Entertainment For Lively Minds
Desert Island Decade...
Posted by D.Green on 3 February 2010 - 4:45pm.
Another thread (a post by the venerable pocket.calculator) got me thinking about my 'Artist whom, if I could only choose one, would provide me with all I need for each of the past 5 decades'.
Now, the Fabs cant count as everyone would pick em and therefore my choices are
60s - Velvets
70s - Bowie
80s - Smiths
All drearily canonical I know but indulge me (it is harder than you think). However, when it comes to 90s and er Noughties, Im stumped!
So...firstly, gimme your choices and, secondly, fill in those gaps for me!
I thank you.
- More from D.Green.
- Login or register to post comments
-
60's 70's......
60's Hendrix
70's Zeppelin
80's Joy Division
90'S Bjork
00's Arcade Fire?
You're right not as easy as it seems,so none of these are set in stone.
Aye...
Zeppelin (I was at Knebworth as I believe you were!) and Joy Division were just edged out by the sheer breadth and volume of Bowie/Smiths but Im beginning to realise that summat serious happened to my tastes in the 90s/00s but Im not sure what yet.
Good Morning.
I was really torn about the Bowie/Smiths,Zeppelin/Joy Div decision.In the end I chose the above just so it wouldn't get samey.I can't help feeling that it gets more difficult when moving towards the present because the artists get less interesting.Is this because of age? Is it just because I can't remember the last time I heard anything that didn't remind me of something I'd heard before?
Dunno...
Prob a combination of age (tying your mast to one artist when your a teenager etc), the natural splintering of the 'Grand Narratives' of pop as it gets older itself...
Ive bought/listened to music solidly for nearly 40 years and never dipped from this in the 90s and 00s but Im wondering if these are the points where I started to 'look back'. ie getting into Beefheart in the 90s and not really listening to, say, Steely Dan until the last decade
80s Joy Division?
when Curtis was only alive for 4 months or so of it? Great group or poor decade?
Have to say...
Good call.
Here we go
60s - Small Faces
70s - Stevie Wonder
80s - The Pixies
90s - Massive Attack
00s - Wilco
Nice...
Im interested to see how the Bowie/Wonder thing pans out.
perhaps:
60's - Dylan
70's - Dylan
80's - Prince
90'S - The Jayhawks
00's - Dylan
Hmmm...
Off the top of the head:
50s - Sinatra
60s - Dylan
70s - Zeppelin
80s - King Crimson
and, of course, striding over all three decades like a shambling, slightly stoned colossus... The mighty Grateful Dead
Damn you, Green
This leaves me with a terrible conundrum, as you well know - the 70s: Zappa, Bowie or Wonder?
So, with not very much thought I give you:
60s - Zappa/Mothers
70s - Bowie
80s - The Blue Nile
90s - Bjork
00s - Lewis Taylor
I couldn't not have 70s Bowie, though I'd really like Wonder, Gaye and Zappa, too. I'm surprised your list doesn't include Acid Jazz for the 90s. Or maybe not.
Good question!
50s - Miles Davis
60s - Rolling Stones
70s - Elvis Presley
80s - The Fleshtones
90s, 00s - no clues from me, sorry.
If I may presume
Some acts to cut a rug to from each decade
60s - James Brown
70s - Chic
80s - Depeche Mode
90s - Prodigy
00s - Basement Jaxx
I choose the following:
50s- Buddy Holly
60s- Bob Dylan ( would be The HJHs)
70s- David Bowie
80s- The Smiths
90s- Manic Street Preachers
00s- The Decemberists.
This is the music that would keep me going.
1960s: Simon & Garfunkel
1970s: Blondie
1980s: Duran Duran
1990s: Blur
2000s: Ryan Adams
list of 5
1960s - Julie London
1970s - David Bowie
1980s - Tom Waits
1990s - Radiohead
2000s - Sigur Ros
Radiohead
I was going to choose them, but realised I'd only have their first 3 albums to choose from; whereas with the Manics, I'd have 5 (or 6?).
Some great stuff....
Sorry pocket - I got a weird sadistic pleasure out of your conundrum!
I forgot my 50s!
Elvis - Sun sessions
I'd say
60s - Love
70s - Joni
80s - The Smiths
90s - Belle and Sebastian
00s - Radiohead
Shit.
Forgot the 1999 Best New Band Brit Award Winners.
Steps wuz robbed!
Tigermilk, Sinister and Arab Strap albums, Dog on Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane, Century of Fakers and Modern Rock Song EPs - can't go wrong
Funnily enough
I'd choose 00s B & S. I think they've become rather indispensable pop-wise with their last couple of albums.
90s...
Ive thought about it
Nick Cave
and
00s...
Nah - still stumped
My desert sunbathing sounds are
60s - Love
70s - Blondie
80s - Pixies
90s - Stereolab
00s - Interpol
Difficult but fun
It's a tough one thats for sure but here is my stab:
1950's - Miles Davis
1960's - The Beatles
1970's - David Bowie
1980's - Talking Heads
1990's - Bjork
2000's - Radiohead
Im a pedant Redge, but...
Beatles arent allowed!
Talking heads is a great shout though.
Fair shout D.Green
On reflection I would substitute with The Velvet Underground.
Ooh Heck!
1960s - Creedence Clearwater Revival
!970s - Little Feat
1980s - Talking Heads
1990s - Primal Scream
2000s - Elbow
That was not easy! So many good bands missed out.....
Brain hurts
At the time of 'going to press', I reckon....
50s: Elvis Presley
60s: Lee Morgan
70s: Procol Harum
80s: Iron Maiden
90s: The Handsome Family
00s: Girls Aloud
If I was on the mythical desert island, I'd need a mix of genres to stay vaguely sane. And still no room for any 'world' or 'electronica' - sigh.
Great thread - that was bloody hard. It would probably all change tomorrow...
Here goes
1950s: Elvis Presley
1960s: Bob Dylan
1970s: Neil Young
1980s: Bruce Springsteen
1990s: REM
2000s: Ryan Adams
Laugh at REM if you will. I love their 1996-8 stuff.
REM...
Not for the 80s stuff?
But Bruce Rules.
REM
Not to say their 80s stuff isn't good. But I get my money's worth out of Bruce Springsteen.
and mine:
60s - Supremes
70s - The Jam
80s - REM
90s - Nick Cave
00s - The Decemberists
Gosh..
60's - Dusty
70's - Steely Dan
80's - Tangerine Dream
90's - Matthew Sweet
00's - Turin Brakes
Mine
60's - The Kinks
70's - Bowie
80's - Prince (R.e.m. a close second)
90's - Guided By Voices (once again R.e.m. a close second)
00's - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds/Grinderman
Top shouts Steve, GBV ran it close...
And, the Cavemans best album was in 2004 so...
Conclusion - Radiohead and Decemberists are gettin a lot of love, Ive never really 'felt' Radiohead but will check The Decemberists.
Ive realised the more Stalinist about this thread you are - the more frustrating and fun it is!
OK
60's Monkees
70's The Jam
80's The Smiths
90's Del Amitri
00's Green Day (influenced by my kids)
10's Gaga
Mine
60's The Who (after the HJHs, natch)
70's Led Zeppelin
80's REM
90's Radiohead
00's Elbow
As usual
I could make a case for you know who from the sixtiies through the noughties - but - if I had to typify a decade via one artist irrespective of whether I care for their music or not, my list would run
60s Motown (as a whole - or Temptations if only one act allowed)
70s Eagles
80s Michael Jackson
90s 2pac
00s Beyonce
Lovin' what youve done Sheev...
but rather than choosing artists that signify the decade(s), I would love to see you boil down your own Desert Island taste to one artist as, a) you might be surprised and b) its bloody difficult.
right-o
60s Laura Nyro
70s Stevie Wonder
80s Prince
90s Massive Attack
00s Burial
Mine
60s - Otis Redding
70s - The Clash
80s - Springsteen
90s - The La's (just scrapes in)
00's - The Hold Steady
Cripes Paddy!
The La's!
love em - but is one album gonna get you through?
Sorry D
I did my pick of 1990s - I would take the La's over anything.
But if it is one band to represent the 1990s then,-:
US - Nirvana, Britain - Oasis
here goes:
50s Jerry Lee Lewis
60s Bob Dylan
70s Abba
80s Leonard Cohen
90s The Jayhawks
00s Goldfrapp
It'll change by the time I'm finished but...
50's: Chuck Berry
60's: The Who
70's: The Clash
80's: R.E.M.
90's: Teenage Fanclub
00's: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Hmmm
50s - Jerry Lee Lewis
60s - Beatles
70s - The Stooges
80s - Smiths
90s - Oasis (hope that means I can take their 00s output too though)
00s - Girls Aloud
Oasis?
Who'd willingly, beg even, to take their post-millennium output? Please, sir, I must hear 'Little James' otherwise I may go mad on this desert island.
Easy target
It's one thing to single out Little James - it's like dismissing Chuck Berry for Ding A Ling.
On my desert island I would be very sad if I couldn't play (deep breath) Go Let It Out, Gas Panic, Roll It Over, Hindu Times, Stop Crying Your Heart Out, Songbird, She Is Love, Hung In a Bad Place,Turn Up The Sun, Lyla, The Importance of Being Idle, Love Like A Bomb, Guess God Thinks I'm Abel, Let There Be Love, The Shock Of The Lightning, Bag It Up, Waiting For The Rapture, The Turning and I'm Outta Time.
That's enough to include their post-1999 output. It's just received wisdom that their later albums aren't good. They're not as good as Definitely Maybe, but then what is?
Here's Mine:
18C: Mozart
19C: Verdi *
early 20C: Stravinsky
1950s: Buddy Holly
1960s: Jefferson Airplane
1970s: Bowie
1980s: Prince
1990s: Nick Cave
2000s: erm...Cave again?
(* Beethoven excluded analagous to HJH exclusion from 60s)
Tricky - no count him
50's - the heart says Elvis but the head says Miles
60's - the heart says Dylan, the head says Velvet Underground
70's - the heart says Bowie, the head says Steely Dan. No other way round. Or not. Oh confusion!
80's - the heart says the Go-betweens but the head says Talking Heads (with the Cocteau Twins as backup)
90's - the heart says Teenage Fanclub but the head says Blur
00's - the heart says Sigur Ros but the head says Radiohead.
10's - I think the only music from this decade I have heard is Vampire Weekend, so do you mind if we wait a while?
If pushed I'd go for the head choices. Still can't choose between Bowie and the Dan though.
Please sir...
but Paul Wright cheated, he's put down two choices for each year and even three for the 80's!
I forgot about Go-Betweens and Talking Heads...
I know
as a punishment you could limit me to Cliff Richard for all of them. Or is that too harsh?
Hmmm, good point.
When you think about it, Cliff's lasted the whole lot hasn't he?
How many bands/artists can you say that about?!
Wrighty certainly cheated but
the choices are good
nobody convincing me about the last decade yet though!
Let me help you..!
Mmmmmmm...
...Nice.
5 Decades of choice
60s: Who
70s: Slade
80s: Jam & Paul Weller
90s: Oasis
00s: Manic Street Preachers
90s & oos are inter-changeable
If the HJH are off limits
1960s: The Monkees
1970s: The Who
1980s: Oysterband
1990s: Nanci Griffith
2000s: Kate Rusby
Good question
I would choose the following:
1960s - The Kinks
1970s - Supertramp
1980s - U2
1990s - Del Amitri
2000s - The Feeling
60's has to be The Beatles
But if excluded my choices are:
60's - Dylan
70's - Pink Floyd
80's - The Smiths
90's - Radiohead
00's - Eels
I think I like your choices
More than my own.
here goes
60s The Beatles
70s ELO
80s XTC
90s Radiohead
00s Franz Ferdinand
Good question, I'll go with......
60s - Bob Dylan
70s - David Bowie
80s - Bruce Springsteen
90s - Oasis
00s - Felice Brothers
Maybe something like this
60s - the Bonzos
70s - Sparks
80s - Icicle Works
90s - This is where it gets a bit iffy. I'll have the Ukrainians
00s - Really stumped. Th' Legendary Shack Shakers ? And Ian McNabb.
My unpopular selection
60s - The Kinks - can't believe no one else has chosen them
70s - Am I allowed John Lennon?
80s - The The
90s - James
00s - Elbow
Will I regret John Lennon? Does it mean I'll be forced to listen to Yoko's yowls on my island as well?
Thinking about it, this is effectively a list of my musical obsessions since I started caring about it all (in the 80s).
OK then:
60s: The Kinks
70s: Joni Mitchell
80s: The Cure
90s: Blur
00s: Lambchop
If I could only pick one of those bands, I'd take Lambchop.
Harder then you think..
50s: Miles Davis
60s: Traffic
70s: Steely Dan
80s: XTC
90s: LTJ Bukem
00s: Wilco
Honourable mentions: Hendrix, Dylan, Art Ensemble of Chicago
Actually..
I need to change this:
90s: John Zorn
good pick!
There are times when the only album that makes any sense is "Spy Vs Spy". These are generally difficult times, but it is a magnificent thing
The Masada project..
I just loved too, esp. Electric Masada 50power of four. Have you heard it, Malo?
not yet
I've got some of the Masada stuff, but not that one.
I really enjoyed the BBC Radio 4 documentary on him - have you got that ?
No, I live abroad..
unless it's (still) available on the BBC iPlayer, must check that out.
The 50 power of four (or whatever way it's pronounced) band is a really cooking eight-piece with percussion, 2 drummers, and a laptop player joining keyboards, guitar, bass, and Zorn's alto. Electrifying!
60s- Hendrix 70s- The
60s- Hendrix
70s- The Clash
80s- The Cure
90s- Blur
00s- Biffy clyro
Honestly...?
60s - Monkees
70s - Bowie
80s - Depeche Mode
90s - Depeche Mode
00s - Depeche Mode
But... but... but...
You can only listen to 'New Life' so much, surely? ;-)
There was a B-side as well
It was called "Shout" - but the chorus went "I wanna hold your hand". I wonder why they didn't just call it ... oh, I see.
60s - 00s
60s - Don Drummond/Skatalites
70s - Burning Spear
80s - The Fall
90s - Gas
00s - Richard Skelton
ah go on then
60s - Gainsbourg
70s - Cale
80s - Motorhead
90s - Fatima Mansions
00s - James Yorkston
which leaves me Will Oldhamless (I'd trade the 80s to take him), but you can't have everything.
And for my first post...
60's Beach Boys
70's Neil Young
80's Joy Division
90'S The Orb
00's Thievery Corporation
tough one
60s The Doors
70s Led Zeppelin
80s REM
90s Pearl Jam
00s Biffy Clyro [maybe should pick Sigur Ros there]