My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 1 - Leonard Cohen - The Songs Of Leonard Cohen released December 1967

I bought this Lp second-hand when I was in Usa in the Summer of 1976. I carried it around with me for much of my trip and think I was able to play it when I was working in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. Some people (as enunciated by Neil in 'the Young Ones') find Leonard Cohen depressing, but I have always found his lyrics/poetry uplifiting. My personal motto for many years comes from The Stranger Song - Like any dealer he was watching for the card that is so high and wild he'll never need to deal another...

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 2 - Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground featuring Nico - The Velvet Underground released Nov 1970

This is the only compilation in my selection. Not only are the songs uniformly epic, but their placement on this double LP is superb. 

Side 1: I'm waiting For the man, Candy says, 'Run,Run,Run', White light/White heat, All tomorrow's parties

Side 2: Sunday Morning, I heard her call my name, Femme fatale, Heroin, Here she comes now, There she goes again

Side 3: Sister Ray, Venus in furs

Side 4. European son, Pale blue eyes, Black angel's death song, Beginning to see the light

This was one of the LPs I bought when I was in the sixth form in Durham. I was listening to Bowie and Lou Reed and remember swapping records with friends like this, Transformer, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane.

Because this was my introduction to the Velvet Underground when it came to getting the albums on CD I always found them disappointing, I think because none of them matched the power of this compilation.

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 3 - Past, Present & Future - Al Stewart released October 1973

This album was a constant soundtrack to my time at University. In the days when I attended The University of Kent there was an assumption that getting into a University was success in itself. Not only did (UK) students not pay fees, but many received maintenance grants. In my first year you could even sign on for the dole during the vacations. As a social sciences undergraduate I and my friends (as we didn't really mix with the plumbers who spent long hours in the labs) only had 5 hours of mandatory seminars to attend per week, and another 5 hours of lectures for those of a curious disposition. So, much of my time was spent drinking tea (or the occasional alcoholic beverage) in each others rooms whilst Al Stewart provided incidental music.

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 6 - Give 'em enough rope - The Clash released November 1978

The Clash were/are one of my favourite bands and when I was making this list the only decision was which LP to choose (bearing in mind my 'band only appears once' rule). Whilst many would choose London Calling which is a fine album or their first lp which is full of great tracks, I chose Give 'em enough rope because these were the songs they were playing throughout the period that I was seeing them live, most notably at the Music Machine (now Koko). At the time of it's release the progression to a rock sound was the subject of quite a lot of criticism but looking back it remains an exciting reminder of 1978. This copy is the recently released re-master which sounds particularly good on vinyl.

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 7 - Cut - The Slits released November 1979

This LP produced by Dennis Bovell was a long way from the John Peel sessions I listened to at the end of 1977 whilst living in a bedsit in Palmers Green. Their live show had also matured from varied degrees of chaos which prevailed when I first saw them in early 1978. 

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 8 - Closer - Joy Division released July 1980

For someone of my age who was active in the music scene in the late 70s and early 80s, the inclusion of a favourite Joy Division album is almost inevitable. I was late in coming to appreciate Joy Division and Closer was the first Joy Division album that I bought. By then, of course, Ian Curtis had hanged himself and I don't think I ever saw the band live. I had a friend who reviewed their first London show (I think at the Hope and Anchor) who said they were rubbish. I used to hang out at Rough Trade (it was in Kensington Park Road in those days) on many Saturday afternoons - sometimes I'd buy specific things, but I'd also listen to the recommendations from the staff; I remember them saying 'we've got Closer in, do you want that' .. so they played it and I bought it. I bought 'Unknown Pleasures' soon afterwards, but still think that Closer is the better LP.

My favourite LPs project [see entry for 27th Oct]

No. 9 - Tribute - Bunny Wailer released 1981

This Lp is a tribute to Bob Marley who died earlier in the year it was released. This is not the same as the Lp/Cd 'Bunny Wailer Sings The Wailers' still available on Island Records. There were several reggae sounds which I was enjoying around this time including LKJ, Aswad, Black Uruhu and Misty in Roots. This album features some of the Wailer's best songs and the musicians include Sly and Robbie in the rhythm section. I particularly like the version of Redemption Song on this album. This was an LP (along with other Bunny Wailer LPs) that I kept when I sold most of my vinyl collection (partly because this record wasn't available on CD). 

I have been considering my favourite LPs and in some cases getting new copies of the vinyl. Unlike NME I don't claim that these are the 'best', just that I like them and that they have some meaning to me. I will write a few notes on each LP here and at 98wounds.com. LPs have particular characteristics which may be unknown to the CD or download generations. They have two sides, generally it is too much trouble to skip tracks so one or two great tracks does not make a great LP. A record with one great side is not enough either. I will write some more general points about artists that don't feature when all ten have been revealed, but I can tell you that I have regarded this as something akin to 'Desert Island Discs' so have pretty much decided not to include more than one album from the same artist.

No. 10 - A Secret Wish - Propaganda released July 1985

By 1985 CDs were quickly replacing vinyl as a preferred format for new purchases, but at this time record companies were trying to maintain sales (it was home taping that was 'killing music' or the record companies profits, at the time) and different formats were popular. The LP of A Secret Wish is different to the CD. There are an enormous number of 12" singles variants made from songs on the album. The album contains a version of the bands first single Dr Mabuse but does not include the cover of Velvet Underground's Femme Fatale which is the B-Side of Dr Mabuse. I saw Propaganda on two nights of 'The Value Of Entertainment' at the Ambassadors Theatre in May 1985 and photographed them at Hammersmith Palais in November 1985.