

Post edited at 16:17
1
In reply to OCDClimber:

> My favourite song by a huge margin is "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.  In particular the guitar solo at the end which was extended over the original for the Pulse concert and album. It tears at your soul and emotions. When I've had a couple of glasses of wine I usually end up in tears.  Very embarrassing for a rufty tufty 74 year old ex marine Yorkshireman.

> If you have never heard it I thoroughly recommend you seek it out.

Also a favourite

 OCDClimber 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

IMO David Gilmour's solo at the Pulse Concert is the best guitar solo performance ever.  Some may disagree but I think they would be hard pushed to not think it was the most moving and emotional guitar solo ever.

 Sean Kelly 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

It would have to be Beethoven for me. No contest. Every time I listen to a familiar piece I discover something new & different. Such unbelievable creativeness. But it would have to be a good sound system. His music on a mobile phone...aaah!

Concerning Pink Floyd. When I was an art student in the 60's  a friend  Frank Coates knew the group  especially Syd Barrett. When I traveled down to London with him, he kept pointing out these posters which just said PINK in flourscent pink of course. They were completely unknown, just starting out, and I bought their first album on the strength of Frank's recommendation. Never regretted it!

1
In reply to Sean Kelly:

Agree with you re Ludwig. More or less without equal (except perhaps JSB). 

 kevin stephens 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Yeah, Beethoven, but only if I didn’t have to listen to the bloody so called “Pastoral” symphony again - would I be able to swap it for some Butterworth?

In reply to kevin stephens:

How about listening to all his other music? E.g his amazing last three sonatas. So modern, so timeless, so far ahead. 

I recommend you listen to the dazzling Daniil Trifonov playing his last sonata. Who's also awesome in a quite recent recording of the (ghastly!) Brahms First Piano Concerto. Just dazzling. At end of second movement he ignores the conductor, who looks like he's wanting a traditional breather, and storms right in. Mindboggling stuff from one of the greatest piano talents in the world.

Post edited at 21:57
In reply to kevin stephens:

You've also missed the main point about Beethoven's symphonies: that they are all so different from each other. Each one like a complete world to itself. In his best work, he never repeated himself.

 wercat 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

By the way, unless computer media or the sun is the context, it should be discs.  a small point but as important as the correct use of fuze.

Post edited at 22:13
 kevin stephens 15 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I fear you may have missed my point. I’m a big fan of his sonatas and later chamber music; less is definitely more if you get my drift. Also most of the symphonies except the trite and empty 6th, his attempt at a pastoral seems to have been based on a quick jolly to the countryside rather than the immersive experience of say Butterworth (although I may be biased having grown up in the  countryside of his inspiration). However for symphonies  alone I prefer Mahler, of course if there hadn’t been Beethoven there wouldn’t have been Mahler

In reply to kevin stephens:

I will have to disagree with you on several counts here. I was (in my 20s) a keen Mahler enthusiast, but the sad thing about his music is that it just doesn't last. I have no urge now to listen to him ever again. 

You are frankly daft to say Beethoven's 6th is 'empty'. Have you forgotten that it was just about the first of its kind, i.e. what they used to call 'programme' music. The Pastoral is also interesting because it's much more interesting, musically, than it first seems. IMHO no storm has EVER been better done in music than the one in the 3rd? movement, leading into the Hymn of Thanksgiving.  You could analyse that storm music endlessly, it's just so tight, economic, well done. Yet, probably  different from any piece of music that had been written before.

(I go on and on, sometimes!, about the Praeludium of the Missa Solemnis, possibly the strangest yet most deeply heartfelt piece of music that's ever been written. It does so much at the same time, so that it seems to be in two tenses at once: the amazing thing that's happening now, and the even more amazing thing that's about to happen. How could anyone write a piece of music with that certain expectancy about what's about to happen? Sheer genius.)

4
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I mean the Praeludium that leads into the Benedictus.

 nastyned 15 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

It would be Hawkwind for me. The Space Ritual era and the Second Calvert Period, as well as all the other stuff which occasionally has gems. 

 cragtyke 15 Nov 2022
In reply to nastyned:

Gideon Coe played a couple of 1972 session tracks in tribute to Nik Turner last night.

 kevin stephens 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

So your taste is right and mine is wrong/daft?

1
 mike123 16 Nov 2022
In reply to kevin stephens: a very entertaining thread just got more so . Can I suggest a modern day duel ? 3 rounds :  bouldering , lead and if this leads to a draw then 3 rounds MMA ? 

Post edited at 06:47
 The New NickB 16 Nov 2022
In reply to kevin stephens:

> So your taste is right and mine is wrong/daft?

You should know Gordon’s MO after all these years. It would be Nirvana for me, forget the merits of the music, it is about how it makes you feel. In this case, it makes me feel 17!

 mike123 16 Nov 2022
In reply to The New NickB: in similar vein I’m going with the Clash . First album still makes me jump  around , London calling makes me sing along loudly and Sandinista is still in my all time top 10.

 kevin stephens 16 Nov 2022
In reply to The New NickB:

While I was posting last night I was enjoying listening to Wishbone Ash’s Argus, twice

In reply to kevin stephens:

> Also most of the symphonies except the trite and empty 6th, his attempt at a pastoral seems to have been based on a quick jolly to the countryside rather than the immersive experience of say Butterworth 

I'm afraid this is simply wrong. Beethoven spent a huge amount of time walking in the countryside outside Vienna. Perhaps most remarkable is the way that (in the second movement) he uses a flute to imitate the song of a nightingale, an oboe, that of a quail, and two clarinets, a cuckoo.

Post edited at 08:30
 Robert Durran 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

You may well know it, but I can't recommend the BBC4 documentary "Being Beethoven" enough:

youtube.com/watch?v=IhqO6eMq0eY&

 Robert Durran 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

You may well know it, but I can't recommend the BBC4 documentary "Being Beethoven" enough:

youtube.com/watch?v=IhqO6eMq0eY&

Unfortunately no longer on iplayer.

In reply to Robert Durran:

No, I hadn't seen that, thanks. (Actually, I made a film about him at film school in 1974, with Tony Britton as Ludwig. tinyurl.com/2urb2rjt)

 Robert Durran 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> No, I hadn't seen that, thanks. (Actually, I made a film about him at film school in 1974, with Tony Britton as Ludwig. tinyurl.com/2urb2rjt)

I hope you enjoy it - an old style intelligent documentary with contributions from proper experts. Very moving too - you'll have the whole universe on your desert island. Not a bad soundtrack either.

Post edited at 11:01
 freeflyer 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> I recommend you listen to the dazzling Daniil Trifonov playing his last sonata.

It's hard to find someone who can outdo Barenboim, for elegance, simplicity and accuracy. He can be a little dispassionate though, so I'm always on the lookout for an alternative; Brendel maybe:

youtube.com/watch?v=Ujo6z3Js7Os&

 magma 16 Nov 2022
In reply to wercat:

> John Peel referred to them as "Fleetwood Muck" after playing something panty

Fleetwood Mach?

youtube.com/watch?v=NgViOqGJEvM&

 Rupert Woods 16 Nov 2022
In reply to Sean Kelly:

No no no, roll over Beethoven, Mozart for me. A year of Ludwig would be a bit heavy I think!

 Iamgregp 16 Nov 2022
In reply to The New NickB:

I've been thinking about this and was going to say if I had to listen to any one band or artist for the rest of my days then Nirvana would be a pretty strong contender.  Possibly only beaten by Bjork for me.

 Tringa 17 Nov 2022
In reply to Iamgregp:

A difficult one. For classical composers it could be Bach or Vivaldi

For non classical, probably Steely Dan.

Dave

 Morty 17 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

> who would you take if you had the chance to take the body of work of one artist or band to an island.

Easy.  Chas & Dave.

Next question?

 jiminy483 17 Nov 2022
In reply to Iamgregp:

Mine would be Bjork or PJ Harvey, tough choice!

 Iamgregp 17 Nov 2022
In reply to Tringa:

Don’t know much classical so can’t comment on those, but Steely Dan are great.  
 

The purists here would say that’s a cheat as other than the main two, Steely Dan were more of a loose collection of talented musicians and sessions players than a band proper but that still counts as one band in my eyes!

 Iamgregp 17 Nov 2022
In reply to jiminy483:

Good shouts on both! I approve!

 jiminy483 17 Nov 2022
In reply to Iamgregp:

Bjork without Birthday or Hit would be a bitter pill to swallow, Birthday is one of my favourite songs...

 Siward 17 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Hawkwind 

 nathan79 17 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

After much deliberation Black Sabbath. 2 great eras of the band with Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio plus a few albums with various other vocalists to keep me humming, singing, whistling along.

The Who came under consideration but Sabbath won.

 Clwyd Chris 17 Nov 2022
In reply to kevin stephens:

One of my favorite all time albums, discovered by chance many years ago when my older brother had borrowed it off one of his friends, heard the opening riff of Time Was and I was hooked,  the combination of Andy and Teds playing  is something very special, masters of their art.  

 Ian W 17 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Interestingly, nobody has mentioned the Beatles or the Rolling Stones yet.

The Stones could possibly be in my consideration, but I think I'd probably go for Tom Petty.*

*I'll have changed my mind several times by this time tomorrow..........

 graeme jackson 17 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

far too many options to choose just one. I like Doug's Miles suggestion - loads of diversity to stop me getting bored.  Then there's all the ladies - Kate, Joni, Ricki Lee, Bonnie. Or James Taylor - how could I give up listening to him. or CSN (not Y) or the dead  aaaarrrrgghhhh. Then there's the classical choices - I'd listen to the Pastoral every day if I didn't think it would piss mrs J off. I'd certainly miss Mozart's clarinet concerto and Vivaldi's Cello concertos (with delightful pictures of Ofrah Harnoy on the sleeves - phwooa )

Think I'll plump for the collected works of Kathryn Tickell. Beautiful Northumbrian pipe music that reminds me of home whenever I listen. There's always a CD in the car for when I'm heading south over carter bar.

In reply to graeme jackson:

To go back to the Pastoral: the sheer beauty and warmth of the 'Shepherds' song of thanksgiving' is just something else, isn't it? I've also always loved the variation a few minutes later when Beethoven repeats it with plucked strings.

1
 Duncan Bourne 18 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

What would be your one book?

 Wimlands 18 Nov 2022
In reply to Duncan Bourne:

“Games Climbers Play” surely ?

 althesin 18 Nov 2022
In reply to Duncan Bourne:

Kindle

Oh,  and on the same tack, a rebrand:

"Desert island downloads"

 Andy Clarke 18 Nov 2022
In reply to graeme jackson:

The Dead's near-infinite back catalogue of live recordings probably exceeds anything else that's been mentioned. Maybe given enough listening time on a remote beach the holy grail of identifying the single best concert could finally be found.

 The Norris 18 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

My choice would be aphex twin. His come to daddy ep blew my mind as a 16 year old visiting my big brother in uni, it being my first introduction to electronica (as it used to ne called). Then since obsessing over his back catalogue ever since I think there is enough beautiful melancholy ambience and crazy dance floor madness (and stuff in between) to keep me happy for a very long time.

 Wimlands 18 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

My partner suggested everything James Jamerson ever played on…

OK not following your rules but but does give us untold amounts of brilliant Motown tracks to play.

Post edited at 21:48
 magma 19 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

artist BBC, John Peel full archive

Post edited at 10:51
 65 19 Nov 2022
In reply to tomrainbow:

Guided by Voices have 36 albums??? My goodness, Spotify here I come.

OP: My first inclination is to go with Martin Clunes and say the complete works of Frank Zappa but then it would be a choice of whether it was with the Mothers or not.

 I’d likely go with Dough’s choice of Miles Davis, or someone I only know a little of with a lot more to discover that would keep me enraptured for a long time to come. Monteverdi probably. 

 kevin stephens 29 Nov 2022
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> To go back to the Pastoral: the sheer beauty and warmth of the 'Shepherds' song of thanksgiving' is just something else, isn't it? I've also always loved the variation a few minutes later when Beethoven repeats it with plucked strings.

Just listened to it again back to back the the Eroica which wins hands down for me. Having said that my copy of the 6th is a cheap budget version and that of the Eroica is a highly reviewed recording. I’ve already replaced some of my collection with better recordings after upgrading my System. So i’ve just ordered the Karajan/Berlin Phil DDD version of the 6th to see if my view changes. By the way you should really give Mahler another go. The advent of improved recordings and modern high quality domestic sound systems do more justice to Mahler’s large orchestrations; you may be pleasantly surprised. 

 C Witter 29 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Bob, Leonard, Joni, Nina, Miles. One of those, but not necessarily in that order. Nina Simone's perfectly heartbreaking "I look around" or Davis' ineffable "Blue in Green", if I had to choose one track... But, some things are eternal, and even without the discs, player, electricity, they would all haunt me.

In reply to kevin stephens:

> Just listened to it again back to back the the Eroica which wins hands down for me. Having said that my copy of the 6th is a cheap budget version and that of the Eroica is a highly reviewed recording. I’ve already replaced some of my collection with better recordings after upgrading my System. So i’ve just ordered the Karajan/Berlin Phil DDD version of the 6th to see if my view changes. By the way you should really give Mahler another go. The advent of improved recordings and modern high quality domestic sound systems do more justice to Mahler’s large orchestrations; you may be pleasantly surprised. 

I agree with you. Overall The Eroica is more radical, and greater in historical importance than the Pastoral, in the way it really did push music forward a long way. It's one of those rare pieces that on continual re-listening never stales. Never loses its depth or freshness. IMHO. Amazing, really.

 veteye 30 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Sadly for us and Fleetwood Mac, it has been announced Christine McVie has died at the age of 79 years old.

In reply to veteye

> Sadly for us and Fleetwood Mac, it has been announced Christine McVie has died at the age of 79 years old.

Indeed. I was thinking of this thread when I saw the news. My wife is a very unhappy girl this evening, she was a devoted fan.

 freeflyer 30 Nov 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Some great suggestions (and I can't believe I'm not going with the Floyd), but my vote goes to Sade.

In a lonely isolated place, her songs would just make me believe and keep me going.

 cragtyke 01 Dec 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Got to be one of Nick Cave, with or without The Evil/Bad Seeds/Grinderman, Iggy with or without The Stooges, or The mighty Fall.

 Tony the Blade 01 Dec 2022
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

In light of yesterday's news, Christine McVie seemed to me to be an epic human as well as an exceptionally talented artist. I was blown away by how funny, down to earth, candid and, I guess, very British, she was on Desert Island Discs. Well worth a listen.

My wife and I listened to her DID while on a coach in Malaysia, we then listened to Rumours, an album with no bad track on it.


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