I found out about Townes Van Zandt when our bass player bought a second-hand T-shirt with a picture of him on it. None of us knew who he was, but the picture was very cool so we did a little research and discovered he's the star of this country music documentary called Heartworn Highways. He was a bit of a cult figure, the kind of modest, deeply sensitive singer who people really take to heart. This song is ruled by his wonderful, cracked voice, lilting guitars and piccolo. I call it broken soul music and it reminds me of driving through the smoky mountains of Tennessee.
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Joe Tex - The Love You Save
This song is for that late night drive after a gig when you're heading through Kentucky and all you can see are neon lights. It seems glamorous, but at times like this you miss home so much you can start to feel dysfunctional; The Love You Save is exactly the kind of slow, sensual song that will bring you back to life. Joe Tex is lesser known than his contemporaries like Sam Cooke or Marvin Gaye, but as far as I'm concerned his voice stands up to any of those guys. This song will warm your soul up.
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MIA - Paper Planes
I listen to this track in a medicinal way, to relieve myself from the Americana of it all when I'm on tour. MIA's accent is so south-east, it feels so British. Covering a Clash song should be sacrilegious, but she does it justice and the lyrics and cash register sample give that riff a new lease of life. The force behind this song is a strong antidote to traveller's fatigue.
Click here to download from iTunes.
The Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby
This track cropped up on a 30 Years of Rough Trade compilation that has had its fair share of plays on my iPod. I have to say that the sheer Scottish-ness of the band is what I love the most. Their accents are so broad it brings a comic relief to what is a brilliantly shambolic punk song. It's a tasty little number because it's not too serious.
Not available from iTunes.
Roxy Music - All I Want is You
I've always been a fan of Roxy Music, but then who hasn't? Their songs are so well paced, perfect for a boring journey when you're subconsciously pushing the bus along with your mind because you just want to get to the next town. Bryan Ferry's delivery is this charming blend of English foppishness and a cabaret that is almost French in its nuances. A good, zippy, sexy number for when you're far from home and keen to get to where you're going.
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El Rego et Ses Commandos - Se Na Min
When I'm dealing with the onslaught of touring I get pretty sick of guitars, lyrics, basically anything stereotypically rock and roll, so I like to listen to something totally different. There's a compilation just out called African Scream Contest that's a real adventure to listen to, mainly because I don't know what they're singing about. Sa Na Min is this irresistible African take on mid-60s rhythm and blues that I always get lost in. I think it's possible to appreciate music in a very different way when the lyrics are little more than a collection of consonants and vowels to the listener. Not available from iTunes.
Royal Trux - Yellow Kid
We play this song a lot before we go on stage, just to get us going. Like most of Royal Trux's music it's lo-fi, druggy rock with a memorable chorus that goes, "We need somebody, somebody like the kid". Our drummer's nickname is The Kid, so it has a special meaning. A while back his eardrum burst before a show and he said he'd play the show anyway, which may or may not have been a good idea. We all sang this song to honour his heroism.
Click here to download from iTunes.
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