Van Morrison is a great explorer of the power of resonance and in “Listen to the Lion” he gives us a powerful example. It’s basically a love song, but it explores territories which are older and deeper than most love songs. It still resonates with me years after first hearing it. Let me try and tell you why.

Like most people, my musical box contains its own personal mix. You’ll find stuff about discovery, about heroes. There are recollections of those songs which just won’t stop playing on your inner juke box. There are also pieces on Tango, which I discovered in France, and which taught me to dance and to live and listen to music differently. I hope you enjoy the mix!

Songsmith Wreckless Eric and that Special Someone. It’s summer up here in the Northern Hemisphere and time to fall in love again. How about making that definitive this time? Not as easy as it sounds? Questions like these are at the heart of (I’d Go The) Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric which tells the story of a mother’s answer to her son’s despair at ever finding that special someone. Take it away, Wreckless!

The real game-changer for The Pretenders would be Brass in Pocket, which came out in November 79. A joint composition by Hynde and guitarist James Honeyman Scott, it was so successful that it actually altered people’s perceptions of the group’s name : they were still Pretenders, but no longer pretending as in unending make believe; […]

Songsmith David Bowie Back In Berlin As a rule, Bowie didn’t like to repeat himself; he preferred to reinvent. His many characters – Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and The Thin White Duke being probably the most famous – all provided voices and styles for reinventing himself as a constantly changing artist. He rarely […]

Songsmith Chrissie Hynde and the Ladies’ Tea Party It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the rumbling rawness of the Punk Years in the UK, starting in 1976 and spilling over into the next decade. The bad could get really bad, with uncaring unmusical bands, violence and self-mutilation. […]

Songsmith Mary Gauthier I don’t normally do Christmas songs, having sung one too many carols as a youngster. I see them as decorative and unifying, but in the background. Yet it is Christmas again, and they’re back . You may have a favourite, or not at all. It depends how closely your musical ear is […]

Songsmith Steve Marriott I only had one Humble Pie record in my collection. It was the single Black Coffee, which I’d seen them perform on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Took it home, listened to the A-side, loved it. The singer, Steve Marriott, was in great voice. Then I did something which happens so rarely […]