Today’s Desert Island Disc conversation is with my friend Michael. Michael is yet another in the long line of Bronx High School of Science grads that we know (I actually know people who didn't go to BHSS.) Michael and I also went to Columbia U. together for two years and are fraternity brothers. Oh the hijinks from our youth (this is code - I'm not sure the statute of limitations has run out on some of the things that transpired - I'll leave it at that.)
Michael and his very lovely wife, Stephanie were very sympathetic ears for us during a very difficult time in our lives and we will always be very grateful to them.
Michael is currently an Ass't General Counsel for a great Metropolitan Advertising firm.
Michael's Desert Island List
Music (in no particular order)
1. Beethoven’s 7th symphony- Second Movement "Allegretto" Opus. 92" –
The piece gives me goosebumps. And had has such long-lasting flavor. I pressed Michael about his choice and he insisted that he enjoys the Beethoven piece because it gives him literal goosebumps and he believes he needs to seek medical attention.
2. You are My Sunshine - Ray Charles.
He’s just so damn good (almost as good as Margie Hendricks' vocals on this track). And a reminder that there’s limitless number of ways to present a song.
3. Abbey Road medley (side 2 of the Abbey Road LP) – The Beatles.
Counts as one! (since the rules are capricious and arbitrary - we'll let you go on this one.) What can I say? Been listening for 40 years without tiring of it (Michael's note to self: use as metaphor for marriage at some appropriate time). Prefer slightly imperfect LP version over CD. We'll remember to send Michael to the island with a portable phonograph (for those of you old enough to remember phonographs.)
4. Party Rock – LMFAO.
So I can spend time learning those groovy dance moves. I asked Michael if his musical taste have been affected his kids taste. My musical tastes are driven largely by my emotional reaction to the music - things either move me for the good or bad.
5. Naïve Melody (This Must Be the Place) – Miles Fisher.
I find the video a bit disturbing but very funny. The music is catchy and I find it an interesting counterpoint to my next choice. I appreciated the fact that this song (and the next) suceeded as two different musical genres.
6. PS 22 chorus cover of Naïve Melody.
These kids are just so damn passionate about this nonsensical song – except the girl @ 00:35, shrugging while singing “Born with a weak heart – guess I must be having fun”! Lovely solo @ 2:41. These two songs are really like two different songs. But both are fun, soulful, thoughtful and of course, I find the lyrics completely gibberish.
7. Land Down Under - Men at Work.
I'll never tire of the lines: "I said, "Do you speak my language? He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich." And no, I've never had a Vegemite Sandwich, but I'm game. And after that, I'm on to Haggis.
8. China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider from Europe '72 - Grateful Dead .
The joy of youth, freedom and unintelligible lyrics. If you have to ask ... on a hot day nothing quite refreshs like an ice cream cone to the forehead.
What was one piece of music did you not get to pick?:
I would have taken the Aimee Mann Catalog (cheeky monkey to ask to take an entire catalog) I love her work and it has the added benefit of keeping my wife and children at bay (the management has no comment.) I find there's a great deal of passion in her music
Have your musical tastes changed over the years?:
There's a great deal of fun and energy in some of what my kids like to listen to today. I'm not partial to C & W but I do enjoy a lot of Bluegrass and 'old timey music' like Doc Watson. I absolutely do not like whining or effusive declarations of love in music (yet I do like a lot of the Blues). I think I've had a modest amount of influence on my children's musical tastes (and isn't that how it should be?) They seem to like The Beatles (one of them even likes The White Album). My boys like The Clash - I think I had the only 6 yeat old whose favorite song of all time was White Riot. They also like Green Day (thanks to me!) My daughter and I like a lot of the same Show Tunes.
What Book would you take with you?:
The book I'd take would be Robert Caro’s The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York. The tale of the building of modern New York rendered in numerous true-life dramas as exciting as fiction, with the hero and villain built into one. Besides, I need something to contrast the violence and dissipation in the two works (The Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare) that are proffered by our host, Ricardo Montalban.
What one luxury item would you bring with you?:
I’ll take a pen (with some paper if you’re in a giving mood). I figure that they’ll come for me, Gilligan and the gang eventually, so it will be interesting to have recorded (or to have left behind) my experience. Wait - that sounds really dull - "Day 198, I had a coconut and listened to Land Down Under" - um, I'll take an acoustic guitar - yeah, I'll teach myself guitar. (I'll ask our friend David for a recommendation.)
Definitely that. Or, a Vegemite Sandwich.
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