WARMER MIXTAPES #1651 | by Regina and Günther (Heroina, M. Arfmann & The Naked Factory) Janssen of Donna Regina
SIDE A | by Regina Janssen
1. Dusty Springfield | The Look Of Love (Casino Royale Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A classic in the words' true sense. Burt Bacharach is a master, there are so many excellent songs written by him. I chose this one because I had a personal Donna Regina moment: we were playing in Japan, it was my first ever concert, I had never sung in front of people. I am still very stagefright, but this evening was nervewrecking for me. After the concert, a shy, young Japanese woman came to me and gave me an audio cassette with cover versions sung by her, among them was this jewel of a song and one of our songs, too, Almaty, I guess. I could only listen to it back home, and it brought tears to my eyes. The young woman was singer Ayako Akashiba, we became friends and we still are. Thank you, Ayako.
2. David Bowie | Where Are We Now?
There are so many songs by David Bowie I really like, I also love his instrumental, more Ambient stuff like on Low, but somehow I lost interest in him for many years. Too much Rock for me. Then all of a sudden this song came out, and it brought back the old fascination. A frailer voice as the young Bowie, but he got older so well. He was back. And then he died. I still miss him.
3. Beach House | Other People
I love almost everything from Beach House. It was difficult to chose one song, I might as well take the whole Bloom album, which is my favourite. I am a fan.
4. Pet Shop Boys | Being Boring (Album Version)
This one is the opposite to Beach House: I am not a fan, much of their music is too polished and, hmm, speculative. But this song always kills me, the lyrics, the way they play with words, The Melody, The Melancholy, an ode to Being Young, I just love it.
5. Jacaszek/Miłka | Gra Towarzyska
We were touring in Poland many years ago with the two of them, they just had released Sequel. The tour took place in a very cold winter, we had hair-rising experiences on Polish streets, covered with snow and ice. It was very romantic and beautiful. After returning home I discovered the beauty of this music, I like the album very much, it's like the Polish answer to Portishead. They did not continue working together, Jacaszek is a very successful musician today, doing mainly film scores and Experimental Music, Milka became a writer. Still like it!
6. Ducktails | Headbanging In The Mirror
The album – St. Catherine – became a true friend of mine: reliable, trustworthy, maybe not too exciting, but always there to make me feel good. It is difficult to single out one song, but Headbanging... has it all.
7. Biosphere | Kobresia
Biosphere's Substrata is one of my favourite Ambient albums, this is Cinema for the head. I don't know what the guy in Kobresia is talking about, maybe it is a manual for a vacuum cleaner, but it touches me deeply.
8. Ryuichi Sakamoto + Taylor Deupree | Disappearance
Another Ambient album, I have to put the whole album on my list. No problem for me, because this one works like opening the window when the air has become thick.
9. Kraftwerk | Autobahn
No list of a German Electro-Indie-Avant-Lo-Fi-Pop musician would be complete without Kraftwerk. How elegant they were, how inventive, and how sad it is that they have been doing only remix stuff for so many years now.
10. Hildegard Knef | Heimweh Nach Dem Kurfürstendamm
This is very nostalgic, la Knef sings about a street, an avenue in Berlin. I love the German word Heimweh, it means a kind of Nostalgia, longing for Hhome. This street does not possess its past grandezza anymore, but still, as we are living not far from it, it goes through my head from time to time – and always will.
+11. Joni Mitchell | Blue
No.11!!! But no list of mine would be complete without Joni Mitchell's album Blue – and I just cannot say which song on it I like best. She's The Queen.
SIDE B | by Günther Janssen
1. Syreeta | Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
Syreeta was married to Stevie Wonder, together they made beautiful songs like this one – maybe the instrumental Cover version of Jeff Beck is more well-known. But I prefer the original, produced during the golden creative years of Stevie Wonder in the 1970’s.
2. The Ronettes | Be My Baby
For me, this Phil Spector written and produced single is a sort of trip back to a Pop paradise that probably never existed. In my teens and twenties this kind of Music was definitely not my thing… Whereas now, while driving my car, I always turn up the sound and smile.
3. Manic Street Preachers | Motorcycle Emptiness
I don’t know whether in my deepest inner musical me I am more a bluesman or a rocker (carefully hidden behind all the other aspects of making songs and sounds…) – this one is a Rock song not only with the right attitude but real substance, The Melody, The Singing, The Lead Guitar, the ever changing parts and above (or underneath?) a good portion of Melancholy.
4. Pink Floyd | See Emily Play
While still growing up and absorbing all kinds of Music listening to pirate radio stations, Pink Floyd (the early ones with Syd Barrett, a fallen angel genius) was probably the first group I discovered by myself and not through my brother’s recommendation. Suddenly there was Music especially made for me, Beatles vs. Stones was a foolish game for the others…
5. Mathilde Santing | I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face (Rex Harrison Cover)
Mid 80’s, of an now forgotten EP by the Dutch singer Mathilde Santing, who was never better on later records than on her self-produced debut. Nearly under-produced, she sang (I think) 5 cover versions, this one being an old American standard.
6. Hank Williams | I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
It’s a funny thing when or why a song moves you… I never had an ear, a heart for Country Music… And then, suddenly, this tune by the late Hank Williams always drives me to tears… Strange.
7. Joy Division | Love Will Tear Us Apart
In 2017 I saw New Order live at a festival here in Berlin. As an encore, they played this Joy Division song, with great respect, totally devoted and not at all in an ironic way. Thank you, Ian Curtis for giving us so much passion!
8. Nick Drake | Time Has Told Me
The same as with other comments written before: a beautiful song, the voice, the arrangement, the lyrics. Nick Drake was bitterly disappointed when his debut album had been totally ignored by the record buying public. Perhaps his songs, his singing, he as a person was too intense… I don’t know…
9. Jeff Buckley | Lover, You Should’ve Come Over
Still living in Cologne, I saw Jeff Buckley twice in concert (both in a club called Luxor). The first one is one of my all-time favourite Live experiences, the band, the playing, the songs and of course Jeff Buckley himself... He had such a great voice, not just in a technical way. His death has to be one of the biggest losses to Music, nevertheless I am so glad I had the honour to see him performing live.
10. Scott Walker | If You Go Away (Jaques Brel's 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' Adaptation/Cover)
Ne Me Quitte Pas was the original by Belgian chansonier Jaques Brel. Scott Walker sang it on one of his solo albums (with the titles being Scott 1 – 4) after his time in The Walker Brothers. Big drama, big arrangement, big singing, perhaps all too much? It still moves me, though…
1. Dusty Springfield | The Look Of Love (Casino Royale Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A classic in the words' true sense. Burt Bacharach is a master, there are so many excellent songs written by him. I chose this one because I had a personal Donna Regina moment: we were playing in Japan, it was my first ever concert, I had never sung in front of people. I am still very stagefright, but this evening was nervewrecking for me. After the concert, a shy, young Japanese woman came to me and gave me an audio cassette with cover versions sung by her, among them was this jewel of a song and one of our songs, too, Almaty, I guess. I could only listen to it back home, and it brought tears to my eyes. The young woman was singer Ayako Akashiba, we became friends and we still are. Thank you, Ayako.
2. David Bowie | Where Are We Now?
There are so many songs by David Bowie I really like, I also love his instrumental, more Ambient stuff like on Low, but somehow I lost interest in him for many years. Too much Rock for me. Then all of a sudden this song came out, and it brought back the old fascination. A frailer voice as the young Bowie, but he got older so well. He was back. And then he died. I still miss him.
3. Beach House | Other People
I love almost everything from Beach House. It was difficult to chose one song, I might as well take the whole Bloom album, which is my favourite. I am a fan.
4. Pet Shop Boys | Being Boring (Album Version)
This one is the opposite to Beach House: I am not a fan, much of their music is too polished and, hmm, speculative. But this song always kills me, the lyrics, the way they play with words, The Melody, The Melancholy, an ode to Being Young, I just love it.
5. Jacaszek/Miłka | Gra Towarzyska
We were touring in Poland many years ago with the two of them, they just had released Sequel. The tour took place in a very cold winter, we had hair-rising experiences on Polish streets, covered with snow and ice. It was very romantic and beautiful. After returning home I discovered the beauty of this music, I like the album very much, it's like the Polish answer to Portishead. They did not continue working together, Jacaszek is a very successful musician today, doing mainly film scores and Experimental Music, Milka became a writer. Still like it!
6. Ducktails | Headbanging In The Mirror
The album – St. Catherine – became a true friend of mine: reliable, trustworthy, maybe not too exciting, but always there to make me feel good. It is difficult to single out one song, but Headbanging... has it all.
7. Biosphere | Kobresia
Biosphere's Substrata is one of my favourite Ambient albums, this is Cinema for the head. I don't know what the guy in Kobresia is talking about, maybe it is a manual for a vacuum cleaner, but it touches me deeply.
8. Ryuichi Sakamoto + Taylor Deupree | Disappearance
Another Ambient album, I have to put the whole album on my list. No problem for me, because this one works like opening the window when the air has become thick.
9. Kraftwerk | Autobahn
No list of a German Electro-Indie-Avant-Lo-Fi-Pop musician would be complete without Kraftwerk. How elegant they were, how inventive, and how sad it is that they have been doing only remix stuff for so many years now.
10. Hildegard Knef | Heimweh Nach Dem Kurfürstendamm
This is very nostalgic, la Knef sings about a street, an avenue in Berlin. I love the German word Heimweh, it means a kind of Nostalgia, longing for Hhome. This street does not possess its past grandezza anymore, but still, as we are living not far from it, it goes through my head from time to time – and always will.
+11. Joni Mitchell | Blue
No.11!!! But no list of mine would be complete without Joni Mitchell's album Blue – and I just cannot say which song on it I like best. She's The Queen.
1. Syreeta | Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
Syreeta was married to Stevie Wonder, together they made beautiful songs like this one – maybe the instrumental Cover version of Jeff Beck is more well-known. But I prefer the original, produced during the golden creative years of Stevie Wonder in the 1970’s.
2. The Ronettes | Be My Baby
For me, this Phil Spector written and produced single is a sort of trip back to a Pop paradise that probably never existed. In my teens and twenties this kind of Music was definitely not my thing… Whereas now, while driving my car, I always turn up the sound and smile.
3. Manic Street Preachers | Motorcycle Emptiness
I don’t know whether in my deepest inner musical me I am more a bluesman or a rocker (carefully hidden behind all the other aspects of making songs and sounds…) – this one is a Rock song not only with the right attitude but real substance, The Melody, The Singing, The Lead Guitar, the ever changing parts and above (or underneath?) a good portion of Melancholy.
4. Pink Floyd | See Emily Play
While still growing up and absorbing all kinds of Music listening to pirate radio stations, Pink Floyd (the early ones with Syd Barrett, a fallen angel genius) was probably the first group I discovered by myself and not through my brother’s recommendation. Suddenly there was Music especially made for me, Beatles vs. Stones was a foolish game for the others…
5. Mathilde Santing | I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face (Rex Harrison Cover)
Mid 80’s, of an now forgotten EP by the Dutch singer Mathilde Santing, who was never better on later records than on her self-produced debut. Nearly under-produced, she sang (I think) 5 cover versions, this one being an old American standard.
6. Hank Williams | I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
It’s a funny thing when or why a song moves you… I never had an ear, a heart for Country Music… And then, suddenly, this tune by the late Hank Williams always drives me to tears… Strange.
7. Joy Division | Love Will Tear Us Apart
In 2017 I saw New Order live at a festival here in Berlin. As an encore, they played this Joy Division song, with great respect, totally devoted and not at all in an ironic way. Thank you, Ian Curtis for giving us so much passion!
8. Nick Drake | Time Has Told Me
The same as with other comments written before: a beautiful song, the voice, the arrangement, the lyrics. Nick Drake was bitterly disappointed when his debut album had been totally ignored by the record buying public. Perhaps his songs, his singing, he as a person was too intense… I don’t know…
9. Jeff Buckley | Lover, You Should’ve Come Over
Still living in Cologne, I saw Jeff Buckley twice in concert (both in a club called Luxor). The first one is one of my all-time favourite Live experiences, the band, the playing, the songs and of course Jeff Buckley himself... He had such a great voice, not just in a technical way. His death has to be one of the biggest losses to Music, nevertheless I am so glad I had the honour to see him performing live.
10. Scott Walker | If You Go Away (Jaques Brel's 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' Adaptation/Cover)
Ne Me Quitte Pas was the original by Belgian chansonier Jaques Brel. Scott Walker sang it on one of his solo albums (with the titles being Scott 1 – 4) after his time in The Walker Brothers. Big drama, big arrangement, big singing, perhaps all too much? It still moves me, though…
