From one blogger onto another, this week's Milestones throws the same questions as last week at music blogger and writer Jamie Milton of Music Fan's Mic. Jamie is 19 years old and yet is already a regular contributor to esteemed music publications such as This Is Fake DIY and The Line Of Best Fit; and his own blog - Music Fan's Mic, which he has run for a number of years with friend Gareth - is a respected source for new music and artistic critique of its own - not forgetting the excellent podcasts that he manages to put together on a worryingly regular basis. And he has a girlfriend. And still manages to squeeze in some Football Manager. I don't know how he does it.
The album that first got you into music:
Moby's Play crosses a multitude of genres. I seem to remember picking it out of some catalogue (because that’s how music was ordered in 1999…) and asking my Mum to get it. I might have heard ‘Natural Blues’ on top of the pops and so that’s what most likely led me to it. I wasn’t necessarily so keen on the straightforward chill-out stuff – I was really into the darker material, like ‘Natural Blues’, which is about a kid coming home and finding his brother dead. Those lyrics only became prominent after a few years of having the record, though! It was mainly the elements of blues and soul that made me so intrigued.
Moby - Run On
The band that dominated your teenage years:
I feel like my love affair with Radiohead is very much over. That’s a shame, considering how blown away I was by their records. It wasn’t immediate. I had OK Computer from when I was about 13 but I once sat down with Hail To The Thief and all of a sudden Thom Yorke was shouting at my ears; “You have not been paying attention!” and God damn, he was right. It span off from there.
I’m still a fanboy – I can’t deny that because I fell for The King Of Limbs like there was no tomorrow. But I’m sick of the mystery; the secret, last minute announcements – it’s all grown tiresome. I will always play their records though. Kid A remains my favorite all-time album, alongside The Knife's Silent Shout.
Radiohead - Idioteque
The album in your parents' collection that made a lasting impression:
Buddy Holly – That’ll Be The Day. It’s a vivid memory: Me dancing around the kitchen to this with my Mum. It was all-out catchy and I loved it. Then, as I’ve grown up, I’ve seen this guy’s work reflected in many of today’s acts. Part of me still wishes the rock’n’roll scene had emerged around now so that I could’ve spent my teenage years in those well-lit discos you see in films like Walk The Line.
Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day
The album that has dominated your last 12 months listening:
Portishead – Third. I suppose it’s justifiable that I came so late to discovering this band. In between their second record and this one, I’d gone from cracking my head open on the edge of a door after running around a slippery kitchen, dressed as Batman, with my eyes closed (1994 – aged 3), to getting a job and saving up for a few months away in Australia with my girlfriend (2008 – aged 17). In other words, I’d grown up whilst Porishead had gone walkies.
I didn’t get hold of Third when it first came out – my interest was numbed by the fact that I hadn’t heard any of their stuff before. Then ‘Machine Gun’ got played on the radio and I began to understand (mainly because every music publication said as much) that this was a very important band, returning to the fore like they’d never disappeared in the first place. It’s an incredible work, particularly production-wise. I don’t know if there are many people out there I respect more than Geoff Barrow, especially when you consider his recent work with The Horrors.
Portishead - The Rip
The most exciting new band you've heard recently:
When I grew up, Brighton, despite being a beautiful, vibrant place, didn’t have much to boast about musically apart from Fatboy Slim and The Kooks… Now, things seem to be turning a page. There’s Cold Pumas, who I’m particularly excited about but I guess Regal Safari represent what I’m into at the moment that little bit more. It’s glimmering, visceral electronic music and because they’re a full band, there’s the potential for a wonderful live show. I’m imagining a grand stage and a dazzling visual display from these guys one day.
Regal Safari - Light
And the one song that best represents what it is that you do:
Because we’ve gone through more domain changes, site hacks, design tweaks than most blogs tend to survive. I feel very comfortable with how MFM is going at the moment; I think it’s only just beginning to find its feet. But of course, it’s always susceptible to change.
LCD Soundsystem – I Can Change
Keep up with Jamie's Music Fan's Mic on Facebook and on Twitter for some excellent new music tips and a soothing voice.
These are great features, excellent idea streamlined to the only questions that realy matter! Worth it for pointing me towards Regal Safari - like a full band Balam Acab? Keep these coming.
ReplyDelete