Radio LBB: Creative Outpost

It’s a statement that is often repeated but music is such a gift. I still find it amazing how a particular piece of music has the power to evoke a profound emotional reaction as soon as the needle drops. The right song at the right time can cheer you up if you’re feeling down, make you cry if it reminds you of a particular moment in time or perhaps just give you a buzz that makes you feel like “let’s ave it”! It probably sounds like a bit of a cliche but I’m genuinely into pretty much every kind of music providing it sparks that certain something. Of course I have examples that I might feel indifferent towards or downright dislike but that’s the beauty of it, there’s something for everyone.

I’m a firm believer in keeping an open mind when it comes to music as it can lead to all kinds of unexpected surprises. An example of this is with my bezzie mate and musical partner-in-crime Nick. He grew up leaning into a heavier kind of sound, whereas I traditionally gravitated towards the lighter end of the spectrum. He’ll often call me with the familiar words “I ‘accidentally’ bought two tickets, just in case you fancy it” and more often that not, we’ll go to the gig, have a great night and I’ll discover an amazing band or artist that might have otherwise passed me by. Many of which have gone on to become some of my all-time favourites such as Nine Inch Nails, Metallica and Jane’s Addiction… thanks Nick!

I guess I could attribute my broad taste to having gone through a variety of musical phases whilst growing up. Early on it was listening to Mum & Dad playing country music or The Beatles followed by my own first musical discovery in the form of a Michael Jackson phase during his Thriller & Bad years before getting heavily into Hip Hop in the late 80s. In the early 90s I disovered House Music, got some decks and taught myself how to DJ. Then a year or two later, thanks a certain band which I expand upon below, I developed a love for guitar music. All of these different styles remain equally as important to me and are always front and centre whenever I’m writing and producing.

As broad as my taste might be, I still have my beloved, all-time favourite (as anyone who knows me will testify). And that is Oasis. From the moment my mate gave me a cassette featuring Slide Away back in 1994, both me and my brother were instantly smitten. And thousands of song plays and countless gigs later, I’m still as passionate about them as I was back then. I guess it might have had a lot to do with timing; me being at the right age as they exploded onto the scene but I also think they just happened to chime with what a lot of kids like me were into at the time. Whatever the reason, I’m glad it was the case because they’ve given me and Our Alan some incredible memories over the years. With hopefully plenty more to come, now that they’re finally back together.

I initially thought that putting this playlist together would be a breeze but soon realised that it wouldn’t be so easy. My first draft clocked in at 100 songs but after much deliberation and reluctantly employing a ‘kill your darlings’ approach, I managed to whittle it down to a much leaner 20 songs.

So a big shout out to music. It’s magic!