The First Album I Ever Bought was: Mötley Crüe, Too Fast For Love [Elektra, 1982]
“Live Wire was the first riff I ever learned, so this record had a big impact on me. This tape – yes, tape – changed my life. I’d look at the insert over and over again, blown away by the imagery. I knew then that I wanted to play music.”
The Best Album Artwork Is: Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath [Vertigo, 1970]
“Think of the time period the art lived in and how that art affected the listener; I imagine it frightened people when they saw it in the shops. The mystery surrounding it still stands the test of time and it represents that era of music visually more than any other record.”
The Album To Break The Speed Limit To Is: Dieselboy, The Dungeonmaster’s Guide [Human Imprint, 2004]
“I’ve always been into drum’n’bass and this is one of the records that got me into it. Play it loud and pretend you’re in an action movie and you’ll have the cops behind you in no time. I had three tickets in one year because of this.”
The Album I Wish I’d Made Is: The Beatles, Abbey Road [Apple, 1969]
“Every damn Beatles album! They were in the age of new technology and experimentation and started what I think is our modern rock. Regardless of whether you like their music, they pushed the boundaries of popular music.”
The Album I’d Want Played At My Funeral Is: David Bowie, Blackstar [ISO/RCA, 2016]
“Bowie wrote this record while he was dying so I think it encompasses death more than any record on Earth. He brings you into his mind while he’s accepting his fate and lets the listener know how important it’s all been to him. Listening to that thought process is equally frightening and peaceful.”
The Album That Should Not Be Is: Brokencyde, Guilty Pleasure [Suburban Noize, 2011]
“I hate to say albums shouldn’t exist, because somewhere, someone is using that music to better their lives, but this album upsets me. It goes further than just not liking how it sounds. Everything they stand for is wrong. Showing young people that the only thing in life is sex, drugs and ‘crunk-core’… what the fuck is that?”
The Best Album To Work Out To Is: Keep of Kalessin, Armada [Tabu, 2006]
“I don’t work out a lot, but when I do I always throw on black metal. It helps me run faster and get the misery of working out over with. This album is an overlooked gem – if you’re a fan of the genre I highly recommend diving into it.”
No One Would Believe I Own A Copy Of: Andrea Bocelli, Incanto [Decca, 2008]
“I don’t subscribe to the idea of ‘guilty pleasure’ records. I think most forms of music have great moments, but I don’t think the average fan would realise I’d like a record like this. Andrea does a great job of crossing the line between opera and pop. Opera singers blow my mind.”
The Album That Broke My Heart Is: Weezer, Weezer [Geffen, 2001]
“This one really got to me. They’d had a perfect beginning, but started to show that they were moving towards an avenue that didn’t feel at all organic. It felt like they were starting to write to get big and not because it was naturally in them – it seemed like the beginning of their decline. Luckily, I really enjoyed their last two records!”
A Kid Asks Me What Metal Is, I Hand Them A Copy Of: Pantera, Vulgar Display Of Power [Eastwest, 1992]
“I remember the jump from Cowboys From Hell to this record and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. It was such an intense step and at the same time it felt so honest. It sounded like four pissed-off guys writing intense music, reflecting that thought. This album is timeless and I still learn things from listening to it.”
