1. The Sweet - Blockbuster
My early interest in music really began with the whole Glam Rock era. Top of the Pops was the television highlight of my week, and The Sweet were one of the first bands that grabbed my attention. Blockbuster holds a special place in my heart as the main guitar riff was the first piece of music I ever learned played on any instrument. To be more precise, on my first guitar, which my parents eventually purchased for me after weeks of pestering (an old second hand acoustic nylon guitar, virtually unplayable above the 5th fret). Blockbuster didn’t spend too many weeks at the top of the charts, but musically, I was on my way.
2. Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Autobahn was the first piece of electronic music I had ever heard. It was as if aliens had landed in my bedroom, and so began my determination to one day learn to play keyboards and get my hands on one of those strange electronic instruments. It was the first song I’d ever heard sung in another language “Wir fahren, fahren, fahren auf der Autobahn”. I had no idea what I was signing along to, but today the irony is not lost on me, having spent the last 25 years living in the land from where Kraftwerk hail, learning a bit of the vocabulary, becoming a citizen, and finally understanding what I was actually singing along to all those years ago.
3. Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
This was THE song and band that convinced me I could be a musician or play in a band. The whole Punk ethos was that you didn’t need to be some kind of immortal or technically gifted musical guru or wizard to create music. Music was art, and all you needed do was to create a noise to express yourself.
4. Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same
For a brief period, Led Zeppelin were my musical encyclopaedia. I literally listened to every song, every album, over and over again. This track was the first I ever heard from the band (actually the live version from the album of The Song Remains The Same). The raw energy and the range of musical styles Led Zeppelin covered during their career has stuck with me to this day.
5. Rush - Xanadu
I’d actually been introduced to Rush through the album “2112”. The follow up album “Farewell To Kings” was on my turntable for months after I purchased it, with this track being the standout on the entire album. So determined was I to learn how to play Xanadu, without knowing, I probably made a bit of a breakthrough on guitar from a technical standpoint. I still haven’t mastered the solo, but strum along to some section of this song every time I pick up a guitar. This band has probably had the single most influence on all the music I have attempted to create over the years.
6. Genesis - Supper's Ready
When compiling this list, I almost forgot this track. Early Genesis were captivating, music you needed to actually listen to. Supper's Ready was probably the band’s “Beethoven’s 9th”. A monster of a song, full of musical shifts of mood and surprises. I immediately wanted to write, long complex, pretentious, epic music. Although the band later went on to have huge chart success, this was the era that defined them. I’d write long instrumental passages of music all day long if could get away with it.
7. Tubeway Army - Are Friends Electric?
The moment I heard this song, I knew I had to buy a synthesiser (preferably a Polymoog) and wanted to to play keyboards in a band. It kick started my journey through the progressive early period of Synth Pop/Rock, influenced by a host of bands including early Simple Minds, Human League, OMD and Heaven 17. A journey which ended with myself and Stuart Glanville forming the 2 piece outfit, Pretzel Logic, which eventually became That Sfumato Effect.
8. Thomas Dolby - One Of Our Submarines
I’ll never forget the first time I heard this song. We were at Woody’s (Simon Wood, a local sound engineer who recorded some early Pretzel Logic tracks) when he played it thought his rather loud studio monitors, I was almost blown through the window. Electronic music on steroids, clever use of composition and melody, Thomas Dolby and his music fostered in me a brand new appreciation for sound design.
9. The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
I can’t think of a single project I have worked on recently where I haven’t fought the temptation to add orchestration to a composition. This track is entirely to blame. I actually could have listed any track from the album Urban Hymes. The Verve were probably one of the last bands to have had an influence on the music I currently write. Although subconsciously I’m sure I’m still influenced by everything I hear.
10. Linkin Park - In The End
I have to confess most of the 90s, leading into the noughties, I switched off from music for a while due to life changes and personal circumstances. However, this song really took me by surprise. Definitely not the kind of music to normally rock my world, but the lyric spoke to me at the time. I’d forgotten how a simple piano riff can be so powerful and I knew that I wanted to incorporate the instrument into future compositions. I think it is by far my favourite instrument after the guitar. It also rekindled my love of raw, aggressive guitar tones mainly in part from to listening to the bands first two albums. Also, I was inspired by crossover of genres, Rap, Rock, even a bit of hidden Pop. You never know where the musical journey is going to take you and I learned that you should never be afraid to experiment.