Day 14: 13 Songs that changed Sarah's life

Welcome to Day 14 of our musical feast - and your musical chef for today is Sarah Williamson - another eclectic set, a hint of a million stories (note Darren, a hint!) and the sign of true appreciator of music - Metallica and Lamb in the same list. Stunning.

"1. Fallen – Sarah McLachlan. This song saw many tears and brought much healing. “Heaven bend to take my hand and lead me through the fire. "Be the long awaited answer to a long and painful fight” mmm mmmm Sarah McLachlan is first and foremost, spot on. As always.

2. Heaven- Live
Truly a beautiful song from a very pure place. “I don’t need no proof when it comes to God and truth…I can see the sunset”.

3. Gorecki – Lamb
Haunting. Moving. Or maybe it’s the feeling from the movie. Go see the Aussie movie “Amy” and you can decide. There’s something quite indescribable about this. The song stayed with me though.

4. Nothing else matters- Metallica.
Who knew. I ended up at a Metallica concert in those younger days and I tell you, this song live was a spiritual experience. I liked it before, but I loved it then. And I’ve never forgotten genius.

5. Hyperballad – Big Heavy Stuff (Has to be “Like a Version”, not a Bjork fan sorry)
God, I love Greg’s voice in this. A strange violent yet not violent song. Something about being on the edge and disconnectedness, wondering what it would be like to literally fall off a cliff. Wondering about what we do to be safe with each other.

6. Flame trees - Sarah Blasko
Brought an old Cold Chisel song to life and spoke to the existence of isolation, country living, nature, longing. Never paid attention to it until Sarah – but damn, it’s good.

7. A 4th world – Xavier Rudd.
If you don’t know this song go and find it and read the lyrics! Xavier, the prophet. As skilled musically as much as prophetic for this nation. Solace really hit me personally in some interesting ways, but A 4th world is unbeatable.

8. Breathe In Now – George
A deeply peaceful perspective –relationships, life, pain, choices. “So this moment I just have to sing aloud to say I like, I love and breathe in now”. Something about keeping hope alive really.

9. Special Ones – George
An amazing tale of the decision not to take any crap, with magnificent poetic eloquence. Ahh, it’s just alllll good.

10. Elephant Love Medley – Ewan and Nicole
To some distress I’ve just ousted Something for Kate (must be number 14), for Ewan and Nicole. But seriously, in terms of being a part of life changing moments, this is it. Sorry for what I’m about to reveal, Dave, but we used to sing ourselves to sleep to this, giggling away. Or sing ridiculously loud driving along in the car. It’s cute and funny from a weird but powerfully sad movie/musical…Moulin Rouge.

11. The Lament – Tanya Sparks from “Darkwood Road”
No words, just music. One of the most moving things I have ever listened to. Used this for Good Friday and the whole place was in tears. It’s profound and doesn’t need words.

12. See the sun – Dido.
For those whom I’ve done this for and for those who have done it for me. Dido…just…gets…it.

In memory of ye olde days -
13. Destination Anywhere- The Commitments. Dedicated to Heidi Pick and our Clare High days. Dedicated to that stupid movie which we loved, the unknown we longed for and that annoying air cond that was never cold enough.

Are honourable mentions legit now? I’ll give due cred to the 60s rock box we grew up listening to which made me think the world was fairy floss, the Cranberries who suitably depressed me, Roxette who took up my piano playing hours, Robbie Williams who has no explanation, U2 & Guns N’ Roses who strangely were a part of something big."

Anti War Public Liturgy

"A reframing and reordering of the way the world is perceived"

How arrogant does that sound? How embarassing did it feel?

But as I read the news every morning, yet more rockets and still more deaths. How can I stay still with this current story that tucks me away so safely is Sleepy Hollow?

"Love is more than happiness child,
Life is more than living till you die."

We believe that to honour the lives of those who have fallen in war, is to re-member their story in ways that will never allow us to engage in such violence again.

Presente.

False Idols

False Idols
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

Faces at the liturgy

Faces at the liturgy2
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

walking to the memorial

walking to the memorial
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

the american singing anti-war songs in baghdad

great article in the guardian here - hope amidst the hopeless.

master schubert's musings

immerse me
revive me
wash away my city filth
my white collar grit

let me be free
like you
show me how
let me be you

Day 13: 13 Songs that changed Dave's life

Day 13 and urbanstone is gratified to welcome the Wollongong Wonder - Dave Williamson. A man with fine, fine taste in whiskey, a prodigious cricketing talent and all round sports-billy, and yet even finds time to be a uni chaplain and liturgical experimentalist? What else will his musical history reveal...

"Hmmm difficult to do, what’s missing is, and I feel I need to name this as a confession and to place me a little, is John Farnham and Ice House, my first 2 LP’s

1. Mr Wendell – Arrested Development. A song that taught me something about humanity in a way I could understand it in early high school. Still love it, but I suppose it sums up my life with recorded music – I have never owned it!

2. I Believe - Blessed Union of Souls – Year 12, and then I find out my wife to be loves it! Really spoke of my idealistic world view and faith at the time. Still rings true to some extent.

3. Grace – U2 I’ll let this song speak for itself – I don’t think I could ever get sick of it, and it keeps speaking to me.

4. You are the Source – Grace. The much needed finding of faith music that replaced the hillsong stuff I quickly out grew and found insufficient to nurture my faith.

5. Praise Him – Fat Boy Slim.. symbolizes all those times I’ve tried to contextualize ministry and worship (esp with youth).

6. Worlds Apart – Jars of Clay. The best and most significant of my ‘Christian music’ past.

7. The Koran, the Ghan and the Yarn – David Bridie. The point in my life when I realized there were ‘many’ Australia’s – some of it ‘more’ Australian than me really. Yet I was born into the dominant expression of national identity… this songs tells the story of a different Australia…

8. That song that Phil Newton played at SOD last week… (Phil, please fill in the gaps) Damn! – a real expression of masculine community & spirituality that speaks of Sth African prisoners singing their brother’s soul home as he was led away to be executed.

9. You are Holy You are Whole – a real hymn…

10. Peaches and Cream – John Butler… totally and utterly pulled at my Paternal heartstrings. As soon as I heard that song I needed to be a dad. Also sums up my time in Northern NSW, and perhaps should include Solace by Xavier Rudd, which would surely make this list on another day.

11. Season’s of Love – Rent the Musical. Represents many songs from the musical that showed me the sacred in the profane that’s never really left me… as Tom Beaudoin shares it was a holy experience seeing that musical…

12. Bridge Over Troubled Water & Mrs Robinson Simon & Garfunkel… sums up my childhood listening to mum and dad’s favourites. I think S & G will always have a place in my heart – as will the term “Best of British Pop”

13.Better Be Home Soon… it’s the song that made me think I could sing ok, whilst making me realise I can only sing ok… Etched into me forever I spose."

School of Discipleship

I've been at the School of Discipleship this weekend, just outside of Canberra. A great weekend, full of challenge, laughter, hope and red wine. I'll write more of that later. But for now, just a quick update and a photo from the Public Liturgy that we held at the Australian War Memorial. Rev. Peter Hobson led us through with such strong conviction that it almost overcame the feelings of awkwardness that come with such an action. And of course our very own Steve Helman hovering with that "rock star with a cause" look in the back ground.

Day 12: 13 Songs that changed Darren's life

Day 12 is a mammoth production, with Sir Darren of Canberra iving us his Magus Opus. OH MY GOD what a can of worms did we open here!?! Enter if you dare, return if you can. Just channel a bit of John Cusack, rub you old vinyl LP's together and say, "there's no place like home" 3 times and you should be fine. Sort of.

"It's been a while in production, but I think I've finally managed to complete a sane list of 13 songs that changed my life, I've had to make some tough choices, leaving some songs out of my list that I'd previously thought were shoe ins, and I've had to create a number of rules to assist me in choosing the final 13, like "I'm not to include songs that were included in mix-tapes created by ex-girlfriends, nor am I to include songs that were attached to the 80's Christian music scene, and songs that refer to , have been covered or written by John Farnham have also been eliminated from my song reference database. I've also decided that Icehouse's "Man of Colours", 1927's "If I Could", Richard Marx "Lonely Nights", Ratcat's "Baby Baby" and Shakin Steven's don't really qualify as life-changing songs, unless I'm speaking about an earlier life or a life lived in a parallel universe...

1. Junior - Robert
I grew up going to Easter Camps with a guy named Steve Pederson, (Ped) he was a few eyars older than me, as were most people back then and played the guitar extremely well, he'd be a part of a number of bands for the years to come, I still remember him in a cover band that played at the Findon each week and how the songs they played really didn't suit him. Ped was also a youth worker in the church, for a while there we were both youth workers at the same time, but for the most part he was one of my seniors, a mate and a mentor of such. Long story short he stopped working for the church, probably one of the healthiest things for him, they'd treated him like crap and he and some close mates started playing as a group named "Greasy Spoons" after some playing around they got a residence at The Clyde on Unley Road in Adelaide. We'd turn up each week on a Thursday for Greasy and Toss The Boss and beer, Andrew, Shane and myself and whoever else decided to join us, and we did that for a long time. They'd move to the New Yorke Bar n Grill, to The Oxford and The Old Lion as well as a number of other places over time before finding residency at the Gov Hindmarsh. By then the covers band "Greasy Spoons" had changed name and were now known as "Junior" and were now primarily an originals band.

I blame these guys for my beer drinking, but I also thank them for giving me somewhere to go, a home base if you'd like for the years between 17 and 29, wherever they played I'd be with a number of mates drinking a Pale Ale and singing to tunes that have become as much a part of my spiritual life as they have my music collection. Pete, Justin and Ped, the trio who make up Junior were also traveling members of the TOLLS community, I'd turn up to support them, but also to keep the connections going, even recently they played at the Illawarra Folk Festival which I attended and recalled times past and new songs being written. Words cannot describe how much i love these guys, or how much I owe them, I still remember listening to one of their cds before my interview for this job in Canberra. When I listen to their songs i can close my eyes and taste the Pale Ale and smell the city of Adelaide.

2. Counting Crows - Round Here
My Counting Crows obsession can also be partially blamed on Ped and the Junior boys, and anyone else I grew up with, I've always been a huge Crows fan, I've been cut twice due to concert cancellations but have been lucky enough to see them play in Adelaide once. Just before I moved to Canberra I purchased a couple of tickets to the Crows gig and took my brother, we sat up in the mezzanine of the Theatre as everyone ran downstairs, from on high we sat there with our feet up, drinking a beer, relaxed and listened to some of the music that has defined my adulthood. One of the more amusing scenes of the night was the Piano Accordion solo with about 50 screaming teenagers.

One of the reasons I find choosing songs so hard is that the cd that Round Here came from has followed me around since it was released, each song is embedded in my head so much that choosing only one from the cd is almost impossible. I love the Crows, I remember standing up on stage at the Clyde back in the days trying to get the lyrics to Goodnight Elisabeth out of my mouth while the Junior guys played away.

Round here were carving out our names
Round here we all look the same
Round here we talk just like lions

3. Faithless - God Is A DJ

This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts
It's a natural grace
Of watching young life shape
It's in minor keys
Solutions and remedies
Enemies becoming friends
When bitterness ends

Faithless have been one of my spiritual retreats for a number of years now, I used to "DJ" the services for The Other Late Late Service in Adelaide, SA and I'd regularly slip back and find a Faithless track that fitted a theme, or a time in the service, the many remixes of their tracks make it easy to find something to play. I used to walk into Ovingham UCA by myself and pump up the volume on the speakers, light a candle and lay in the centre of the church with Faithless or Radiohead pumping through the speakers as loud as I could allow for the time of day.

This song in particular has become an anthem of mine, for in times where church wasn't actually the place where I healed my hurts, in fact it was a place that actively encouraged, brought out and created hurts for me the music became a place where I could seek God out, that I could find healing in between the beats and rhythm of the music. If I could, I'd choose the entire Faithless back catalogue as a part of the songs that changed my life, even today I've found myself listening to them live on a dvd and hearing words that pull me towards the holy one.

4. Radiohead - The Bends
It'd been a while since Church made sense to me, I'd worked for it for a number of years, I'd seen all my friends leave it and I'd been hurt by it and people within it badly, I so didn't want to be there but I knew there was something more, I'd been arguing with God for ages, and with myself and my parents and, with everyone else around me, how could people in the church hurt me and my friends so bad, how could I get over it, how could I move on, where was a place that I could get away with asking these questions. It was funny that around that time in my life I bumped into a crew of people who I'd known for a while but never really connected with, they'd all been in the Scripture Union crew, a scene that I wasn't too familiar with and a man that was heavily involved int he group Geoff Boyce. These guys had got to the point that SU church wasnt working for them, real church wasn't working, for a few of them it never had, for a number of them they were as angry if not moreso than I was, this was the beginning of the TOLLS community in Adelaide.

I remember sitting in the church, images being reflected everywhere and the music's lyrics shining on the screens "Where do we go from here? The words are coming out all weird. Where are you now when I need you?" I fell in love with the people, the space, the music and the song immediately, it was screaming out everything I'd been feeling for ages. I think that the song and the TOLLS community, and the rest of the cd "The Bends" by Radiohead were a major part of my sorting out my faith, learning how to lament and to grieve properly and how to put words to my feelings. I love this song to this very day and pump it through my house whenever I can, yet I've realised that I can't drive with Radiohead on the stereo, just doesn't work...

5. Sigur Ros - Olsen Olsen
I've outted myself as a Radiohead fanatic, so it wouldn’t be hard to believe that I found Sigur Ros due to an interview with Thom Yorke a number of years ago in which he named them as his favourite band of the time, they'd started touring with the band and released a cd titled "Ágætis byrjun." I'd listened to ambient music before this, I'd used a lot of Moby and people like Brian Eno, but this album was something different, it was like I'd been hit smack in the face with the most beautiful sound in the world. I bought Ágætis byrjun and a couple other cds that they'd put out and started to play them in church a lot, even now I find myself mixing their songs onto cds for trips to art galleries and beaches and meditations. Olsen Olsen is one of those tracks from Ágætis byrjun that I could find a download of, I think the entire cd has to be taken as one track, but If I have to choose one I thought I’d choose one that others could listen to if they wanted.

I absolutely love these guy's stuff, i used to wonder what they were singing about, but quickly learnt that I don't need to know, all I need to know is that it's beautiful and I can be happy with that. Once again I'd find myself at Ovingham UCA with a candle burning and Sigur Ros blasting through our makeshift stereo speakers, I miss that space, it's hard to do that in a unit without having the cops knock on your door...

6. U2 - When Love Comes To Town
I guess I couldn't put together a list without including U2, this song was one that regularly appeared in quiet time reflections at Easter Camps back when I was 14/15, I remember sitting in the Macclesfield campsite Chapel with the song playing in the background and holding a journal that had a number of questions to answer. I grew up with people who loved U2 and in the end I grew up to love them too, I think that while other tunes may have had more effect on me than When Love Comes To Town it's probably the first U2 song that I remember hearing, really hearing and paying attention to. I think this song was like the first kiss in a long love affair with the band, it's where I realised that music was more to me than just something to listen to, it was a spiritual experience.

7. Mum - Will The Summer Make Good For All Our Sins?
I fell in love with Sigur ros and went hunting for bands that had a similar sound, these guys are also from Iceland and are also signed to FatCat Records and also play ambient electro melodic music. While the music that Mum creates is possibly a little more melodic than Sigur Ros they have the same effect on me as when I listen to many of the Ros tracks. I add these guys to my list because I've seen them live, while I've missed Sigur Ros on each of their tours. I remember going to Fowlers Live to catch Mum one night in Adelaide, I had some other friends going and we stood in a hall and listened to the most beautiful sounds being created live in front of us.

I caught the taxi only half the way home that night and walked the rest of the way because I needed time to be alone with the ringing in my ears, the concert was a life changing experience, I never thought that music like that could be created live, and for a few friends of mine it's the closest we've ever been to being at church together.

8. Ben Harper – Walk Away
Ben Harper has been the friend I've needed during a number of relationship breakups, this song's kept me company for more than a few weeks of my life, and if I had to choose one of his songs that has changed my life this'd be it, although there are oh so many more songs that he's written that I find myself drawn to during cold nights alone.

It's also a song that I've learnt to play on the guitar more times than i'd care to remember.

9. Eat The Menu/The Mercy Bell – Always
Another independent band, and one that got the royal arse when they signed to a record company that got them to record but refused to release their album, yes I'm pretty pissed about this, they were great. Eat The Menu, or The Mercy Bell as they came to be known as were members of TOLLS way back in the beginning, they'd play live music throughout the gigs, it was the first church service that I recall having a band that didn’t sing songs like Shine Jesus Shine, they were a band to help the service take form, they didn't lead singing, although as we knew lots of their songs singing was something that we'd do regularly. The group did a number of School Seminars and also played at our regular TEAR gig "Stuff Mother Wouldn't Let Us Do In The Kitchen" with another friend's band "Dewey Del." The band was made up of a number of really talented people, some of who were related, Butterfly Boucher was amongst the crew and played the bass guitar, the last time I saw her she was supporting Sarah Mclachlan on her Australian tour...

I go back to the Mercy Bell cds regularly, and as I lived with another Boucher for a couple of years in a share house I managed to collect some of their unreleased material that I'm happy to say I also get to sit down and listen to on the odd occasion. These guys mark a time of my life when my concepts of church was changing, but they also marked the time that I decided to get into High School Chaplaincy.

10. The Eels - My Beloved Monster
Heh, well...

There was this girl, we met at a camp, we became best friends, stayed that way for years, I'd been through 3 or more of her ex relationships, we'd talk about everything and anything and there were times where something could have happened between us but didnt, due to some sort of cruel chivalrous gene god gave me, we knew everything about each other, she was seeing this guy and had mentioned marriage once or twice.

And yes, I was in love with her, had been forever, the kind of love that meant I was happy just as long as we still talked and laughed and would go for walks etc etc etc... yes, shoot me now.

Anyhow, we were at a camp and she was wondering why I was in a down mood, I'd earlier told her that after camp I thought we needed to have some time apart as I needed to "do some things" you see, I'd recently turned 21 and that night we got oh so close to kissing that I freaked (she was seeing someone and wanting to marry him at the time) so I did the only thing a man knows to do in such a situation, run, and run as fast as one can. Well, it was that or beat up the other guy and run off with the woman in your arms, something that I could have done, he was pretty scrawny... but that wasn't me.

So, where was I? oh yes, camp... She dragged me into her car one night and had a go at me for saying I needed some time alone, how she and I were best friends and whatever was going on we could handle blah blah blah blah...

Oh, sorry, I'm a bad story teller, backstep about 2 hours. We were playing a wide game at night, I'd taken it a little too seriously, as I tend to do and ran into a tree branch, the eventuating black eye and scratch to the iris sent me to hospital where they put this gooey yellow liquid in my eye to help it repair itself.

So yeah, in the car, tears, yellow, gooey tears staining shirt etc etc I tell her that I loved her, she doesn’t seem surprised, we talk and end up knowing I was gonna still spend some time apart for a bit, even if its' a week or two. I bought a Ford Cortina that week, placed a brand new stereo unit in it and went on a road trip, but I bought the new EELs cd "Beautiful Freak" to keep me company, went to Victor Harbour, ate pizza, drank scotch, listened to the cd lots of times, slept in a tent...

Oh and yes, we dated for 2 and a bit years until she ripped my heart out and stabbed it with a fork several times when she went out with a guy from University, she's now married to another guy who I think is a git, (but I never said that). I'm not sore at all...

11. Bruce Cockburn – Child of The Wind

Little round planet
In a big universe
Sometimes it looks blessed
Sometimes it looks cursed
Depends on what you look at obviously
But even more it depends on the way that you see

Tell you the truth I've probably only heard this song 3 times, but the lyrics above have been a part of my life for longer than I can recall, Paul Turley wrote them on the TOLLS fridge ages ago, and they became a part of our story, every now and then I find myself quoting it without even thinking in a prayer, a story, a conversation... Bruce is like that though, he can effect you with one little line which is why we used to call him Saint Bruce, Paul used to find any opportunity to get me to play one of his songs during church, and as much as I resisted it back then I find myself drawn to Bruce’s music more and more as time goes by.

12. Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
Well, this song has permanently lodged itself into my subconscious, I'll start singing it without notice, it'll be playing on my guitar during church without me even thinking, yes it's one of those songs. I love the Femmes, always have, and I remember many a night's events being turned from boring to eventful as a couple of us break out the guitars and start hammering out the chords to this song, heck, I played it at a camp only last week...

This is my essential song of my adolescence.

13. Smashing Pumpkins – Landslide
An ex used to love Fleetwood Mac, which I found a tad disturbing, but I remember listening to the radio one day (well before her and I met) and hearing Billy Corgan's voice singing along to a beautiful rendition of Landslide and I was converted, not only to the song but to the Pumpkins. A number of years later managed to hunt down the cd single with Billy singing the song on it. I even learnt to play this song on the guitar for her and still plonk it on the old player every now and then and remember back to the days before yet another woman decided to trample over my heart...

heh heh, well...

Seriously though I hunted for this single for years before I finally found it in a cd store in Melbourne, how did it change my life? It was on the first mix tape I made for her...

Honourable mentions, (let's face it only left out because Jon wants 13 songs, not 18)

• Billy Bragg – Sexuality

I remember playing this song AS LOUD AS I POSSIBLY COULD as I drove into the SA Synod meetings that were talking sexuality and leadership, it was one of those things that kept me alive during those meetings, I'd Drive out with the song "All You Fascists Are Gonna Loose" playing even louder...

• Things of Stone And Wood – Share This Wine

TOSAW have been one of those bands that keep making appearances thoughtout my life, this song was the first song that Ped taught me on the guitar and it's one of the best road trip songs in the world.

• Sinead Oconnor - Black Boys on Mopeds

I used to sit at a mates house listening to all his dark cds and singing along, we used to just turn off the lights and hit play, Sinead was one of those chicks that we played a lot, this song is lodged somewhere in my subconscious as well. I still miss doing that, he had a great cd collection.

• Ani Difranco – Dialate

Took Jess, (the Fleetwood Mac chick) to see Ani Difranco live in Adelaide, blew my mind away, Ani's phenomenal, actually I think this was one of my first live gigs I remember going to.

• Paul Kelly – God’s Hotel

I remember this playing during a communion service at Theological College, Andrew Dutney played it for us and I fell in love with it and Paul Kelly's music at that time, was probably the first time I remember feeling at home at college, I remember Sue Wickham and I walking around handing out the communion elements saying "have more of the body of Christ" as we've been emphasising the feast and provision aspect of the story of the last supper at the time, we had a number of loaves to share...

• 
  

Removed due to being included on mix tapes created by ex girlfriends:

• Sarah Mclachlan - Shelter


• Sting - A Thousand Years


• Simon and Garfunkle - Kathy's Song


• Anything by Lisa Loeb


• Anything by Tori Amos

Removed due to their connection to the 80's and 90's Christian music scene:

• * Anything by Amy Grant


• Anything by Michael W Smith


• * Anything by David Meece


• Anything by Stryper


• Anything by Petra


• * Anything by Steve Grace

* = I went to a concert and bought a shirt...

Immediate disqualification because of its involvement with The Big Chill (High Fidelity Joke)

• Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want"
  

Now, if you've made it this far and are not related to Darren at all, congratulations! You've earned yourself a stiff drink and a good lie down...

prayer

Cheryl has offered this "prayer on losing faith; on reading today's newspaper..."

standing at the edge of the world

just outside Darwin,
the horizon wraps and bends the eye around the earth

Day 11: 13 Songs that changed Stevie's life

Day 11 is dedicated to the playboy from Parkes, Master Stevie Schubert; a ladies man of passion, music and a deadly left foot punt. He life is dedicated to the memory of Jeff Buckley, and becoming the new inner sydney Bohemian man. Sydney Uni has not been the same since his arrival...

"My 13 most influential songs, those that have shaped me throughout my wanderings and wonderings. In no particular order...

1 - Let It Be, The Beatles. I must agree with comrade Smith, this is simply beautiful. It could be argued that the song is a bit pop-esque, but I find a surreal hope in the lyrics and a tranquility in this song.

2 - River Runs Red, Midnight Oil. If you haven't seen this song on the 20,000 Watts RSL DVD, go watch it NOW! I got into the Oils because I realised that here was a band that actually believed in what they were singing. But this song, sung in front of the Exon headquarters after the Alaska oil spill, takes it to new and exciting levels. There's a passion, an anger and a sadness in the performance. Brilliant.

3 - I Shall Be Released, Jeff Buckley from "Live at Sin-e." Buckley singing a Bob Dylan song, how can it get any better? Seriously? This is one of the best live performances I have of the late great man himself. Classic Dylan lyrics in an absolutely stunning performance.

4 - Silver, Nighthour from "Current Works Volume II." This was what Josh Pyke called himself before he was Josh Pyke. The first time I heard this song I was driving around in my beast of a '92 Hyundi Excel when it came on jjj. I got to where I was going half way through the song, and had to wait until it was finished, there was no way I could turn the radio off.

5 - With or Without You, U2. My first kiss was to this song, from the Best of U2, 1980-90. Surely one of the best songs to have a first kiss to? 'Twas my year 8 days with Michelle Hourigan in my living room in Parkes. So maybe this entry isn't entirley because of the music, but that wasn't the question.

6 - Last Goodbye, Jeff Buckley. First heard this song when Michelle dumped me... have listened to it for every subsequent dumping ever since. There's not much more to say about this song.

7 - How Great Though Art, Philip Watson. My favourite hymn when it was hammered out on the pipe organ at ole' Parkes Uniting. My siblings and I would have competitions to see who could sing the loudest. Oddly enough, I don't really agree with the theology of this song, but it's significant to me.

8 - Climb Ev'ry Mountatin, Peggy Wood from "The Sound of Music." Okay, an odd entry I admit. But this song is absolutely brilliant, especially when the last high note is absolutely nailed, sends a shiver up my spine every time.

9 - Poems In the Sand, Mike McCarthy from "Fire Flood Freedom." Finally a Blackstump musician where "Jesus" isn't every second word! Mike is a bloody good guitarist, and a good song writer. He also drinks Tooheys Old, which is a measure of personality in my book. Again, this song kind of offers and unrealistic hope for humanity, is this a developing theme in my list?

10 - Bad Habbits, Billy Field. My Dad would put this on, it was the first track of a LP he had, I can't remember what it was called. As a kid, just a great song to dance around like an idiot to. In fact, still a great song to dance around like an idiot to.

11- Little Wing, Jimi Hendrix. Oh so good. Absolutely brilliant guitar, especially in the intro. I'm not sure what the lyrics are about, but this songs is perfect. Very important as a young guitarist to listen to as much Hendrix as possible.

12 - Vincent, Don McLean. This song is extremely special and beautiful. I played it for my yr 12 music performance and it almost lost "it" because i played it so often. But for me it expresses reactions to suicide in a unique and special way. I cried the day the record with this song on it developed a scratch in the middle of this song, tragedy.

13 - Fall At Your Feet, Crowded House from "Woodface." I must agree with Hanksy that Neil Finn is one of the best musicians I've ever seen. Perhaps I identify with the lyrics too much? I don't know, but this is an important song for my list."

Day 10: 13 Songs that changed Cheryl's life

Cheryl Lawrie is our glittering celebrity entrant for Day 10. Another personal statement of eclectic tastes, urbanstone is proud to welcome Seven Stories/Tall Stories onto the musical historograph - indeed, as fine a south australian export as coonawarra red, Scott Burns or Cheryl herself!

"I’m not sure whether these songs changed my life, or whether they were playing while my life was changing…

“Chop chop” by The Sweet, from Blockbuster. The Sweet defined year 12 for me (well, them and Air Supply, but I’ll try to save some face by not acknowledging that publicly). I remember bouncing around the kitchen with my friends Anne and Jo, playing air guitar with saucepans and singing into our tong microphones… those were the days… and when we’d get to the chorus we’d all stop and do our chopping dance in unison... too much information?

“My Father’s Eyes” by Amy Grant, from My Father’s Eyes. I remember listening to the song for what was probably the thousandth time, when it suddenly occurred to me that it was absolute crap. It was my first moment of critical theological thinking. My mother had just offered to pay for me to go and hear Amy Grant, so I told her U2 were a Christian band and she paid for me to go and hear them instead.

“Reckless” by Australian Crawl, from Phalanx. Aussie Crawl were my first pub gig. It was during the summer we tried everything for the first time, and somehow survived it. This song smells of west coast cooler, the sea and blue mascara… I still know all the words to all the songs from this album, which is no mean feat, given that it’s James Reyne singing… (honourable mention to Hoodoo Gurus “Other Side of Paradise” at this point)

“I put a spell on you” by Nina Simone, from I put a spell on you. I bought this album when I was about 18. I think it was the first record I bought because I loved it, not because it was cool… I still love this album (you have to listen to it on vinyl, it’s crap on cd).

“Kicking against the bricks” by Seven Stories, from Judges and Bagmen. I was a groupie from the time they were Tall Stories. They were our weekly youth group activity: Friday nights at the Flagstaff Hotel. They were angry and grungy and gorgeous, so we pretended we were too. Seven Stories had a very strong influence on my politics, much to my parents’ horror. I picked this particular song because I’m in the filmclip…

“The Internationale” by Billy Bragg, from The Internationale. It was 1997 and I’d been living in Warrnambool for a year. I think I’d cried from loneliness at least every second day since I’d moved there… I had to go to a meeting at someone’s house, and when I walked in I heard this song playing… and I knew these were the people I’d missed in my life. And I think I realised at that point that liking Billy Bragg would always be some sort of prerequisite for friendship…

“I’ve got a plan” by My Friend the Chocolate Cake, from Brood.
“I've got a plan,
Let's take off in the blue station wagon,
And find the open road to salvation,
Away from here…”
I first heard this a couple of years after leaving Adelaide. We went to hear MFTCC in a dingy pub in Fitzroy… and I knew at that point I belonged in Melbourne.

“Closer to Fine” by the Indigo Girls, from Indigo Girls. I’ve taken this cd on every road trip I’ve done for the last 10 years I think… here and overseas. Every time I listen to it – no matter what’s happening in my life – it fits where my life is. How can that be? I picked this song for the absolute wonder of these lyrics:
“darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
and lightness has a call that's hard to hear”

“Release” by George, from Polyserena. This song was my anthem through the year my life turned upside down and I started living again...

“I need love” by Luka Bloom, from The Acoustic Motorbike. I spent 3 months living in Glasgow in 2003. I chose five cd’s to take with me (it was in the days before ipods!). I didn’t take any Luka Bloom, and about three days into the trip I realised what a terrible mistake I’d made. Luckily they sold him in Glasgow too. I could have picked almost any of his songs off almost any of his albums, but I chose this one because it also reminds me of one of my all time favourite concert moments.

“Better Days” by Lisa Miller, from Car Tape. From the same trip... this song was playing… we were arguing about whether all country music was crap, or just most of it… and I realised, all of a sudden, that I’d fallen in love… (honourable mention to Sarah McLachlan’s “Icecream”, at this point…)

“Untitled 3” by Sigur ros from ( ). This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. It makes me want to be a better person every time I hear it. And it signals the change from the time when I thought a song needed words to say something… which in itself represented a turning point in the whole way I looked at the world...

“Hallelujah” by kd lang, from Hymns from the 49th Parallel. I wrote my last letter of resignation to this song… It was the perfect accompaniment to an action that was simultaneously taking control of my life and taking a massive step in faith…"

Day 9: 13 songs that changed Craig's life

Day 9 and urbanstone is very pleased to welcome Craig Mitchell to the musical challenge. Craig continues the eclectic diversity of Geoff and Rob - and delves back into uncharted musical waters.

"This list will show my age! I have discretly left off entries that will make me look even more soppy.

(in no particular order)

1. Something Inside So Strong - Labi Siffre
This is the first song that came to mind. I was at ICYC in Mexico in 1990, and the Europeans did a human representation of the breaking down of the Berlin Wall while this song played. I spent years hunting it down. i think Siffre must be a UK African. Fantastic song about resistance, freedom and home that stirs me to the bone. Find it any way you can.

2. Who'll Stop the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
The second song off the first LP I ever owned. I remember proudly carrying it along to a youth group social evening and no-one cared - they were all into bubble gum music. The first song, "Up Around the Bend", with its "dirrng dirrng" guitar has always annoyed me, but when song 2 kicks in its all OK. And of course, the cheap plastic turntable in my room came soon afterwards, since my parents couldnt stand the stuff. (I was going to pick my first ever 45 but thats too embarrassing).

3. Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who
Of course, I'm not English and too young for the mod thing, but this was my first taste of teenage angst bottled up in a song. "Who's Next" is a fantastic album, and I discovered when I bought the CD not too long ago that I still know and love every note. I didn't realised that "meet the new boss... same as the old boss" was a political statement. But that looped synth intro and Roger Daltrey's scream are brilliant. Delighted to see House grooving to it.

4. Your Song - Elton John
I was in a youth theatre group with a guy who was a home movie buff and Elton John super-fan (he now teaches my niece drama). We made home movies of Elton John songs and mixed the sound in my bedroom. Now I realise there must have been a bit of teenage voyeurism in writing love story scripts and getting teenage friends to act them out! But this song stayed with me and is certainly one of "our songs" for my wife of 25 years and I. The song that i most wish i could play well on the piano.

5. We Shall Overcome - Pete Seeger
I only heard a recording of this a few years ago, by Bruce Springsteen on a Pete Seeger tribute album. What I member is playing this song as a fledgling guitarist in youth group. It was that great time when praise songs and 'secular' folk songs were sung side by side, and this is one of those iconic songs of hope and freedom. How I wish i had stood in a protest march and sung it aloud sometime!

6. Your Love Broke Through - Keith Green
It was that time of discovering "Christian music" that consisted of great songs, well recorded. That time when all of the teenage feelings of rejection and acceptance were caught up into discovering a God who loved you no matter what you thought of yourself. I was the first one in the youth group to hear of Keith Green or own one of his records. While you might accuse him today of being schmaltzy at times, there's also great songcraft and heartfelt lyricism here. At the time this music was soul-defining for me.

7. Hallelu - John Michael Talbot
This is the second early faith song that stays with me. Talbot's guitar playing on his first solo album is mind-boggling. But this song is a simple expression of searching and being found, of honest praise and joy. A cosmic dimensions that parallels my own experience of sitting on a beach and looking at the stars and thinking of Psalm 8. From the same album as "Would You Crucify Him?" which I first heard played live by some guy at a NSW synod youth event at Elanora in 1979!

8. The Walls Came Down - The Call
Here's another 'a-ha' music and life moment. A person of faith (Michael Been) writing and playing a great song, linking Scripture and politics, in the 'secular' realm. I didn't understand the reference to the sanctuary movement in the US for years. An early point in a whole series of discoveries of of music that didn't have to have the tag "Christian" to be faith-filled. A complete revolution for me in finding meaning and faith in the real world.

9. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
This probably isnt my favourite U2 song, but it kicks off the "War" album, which, like The Call, was mind-blowing in its cocktail of anger and hope. It was a rallying call to stand for something, and sing about things that mattered. In some ways, Dylan's angst reborn in the 80's. That chiming guitar is like a bugle-cry to a new generation to rally around and do and be something that matters. So it's in the list because its a herald of what was to come.

(I'm running out of numbers to include all of my songs!)

10. Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil
Again, not my favourite Oils songs, although off one of their top albums. For me, as for many, it put into voice what i was thinking and feeling. The experience of being in the march with Aboriginal people in Sydney on Australia Day in 1988 (I sat up all night on the train from Brisbane to be there) was deeply important for me. Another call to make a stand and act for justice.

11. Montage album - Kenny G
Having music chosen by your wife playing during the birth of one of your children makes it stay with you forever......... Hearing this in a lift puts me into shock.

12. I've Got You Under My Skin - who write this? Cole Porter? Vince Jones does a nice version
I had to put in some jazz and there is so much, so many genres. But the bottom line is a simple catchy tune you can relax or dance to. I love laid-back jazz and couldnt live without it. A warm sax, tinkling ivories, a crooner, a whisky...

13. The Man is Alive - Luke Bloom
I've rarely heard a song that tells you that you are in some way the sum of who has come before you, that stirs me so deeply. Dan Fogelberg's "Leader of the Band" did it in a way, but this is much more deeply moving and challenging, in asking "who are you, what are you making of your life?"

I have not listed Eric Bogle, Kev Carmody, Van Morrison, Judy Small, Me'Shell Ndegocello, Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Bruce Springsteen, Redgum, Nick Cave, Bruce Cockburn, Beatles, etc, etc.

there you go"

an uneasy and yet very real day. My first day of hospital orientation down at Westmead hospital. A whole range of thoughts, emotions and dreams. Being both amazed and disappointed in the chaplains - I don't know if I could do what they do. Absolutely flawed by patients sharing their stories - so much pain, joy and grief in the one body and one family - how do we hold it all in? Such generosity and yet such alienation and isolation within the one building.

People expecting (and finding) in me the God story. Wanting to trust me. Talk, weep and yell.

And travelling the whole day through with a few colleagues, so different to me, and yet
on the same path with parallel passions and callings.

This is a strange and unrelenting life. terrible and joyful. But always real.

Day 8: 13 songs that changed Phil's life

As we ease into week 2 of the challenge I am pleased to offer the musical memories of our very own rock god - Phil Newton. As with all our entrants so far, some surprises await (Bobby Brown and Eddie Vedder on the same list - phew); let there be rock...

"Okay let's have a go!

1. Little People - Les Miserables
This song marks the first time I sang solo in public. It was a cub/scout talent night and spurred on by the heavy affirmation of my dad I busted out this ditty for my mates. I wonder if the scarring from that night is the reason I have been so resistant to my dad's song requests since then...?

2. Every Little Step - Bobby Brown
I can still sing the lyrics to this classic hit from my primary school days. Oh how I wanted that slopey flat top.

3. Kokomo - The Beach Boys
The first LP I ever owned I bought because I loved this song. Yes, I am just old enough to have owned an LP, and yes, it was the soundtrack to the film 'Cocktail'. My brothers and I would squabble over who got to 'air saxophone' the solo.

4. With a Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
This song has much nostalgic significance largely, and I'm sure I'm not alone here, because every afternoon I would follow the exploits of Kevin, Paul and Winnie on 'The Wonder Years'. It was a toss up between this one, the theme from 'Cheers' or 'Suicide is Painless' from M.A.S.H..

5. Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
This song marks my entry in earnest to the world of music appreciation. My brother owned the album and I would play this song over and over mimicking Scott Weiland's voice. This also marks my conversion to all things 'alternate' and 'the Seattle invasion'.

6. Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
This was the first non-church song I ever learnt on guitar. I learnt it so well that I could fool people into thinking that I was a much better guitarist than I actually was. Little did they know that for the first couple of years this was the only song I could play.

7. Jeremy - Pearl Jam
Eddie Vedder was my first love and this song is symbolic of those care-free heady days. I was so obsessed with EV that I actually taught myself to write in his handwriting from the album sleeve of 'Ten'. To this day, my capital 'A's' still resemble EV's.

8. Drown - The Smashing Pumpkins
Both this song and the Chris Cornell song are from the 'Singles' soundtrack, a cultural cult film for the Seattle devotee. This marks my introduction to the Pumpkins and my world would never be the same. As a guitarist, Billy Corgan just does it for me, something about the wall of sound, intricate, multi layered, orchestral guitar parts, overlayed with screaming solos - call me weird. It also was the first real example I had encountered of light/dark song writing. Billy has an amazing ability to meld pop sweetness with ball-crunching rock. So cool!

9. Throw Your Arms Around Me - Eddie Vedder
My love affair with EV aside, this song was made significant by an experience. Imagine if you will, standing in the mosh pit at Eastern Creek Raceway for five hours having endured two underwhelming support bands when all of a sudden a strange fellow donning a guitar appears at the microphone. Whispers fly through the crowd, "is that Eddie?" Removing his wig, EV performs a salutary rendition of the iconic 'Throw Your Arms'. I will never forget the elation I felt. Here was my hero in the flesh for the first time, only a few metres away, and singing an Aussie song for us. I felt so privileged to be witnessing that moment. That concert remains the greatest live show I have ever seen and I would wager that a large part of that is Eddie's personal touch.

10. Seasons - Chris Cornell
I performed this song for my HSC and it is in the list because it is the first song of someone else's that I feel I was able to make my own as a performer. It doesn't always work, but sometimes a song resonates deeply enough that when you sing it it feels like you wrote it.

11. Paranoid Android - Radiohead
What can I say, music as I knew it changed. Rock, but not rock. Pop, but not pop. Indie, but not indie. I remember thinking, "this is the coolest song I've ever heard, how the hell does someone come up with music like this?"

12. Blue Moon Rising - Gomez
This song marks for me a meshing of the songs of my childhood and a contemporary song writing ethic. The rootsy, bluesy earnestness is married to funky beatsy rock sensibility. And the harmonies... I though it was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young for a new generation.

13. What Happens When the Heart Just Stops - The Frames
Lastly, all I can say is that I still get a lump in my throat listening to this song. Something about a broken man singing about his brokenness that touches a deep and brooding part of who I am. So tender, so divine.

Enjoy,

Phil"

mind's eye

minds eye
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

Day 7: 13 songs that changed Rob's life.

A surprise entry into the challenge finishes off week 1. Rob "Boss" Hanks - the ex-cripple, now miraculously healed and walking - offers us his 13 songs. And to many people's amazement they are not all Midnight Oil. But to those of us who've spent any time with the man - you recognise that he's like an onion...

"Hi Jono,
Couldn’t resist!!
Be amazed be very amazed… of course you’ll get a few of them… but…

1. ‘Power and the Passion’ - Midnight Oil. Having bagged my surfy mates for their crap sounding tunes this is one of the songs I was made to sit down, shut up and listen to on an old walkman, before I was allowed to comment further. I was hooked… words can’t describe how much I miss the ‘recreation’ of seeing these boys live!!

2. ‘Sss Single Bed’ by Fox. “sss-single bed sss-single bed, there ain’t no room for your sweet head” What can I say? I reminder of my fumbling adolescence and a string of wonderful friendships with girls… that’s right, friendships!! We used to sin this vinyl 45 on a little plastic Sony stereo in the downstairs study and garage at parties.

3. ‘Mama Mia’ the first of ABBA’s worldwide smash hits and my first record. Ever since the search for good music has been central to who I am and what I like to listen to.

4. ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ or indeed any track from that U2 album. It’s not as impressive as a home recorded cassette. Nonethless we’d sit in Roger’s Holden Brougham [the Kingswood with upholstered buttons on the bench seats] and whoever rode shotgun in the front was officially allowed to drum on the dash as it was unavoidable!! This was the first time I’d read a technical description on an album back cover of what drums were being hit [Yamaha was the brand] and it seemed appropriate because when you heard them it seemed like drummers would want to know.

5. ‘Yesterday’ because the Beatles have to be on the list of anyone my age. I sang it, knew it, lived it and wondered. I was a huge fan of the Beatles animated cartoons on TV and always wanted to be Paul [who can believe he is now 64!] Knowing about the Beatles seemed to give you some pinch of street cred.

6. ‘Funeral for a Friend’ by Sir Elton John. Hordern Pavilion via Sid Foggs bus company with mate Graham in tow. This was the same night that World Series Cricket debuted at the SCG next door with Dennis Lillee bowling thunderbolts and the Windies wearing pink… I wasn’t sure which gate to go in through. Many are surprised by my fandom for Elton’s work. I love his earlier anthemic rock and all the classics. I have seen him live about five times and would go again… everyone has to have an Elton in their selection closet I guess.

7. ‘Private Universe’ Neil Finn is one of the most talented musicians and songwriters ever. Nick Seymour was floored when Neil announced he’d be leaving Crowded House. “I said didn’t he want to be in the biggest band in the world… he said No” On the first Finn Brothers tour and after intermission the entire band took three songs to rotate around every instrument onstage and the performance didn’t suffer. Testament to another splendid bugger is that I’ve only ever heard Neil’s work improve after Jim Moginie has gotten hold of it.

8. ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ by the Angels. Year 12 and the Newcastle ‘Mattara Festival’ fee outdoor concert is in full swing. Plants are being uprooted and thrown, punters are falling off the top of flagpoles after too much consumption, women’s bikini’s are being ripped off them and Doc Neeson falls 10 metres from atop the speaker stack in a blistering set. I’m talking pre the “no way, get $%^# ^&%$ off” era. I felt truly like a young adult cut loose from an array of shackles as we simply hung out and listened to history in the making. Six hours and several hundred thousand dollars worth of sunflowers later there never was another fee mattara name band gig in Civic Park. Also can’t forget the legendary Surf City Café at Collaroy with 60 Youth Workers on R&R from our National Conference with Dave Edwards belting this out shirtless [and legless] in front of the admiring rabble.

9. ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ would be on anyone’s list who was guessing about mine. Sun Devil Stadium Arizona is where the documentary film ‘Rattle and Hum’ changes from black and white to colour with overhead shots, a hugely excited crowd and a massive backdrop video screen that glows bright red as the gangling guitar kicks in. Whether inspired by Ali and Bono’s trip to Etheopia [or that notion about knowing a persons socio-economic background just by what Dublin St they live in] this is the song of that decade in my book!! My live experiences of this song have all resulted in tears. Tears of frustration, grief, anger, despair, celebration, hope and inspiration all at once. It has all of U2’s pretention and brilliance all at once!!

10. ‘Building a Mystery’ represents my liking for female voices like Natalie Merchant, Jewel, Dido, and Missy Higgins but trumps them all for the sheer inspiration that is Lilith Fair. Sarah Mc is my diversion when I’m tired from staples like U2 and the Oils.

11. “jc” came long just at the right time. Brisbane band you say? Singer is a PK huh? Powderfinger… interesting? With all the integrity of Pearl Jam and the aussie rock smarts of their predecessors. Bernard Fanning and the lads give me hope that there is life after the Oils. I would see them live anywhere anytime! What’s more Bernard knows the order of things and not knowing how to put into words how lucky everyone present was he suggested “just, just.. enjoy the Oils OK”

12. ‘The Sound of White’ delivers all that ‘Scar’ promised as Missy Higgins hit the scene following a year OS after her ‘Triple J Unearthed’ win!! The album and the title track are beautiful, reflective and personal. They draw stuff to the surface that I’d rather internalize.

13. OK one to go and I have seven shortlisted… changed my life huh, ‘Tommorrow’ by silverchair from Merewether, Newcastle, NSW Australia. Who would believe that three schoolies from Newcastle could produce an album like ‘Frogstomp.’ When we met them at Launceston airport the morning after we’d seen them play it was like the giggling Youth Worker meets the world famous rock stars and yet they were more impressed that I played for the rugby club where their mates were juniors. Chris Joannou’s dad launders our jerseys!! I must have bumped into Daniel Johns five or six times walking his scrawny dog late at night in Merewether near ‘The Prince of Wales’ pub. He’s a nice bloke.

OK… there you have it, no room for:
‘Your Song’ Elton John
‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ H&C
‘The Wonder’ the fat man in a thin man’s body Alex Lloyd
‘The Great Leap Forward’ Billy Bragg
‘Where Do We Go From Here’ Avion"

tank sculpture

bright tank sculpture(bw)2
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

Day 6: 13 songs that changed Smithy's life

Day 6 of the musical challenge and we hear from Geoff "Sam Gamgee" Smith. We're lucky to get away with such a small list, since he started with 200 songs to cull from!?

"I guess that the hardest part of this challenge is to come up with the life changers, as opposed to favourites! I even tried to argue for 13 songs of influence for each of the past three decades... but Jono's a strict list collector! Well, here goes, in some sort of chronological order, with apologies to the many, many omissions... a small piece of my soul exposed the cyberspace community...

1. Let it be - The Beatles, from 'Let it be'. The first film clip I can ever remember seeing. Must have been early 1970's. Not a bad song to have as an earliest memory - beautiful. Perhaps explains my love of great pop songs. Since my elder, influential, cousin was very much a McCartney man, I grew up blaming John for the demise of the Beatles - a feeling that strangely totally evaporated on the day of his assassination! Speaking words of wisdom, let it be...

2. Gary, Indiana - from the Musical "The Music Man". A little bit of my past unknown to most outside of my family... In late 1976 I was in year 6 and auditioned for a musical at the Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society. In early 1977 this was the first song (and one of the very, very few) that I sang solo on stage. In 1988, on my first ever trip overseas, I rode a Greyhound bus past Gary, Indiana and was profoundly disappointed to see that it was essentially and industrial wasteland in middle America - the sort of place Mike Moore makes movies about.

3. Lucky Country - Midnight Oil, from 'Place Without a Postcard'. Thanks to the first Jono in my life, aka David Johnston, from Merrylands Public and High schools 1970 - 1982. This Jono decided in senior high school that our music worlds needed to expand. He organised me to go to my first concert (Devo at the Hordern Pavilion in 1981) and introduced us to music such as Midnight Oil, the Dead Kennedy's, the Sex Pistols, the Specials and others. I have selected this track as the second half of Place without a Postcard is entirely brilliant. This track provides cutting social comment, a sign of things to come, including a typical Garrett rave. When played live this used to just energise the crowd. It also reminds me of my first Midnight Oil show. Top deck, Capitol Theatre (before the renovations), November 1982, about 38 degrees, no air conditioning. Absolutely astounding. Loud, energetic, powerful. The concert was actually released as a DVD a couple of years ago... must look at it one day.

4. You can put your shoes under my bed - Paul Kelly, from 'Post'. Kelly had just moved to Melbourne, got rid of the 'Dots' (his band) and released this gem. The band playing with him largely became 'the Coloured Girls' and then 'the Messengers'. I could easily have put the whole album on, I did just about wear the grooves out of it, but I picked this largely for the grubby sax solo from Joe Camilleri. With apologies to Lloyd Cole and the Commotions whose album 'Rattlesnakes' was the other album I never stopped playing during this time. I could talk about seeing Kelly downstairs at the Victoria Hotel in 1985 with a 'new' band called 'Weddings, Parties, Anything'... but I won't.

5. The Birth of the True - Aztec Camera, from 'Knife'. My first exposure to this brilliant young Scot, Roddy Frame and his band, was a song called 'Mattress of Wire', owned by Geoff McGuirk and in my custody while he went to Honduras in 1986. This song still just makes me smile. Something of the pop sensibility developed early and mentioned in track 1 notes. I chose this ahead of a couple of other notable contenders ('Shipbuilding' from Elvis, 'Automobile Noise' from the Blue Nile and 'Begin the Begin' from REM), largely so I could also mention that the Aztec Camera show at the Enmore Theatre in 1991 is still the best live show that I ever did see, a show still mentioned in hushed tones between the three of us who went together - I even still have the review from 'On the Street' lying about somewhere! Anyway, this track is simple and beautiful - kind of like I wish my life was...

6. Under the Milky Way - The Church, from 'Starfish'. I had been listening to the Church for some time, I still reckon that 'Unguarded Moment' is one of the best debut singles from an Australian band. But in 1988 I went overseas for the first time (see comment on Gary, Indiana!). I took a box of tapes, mostly compilations, this was the only album, from memory, that I had to get a second copy sent over... I wore it our. Luscious, understated, very Australian for a young bloke in a foreign land. Still can send a shiver down my spine.

7. Gun Shy - 10 000 Maniacs, from 'In my tribe'. On the same trip, I first watched MTV. This ethereal young woman and her group were on high rotation - singing 'Like the weather'. I bought the tape and was captivated instantly. Beautiful music WITH a social justice message. The lyrics of this song still speak to me of the futility of conflict and what we do to young people when we make them into killers.

8. Stay (Far away, so close!) - U2, from Achtung Baby. This could easily have been 13 U2 songs that changed your life... but I went with this because it just speaks to me so, so clearly. Magnificent, simply stunning. Can stop me when I'm doing other things and make me listen (again!). Oh, and the Zoo TV shows were none to shabby - please reschedule this years soon... please!!!

9. Karma Police - Radiohead, from 'OK Computer'. Yep, I'd heard and loved 'Creep'. Somehow, largely through the dissolution of my marriage methinks, I pretty much missed 'The Bends'. I was in Washington DC in late 1997 on seven week trip around the planet as I sought to rediscover something else other than the pain I'd been feeling for a year. Again, I was watching MTV and this was on high rotation. I bought the CD the week after in San Francisco and it became one of the albums of my recovery. Staggeringly brilliant and enlivening for me when I needed it most.

10. Sanctuary - Luka Bloom, from 'Turf'. Geoff McGuirk gave this album to my now ex-wife in 1994. While there are others songs worthy of mention (especially 'Black is the Colour'... ahhh), this song became my crutch during the extraordinary sadness of losing my Auntie Dot in 1998. If you haven't heard it, Luka writes it as a tribute to his own mother following her death. Atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful. Regularly reduces me to tears. Vale Auntie Dot.

11. Whatever you want - Something for Kate, from 'Beautiful Sharks'. Stunning, gorgeous, lush - and I'm limiting the superlatives here. May well be my favourite opening track on any album I own or have heard. Has an uncanny ability to bring me peace. Got me through many kilometres of driving when I was a regional worker based in Wagga.

12. Untitled 3 - Sigur Ros, from '( )'. I moved to Bathurst in 2001 and discovered the best music shop I've ever been to. 'Stop 'n Rock' and I had a beautiful friendship while I was there - music AND coffee! The proprietor, Lindsay, had a good memory for people and an extraordinary musical knowledge. He introduced me to Sigur Ros via the album Ágætis Byrjun, which is quite captivating. It was a no brainer to buy when it was released. This track is so beautiful it's painful, can reduce me to tears in an instant - alternatively, it can lift me so that I feel like I'm flying... wonderful, just wonderful.

13. Strange Waters - Bruce Cockburn, from 'The Charity of night'. I moved to Bendigo in 2002, not one of my better choices in life - but this is not the place to confess poor life decisions! One of my dear mates unexpectedly sent me this album to help me through. He's a huge fan. I'd not previously paid much attention to Bruce, but it was perfect timing and I'm forever grateful. Could have mentioned 'Get up Jonah', 'Live on my mind' or 'The whole night sky', but this reworking of the 23rd Psalm is stunning. It's worth making the effort to get past his commitment to the 1980's style guitar solos to absorb the lyrics. 'Everything is bullshit but the open hand'.

PS I don't know if these will get through the editor or not... but I suspect that both 'Headlong' by the Frames and 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash. could well push someone else off this list in years to come. Both are currently very profound to me. Oh, and thanks to Jono for the enjoyable headache of doing this!"

number sculpture from Frankston

number sculpture
Originally uploaded by urbanstone.

Superman Returns

Yes, indeedy he sure does. A good rendition of the Chrisover Reeve movies - fun and light, if a little too long. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as Lex Luthor. I won't rabbit on about the movie here. Only two things - firstly, I give it 3.5 stars, and secondly, drop over to planet telex, where there is a discussion paper on the movie, and a the first teasers for Spiderman 3...

(ah yes, a darker superhero after my own heart...)

Day 5: 13 songs that changed Diamond Ray's life

We return to the musical challenge with NSW's top racing tipster - Diamond Ray Hickson. A man of varied and often unpredictable tastes, my only surprise is that he hasn't found a Jude Law recording anywhere? None the less, his top 13 are as follows;

"I'll Be There For You - The Rembrandts (Theme to the best show in the universe, Friends if it wasn't obvious, and a compulsory choice. Love every word and every minute of the show).

If You Could Only See - Tonic (Reminds me of a time involving a lot of change and new ideas and surrounding my first job. Aside from that it's a great soft rock song)

I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner (Bring on the schmaltz. I recorded this song one day and the tape has conveniently gone missing. Simply, it's a classic)

Losing My Religion - R.E.M. (I'm not sure I really understand this song but it knocks me out whenever I hear it).

Hero - Mariah Carey (Flashback to 1998, Syd Ent Cent and I'm standing with about 10,000 other people with the hand on the heart and a tear in the eye. Mariah's signature song and close to mine)

Crash And Burn - Savage Garden (This song would be my anthem. Communication is one of the most important thing in life, and we're all bad at it. The key is to know when to speak up)

Great Southern Land - Icehouse (I'd love it if this song was our national anthem, you can just feel Australia in the words and the sound. The 20 minute orchestral version is unforgettable).

Lift - Shannon Noll (In the sceme of things this isn't a great song but it came along for me when I really needed a lift)

What About Me? - Moving Pictures (I was 8 when this song came out and I always remembered feeling a bit like the little boy standing at the counter of a corner shop. Still it's an Aussie classic).

The Other Side - 1927 (One from the high school days. A friend told me that this song reminds him of an old girlfriend beginning a significant phase of my life)

Everything - Lifehouse (This is ultimate praise to God. A moody, deceptive six minutes of music of the greatest songs I've ever heard. I can listen again and again._

Walk On - U2 (It was a matter of which U2 song and in the end it was always going to be Walk On, for reasons too big to explan in one sentence).

Not Myself - John Mayer (The master of the bittersweet and a must for someone as moody as yours truly).

In the end I couldn't come up with any songs that I hated enough to go among those that I love. But for the record they would include: Groove Is In The Heart- Dee-Lite (sorry to those who like it - why?[see bootsy for explanation]), Push The Little Daisies-Ween (again - why?) and Khe Sahn-Cold Chisel (simply over it and it's not that great a song anyway). "
[Urbanstone editorial note - it has been our practice to provide links to the aforementioned bands for your personal musical edification. However upon trying to link to Foreigner, Savage Garden and Mariah Carey within the same 20 minutes, my computer security system kept shutting me out as an invalid user for some reason?]