Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl: Our very own David Abbott
We’re still celebrating our 1st Birthday! Next up for a trip on the much maligned Bifurcated Train, Bifurcated creator David Abbott and here it is now…
The conductor tossed him a £1 coin and held out his hand to lead him in the direction of the platform. *BUZZ* Yep, same gag. It’s painful isn’t it?
There was only one train waiting to depart, there was only one destination…
Canvey Island!
At the other end he was lead towards the creepy car park and the now over familiar car-boot sale with the stall, run this time by someone who looked suspiciously like ex-Manchester United player John O’Shea!
As is the now the recognised format with this extremely quasi-shoddy post, the character has a message: “Welcome to Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl. I’ve got to shift all these for a friend of a friend after a miscommunication over some … erm … oh I forgot my lines, anyhow, won’t bore you with the detail, you’ve probably stopped listening to this surreal nonsensical rubbish already … We have every single ever pressed or recorded in stock, and at 5 for £1, you can enjoy picking your 5 favourites of all time?!”
… And this is what David picked and why (in his own words) …
The False Bridge performed by Shirley Collins
“I love folk music. Old music, performed before it was referred to as folk music and sung by men in white Aran sweaters. Shirley Collins is incredible, this song is awesome.”
I Wish I was a Mole in the Ground performed by Bascom Lamar Lunsford
“I don’t know what this song is about. But I think it’s funny and serious, which I like. This was one of the first songs that got me into American old time music. Root that mountain down!”
Out on the Weekend by Neil Young
“Harvest has an amazing sound throughout, but this song stands out to me. When I went to Tanzania 10 years ago I took only half a dozen CDs with me. Harvest was one. I hadn’t listened to anything for a few weeks then put this on through my headphones one night. One of my favourite musical experiences ever. One of my favourite lyrical openings to a song: “Think I’ll pack it in and buy a pickup take it down to LA. Find a place to call my own and try to fix up, start a brand new day. The woman I’m thinking of, she loved me all up, but I’m so down today….””
Buckets of Rain by Bob Dylan
“My all-time favourite musician. I could have compiled a top 5 of just Dylan, so I chose a random song. It’s funny, and it rounds off perfectly my favourite Dylan album.”
“No version on YouTube, so here is actually my favourite song ever by anyone (and one of my favourite performances of it)”
Girlfriend is Better by Talking Heads
“Had to put something more up beat in this list. This was the first song that came to mind. It is perfect.”
Just before David headed back to the platform the John O Shea “look-a-like” stallholder pointed her in the direction of the old abandoned book stall and asked him to pick out a book, for free, for the journey home.
… And David picked …
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
“Unlike Brett I did read for the first half of my life, but unlike Brett I’ve pretty much stopped now. I’m having trouble finding the time and when I do I’m pretty picky about what I do read.
Reading was most influential in my life from the ages of 17 – 20, during which the Beats were king. Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac blew me away. Then I got into better novels. I got into William Faulkner. Then when I became old and boring (26) I got into Cormac McCarthy and Richard Ford. They were my new mature favourites. Blood Meridian is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever read – book or otherwise. Richard Ford’s Frank Bascombe novels are truly special (esp. The Sportswriter and Independence Day).
But the book that introduced me to death, and therefore life, and the ways we truly burn and extinguish ourselves is As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner. It is the most concisely beautiful, well-stated, poignant book I have ever read. As far as I can answer this question, it takes top spot.”
…and then we dropped David off at his studio, so he could get on with his actual job and stop messing about all the time.
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To submit your own five favourite singles of all time and partake in our slightly amateurish kidnapping scenario email us at:
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Also available in the series…
Canvey Island cds, tapes and vinyl: Brett Atkinson 
