It’s that time of the week again, where we’ve asked Indiependent contributor Thomas Johnston to condense his iTunes library to a mere five tracks, which epitomise his musical education. It’s a lot harder than it sounds! Take it away, Thomas…
If I Needed Someone // The Beatles
I’m a believer in the idea that the world is made up of two types of people: those who like The Beatles, and those who haven’t properly listened to them. I don’t remember when I got into them but to be honest, I don’t think anyone ever really does. They’re part of the musical furniture; a constant, existing there in the background all the time under your nose until you learn to fully appreciate them.
While growing up, The Beatles were played regularly in the Johnston household and If I Needed Someone has always been a family favourite. This stirs up precious memories of time spent with my family and all the wonderful memories that came with it, particularly a truly unforgettable trip to Liverpool on which we visited the legendary Cavern Club, went on a Magical Mystery Tour around the city and rekindled our sense of Beatlemania .
Cornerstone // Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are probably a predictable choice for anyone my age, but I think that’s a testament to how big an impact they’ve had on my generation. They gave the British music scene a kick up the arse when it needed it most, injecting new life into what was becoming an increasingly barren musical landscape. However, at the time my mum wasn’t too enthusiastic about the idea of me getting into them – she thought they were, to use her words, “wrong ‘uns.” But when I heard the band’s live session for Zane Lowe to promote Humbug, naturally curiosity got the better of me. In an act motivated by defiance and intrigue in equal measure, I went out and nabbed myself a copy, along with their first two albums.
It paid off. Arctic Monkeys pulled me in hook line and sinker, and became the band to properly and organically capture my imagination. It represented the start of me developing my own truly individual taste in music, free from the shackles of parental approval. Nowadays, Cornerstone is still my favourite song of all time – hearing it live was arguably the most cathartic and euphoric moment of my life to date. Alex Turner remains one of my personal idols and even mum has a few of their singles on her iPod. How the times change, eh?
No Hope // The Vaccines
They say your teenage years are the best years of your life, but that doesn’t mean to say they’re easy. It’s a period of your life filled with inexplicable angst, apathy, anxiety and confusion. These emotions are exacerbated by the sudden realisation that soon, you’ll be pushed to make choices what you want to do for the rest of your life. In amongst these things, along with the stresses of exams, I was forced to deal with some unexpected difficulties in my home life.
There’s no medically prescribed antidote to tackle these feelings, but The Vaccine’s Come Of Age is as near as you’re ever going to get. I found that the opener No Hope, with its Ramones-esque thump set against Justin Young’s deadpan delivery, captured perfectly how it feels walking that tightrope between being a boy and becoming a man. In a strange way, it was something of a reassuring pat on the back. I almost felt safe in the knowledge that at least The Vaccines understood what I was going through.
Dancing In The Moonlight // Toploader
Yes, I know. It’s corny, but even the cheesiest of noughties pop anthems can evoke the most cherished memories and this is one such case. Despite being an undeniably catchy school disco floorfiller, Toploader’s flash-in-the-pan hit is a bittersweet song to hear. It takes me back to the summer following my 18th birthday when I used to dance to it in a local nightclub with a girl who I almost instantly fell absolutely head over heels for. While we had our ups and downs and things didn’t quite work out as I would have liked, she was still an incredibly significant person in my life and left a real impact on me as a person. She is literally on the other side of the world to me right now. I have no idea when I will see her again and at times, I miss her terribly. Still, whenever this song plays on the radio, it feels as if it’s summer again and I can’t help but break into a smile.
The Kooks // She Moves In Her Own Way
This is a song with a lot of different memories attached to it. This was one of the first songs I learnt to play when I picked up the guitar. It was a singalong anthem in the car on my first ever road trip to Shrewsbury to catch up with old friends. Most of all, this track reminds me of when I saw The Kooks at Glastonbury – almost by sheer coincidence. They were one of the biggest bands of my school days and it wasn’t until the weekend of the festival itself that they were actually billed to appear at the John Peel Stage – naturally, I had to go. I was weary, hung over and ankle deep in mud. Yet in that moment, as I danced in my wellies with all the grace of a drunken dad at a family wedding, tinny in hand and not a care in the world, I felt like life couldn’t get much better.
Which songs would define your life? Tell us@indie_pendent_