WARMER MIXTAPES #1026 | by Phil Twigg and Dan Lewis of Small Engine Repair
SIDE A | by Dan Lewis
1. Queens Of The Stone Age | Regular John
This song is special as it started my late teenage obsession with Desert Rock. Most of the song is one Chord hammered repeatedly and I more or less destroyed the Speakers in my first car cranking this song up as loud as I could.
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival | Who’ll Stop The Rain
This was the first Creedence song to pass my ears, and I’ll never forget the thrill I got when I heard John Fogarty’s Booming yet Melancholy Vocal. It also opened the door for me into Country & Americana Music and showed me the World beyond Distorted Guitars.
3. Monster Magnet | Space Lord
Growing up, this band was the one Musical Common Ground between myself and my friends. There are other Monster Magnet songs that I like better, but Space Lord was the only one that the DJ had at the Rock Club we all used to fall into at 1 in the morning on Friday/Saturday night. So it reminds of being drunk, and yelling, and falling over.
4. Slint | Good Morning, Captain
To my ear this is one of the Most Epic and Intense Songs Ever Put Together and I used to play it over & over again if I was up late either driving back from a gig or working on a last minute University essay. It whispers along menacingly all the way through until it finally goes crazy at the end. Listening to the picked Guitars and lurching Drums you can tell that the band put an incredible amount of Thought and Effort into every Note and it’s a kind of Attention to Detail & Focus that I aspire to.
5. Cream | Badge
Ginger Baker is my favorite Drummer and whilst I enjoy nothing more that watching Footage of his Drum Solo Wig-Outs, this song is the best Cream track in my eyes because its Structure and Subtlety go against all of the Free Form Jamming Credentials they were famous for at the time. Everytime I have too much to drink I put Badge on and preach to who-ever I’m with about why it’s the Best Song in the History of Music, which probably isn’t true… But it's still a good track.
6. Bonzo Dog Band | Bad Blood
When myself and my wife first moved in together I had my old Ghetto-Blaster in the kitchen, the Radio didn’t work on it and you couldn’t Re-Wind or Fast Forward any of the Tapes, so a Cassette had to be listened to from Start to Finish. Among a clutch of Tapes I swiped from my parents' house when I moved out was a home made Bonzo Dog Mix-Cassette my Dad had put together when he was 18 and so I felt a sense of Pride/Nostalgia whenever I was washing up and this worn out old Tape would lurch through a collection of Brilliantly Absurd songs. Bad Blood is probably my favorite because it has a great Country Shuffle and shows that though the band typically did Comedy songs, they were also Superb Musicians.
7. Neil Young | Tired Eyes
Whether playing full-on with Crazy Horse or just Solo with an Acoustic, Neil Young’s Music is always Thrilling and Powerful and Tired Eyes for me is the Best Song He’s Ever Done. It’s Raw, Loose and Out Of Tune in parts, but it has the most incredibly Moving Sadness to it. It Sounds as if the band are feeling their way through the song and putting it together as they go. It's not Perfect, but it's from the Heart, and that’s what makes it such a Special song to me.
8. Grand Funk Railroad | Just Couldn’t Wait
I brought the album Good Singin' Good Playin' by Grand Funk Railroad about five years ago from a tiny Record Shop in Hay-on-Wye. I knew nothing about the band other than I liked their name. It was a Total Impulse Buy and I Loved it, so it reminds me that there is always New Music & Art to Discover and that Taking A Chance can be Rewarding. This is the first track on the record and is always my go-to pick when I can't decide what to listen to.
9. Elvis Presley | Can’t Help Falling In Love
My Wife and I danced to this song at our Wedding, so it will always remind me of the Best Day of my Life So Far, and the Amazing Woman I get to share all of the other days with as well.
10. Tinariwen | Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan
I started my list with Desert Rock so I’ll end with Desert Blues. I had this Tinariwen album on in the car to work one day, and the guy who was riding into work with me said I always wondered what kind of people actually go in the World Music section at HMV… And now I know… It’s you!... It was a special moment in a way because it made me realize how far I’d travelled Musically from the first Cassette I ever brought (Parklife – Blur) and how many bands & songs I’ve Loved, Hated, Forgetten and Cherished Ever Since. I don’t know what this song is about, but it Sounds Reflective and Soothing, but also Hopeful, so I listen to it and feel Happy.
SIDE B | by Phil Twigg
1. John Lennon | Isolation
The first time I heard this song I was driving along late at night and it was the only time where I've ever had to pull over and just listen. It pretty much floored me.
2. Johnny Cash | The Man Comes Around
One of the Last Songs He Ever Wrote and in my opinion his Finest Work, I Love the Imagery and his Ageing Voice is Incredible.
3. Eels | Ugly Love
I Love the Eels and Blinking Lights And Other Revelations is one of Favorite Albums. It's a stripped back Love song with a touch of Humor.
4. Nirvana | Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
Nirvana Soundtracked my Youth and this song was played more than most.
5. Bob Dylan | Talkin' John Birch Society Blues
Dylan at his Comical Best.
6. Mark Lanegan | When Your Number Isn't Up
This song still gives me the Chills. Lanegan's Voice is so Cool and Lyrically I think he's very underrated. I could never get bored of listening to him.
7. Buddy Holly | True Love Ways
I've been listening to this guy a lot recently and I've yet to hear a bad song. The fact The Beatles saw Inspiration from his band's name and Covered a number of his songs says it all.
8. Travelling Wilburys | Not Alone Any More
The Big O will is probably remembered most for Oh, Pretty Woman, but this song is on a Whole Other Planet.
9. Tom Waits | Make It Rain
He's Completely Unique and of my Heroes.
10. Elbow | The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver
The Best and Probably the Only Song About a Tower Crane Drive. There's Power and Subtlety in Equal Measure and I Love it when it drops down and then fires back up again.
1. Queens Of The Stone Age | Regular John
This song is special as it started my late teenage obsession with Desert Rock. Most of the song is one Chord hammered repeatedly and I more or less destroyed the Speakers in my first car cranking this song up as loud as I could.
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival | Who’ll Stop The Rain
This was the first Creedence song to pass my ears, and I’ll never forget the thrill I got when I heard John Fogarty’s Booming yet Melancholy Vocal. It also opened the door for me into Country & Americana Music and showed me the World beyond Distorted Guitars.
3. Monster Magnet | Space Lord
Growing up, this band was the one Musical Common Ground between myself and my friends. There are other Monster Magnet songs that I like better, but Space Lord was the only one that the DJ had at the Rock Club we all used to fall into at 1 in the morning on Friday/Saturday night. So it reminds of being drunk, and yelling, and falling over.
4. Slint | Good Morning, Captain
To my ear this is one of the Most Epic and Intense Songs Ever Put Together and I used to play it over & over again if I was up late either driving back from a gig or working on a last minute University essay. It whispers along menacingly all the way through until it finally goes crazy at the end. Listening to the picked Guitars and lurching Drums you can tell that the band put an incredible amount of Thought and Effort into every Note and it’s a kind of Attention to Detail & Focus that I aspire to.
5. Cream | Badge
Ginger Baker is my favorite Drummer and whilst I enjoy nothing more that watching Footage of his Drum Solo Wig-Outs, this song is the best Cream track in my eyes because its Structure and Subtlety go against all of the Free Form Jamming Credentials they were famous for at the time. Everytime I have too much to drink I put Badge on and preach to who-ever I’m with about why it’s the Best Song in the History of Music, which probably isn’t true… But it's still a good track.
6. Bonzo Dog Band | Bad Blood
When myself and my wife first moved in together I had my old Ghetto-Blaster in the kitchen, the Radio didn’t work on it and you couldn’t Re-Wind or Fast Forward any of the Tapes, so a Cassette had to be listened to from Start to Finish. Among a clutch of Tapes I swiped from my parents' house when I moved out was a home made Bonzo Dog Mix-Cassette my Dad had put together when he was 18 and so I felt a sense of Pride/Nostalgia whenever I was washing up and this worn out old Tape would lurch through a collection of Brilliantly Absurd songs. Bad Blood is probably my favorite because it has a great Country Shuffle and shows that though the band typically did Comedy songs, they were also Superb Musicians.
7. Neil Young | Tired Eyes
Whether playing full-on with Crazy Horse or just Solo with an Acoustic, Neil Young’s Music is always Thrilling and Powerful and Tired Eyes for me is the Best Song He’s Ever Done. It’s Raw, Loose and Out Of Tune in parts, but it has the most incredibly Moving Sadness to it. It Sounds as if the band are feeling their way through the song and putting it together as they go. It's not Perfect, but it's from the Heart, and that’s what makes it such a Special song to me.
8. Grand Funk Railroad | Just Couldn’t Wait
I brought the album Good Singin' Good Playin' by Grand Funk Railroad about five years ago from a tiny Record Shop in Hay-on-Wye. I knew nothing about the band other than I liked their name. It was a Total Impulse Buy and I Loved it, so it reminds me that there is always New Music & Art to Discover and that Taking A Chance can be Rewarding. This is the first track on the record and is always my go-to pick when I can't decide what to listen to.
9. Elvis Presley | Can’t Help Falling In Love
My Wife and I danced to this song at our Wedding, so it will always remind me of the Best Day of my Life So Far, and the Amazing Woman I get to share all of the other days with as well.
10. Tinariwen | Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan
I started my list with Desert Rock so I’ll end with Desert Blues. I had this Tinariwen album on in the car to work one day, and the guy who was riding into work with me said I always wondered what kind of people actually go in the World Music section at HMV… And now I know… It’s you!... It was a special moment in a way because it made me realize how far I’d travelled Musically from the first Cassette I ever brought (Parklife – Blur) and how many bands & songs I’ve Loved, Hated, Forgetten and Cherished Ever Since. I don’t know what this song is about, but it Sounds Reflective and Soothing, but also Hopeful, so I listen to it and feel Happy.
1. John Lennon | Isolation
The first time I heard this song I was driving along late at night and it was the only time where I've ever had to pull over and just listen. It pretty much floored me.
2. Johnny Cash | The Man Comes Around
One of the Last Songs He Ever Wrote and in my opinion his Finest Work, I Love the Imagery and his Ageing Voice is Incredible.
3. Eels | Ugly Love
I Love the Eels and Blinking Lights And Other Revelations is one of Favorite Albums. It's a stripped back Love song with a touch of Humor.
4. Nirvana | Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
Nirvana Soundtracked my Youth and this song was played more than most.
5. Bob Dylan | Talkin' John Birch Society Blues
Dylan at his Comical Best.
6. Mark Lanegan | When Your Number Isn't Up
This song still gives me the Chills. Lanegan's Voice is so Cool and Lyrically I think he's very underrated. I could never get bored of listening to him.
7. Buddy Holly | True Love Ways
I've been listening to this guy a lot recently and I've yet to hear a bad song. The fact The Beatles saw Inspiration from his band's name and Covered a number of his songs says it all.
8. Travelling Wilburys | Not Alone Any More
The Big O will is probably remembered most for Oh, Pretty Woman, but this song is on a Whole Other Planet.
9. Tom Waits | Make It Rain
He's Completely Unique and of my Heroes.
10. Elbow | The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver
The Best and Probably the Only Song About a Tower Crane Drive. There's Power and Subtlety in Equal Measure and I Love it when it drops down and then fires back up again.
