SESSION 45: At Home With Rose

The Selfish Rose Show (a.k.a. songs that have shaped me)

>> DOWNLOAD <<

Nostalgia: A bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past.

I decided a while ago to put together a show just for me - totally and alienatingly self-indulgent. All the songs that have shaped my musical tastes from about the age of 10 through to now. I still love all of these songs. First came the influence of my mother. Then the little transistor radio I got for Christmas that I would listen to in bed, hiding it under my pillow, tuned in to Casey Casum top 40. Then the music my big brothers brought into the house. And visiting my older cousins who had a gramophone (we didn't have one when I was young - just the radio). They had all the latest singles which we would play over and over. Then when I hit my teens I ventured out and found what I liked.

I can listen to all these tracks and think about the period of my life that they punctuated. In the days of vinyl (once we finally got a stereo - I can remember it being unpacked and I can remember the first album we had - Jade Warrior), it was so exciting when a new album arrived in the household. I'd pore over every inch of the sleeve, reading all the liner notes, and if it was gatefold it was even more thrilling. Favourite tracks would get played over and over. The needle would get shifted back again and again as I pressed my ear to the speaker trying to decipher all the lyrics which I would write into my notebook. Getting to know a new album was such an experience. Getting sick of one by playing it too too often was saddening.

Choosing just 2 hours of songs I love was really really hard. I haven't included much recent stuff. There were just too many old favourites. I guess I'll just have to do this again if people can stand it!

It's Session 45 and I'm 45, so there you go. There is my lame reasoning for being a selfish bitch. Ha!

I hope someone besides me enjoys this playlist:

The Cowsills, 'The Rain, The Park And Other Things' (1967), The Cowsills, MGM Records.
Badfinger, 'Baby Blue', Straight Up (1971), Apple Records.
Cat Stevens, 'If I Laugh', Teaser And The Firecat (1971), Island Records.
David Bowie, 'Life on Mars?', Hunky Dory (1971), RCA Limited.
Hawkwind, 'Children Of The Sun', In Search of Space (1971), United Artists Records.
Pink Floyd, 'A Pillow of Winds', Meddle (1971), Harvest.
Jade Warrior, 'Morning Hymn', Last Autumn's Dream (1972), Vertigo.
Neil Young, 'There's A World', Harvest (1972), Reprise Records.
Led Zeppelin, 'The Rain Song', Houses of the Holy (1973), Atlantic.
Roxy Music, 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache', For Your Pleasure (1973), Island Records.
Split Enz, 'Spellbound', Mental Notes (1975), Mushroom Records.
Patti Smith, 'Elegie', Horses (1975), EMI Music.
Brian Eno, 'Everything Merges With The Night', Another Green World (1977), Polydor.
Brian Eno, 'Julie with...', Before and After Science (1977), Editions EG.
The Only Ones, 'Another Girl, Another Planet', The Only Ones (1978), CBS.
Siouxsie and the Banshees, 'Christine', Kaleidoscope (1980), Polydor.
The Tall Dwarfs, 'Nothing's Gonna Happen', Three Songs EP (1981), Furtive.
Kissing the Pink, 'The Last Film', Naked (1983), Atlantic.
The Chills, 'Wet Blanket', Brave Words (1987), Flying Nun Records.
Bailter Space, 'Tanker', Tanker (1988), Flying Nun Records.
Galaxie 500, 'Isn't It A Pity', On Fire (1989), Rough Trade.
Cocteau Twins, 'Iceblink Luck', Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990), 4AD.
Straitjacket Fits, 'Such a Daze', Melt (1990), Flying Nun Records.
Red House Painters, 'Revelation Big Sur', Songs For a Blue Guitar (1996), Supreme Recordings.
Uilab, 'St. Elmo's Fire', Fires (1997), Duophonic.
Broken Social Scene, 'Passport Radio', Feel Good Lost (2001), Noise Factory Records.
Masha Qrella, 'I Want You To Know', Luck (2002), Monika Enterprise.
Sun Kil Moon, 'Last Ride', Ghosts Of The Great Highway (2003), Jetset Records.
Arthur Russell, 'The Deer In The Forest Part 1', Calling Out Of Context (2004), Audika.
Jens Lekman, 'And I Remember Every Kiss', Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007), Secretly Canadian.
Swung, 'Lull', Voice and Key (2007), PseudoArcana.