Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl: Paul Ansorge
Friend of Bifurcated and United fan Paul Ansorge (@UtdRantcast) – of website United Rant, and the superb United Rant Cast podcast fame – had taken a break from recording to contemplate his connection with the Universe and that. He’d only just stepped outside when his momentary peace was shattered by the incessant hum of impending doom. Woah! Steady on … It’s just the Bifurcated Train!
The conductor got right up in Paul’s grill and paused before shouting at the top of his lungs, “FFFFOOOTTTBBBAAAALLLL!!!” Wow! Someone had garlic bread for tea last night. He tossed Paul a £1 coin and pointed towards the platform.
There was only one train waiting to depart, there was only one destination…
Canvey Island!
(If you’re a new visitor: THIS IS IT. I know. I know. We like to refer to it as “Lo-Fi”)
At the other end he was politely shoved in the direction of the derelict car park and the now familiar car boot sale with the never-in-a-million-years-created-using-Paint stall, run this time by someone who looked the double of ex-Manchester United and Molde player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (He insisted on being put on the rota for this one)!
As is now the recognised format of this quasi-naive post the stallholder has a message. Regular visitors to the site might want to join in? All together now … “Welcome to Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl. I’ve got to shift all these for a friend of a friend after a misunderstanding over some flooring, anyhow, won’t bore you with the detail, it’s always just padding to add to the overall effect of this nonsense … We have every single ever pressed or recorded in stock, and at 5 for £1, you can enjoy picking some of your 5 favourites of all time?!” (No-one joined in, hmmm, strange that)
… And this is what Paul picked and why (in his own words) …
Ode To Joy
“Bernstein, in his introduction, says it better than I could, but what piece of music better sums up Canvey Island than this? Seriously though, the actual recording I would take is a recording that was performed in Berlin in the late 30s. I am too ill informed to remember the name of the conductor, or anything, but it’s basically the most inspirational bit of subversive art I have ever heard. A bunch of classical singers, knowing full well what they are doing, singing about the fundamental brotherhood of humanity at the top of their lungs, while a bunch of senior members of Hitler’s inner circle cough and awkwardly shuffle their feet. It’s a very pure act of protest, a real life version of the scene in Casablanca where La Marseillaise is blasted out. Also, it’s such an awesome, uplifting, deep and rich piece of music. Beethoven was pretty, pretty good, and I’m definitely down with anything called an Ode to Joy. What’s better than joy?”
A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
“Sam Cooke had the 20th century’s finest singing voice. A Change is Gonna Come was written after Sam heard Bob Dylan singing How Many Roads and decided that he should probably stop only singing love songs and sing something of substance. And for a first attempt at a protest song, he did a pretty, pretty good job.”
Rain by The Beatles
“The Beatles are my favourite band. This might just be my favourite of their songs. It was between this and The Inner Light…”
In fact…
(3.a) The Inner Light by The Beatles
“I’m cheating. Maybe these come as a double a side, or summink. I chose them as illustrative of the Beatles’ canon, and how incredibly rich, satisfying and varied it is. I’m essentially the only person in the world who believes the Beatles are generally under-rated.”
Flame On by Gan Juan & Awate
“I have to include hip hop on this list. Why not pick something by a Rant Cast listener? Especially when that person is an incredibly gifted lyricist, rapping over one of the most luxurious, funky, exciting backings I’ve ever heard.”
The Only Living Boy In New York by Simon and Garfunkel
“Sumptuous.”
Just before Paul heads back to the platform the Ole “look-a-like” stallholder pointed him in the direction of the old abandoned book stall and asks him to pick out a book, for free, for the journey home.
… And Paul picked …
The Tao Te Ching
“The highest goodness resembles water.
Water greatly benefits myriad things without contention.
It stays in places that people dislike.
Therefore it is similar to the Tao.
Places that people dislike. Like Canvey Island. Seriously though, why not choose one of the myriad of awesome philosophical an spiritual texts of the world.”
…and then we dropped Paul off, just as Ed was calling him back in to carry on recording.
A reminder you can follow Paul on twitter here > @UtdRantcast
Visit his site here > United Rant
Or listen to the latest Podcast here > Rant Cast
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To submit your own five favourite singles and partake in our spectacularly amateurish kidnapping scenario email us at:
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Also available in the series…
Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl: Pauline Gill
