Autocar - First for car news and reviews

 Please don't just say "The Radio". I read in Car magazine years ago that one of their correspondents listened to Sonic Youth, which I thought was pretty cool. Goo is particularly good on a nice, long night drive down a motorway...At the moment I have a D90 with Mush and Minx by Leatherface on it which rarely ever leaves, and some old LTJ Bukem,...Selected Ambient Works Vol 1 makes an occasional appearance too. Makes a change from all this car stuff I hope... ;-)

I always love a bit of Coldplay, Travis, Keane, The Feeling and Goldfrapp to name a few. The Hoosiers, U2 and Duffy are amongst some other faves. Chris Evans and Steve Wright are great on BBC Radio 2, as well.

When I commuted regularly through the north London suburbs, it was always Radio 4 but then John Humphries started getting stroppy with everyone it seemed and it was too stress inducing before even getting to work. Now that I work from home and mostly use the car later in the day, I alway seem to find Woman's Hour on Radio 4 (I'm sure it must be Woman's Four Hours really) and when at home at my desk I listen to BBC Radio 7 on DAB or play opera arias or favourite stuff off my iPod. When in the car I like the spoken word rather than music, even with the JBL system and ten speakers that come with the car, it is not always possible to hear the quiet bits of music. Audio books are good listening, I really like John Le Carre reading his own books, heaven on a really long journeys.

Currently in the Legacy (the only car without an ipod connector now) there is:

1. Very Best of Fleetwood Mac, 2. A Rush of Blood Too the Head, 3. The Very Best of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, 4. Best of Clapton, 5. and 6. Pulse (Pink Floyd live)

Radio wise 101.7 (Classic Hits) and 104.9 (Rock Sydney)

Sonic Youth:  Goo, Sister and especially Daydream Nation.  Also listen to LTJ Bukem and most stuff on the Good Looking label.  And Mush by Leatherface!  Also Fugazi, Flying Lotus, the soundtrack to Solaris (brilliant for night driving), LCD Soundsystem, Atmosphere, 'Colours' by Adam F, 'Aja' by Steely Dan, Mo Wax and Hospital podcasts, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Breaks Co-op, Raconteurs, old BBC radio shows like Alan Partridge and Flight of the Conchords, Hot Snakes, Portishead, Buffalo Tom, Ray Barbee, Bebel Gilberto, Tangerine Dream, DJ Krust, Dead Kennedys, Air, Alex Reece, Amon Tobin, RZA, Ghostface, Mylo, De La Soul, MF Doom, Madonna, anything really!

 

I'm a composer so in a fit of lunatic self-indulgence I made a load of music to listen to in the car. However...

I heartily recommend downloading (legally of course!)

1. Herb Alpert - Rotation. 2. Kieth Jarrett - the Koln Concert Pt 1. 3. John Martyn - Small Hours. 4. Tom Greenwood - Silent Running. 5. Steve Winwood - Arc of a Diver

Albums: 1. The Byrds - live at the Albert Hall 1971 2. Dire Straits - Dire Straits. 3. Miles Davis  - In a Silent way. 4. Leo Kottke - 6 and 12 String Guitar 5. The Man Machine - Kraftwerk

 
I find instrumental music a bit easier these days - for the radio it has to be radio 4 - an oasis of Englishness in a world gone mad.  Can't stand the bloody Archers though!

The kids seem to favour obscure 60s/70s reggae like Slim Smith and Pat Kelly - If you've even the slightest enjoyment of reggae I have to mention "Soulful Love" the best of Pat Kelly and friends - on Trojan records - I got it as a gift not long ago and it's excellent.

 
 

You listen to the DK's whilst driving - respect! I shall do so on my way to Tesco in a minute. I salute you sir!  Ever hear a record by their bass player (Klaus Flouride!) called "drive that bus through the barricades" - that is a mad tune and no mistake.

I also, unforgivably, forgot to mention Tom Waits
 

 Don't think I've heard of that one, but I have one Flouride's albums called 'The Light Is Flickering'...  Plastic Surgery Disasters is a great DK driving album - Buzbomb in particular: 

"Buzzbomb Buzzbomb
Macho-mobile
The road's my slave
That's how I feel

I cruise alone
I cruise real far
I don't love you
I love my car

'Cross Nevada
At 110
Highway 50
And there's nobody there
Sign says, "Next sign 30 miles"

I work all week, each penny saved
Buys more escape from home
I'd rather cruise around all day
Than save up for a move

Plow thru rest area San-O-Lets
Splat! goes the lonely salesman
Wanking in the men's room

Buzzbomb Buzzbomb
Tape up loud
Blue piss clinging to my windshield
Faster faster in my car

Buzzbomb is my pride and joy
King of the trailer court
Waiting for the perfect chick
Who'll love me for my car

I tell her why I'm cool
She coos back just what I like
When I pretend she's near

Zip through Ely
Where Pat Nixon was born
The cops 'round here sure looking bored
Flashing sirens-state patrol

They're scratching up my gorgeous paint job
Shooting out my tires
Ain't no way to go to heaven
Buzzbomb cornered at the 7-11"

 Good call! Need to get Daydream Nation on to a tape... Have to agree about DKs... Wiping tears of laughter from one's eyes while driving could be considered dangerous though...

Two genres currently on me 'pod in the car: Trance / Electronica & Classical. On long m-way schleps from Shropshire to London, it classical all the way (most of it the relaxing variety: Chopin Nocturnes No.1, Berceause in D, Vaughan-Williams Tallis Fantasia etc). Weekends it'll be dancey trancey stuff - most of it from between 1998 and 2002, with a bit of Zero 7, and Lamb thrown in for some chillout.

5 Live

Bootyluv, Will Young, Armand van Helden, Calexico, Kylie, Sylvester, Sharon Redd, Amy Winehouse.....