Wednesday, March 14, 2007

desert island discs


About 25 years ago, I came up with this cunning business plan (actually it never got anywhere near becoming any such thing!): it was all about producing personalised cassettes(!) for people consisting of their favourite pieces of music - everybody's "desert island discs", as it were. Since then, of course, someone's invented the internet, the iPod and iTunes and rather put a dent in my scheme! At long last, I actually started to download some music from iTunes at the weekend and, after clumsily trying to ensure that it was compatible with the music I already had on the computer, have now managed to compile my very own set of songs to keep me happy on my desert island (which, thanks to iTunes, now includes such rather pathetic oldies as "Go Now" by the Moody Blues, "Heard it through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Clowns" by Judy Collins and the theme to the film "Un Homme et une Femme").
As you might imagine, it's somewhat more than the eight records they allow on the radio programme!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

i often ask people what their desert island discs would be. but how could you possibly narrow it down to 8? when i got my ipod i thought its 1000 'disc' capacity would never be filled. its full and there is so much more i want to put on! i love music and think i have wide ranging taste...but the wonderful andy kershaw was on 'did's' last week. listen again on the bbc website - his taste is DEFINITELY wide ranging. me, i'm only just starting to explore african music. hope i live long enough to complete my journey and education!

Anonymous said...

me again! later learned..."for rights reasons desert island discs is not available as a listen again item." thank you mr roy plomley. but i recommend you 'listen again' to andy kershaw's radio 3 (12th march) programme 'desert island discs:the flotsam' featuring some of the cd's from the shortlist of 300 that did not make it 'on to the island.' you will also hear his great rochdale voice...so much better than my awful brummie accent! tara a bit.

bigdaddystevieB said...

Absolutely agree with your comments about Andy Kershaw and the problems of coming up with a shortlist (I discovered Mr Plomley had barred the “listen again” option a couple of years ago – I couldn’t believe it!). Presumably, for somewhat similar “rights” reasons, I found that I couldn’t download “Homeward Bound” by S+G and “Imagine” by John Lennon from iTunes! Amazingly, I managed to reduce my selection down to 22 (not counting the above), then realised I could only get 18 songs on to a CD. Decisions, decisions!
Even during the course of today, I’ve added at least half dozen different pieces into my notional favourite’s list (including more Van Morrison, Radiohead, Iona, Johnny Cash, Carole King and Scissor Sisters)!
I’ve just come home from a brilliant charity concert given by an ex-pupil from school – singing “Rat Pack” songs. Help – nothing included from Sinatra or Fitzgerald!

Anonymous said...

now that the 'apple' rights have been sorted its likely itunes will soon have beatles songs on. i must add 'dear prudence' off the white albuum!