Australian rockers Powderfinger’s new album Golden Rule was again recorded with Nick DiDia, who was responsible for their massively successful Internationalist, Odyssey Number Five, and Vulture Street albums. The band are the headliners for the Big Day Out and Homebake, and are also curating a festival in Brisbane.
Rolling Stones / Gimme Shelter
From the guitar intro solo genius and riffing, through Mick’s insightful lyric, to when Mary Clayton’s spine chilling vocals break at the peak of the song, it is a benchmark for me as to how a song can have restraint and be heavy at the same time. It wreaks of a band in fine form. I’m also a sucker for a dirty harmonica. Give me dirty harmonica!
David Bowie / Heroes
After all these years of hearing this song, and it potentially being ruined for me by being used in advertising and soundtracks endlessly, it still is beautiful. Whatever the hell Robert Fripp, Brian Eno and David Bowie were doing in the studio, in my mind, no-one has managed to capture that kind of emotion in a guitar tone ever since. No-one probably ever will. He even mentions dolphins and gets away with it.
The Stooges / I Wanna Be Your Dog
I love everything about this song. The drone guitar gets me every time. John Cale’s pounding piano makes it neither punk or metal, as it is often accused of being. It’s just fucking rock and roll. The drum groove is simple, as are the lyrics. It’s dirty, and nasty, and because it’s not too heavy, it is so full of contradictions that no-one understands. Except me, of course. The guitar solo could go on forever, but they just fade it out, the bastards. Now I have to play it again. I wanna lose my heart on the burning sand.
Sam Cooke / A Change is Gonna Come
A great song, which has an absolutely beautiful melody, music and strong lyric motivation.
The Beatles / Something
It’s hard to pick a single song from these guys, but this one has a certain innocence and unassumingness to it that I’m a sucker for. George Harrison managed to pluck a few of these gems towards the end of their career.
The Kinks / Waterloo Sunset
I cant help but sing along to this whenever I hear it. Ray Davies is one of the great songwriters of the 60s. Kind of overlooked, but the body of The Kinks’ work stands the test of time. Love it.
Joy Division / Love Will Tear Us Apart
Ahead of its time: a beautiful, emotional song.
The Sunnyboys / Happy Man
This band is one of the reasons I got involved in music.
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