Totally non-health related posting here - so if you think its self-indulgent - theres always the 'off button' 
A few days ago I installed the juke box on the site - for a few reasons I suppose.
- I thought it was quite a nifty gadget and that appeals to my geeky side.
- Music speaks volumes about a person - and I know loads of people who havent a clue what music I like to listen to
- I thought it might be nice to listen to a few tracks I've chosen while you read the site.
I've moved the jukebox to the bottom of the page for purely visual reasons - its a bit of a cumbersome tool and I didn't like that I couldn't move it around on the page, or change the width of it. But if you scroll down and click play on any track, it will do just that, and then continue to shuffle the tracks and play til you leave the page. If you want to keep the music playing while you view other web pages/email etc, just leave this page open and minimise it if you like, and open a new page for your continued browsing (sorry if thats teaching you how to suck eggs!! 
)
I guess I owe my love of music to two sources really, When I was growing up Mum and Dad enrolled us in the June Tyrell School of Dancing in Rotherham - where I was taught from an early age to do the sort of dancing you see on Saturday nights these days in Strictly Come Dancing! I hated it mostly (usually cos the kids at school regularly took the mickey), and usually because it coincided with a game of footy on the park. However, it instilled in me a sense of rhythm thats never left me, and i still prefer music with a damn good beat or bassline.
The other source was a very good friend of mine, John, whom I met when my parents moved the family to live in Bahrain in the late 70's. John worked at the same firm as my Dad, and was a young bloke at the time who seemed to have no end to his abilities - or workrate either. In all the years I've known him, thats never changed. His day job at the Aluminium plant in Bahrain seemed to get in the way of his lifestyle - he played in a band, dj'd in all the big hotels and clubs in Bahrain, he hosted a radio show on Radio Bahrain (the only English speaking radio station serving the Gulf), and did promotions work too.
During my time there - and with the benefit of living 3 doors away - I helped out with most things. I roadied for him, answered the phones on his radio show, helped with maintenance of the gear. It was brilliant, I learnt so much about music in that time and remember with great fondness the radio show in particular. It was on a Thursday afternoon (which was like our Saturday afternoon as its the weekend in Arabian countries) and ran from 3 til 6pm. I know it was listened to by a massive proportion of the ex-patriate community and they would listen in while lighting their bbq's, and ring the show with requests. A lot of the time they would also ring in and ask us to 'tell Pete to collect 2 more steaks on his way home, Pat and Dave have called round'...
But what I remember the most was the music. I remember great tracks that I would never have listened to at home by people like Amen Corner, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Fleetwood Mac and many many more. It was brilliant stuff for a lad of 11/12 to grow up on. And it gave me such an appreciation for where music had come from.
You could hear the influences in later tracks taken from earlier stuff after a while. John used to explain it to me, and at first it went completely over my head, but after a while started to pick up on it myself. Its incredible just how much music derived (and still does) from the late 50's and Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles and of course, the King, Elvis Presley. (My Dad hates Elvis Presley - to this day I think he's still bitter that he never visited England! - isn't that right Dad!!)
I guess theres no need to explain why some of the tracks are on there - given the background I've just outlined. You may be surprised by some choices though. To be honest - one of the hardest questions I can ever be asked is "Whats yur favourite ever 3/5/10 songs.". I could spend days deliberating over a question like that, going through my CD's and I-pod, writing tracks down and scribbling them out! So please - don't ask!
My favourite album of all time is dead easy - The Lexicon of Love by ABC. They were a Sheffield band in the 80's - the music and lyrics were just perfect on every song on the album - and it's still a regular in the car. People will remember Poison Arrow and The Look of Love - I know the lyrics to every song on the album I've listened to it so many times.
Favourite present day music? Theres some great bands out at the moment - I really like the Killers, Embrace and Snow Patrol. i can listen to the Klaxons when i'm in the mood, and of course Sheffield is really back on the scene with the Arctic Monkeys and Reverend and the Makers. Not bothered about Little Man Tate though. And of course the dance music scene is fantastic - anything that Fedde Le Grand touches turns to gold! Everytime I see footage from a Faithless concert I want to be there - so maybe i could be the oldest swinger at one of their gigs in the near future... Favourite current Track - Newton faulkner - Dream Catch Me - it had me in tears a few times I don't mind admitting during the last 6 months - the words just seemed to talk to me in a way thats difficult to explain.
Music from the past? Well, thats really tough - theres just so much to choose from. I'm constantly accused of being stuck in the 80's - and why the hell not!? The Human League, Depeche Mode, OMD, Heaven 17 and New Order were all brilliant, and there were brilliant one-hit wonders like Belouis Some (I'm not counting Some People as that was rubbish), and Danny Wilson (not the former Wednesday player!) who recorded Mary's Prayer - which is always up near the top of my list of favourites, Colonel Abrams with Trapped and Ten City with 'Thats The Way Love Is' - probably the best dance track of all time.
I was a slow starter with Oasis. Ive seen them a few times live now and have vowed to catch them live every year they tour now - they really are a band better heard on stage. If you can cope with all the unsavoury things the crowd throw around in pint pots of course. I saw them at the City of Manchester Stadium in 2006 - and that was quite lterally the biggest 'singalong' I've ever witnessed!! The following night I was at the Reebok stadium in Bolton to see Coldplay - and while it was a great gig - it really didn't get close to touching the quality of the previous night. If you havent seen Oasis - make the effort. But take a brolly
Flicking through my playlist - I reckon theres as much stuff from the 70's as the 80's and thats clearly as a result of Johns influence. Theres plenty of Ska - from The Beat to the Specials and I really liked Selecter in the day. Theres also plenty of early stuff from Michael Jackson - his Off The Wall album regularly sits alongside ABC in my car - he's a brilliant (if slightly troubled) performer - but then show me an artistic genius from the past who didn't have similarl issues!
I'm sure some will question the inclusion of the Carpenters. 
The Carpenters are Sunday mornings growing up at Mum and Dads - right from being toddlers to teenagers. Actually - as teenagers we were regularly awoken with the sound of the Carpenters - Mum not being one to sympathise to hangovers too much. Now why couldn't it have been Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up to wake up to - there is no better song to start a Sunday morning to! Especially if you're having freshly squeezed orange juice and croissants! (I'm sounding like a Marks and Spencers advert now!)
Rappers Delight by the Sugarhill Gang is another song I know from start to finish - its been played so much in the car. Even the kids know this one off by heart - which I think is pretty impressive considering its quite a complex rap in places - but it certainly demonstrates they are getting a good upbringing!!
I can't finish without a mention for Marvin Gaye. What a loss he was to the world of music and still with so much ahead. The same with Freddie Mercury - I never saw Queen live either - so I guess the moral of the story is - if they are touring and you have always fancied seeing them - go and see them. You never know whats round the corner - for them (or you) - so do it. Now.
Anyway - I've just spotted how many words I've typed and realised that this really is a self-indulgent topic - if you've made it this far - WELL DONE! Many thanks to Mum and Dad and particularly John R for shaping my musical tatses thus far - and I hope you enjoy the playlist I've put together.
All the best
Nigel xx
PS: As I'm just about to publish this topic Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol is just finishing - what a song. Perfect. 
PPS: I can't believe I've written that entire article and not mentioned George Michael - or even given him a track on a playlist. Can you imagine me trying to trim that list to 3/5...
