My Melodic Milestone Playlist Part II - N to Z

Introduction

This was inspired by a Medium story by Jasmine Aguilar, which was a list of alphabetical eighties songs. The link is only for paying Medium members and is here.

Here is "A to M"

This is "N to Z" and things that happened to me that relate to those songs.

The times are likely to be all over the place and I will not repeat any that I have already shared.

This is for the "Melodic Milestone Playlist" Vocal Challenge which you can read about below.

The Prompt

Create a personalized soundtrack to your life.

No Mercy - Nils Lofgren

This is not a song I ever performed, but my dad boxed for the army but had to retire because he cut too easily, despite winning many fights. He enrolled me and my brother in a boxing club, I hated it but my brother loved it. I did OK while was there but still not a fan of being hit.

Oblivion - Terrorvision

This is a song I loved to sing with Spoon, but it always shocked me how easy it was to remember the lyrics. Once I had learned them I seldom looked at them again and I think I could give it a good stab if I got up on stage again.

Please Don't Touch - Headgirl (Motörhead and Girlschool)

Performed once by SAS (Spoon and the Abinoble Showmen) with me and Jim Stevenson sharing vocals. This may eventually surface on Youtube but for now, enjoy the original cover of the Johnny Kidd and The Pirates song.

Queen Bitch - David Bowie

Always loved this because the main part used the D-C-G chord riff as used by Eddie Cochran in "Three Steps To Heaven" and though I can play it I never got the opportunity to play it live as it always got slapped down by the bands I was with.

Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young (Covered by Spoon - Newcastle)

The first of four songs on this playlist where you get to hear me sing, with some excellent incendiary guitar work from Chris Ball and Andy Tate, and solid rhythm provided by Steve Kirkby and I forget the bassist's name. I'm sure someone will tell me.

(She Sells) Sanctuary - The Cult (Covered by Spoon - Newcastle)

With the same line up another assault on your aural facilities by me. I love the original of this but think that this came out well, though that is just my opinion.

The Book Of Love - The Magnetic Fields (covered by me)

This is a beautiful song and I hope I haven't ruined it for you. The original and the Peter Gabriel cover are both worth seeking out if you want to know what it should sound like.

Unbelievable - EMF

When Spoon when baggy. Great song I don't think I can say that much more about it, take a listen if you have never heard it.

Viva Las Vegas - ZZ Top / Elvis Presley / Dead Kennedys

When Keith Mole and a few others left these shores for the antipodes Spoon performed at a farewell party at the Archer in Jesmond and Keith took lead vocals on this sometime in the mid-nineties.

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush/China Drum (Covered by Spoon - Newcastle)

Chris had heard a take on the Kate Bush song by China Drum from South Shields. I got the vocals for this but then discovered it is full of very weird lyric splits. I think you can still recognise the song though. This is the final bit of me in this playlist.

X-Offender - Blondie

Not one that I ever thought of playing but I loved this when I first heard it and went out and bought it, and this was the song that got me into Blondie.

You Really Got Me - The Kinks

Proto Heavy Metal from 1964. Dave Davies stabbed his speakers to distort the guitar sound. A simple block chord sequence which I must have got on stage with some band somewhere but I can't remember so maybe I just imagined it.

Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

I loved the descending intro riff based on a "D" chord and learned the song and played it with Cyrus Teed. Still love this song.

Conclusion

This concludes a song from my life for every letter of the alphabet but below are two more playlists, one for every one of my 65 years and one with twelve significant life events.